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Tricky problem: friend drove my car and hit my condo building

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welphd

Junior Member
Tricky problem: friend drove my car and hit my condo wall

What is the name of your state?

NJ

My friend drove my car and hit my garage door and damaged the exterior wall next to my garage door. The wall damage is estimated to cost $2000-3000. I live in a townhouse complex and the wall is considered a common element, not personal property. My condo association is asking me to either pay for the damage out of my pocket or thru my insurance. I have contacted my insurance company, NJM, which writes both my homeowner and auto insurance policies. NJM told me my homeowner policy does not cover common elements of the condo, and my auto policy's liability coverage doesn't cover the wall damage either because I own the property myself.

My question is: should my auto policy cover the wall damage? I mean I don't really own the wall, it is a common element of the condo complex. Also, can I request my condo association to file a claim under the condo blanket insurance? Thanks.
 
Last edited:


teflon_jones

Senior Member
As a member of a condo association, you do own a stake in the common areas of the property. Whether your auto insurance company will cover this or not should be written in your policy. As for your homeowner's policy, it's very unlikely it's going to cover it because you probably have an H-06 policy, which is standard for condos. This only covers from the drywall in inside your own condo.

If your auto policy specifically excludes damage to property you own, then you'll have to request that your condo assc file a claim with the master policy. You have this right as an owner. However, be aware that in the end this could hurt you and the other members of the complex. Many insurance companies will drop master policies if too many small claims are filed against them. Then you'll have to pay much more for a master policy. I'd ask the condo assc for a history of claims to see if this could happen to you.
 

welphd

Junior Member
Thanks alot for your info. Yes, I do have an H06 condo policy. I will contact my auto policy writer again to clarify. They have said no but I think this is a grey area as 1) I don't totally own the common area (just a small stake) 2) It's not in the care of me.
 

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