Condo Association Insurance Requirements in Jacksonville and St. Augustine, Florida

Florida Statute 718.111(11) requires every condominium association to carry adequate property insurance based on replacement cost, redetermined by an independent appraisal at least once every 3 years, and insurance or fidelity bonding for everyone who controls or disburses association funds. The statute does not mandate general liability. Lenders do. Jacksonville and St. Augustine boards also face lender deductible caps.

What Florida condo and HOA boards must insure under FS 718.111: replacement-cost coverage, 3-year appraisals, fidelity bonding, lender caps, local pricing.

Figures reviewed against Florida Statutes and carrier bulletins on September 27, 2026.

What Jacksonville and St. Augustine boards are asked to show

The statute is statewide; the file an underwriter and a lender read is local. These are the items Northeast Florida boards get asked for at renewal and at every financed unit sale.

Duval County

Citizens held only 5 condo-association multiperil policies in Duval at December 31, 2025, so a Jacksonville board is buying from private carriers, and those carriers ask for the same four documents.

  • A replacement-cost appraisal or update no more than 3 years old (FS 718.111(11)(a)) — the number every other figure on the declarations page hangs on.
  • The fidelity bond or crime policy covering everyone who controls or disburses funds, sized to the maximum in custody at any one time (FS 718.111(11)(h)).
  • Proof of the structural integrity reserve study for buildings three habitable stories or higher (FS 718.112(2)(g)) and the milestone inspection where the building's age requires it (FS 553.899).
  • A deductible structure that passes the lender caps at unit sales: no more than 5% of the coverage amount, and $50,000 per unit where the policy carries a per-unit deductible (Fannie Mae B7-3-03; Freddie Mac for applications on or after July 1, 2026).
  • Jacksonville's protection class helps: JFRD is ISO Class 1, and the city's CRS Class 6 earns a 20% discount on the association's federal flood policy.

St. Johns County

The county has grown 26.7% since 2020, so many of its associations are newer buildings on newer codes. Citizens held 3 wind-only condo-association policies here at December 31, 2025, and no multiperil ones.

  • Flood discounts follow the city limits: St. Augustine is CRS Class 4 (30% off federal flood premiums, since April 2026), unincorporated St. Johns County is Class 5 (25%), St. Augustine Beach is Class 8 (10%).
  • Fire protection runs Class 3, 3X or 10 by distance to a station and a hydrant in the county, and Class 1 inside St. Augustine; the class is priced directly into the master policy.
  • Since July 1, 2025 every board member and officer has a statutory duty to ensure the community association manager or management firm is properly licensed under Chapter 468 before signing the contract (FS 718.111(3)(g), added by HB 913); if the license is later suspended or revoked, the association may terminate the contract on written notice (FS 718.111(3)(h)-(i)).
  • Lenders now read the master policy at every financed sale, and a fast-selling county sees more of them: a stale appraisal or an oversized per-unit deductible stops a closing before it stops anything else.

Guides

Data sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Jacksonville condo association have to carry flood or general liability insurance by law?

No. Florida Statute 718.111(11) mandates adequate property insurance and fidelity bonding. Flood and directors-and-officers coverage are permitted, not required, and general liability is not mentioned. Liability and flood requirements come from lenders and the association's documents. Fannie Mae requires $1 million per occurrence of general liability for financed condo projects. Jacksonville's CRS Class 6 earns a 20% federal flood discount.

What does a St. Johns County board have to verify about its manager since HB 913?

Since July 1, 2025, Florida Statute 718.111(3)(g) gives every board member and officer a duty to ensure the community association manager or management firm is properly licensed under Chapter 468 before the association signs the contract. Paragraphs (h) and (i) let the association terminate the contract on written notice if the license is later suspended or revoked.

What are the HOA insurance requirements in Florida?

Florida's Homeowners' Association Act (Chapter 720) has no property insurance mandate. It requires insurance or a fidelity bond covering everyone who controls or disburses association funds, unless the members waive it each year by majority vote (FS 720.3033(5)). The association's declaration and its lenders set the rest, usually property and liability coverage on the common areas.

What insurance is a Florida condo association legally required to carry?

Under Florida Statute 718.111(11), every condominium association must carry adequate property insurance based on replacement cost, covering all condominium property as originally installed per the original plans and specifications, and insurance or fidelity bonding for everyone who controls or disburses association funds. The statute does not mandate general liability insurance. Lenders and most governing documents do.

How often must a condo association get an insurance appraisal in Florida?

Florida law requires the replacement cost behind the master policy to be determined at least once every 3 years, by an independent insurance appraisal or an update of a previous appraisal (Section 718.111(11)(a)). That figure is what the association's property insurance is based on, so the cycle keeps coverage in step with construction costs.

What are the SB 4-D milestone inspection requirements?

Under FS 553.899, a condominium building three habitable stories or higher must have a milestone inspection by December 31 of the year it reaches 30 years of age, and every 10 years after. A local enforcement agency may require it at 25 years for conditions such as proximity to salt water. A reserve study (SIRS) is due every 10 years.

What happens if a condo association does not carry the required insurance?

Board members can face personal liability for failing to maintain required insurance coverage. The association may be unable to obtain financing or refinancing for common element repairs. Unit owners may face difficulty selling their units since lenders typically require proof of adequate association insurance. In the event of a loss, the entire cost falls on unit owners through special assessments.

Does the condo association's insurance cover individual unit interiors?

The association's master policy covers all condominium property as originally installed per the original plans and specifications. However, it specifically excludes personal property within units, floor/wall/ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, built-in cabinets, countertops, and window treatments. Unit owners need their own HO-6 policy to cover these items and any improvements or upgrades they have made.

Who pays the insurance deductible when there is a claim on the master policy?

Under Florida Statute 718.111(11)(j), property insurance deductibles and any damages above the association's coverage are a common expense, shared by all unit owners through assessments. Damage caused by a unit owner's intentional conduct or negligence can be charged to that owner. An association may opt out by a vote of a majority of its total voting interests (Section 718.111(11)(k)).

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