Short answer, probably not as-is. Your condo policy, the HO-6, was built for you living there. Hand the keys to someone else and the risks change, so the policy has to change too. We broker condo policies all over Boulder at Uncle Sheldon Insurance, and this call comes in a lot, usually right after someone signs a lease or right before they list the place.
Here’s how it shakes out, depending on who’s staying.
A long-term tenant. Super common near CU and downtown. Once you’re a landlord, your unit policy should be set up as a rental. That covers your improvements and whatever the HOA’s master policy doesn’t, liability with a tenant living there, and lost rent if a covered loss makes the place unlivable. Also, make your tenant get their own policy, since yours won’t cover their stuff. Most Boulder landlords put that right in the lease, and tenants can grab a Boulder renters policy pretty easily.
Short stays while you travel. Boulder only allows short-term rentals in the owner’s primary residence, so this works only if the condo is really your home base. If it is, and you list it while you’re off skiing or visiting family, you’ll usually need a home-sharing endorsement or a policy built for part-time hosting. The platform’s host protection helps, but it wasn’t designed around shared walls, shared pipes and a downstairs neighbor.
A roommate paying rent. Even this changes things, mostly on the liability side. Give your insurer a heads up. It’s usually a quick fix.
And check the HOA first. Some Boulder associations limit rentals or ban short stays outright, and the master policy may have its own rules for rented units. Grab the bylaws and the declarations page before you do anything else. Renting long-term? The city’s license comes into play too, and our guide to Boulder’s rental license rules walks you through it.
Tell us how you’re renting the place and our team will shop policies that actually fit, whether that’s a landlord-style unit policy or a hosting add-on. It’s a lot more fun to sort out now than after a leak lands on the neighbor’s ceiling. You can see more on our condo insurance in Boulder page.