Q. I'm trying to find out about the mandatory insurance requirements for condominiums. My building association board is forcing owners to buy insurance because they said Gov. Crist approved this law. Is this true?

This board has raised the maintenance fee every year, issued special assessments, and now this mandatory insurance.

-- Cesar Cuenca, via e-mail

A. We contacted Tom Zutell, deputy communications director at the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation in Tallahassee, who said that a new law recently passed states that "an association shall require each owner to provide evidence of a currently effective policy of hazard and liability insurance upon request." If the owner fails to provide proof of insurance, the association "may" purchase a policy of insurance on behalf of an owner.

Condo unit coverage is written on what insurance agents call an HO-6 policy. It covers accidents and property damage inside the unit. The unit owners usually pay an association fee to the board, which buys a commercial residential policy for the building, hallways, common passageways and appurtenant property.

He said that you can always call the insurance consumer hot line to complain or seek assistance at 877-693-5236.

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