- Basement backup
- Hail
- Polar-vortex freezes
- Wind & tornadoes
- Fire in multi-units
Housing mix: Brick bungalows, two-flats, greystones, courtyard buildings, high-rise condos.
A city of distinct housing types
Chicago’s housing stock tells you a lot about its claims. Tens of thousands of brick bungalows ring the city from Portage Park and Jefferson Park on the Northwest Side to Chatham, Beverly and Mount Greenwood on the South Side. Two-flats and greystones line streets in Logan Square, Bridgeport, Pilsen and Lincoln Square. Lakefront and downtown neighborhoods add high-rise and mid-rise condominiums, where the association’s master policy and each owner’s HO-6 have to be sorted out before anyone can value a loss.
Storms that shaped Chicago claims
Water is the city’s signature loss. The April 18, 2013 storms dropped several inches of rain in hours and pushed combined sewers into thousands of basements. The Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011 buried the city in more than 20 inches of snow, and the January 2019 polar vortex brought temperatures below −20°F that split pipes in walls and crawlspaces. In July 2024, a record-setting night of tornadoes crossed the Chicago area, including parts of the city’s West Side and suburbs around O’Hare.
Disputes we see in Chicago
- Basement losses capped by a low water backup endorsement while the structural repair is underpriced.
- Clay tile and multi-layer bungalow roofs priced as simple single-layer shingle jobs.
- Two-flat losses where damage crosses both units and the common stair.
- Condo water losses with disputed responsibility between units and the association.
- Fire and smoke spread through balloon-framed walls in older frame buildings.
Neighborhoods we cover
We work across all of Chicago, including Edgewater, Rogers Park, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Austin, Garfield Ridge, Hyde Park, South Shore, Beverly and Mount Greenwood. Inspections are scheduled around tenants, condo boards and your contractor.
Services available in Chicago
Every Illinois Insurance Appraiser service is available to property owners in Chicago and nearby communities, including:
- Appraisal Clause Representation
- Homeowner Claim Appraisal
- Commercial, Condo & HOA Appraisal
- Roof & Hail Damage Appraisal
- Tornado, Derecho & Wind Appraisal
- Basement, Backup & Water Damage Appraisal
- Fire & Smoke Damage Appraisal
Questions from Chicago owners
Does the city’s sewer system affect my claim?
It affects coverage more than value. Backup through floor drains is usually covered only by a water backup endorsement, often with its own limit. Once coverage applies, the cost of repair is what appraisal decides.
I own a two-flat and live in one unit. Is the whole building one claim?
Usually yes, under a single dwelling or landlord policy. We value each unit and the common areas so nothing is left out.