Dec 1, 2025

Help! I have water damage in my unit, and the Property Manager says I must contact my insurance company or pay for repairs. Why?

A frequent question property managers receive from Strata lot owners is why do I have to be pay for the repairs in my unit regardless of if they caused the damage, it came from other unit or from the common property. 

If the cost of the repair is less than the Strata insurance deductible, and the Strata does not make a claim, the responsibility for the repair is not related to the cause of the damage, but the location of the damage. The responsibility for the repairs will be outlined in the Strata bylaws. 

In most cases, your Strata bylaws or Strata Property Act Standard Bylaw 2 will state that the responsibility for repair and maintenance of a Strata lot falls to the Strata lot owner. The Strata Corporation is responsibility for the common property only unless the damage in the Strata lot is caused by the Strata’s negligence.

The Strata Corporation insurance also covers repairs to the floors, walls, ceilings, original cupboards/counters, and original fixtures like sinks, and toilets, but that is only if a Strata insurance claim is filed due to the repairs being more than the deductible. If no claim is made, then the Strata lot owners’ insurance should provide coverage for the repairs of these items as well.  

If a Strata insurance claim is made and the loss originated in your Strata lot, you will be billed the Strata deductible.

The following are only covered by a Strata lot owners insurance policy:

• Strata Corporation insurance deductibles that you may billed
• Any betterments and improvements completed in a Strata lot are only covered by
• the owner’s insurance policy.
• Personal Content
• Relocation and additional living expenses
• Personal liability for lawsuits

We always remind owners to contact their insurance broker when they make improvements to ensure they are noted on their file.

If Strata Corporations historically went into Strata lots and performed repairs when it was below the Strata’s insurance deductible, your Dwell Property Manager will advise the Strata Council to change this practice and notify the owners of their responsibility and appropriate steps to ensure they contact their insurance broker to confirm proper coverage.

Please see the damage flow chart below released by CHOA (bulletin 200-1449a): https://choa.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/200-149a-Repair-To-Damage-Flowchart.pdf