Glossary

Walls-in coverage

Condo unit-owner coverage for everything from the interior wall surfaces inward, which is the part of the unit the association's master policy does not insure.

Also called: walls-in condo coverage, walls-in policy, HO-6 walls-in

Walls-in coverage is shorthand for the insurance a condo owner carries on everything inside the unit's walls: drywall and paint, flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures and improvements, plus the owner's belongings. That is the job of the dwelling coverage (Coverage A) on an HO-6 policy. How much you need depends on what the association's master policy already covers. Under a bare walls coverage master you need the most. Under an all-in master you need less.

The label is a trap, because it is used two ways. Some agents and lenders also say "walls-in" for the master policy type usually called single entity, where the association insures the unit's original interior finishes. Fannie Mae dropped the phrase from its lender guidelines for loans applied for from January 1, 2012. Read the master policy and your governing documents, not the nickname.

Say the master policy covers the unit as originally built, and you spent $35,000 on a remodel (hypothetical). After a fire, the association's insurer pays for the original finishes, and your HO-6 must pay for your upgrades and your belongings. Set the dwelling limit to cover that gap and ask your agent about improvements and betterments. The HO-6 guide shows how to size the limit.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

HO-6 (unit-owners form) The condo owner's policy: it covers belongings, the parts of the unit the association's policy leaves to you, loss assessments, liability and loss of use. Master policy The property and liability policy a condominium or homeowners association buys for the shared structure and common areas, paid for through dues. Bare walls coverage A condo master policy type that insures only the structure and common areas, leaving everything from the interior surfaces inward to the unit owner. All-in coverage A condo master policy type insuring the building plus each unit's interior finishes and owner upgrades, leaving mainly belongings and liability to the owner. Loss assessment coverage Coverage for your share of a bill that a condo or homeowners association charges owners after a covered loss that its own insurance does not fully pay. Dwelling coverage (Coverage A) The part of a homeowners policy that pays to repair or rebuild the house itself, including attached structures such as a garage, porch or deck.

Related guides

Co-op apartment insurance Co-op shareholders insure improvements, belongings and liability, usually on an HO-6, while the corporation insures the building. Your lease sets the line. Condo master policies: what the association covers and what you cover How bare-walls, all-in and in-between master policies divide a condo between association and owner, who pays the master deductible, and what to ask for. Townhouse insurance: HO-3 or HO-6? Whether a townhouse needs an HO-3 or an HO-6 depends on who owns and insures the roof and walls, not on its style. Here is how to tell from your documents.