@kiwipaul said:
If it was common property I would agree that in NSW it is Strata reasponsibility to cover the excess but it is not common property the fixture belongs to the lot and so it is the owners problem to pick up the excess.
It’s about liability.
If the OC is liable for the damage then the OC has to repair it and pay any excess. If the OC is not liable (eg the damage was due to an Act of God) then the owner should pay any OC insurance excess. Remember, an owner’s lot insurance is (1) optional and (2) might not even cover the damage.
It might be a bit of work for an owner to claim against the OC, but that’s up to the owner.