HOA Insurance Coverage review checklist

Texas weather losses are common—and coverage surprises are avoidable

In Texas, weather damage doesn’t always come from a headline-making hurricane. More often, it’s a fast-moving hail event, straight-line wind, wind-driven rain, a hard freeze that leads to burst pipes, or water intrusion that starts small and spreads quietly.

The damage is stressful. But what hits boards and managers hardest is realizing after the loss that the HOA insurance program didn’t respond the way everyone expected.

At Archer Risk Services, we see the same patterns repeat across Texas communities. The good news: most claim “surprises” are preventable with a proactive HOA insurance coverage review and a clearer plan for how the claim will actually play out.

The real problem isn’t the storm. It’s the assumptions.

Most boards and managers believe three things are true—until a weather claim proves otherwise:

“We’re fully covered.”
“If something happens, we’ll file a claim and it’ll get handled.”
“Everyone understands what the master policy covers versus what owners cover.”

Texas weather claims have a way of stress-testing those assumptions immediately. When confusion shows up, it usually shows up in four places: deductibles, limits, exclusions, and who is responsible for what.

Surprise #1: Wind and hail deductibles can be bigger than expected

Many communities understand their “standard” deductible, but wind/hail claims can trigger a different deductible structure—often much larger than expected. In some programs, the deductible is a percentage rather than a flat amount, and it may apply differently depending on how your buildings are scheduled.

Common deductible issues we see in Texas HOAs and condos include:

Percentage-based wind/hail deductibles that create major out-of-pocket costs on larger buildings
Different deductibles based on cause of loss (wind, hail, water, freeze)
Deductibles that apply per building, per location, or per occurrence—changing the total community cost

A claim can be valid and still create budget shock if the deductible is misunderstood. Before the next weather event, ask for your deductible structure in plain language and map out the worst-case scenario—plus how it would be funded (reserves, assessment, financing, or a combination).

Surprise #2: Water intrusion spreads fast—and the details decide the outcome

Weather-related water damage in Texas often has layers: where the water entered, where it traveled, what it damaged, and how quickly mitigation started. That complexity can create delays if responsibilities and coverage details aren’t clear ahead of time.

To keep a real claim from turning into a dispute, make sure your team has a written first-24-hours plan that answers:

Who authorizes and coordinates mitigation?
What photos, vendor notes, and timelines need to be captured immediately?
How will communication go to owners in the first 24–48 hours?
Who is the point person for adjuster coordination and document requests?

Surprise #3: Multi-building communities face multiplied risk

Many insurance programs are built like they’re covering one building. Texas HOAs and condo communities rarely operate like that—especially when you have multiple buildings, shared roofs, shared plumbing runs, repeating layouts, or shared exterior systems.

Common pain points include underinsurance on one or more buildings, inconsistent building values, and claims that impact multiple buildings at once. The fix is straightforward: confirm you’re insured-to-value based on current rebuild costs and that the program structure matches how the property is actually built and maintained.

Surprise #4: Master policy vs. HO-6 responsibilities get messy fast

This is where weather losses often become political. Owners assume the association covers more than it does. Boards assume owners cover more than they do. Managers get stuck in the middle trying to coordinate repairs while everyone argues about responsibility.

For condo communities, interior questions come up immediately—fixtures, finishes, cabinets, flooring, upgrades, and how stacked units are handled when water moves vertically.

Before the next claim, create clarity: publish an owner insurance guidance document that explains HO-6 expectations, loss assessment coverage expectations, and a practical “who covers what” summary tied to your governing documents and insurance structure.

Surprise #5: The policy is in force, but sublimits and exclusions change what gets paid

Many claim surprises aren’t about denial. They’re about the difference between what’s technically covered and what’s practically paid—because of sublimits, exclusions, reporting timelines, mitigation requirements, or ordinance-and-law exposures when code upgrades are required.

A useful exercise: pick three realistic Texas weather scenarios (hail roof damage, wind-driven rain intrusion, freeze-related pipe burst) and ask, “If this happened tomorrow, what would we wish we had clarified today?” Then clarify it now.

HOA Insurance Coverage Review Checklist for Texas Weather Claims

Use this checklist before renewal—or before storm season:

Are we insured to value based on current rebuild costs (by building, if applicable)?
Do we understand our wind/hail deductible in plain language—and how it applies across buildings?
Do we know how claims are handled when multiple buildings are impacted?
Do we have clear owner guidance on HO-6 coverage expectations and loss assessment coverage?
Do we have a written first-24-hours plan for mitigation, documentation, and communication?
Do we know who coordinates restoration vendors and what gets documented first?
Do we have the right structure for shared systems, common areas, and building-to-building risk?

If you’re not confident in two or three of these, you’re not alone. Most communities aren’t—until they review it intentionally.

How Archer Risk Services helps Texas HOAs and condo communities

Archer Risk Services helps Texas HOAs and condominium communities reduce weather-loss surprises by reviewing coverage early and aligning policies with real-world exposures.

We focus on practical questions like:

What will this policy do during a real weather claim?
Where are we financially exposed (deductibles, limits, sublimits, exclusions)?
Where will confusion happen between the association and owners?
What can we tighten now to prevent disputes later?

A simple next step before the next storm

You’re the hero here. Your board and management team are trying to protect residents, stabilize budgets, and restore the community quickly after a weather event. The problem isn’t just damage—it’s the confusion that follows when coverage, deductibles, and responsibilities aren’t crystal clear.

Archer Risk Services is the guide. We translate policy language into real-world outcomes so you can make decisions with confidence before the next claim.

Here’s a simple plan: (1) confirm insured-to-value limits, (2) stress-test wind/hail (and any other weather) deductibles, (3) clarify master policy vs. HO-6 responsibilities, and (4) put a first-24-hours checklist in writing.

When these pieces are aligned, restoration moves faster, disputes drop, and your community avoids budget shock. When they aren’t, even a covered loss can turn into weeks of delays, conflict, and unexpected costs.

Schedule a coverage review with Archer Risk Services. We’ll identify top gaps, explain deductible exposure in plain language, and confirm whether your program is structured to respond the way your board expects.