Building Insurance for Apartment Management and Common Areas

A leaking roof, a broken lift, a cracked stairwell window or a collapsed garden wall affects the whole building, not just one flat. The first question is always the same: who pays? This article covers common-area and building insurance for self-managed apartment blocks, which work differently from large gated complexes. It is useful for owners, including foreign owners, who sit on or deal with the building management.

What counts as a common area?

Each owner in an apartment block has an independent unit, the flat. Everything else, such as the roof, façade, stairs, lift, entrance hall, shelter, boiler room, garden and boundary wall, is common property. Maintenance and repair costs for common areas are shared between owners under the building’s management plan and the relevant legislation.

Owners’ own home policies are usually built around their flat and belongings. Damage in common areas often does not fall clearly within these policies, or it leads to a complex process of each owner claiming their share. A building policy arranged by the management removes much of this confusion.

What building insurance can cover

• Fire, lightning and explosion: the core covers for the common parts.
• Internal water and roof leaks: water damage from the main installation or the roof, depending on the policy.
• Storm, hail and flood: important for the roof, façade and basement.
• Glass breakage: entrance doors, stairwell and common-area glass.
• Machinery breakdown: can be offered separately for the lift, water booster pump, generator and boiler.
• Third-party liability: injury to residents or visitors in common areas, such as a slip on an icy entrance.

Scope and limits vary by insurer and package. For package policies aimed at large complexes, see our guide to residential complex package insurance; this article focuses on smaller blocks.

DASK and building insurance

DASK, Turkey’s compulsory earthquake insurance under Law No. 6305, is issued separately for each independent unit and is each owner’s responsibility. A building policy does not replace it. One of the most useful things a manager can do is remind owners to check their DASK policies are valid. When earthquake cover is added to the building policy, insurers may also ask about DASK. See our DASK earthquake insurance page for details.

A step-by-step process for managers

1. Check the current position: is there an existing policy, and when does it end?
2. List common equipment: lift, pump, generator, cameras, boiler and so on.
3. Set a realistic building value: base it on the rebuilding cost of the common parts to avoid underinsurance.
4. Compare quotes: put covers and deductibles side by side.
5. Decide properly: follow the management plan and owners’ meeting decisions, and state clearly how the premium is shared.
6. Share the policy: send owners a summary explaining what is covered.

Do owners still need their own policies?

Yes. Building insurance protects the common areas and structure, but belongings inside flats, private renovations and each owner’s personal liability are usually the subject of their own home policy. The ideal set-up is management insuring common areas and each owner insuring their own flat and contents. Then, after a loss, it is clear which policy responds.

The management’s role after a loss

When damage occurs in a common area, the manager should photograph it, take urgent measures and report it to the agent. If a flat is also affected, working with that owner makes it easier to assess both policies together. Agree in advance how typical cases are handled, such as a roof leak into the top flat or flooding in basement storage. When the manager changes, hand over policy details, the agent’s contact and past claims so the building is never left uninsured. After major works such as a new façade or lift, update the building value, and use the general meeting to review the policy with owners.

For a building and common-area insurance quote, visit our Maslak home insurance page or call Ailenizin Sigortacısı on +90 530 375 89 61. You can also send a WhatsApp message for support in English.