Two policies, not one
An apartment inside a managed community (a comunidad de propietarios) in Spain usually sits under two separate layers of insurance: the community's own building policy, arranged and paid for collectively through community fees, and whatever the individual owner arranges for their own unit. The building policy is not automatically enough on its own, and the individual owner's policy is not automatically duplicating it — they are meant to cover different things.
What the community policy typically covers
Community policies commonly cover the building's shared structure — exterior walls, roof, communal areas, shared installations such as lifts or the pool — against risks like fire, storm and structural damage. Coverage varies by community and by the specific policy the community's administrator has arranged, so "the community is insured" is a starting point for a question, not a complete answer.
What it typically does not cover
What the community policy generally does not extend to: the interior of your own apartment, your contents, fixtures and fittings you have installed yourself, and your own liability as an occupier. If a pipe bursts inside your apartment and damages your own belongings, that is typically your own policy's problem, not the community's.
Confirm, don’t assume
The single most common gap we see with apartment owners is assuming the community policy covers more than it does, and only finding out otherwise at a claim. Two questions are worth asking your community administrator directly: what exactly the building policy covers, and what its sum insured is — an outdated rebuild valuation on an old community policy is a real and recurring problem, and it affects every owner in the building, not just you.
Non-resident apartment owners
None of this changes if you do not live in Spain full-time. Non-resident ownership is common and normally insurable — what matters to an insurer is accurate information about the property and how it is used, not where you personally live. If the apartment sits empty for long periods, or is let out occasionally, say so when arranging your own cover — see home insurance in Spain for how occupancy affects the policy.
Once you know what the community policy covers, your own policy only needs to fill the gap — contents, interior fittings, and your own liability. See home insurance in Spain for the next step.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my own home insurance if the community is already insured?
In almost every case, yes. The community policy generally covers the shared building structure, not the interior of your own apartment, your contents, or your own liability — those typically need to be arranged separately.
How do I find out what the community policy actually covers?
Ask the community's administrator (administrador de fincas) directly for the policy summary and sum insured. This is normal to request and normally available to any owner in the building.
What if the community’s building sum insured looks out of date?
Raise it with the administrator or at the next community meeting — an outdated rebuild valuation affects every owner, and it is a community decision to update it, not something an individual owner's own policy can fix.
General information only. General information only, not immigration, legal or tax advice. Requirements change and depend on individual circumstances — confirm your own position with the relevant authority before relying on anything here.