Co-owner improvements

Improvements are additions or upgrades made by you or previous co-owners to your condo unit and which add value to it.

Improvements increase the value of your condo from its original value. This can include replacing existing materials, or plans and specifications with materials, and plans or specifications of higher quality or greater value, or adding new equipment. These improvements must be insured under your co-owner insurance since they are excluded from the private portions that your syndicate must insure.

Examples of improvements

A heat pump or kitchen island that you had installed;
New flooring of greater value;
Granite countertop to replace a melamine countertop.

You must inform your insurer or broker about any improvements that you make to your unit. This way, he will be able to evaluate whether the insurance you purchased for your improvements is adequate.

Obligations of the syndicate

Your co-ownership syndicate is required by law to draw up a description of the private portions that correspond to a reference unit. Everything that is not included in this description will be considered an improvement that must be insured under your co-owner insurance.

If your unit suffers damage, both policies (owner’s policy and syndicate’s policy) will often come into play in the claims settlement process.

The syndicate’s insurance covers what corresponds to the reference unit, while your co-owner insurance covers the amount that corresponds to your improvements.