Chicago Personal Umbrella Insurance
Affordable excess liability protection starting at $1 Million. Secure your future earnings and home equity.
What Is Umbrella Insurance?
Umbrella insurance is extra liability coverage that kicks in when your auto or homeowners policy limits are exhausted. If you cause an accident with damages exceeding your standard coverage, your umbrella policy pays the difference—protecting your savings, home equity, and future wages from lawsuits and judgments.
When Standard Coverage Isn't Enough
The Million Dollar Lawsuit
In Chicago, a severe car accident on I-90/94 or a dog bite can easily generate medical bills, lost wages, and pain-and-suffering claims that exceed your standard auto or home liability limits.
When judgments exceed your policy limits, the difference comes from your savings, retirement accounts, home equity, and even future wages through garnishment.
Umbrella Coverage Includes
- Excess Bodily Injury Liability
- Excess Property Damage Liability
- Excess Uninsured Motorist (Critical in IL)
- Legal Defense Costs (Unlimited)
- Libel, Slander, & Defamation
- Worldwide Coverage
Why You Need the Extra Layer
Asset Protection
If you're sued for $1 million and your auto policy only covers $250,000, the remaining $750,000 comes from your savings, retirement accounts, and home equity. An umbrella policy stops this financial devastation.
The Gap Closer
Your umbrella policy sits on top of your home and auto insurance. It only kicks in after your underlying policy limits are exhausted—providing a seamless safety net without duplicate coverage.
High Value, Low Cost
$1 million of umbrella coverage typically costs less than $300 per year—about $25/month. It's one of the most affordable ways to protect everything you've worked for.
High-Risk Households
Teen Drivers & Family Dogs
Two factors dramatically increase your lawsuit exposure: teen drivers and dogs. Teen drivers have the highest accident rates of any age group, and a serious crash can generate claims exceeding $500,000.
Under Illinois Strict Liability law, you're responsible for dog bite injuries even if your dog has never shown aggression before. There's no "one free bite" rule in Illinois—you're liable from the first incident.
Lifestyle Liabilities
When Your Lifestyle Increases Your Risk
Certain amenities and activities dramatically increase your liability exposure. Insurance companies call these "attractive nuisances"—features that draw people in but create injury risks that can lead to catastrophic lawsuits.
Common Liability Triggers
- Swimming Pools: Drowning and diving injuries generate the largest homeowner claims.
- Trampolines: Over 100,000 ER visits annually. Many insurers require umbrella coverage to even insure them.
- Social Host Liability: In Illinois, you can be sued if an intoxicated guest injures someone after leaving your party.
- Watercraft & ATVs: Recreational vehicles often excluded from standard policies but covered under umbrella.
Real Cost Examples
Pool Diving Injury: A guest dives into the shallow end and suffers spinal cord damage. Medical bills, lost wages, and pain/suffering can easily exceed $2 million.
Trampoline Accident: A neighborhood child breaks their neck on your trampoline. Even with a signed waiver, you could face a $500,000+ lawsuit.
Party Gone Wrong: A guest leaves your holiday party intoxicated and causes a fatal accident. Under Illinois social host laws, you could be named in the wrongful death suit.
Landlords & Investors
Extended Protection for Rentals
- Extends over DP-3 landlord policies
- Tenant injury liability protection
- Wrongful eviction defense
- Fair housing violation claims
Why Landlords Are Targets
Visible Assets: Property records are public. Plaintiffs' attorneys know exactly what you own and can calculate your exposure.
Multiple Properties = Multiple Risks: Each property multiplies your liability. A personal umbrella can extend over all your rentals, protecting your personal assets from any single incident.
Understanding Underlying Limits
The "Table Leg" Rule
An umbrella policy doesn't work alone—it requires adequate "underlying" coverage to support it. Think of it like a table: the umbrella is the tabletop, but it needs strong legs (your auto and home policies) to hold it up.
Most carriers require minimum underlying limits before they'll sell you an umbrella policy. Without meeting these requirements, your umbrella won't respond to claims.
Typical Requirements
- $250,000 per person bodily injury (auto)
- $500,000 per accident bodily injury (auto)
- $100,000 property damage (auto)
- $300,000 personal liability (home)
Coverage Highlights
$1M+ Coverage
Policies start at $1 million and can extend to $5M or more for high-net-worth families.
Worldwide Protection
Coverage follows you anywhere—vacation accidents, rental cars abroad, international incidents.
Legal Defense
Unlimited defense costs—even frivolous lawsuits cost $50,000+ to defend.
Common Questions
Protect Your Future Today
$1 million in umbrella coverage typically costs less than $300/year. Don't risk everything you've built.
Serving Chicago from 3945 W Devon Avenue