Illinois: Your Need for Renters Insurance
Did you realize your apartment community's insurance policy does not cover your personal belongings when a natural disaster strikes? Most apartment communities' insurance only covers damage to the building, leaving your belongings uncovered. Renters Insurance offers protection for your personal property when theft, fire or a natural disaster occurs. Between the years of 1976 and 2004, Illinois had 28 declared major disasters, ranking Illinois among the top ten states in number of major disaster declarations. But Renters Insurance does not just end there; it also can cover your liability if someone is injured in your home.
Can you imagine trying to replace your personal belongings, if damaged or destroyed, straight out of your pocket? Or paying hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars in doctor bills if a friend hurts themselves while in your home? Don't realize the importance of Renters Insurance when it is too late. The affordable premium is well worth the peace of mind.
Learn more about prominent risks in Illinois and the surrounding area:
Theft
U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that rented households were burglarized at rates 79 percent higher than owned households. In 2001, the bureau reported that rented households experienced 210 property crimes per 1,000 households nationwide, while owned households experienced only 146 property crimes per 1,000 households. In 2004 alone, 424,892 burglaries occurred in the Midwest according to statistics reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. As you can see, the most common threat to an apartment unit in the nation, as well as in Illinois, is burglary. Unfortunately, your apartment community's insurance does not cover your personal belongings lost through theft. Don't let fences or gates at your community mislead you to think it is safer. On most low-crime properties, the main purpose of gates for apartment properties is to provide the sense of privacy and exclusivity.
Fire
Fire is a risk in all states, including Illinois. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that direct property loss due to fires was estimated at $9.8 billion in 2004. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, apartment fires accounted for 23 percent of residential fires between 1992 and 2001 as well as accounted for 20 percent of the dollar loss from residential fires during these years. With these kinds of statistics, it is better to be prepared and protect your property from this risk.
Blizzards
Blizzards can severely impact most of the Midwest and Northeast region of the United States, including Illinois. In January 1999, a major blizzard struck portions of the Midwest, producing 22 inches of snow in Chicago. The National Weather Service rated the storm the second worst blizzard of the 20th century. The surrounding areas within Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio experienced over 15 inches of snow. In 1996, a blizzard piled on 20 inches of snow in New York City, and damage costs were estimated at $1 billion to the New York area.
Wildfires
Wildfires are a threat in Illinois, as well as a risk to all of the United States. Wildfires consume thousands of acres of land, threatening the apartments, homes and lives of many in the vicinity. An average of five million acres burn every year in the United States, causing billions of dollars in damage. According to the National Fire Protection Center, wildfires that occurred in Southern California in October and November of 1993 resulted in an estimated $809 million in property damage.
Tornadoes
Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storm. Although tornadoes affect all states in the nation, including Illinois, they highly impact Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Nebraska and Kansas. Surrounding areas of Norman, Oklahoma had over 473 apartments destroyed and damaged 568 apartments. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration reports about 1,000 tornadoes across the United States in an average year. The ‘Tornado Alley’ extends roughly from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachians and from Iowa and Nebraska to the Gulf of Mexico. |
