Loading…
11
Pro tip: Check your landlord's insurance before signing any lease in Chicago
I moved into a place in Logan Square last September and didn't ask about the building's insurance. A pipe burst in the unit above mine 3 weeks in and ruined my couch and mattress. The landlord tried to say I needed my own renter's insurance for coverage, but his policy actually covered building damage only. I ended up paying $1,200 out of pocket for a new mattress because I waited too long to get renter's insurance. Now I always ask to see the policy documents before I sign anything. Has anyone else gotten stuck with a repair bill here that you thought the landlord would cover?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
stella224mo ago
And don't forget to check if their policy covers "loss of use" too, because if the place is uninhabitable for a month you're still on the hook for rent somewhere else while they figure it out.
7
the_sean4mo ago
Wait, you got stuck with the bill even after you had the policy? That's wild. I thought renter's insurance was supposed to cover stuff like that once you signed up, not just shrug it off.
5
pat_murray534mo ago
Did your renter's insurance actually cover the mattress after you got it, or did they call it a pre-existing issue since you already had the damage? That's the sort of fine print that gets people, too - they think they're covered but the policy excludes certain stuff like that.
1