A block-of-flats project is residential construction on an industrial scale: a principal, a main contractor, a designer, numerous specialist subcontractors – and, at the end, dozens of future owners, none of whom is present yet when the risk decisions are made. That's precisely why the cover structure here isn't a matter of detail, but part of the project's financing.
- High value, a long build programme, a deep subcontractor chain: building a block of flats is CAR's typical large project.
- The question of "who should take out the policy" is at its sharpest here – the principal taking out the policy is a common model.
- Mandatory schemes tied to residential construction are a separate layer – governed by the applicable laws in force.
- After handover, the building moves into the world of block-of-flats insurance.
Who does what
On block-of-flats projects, it's common for the principal to take out a single CAR policy covering everyone: this way the cover is consistent, there are no overlaps or gaps between contractors' policies, and the principal sees directly what the protection covers. In the other model, the main contractor takes out the policy and the principal checks it – in which case the verification routine and the contractual clauses keep things in order. The two routes compared: who should take out the CAR?
The chain and the schedule
Building a block of flats works with dozens of specialist subcontractors across several phases – the chain's cover and handling phased partial handovers is a day-to-day issue here. Because of the long build programme, change notification (schedule slippage, an increase in value, changes to the technical scope) becomes routine. Sales pressure, too, often brings early occupation forward – the cover position of flats already handed over to their owners needs settling in advance: start and end.
The statutory layer
In residential construction, too, a mandatory insurance element does exist (since 2025, liability insurance for contractors under Government Decree 191/2009, Sections 21/B–21/G, and for designers under Government Decree 266/2013) – but this protects the injured party, typically the principal and third parties; the buyer is protected by the mandatory warranty and statutory guarantee instead. This is a shifting area, and the applicable laws in force always prevail in deciding exactly what applies to a given project. For an overview: the mandatory-schemes article – for a specific project, this also calls for a legal check.
After handover: the world of the block of flats
With handover, the building moves into the realm of joint ownership: block-of-flats insurance, joint representation, operational matters – that's already the territory of the tarsashaz.biz sister site. On the project side, the maintenance extension and an orderly changeover of cover close the circle: maintenance article + handover checklist.
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