Whether you’re in Illinois to study, work, play, or anything in between, you’ll probably want to cover your stuff with renters insurance.
We’ll take you through the basics of renters insurance coverage and also go through some of the coolest cities and hidden gems to explore in the Land of Lincoln and beyond.
Here’s what we’ll discuss:
- What does renters insurance cover in Illinois?
- What does renters insurance cost in Illinois?
- Is renters insurance required in Illinois?
- How to save on renters insurance in Illinois
- What’s the right amount of coverage to get?
What does your renters insurance cover in Illinois?
Okay, so you get that a renters insurance policy is a great idea in theory… but obviously you’re curious about what it can actually do for you. Let’s break down the components of what your policy covers and your coverage options.
Personal Property
‘Personal property coverage makes sure your stuff, your personal belongings, is protected, whether you’re relaxing at your apartment or traipsing across Europe. So if your living room furniture is ruined due to water damage from that burst pipe, or your phone is stolen while you’re taking a trip to Berlin, your renters insurance policy has your back.
Loss of Use
What about if disaster strikes? If you can’t stay at your home because of covered losses (like a fire or windstorm), your ‘loss of use coverage provides reimbursements for temporary housing and additional living expenses such as food, laundry, hotel parking, and more.
Liability coverage
If someone is injured in your apartment or anyone on your policy causes damage to someone else’s property or stuff, your insurance company should have things like legal fees and property damage covered.
Medical Protection
Your insurer covers medical expenses if your guests get injured at your place or if you accidentally hurt people outside of your home as well. Note that your renters insurance policy does not cover medical payments if you or someone residing with you is injured—only non-residents and guests.
What does renters insurance cost in Illinois?
The average price of renters insurance in general is $18/month as of 2024, according to ValuePenguin.com.
FYI, the average price of Lemonade Renters across the U.S. is also about $14/month, as of January 1, 2024.
Here’s more information about how much renters insurance actually costs, and the factors that might influence your price.
Is renters insurance required in Illinois?
While there’s no law requiring that you purchase renters insurance in Illinois, your individual landlord might specifically require it. And if your lease specifies that you need renters insurance, well… that’s that.
The good news is that it’s easy to sign up for a renters insurance policy with Lemonade, and you’ll thank yourself later if your stuff gets stolen or damaged!
FYI: In Illinois, Lemonade sees a fair amount of submitted renters insurance claims for theft and water damage-related issues.
When signing up, your landlord might request they be added as an ‘interested party‘ on your policy. This just means they’ll be kept in the loop when you make any policy changes—or if you cancel your policy. It’s super easy to add them using the Lemonade app.
How to save on renters insurance in Illinois
In addition to renters insurance, Lemonade also offers car, pet health, and term life insurance in the state of Illinois. A common policy “bundle” would be combining renters and car insurance. Depending how you combine and bundle your policies, you can score savings and lower costs.
There are other ways to lower the cost of your renters insurance:
- Lowering your coverage limits can reduce your premium. However, saving a bit of cash up front could leave you vulnerable to paying more out of pocket later, in the event of a claim.
- Raising your deductible might also lower your premium—but again, this means you’d be liable for more out of pocket expenses in the future.
- Investing in safety and security services, like fire alarms or burglar alarms, can also make you eligible for discounts.
What’s the right amount of coverage to get?
There’s no easy answer to the question of “how much renters insurance do you really need?” It really depends on how much stuff you have to cover and what it’s worth.
As we discussed above, your policy has a few main categories: Contents (your stuff); Loss of Use (temporary living expenses); and then personal liability and medical bills.
You’re able to set the coverage limits for these categories when you sign up for a Lemonade policy. Lower coverage limits might save you a few bucks on your monthly premiums—but they might also leave you with insufficient coverage when you have to make a claim.
You’ll also need to figure out your deductible. It’s a balancing act and one that requires you to think about your property and lifestyle. Take a few minutes to apply to see your renters insurance quote to get a sense of your insurance options.
Also, if you’ve got valuables that are especially pricey or important—things like engagement rings, fancy cameras, musical instruments, or artworks—you can add ‘scheduled personal property coverage’ for those items. At Lemonade, we simply call it ‘Extra Coverage’—here’s a bunch more info about that.
