The insurance premium is the amount that the insured must pay, either monthly or annually, to benefit from the coverage provided by the iinsurance policy in case of a loss. It is a cost associated with the maintenance, upkeep, and administration of the building. Although the co-ownership syndicate is responsible for covering this cost, the resulting expenses are charged to the co-owners through their common expenses (condo fees). However, in recent years, there has been an increase in the amount of insurance premiums for most syndicates. This is due to two main factors: the general aging of this collective housing stock and the increase in claims resulting from the failure to carry out maintenance work on the building. Additionally, the complexity of the insurance system also plays a role.
How are the premiums fixed?
The insurance policy is a wager on the future and an assumption of risks assessed by the insurer. The amount of your insurance premiums is, first and foremost, dependent upon the risk covered, taking into account various elements:
Other factors affect the amount of the premiums, such as the ratio of dwellings leased in your immovable, and its management efficiency.
Insurance premiums increases
A universal rule of thumb governs insurance: premiums increase in proportion to the loss ratio. Several Québec co-ownerships have had to cope with major insurance premiums or deductible increases in recent years. Some syndicates of co-owners have even found it difficult to get any insurance coverage. They were compelled to resort to insurance companies specialized in high or "sub-standard" risks.
This state of affairs results from of the multitude of claims to insurers in recent years, caused mainly by water damage. The situation is such that in general meetings, many co-owners require that measures be taken to stem the problem.
Implementation of efficient management
To counter insurance premiums increases and ultimately to lower them, the Board of Directors must implement a preventive maintenance program for the immovable. Once in place, the Directors will be able to inform the insurers that your co-ownership represents a controlled risk.
Competitive bidding
To obtain competitive insurance premiums, Directors may use a insurance broker. The latter will act as an intermediary between the various insurers and the syndicate. His role is to find the insurance policy with the best value for money. For their part, the Directors will be able to compare the premiums quoted with those of direct insurers.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW! A well-managed co-ownership, who has set up a maintenance log and a sufficient contingency fund, is the key to control the cost of your insurance. A damage insurance broker or agent will list the risk factors an insurer takes into account in order to reduce your exposure to these risks and, as a result, to prohibitive insurance premiums.
WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND: The co-ownership insurance coverage is best subscribed through a broker or a damage insurance agent. They are, theoretically, competent in this field. They should be able to find the product that will best suit your co-ownership, both in terms of guarantees and premiums.
WARNING! Insurance premiums are a growing burden in the syndicate’s budget forecast. These increases are the result of co-ownerships aging but also, in some cases, of a lack of maintenance.
