HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - December 26, 2025
Published: Fri, 12/26/25
Updated: Tue, 12/30/25
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HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - December 26, 2025
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In this week's tip, we help out an HOAleader.com reader, who emailed and asked for tips on evaluating insurance offerings.
This is exactly what we do!
Your first step any time you get or renew insurance is to make sure you meet the governing document and statutory requirements that cover your community, says Noelle Hicks, CCAL, a Houston-based shareholder at Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey PC, who represents condos and HOAs throughout Texas and has been named to the National Black Lawyers Top 100.
“I let my clients know the kinds of insurance they absolutely have to have based on their governing documents and the Texas property code,” she explains. “Generally I recommend, based on the property code, that they have general liability insurance and that they insure all the association-owned facilities and common areas. I also suggest they have directors and officers insurance to protect the board.
“I've also recommended fidelity and crime coverage,” says Hicks. “I recommend the crime coverage because sometimes associations have employees, and they also have vendors and contractors, and you just never know what could happen with an employee or vendor. They also might have some sort of crime that takes place on association-owned property or against association-owned property.
“I recommend that for some clients but not all,” she adds. “Some condos or HOAs might expect that coverage and can actually afford it. But insurance premiums are skyrocketing, and I'm seeing lots of problems with associations affording the basic coverages they need.”
After sharing that advice, Hicks then recommends clients go directly to their insurance broker for further advice.
Your broker is a critical player today because the insurance crisis for condos and HOAs isn't easing. Our experts say their clients are still struggling to find affordable insurance—or insurance at all.
“When talking about what boards experience at insurance renewal, I hate to say that it depends,” states Zuly Maribona, LCAM, the Bonita Springs, Fla.-based senior vice president and partner at KW Property Management who oversees the company's southwest Florida, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and North Carolina operations. “But it does depend on the association and what they may have going on.”
Find out what Maribona means, plus actions you can take to get the most affordable and best coverage, in our new article: https://www.hoaleader.com/members/5227.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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