Builders Risk (Course of Construction)

• Structures under construction, materials, equipment, and temporary works
• Fire, theft, vandalism, and certain weather perils during the build
• Soft costs, delay-in-completion, and Ordinance or Law endorsements available
• Required by virtually every Illinois construction lender before closing
• Should extend through the local inspection and certificate of occupancy process

Illinois' urban job sites often face theft exposure for staged materials - copper, fixtures, and HVAC equipment are common targets. Set limits at full completed value to avoid a coinsurance shortfall.

General Liability

• Third-party bodily injury and property damage at your Illinois project site
• Premises liability extending into the post-construction ownership period
• Additional Insured, Primary & Noncontributory, and Waiver of Subrogation for lenders, GCs, and local authorities
• Per-Project Aggregate for developers running multiple simultaneous Illinois sites

Your GL needs vary at each phase - site security and pedestrian liability during construction, then tenant and visitor premises liability once occupied. Ensure your policy structure transitions cleanly to avoid gaps at lease-up.

Developers Professional Liability

• Protection against design, planning, and project management errors
• Claims alleging negligent site selection, feasibility analysis, or development oversight
• Distinct from a GC's Contractors E&O - addresses the developer's own decision-making exposure
• Particularly relevant for developers taking on design-build delivery or direct project management roles

If your firm makes development-level decisions - site feasibility, unit mix, project sequencing - beyond simply hiring and overseeing a GC, Developers Professional Liability addresses claims that those decisions caused financial harm.

Workers' Compensation

• Required by Illinois law for any developer or owner with employees on-site
• Covers your own site supervisory and maintenance staff
• Doesn't replace each GC's and subcontractor's own WC - verify their coverage separately
• Owner-Controlled Insurance Programs (OCIP) are common on larger Illinois developments

Larger Illinois developments often use an OCIP wrap-up, which covers WC and GL for enrolled contractors under one master policy. Confirm your own staff and any non-enrolled subs are still properly covered outside the wrap.

Surety Bonds

• License and permit bonds for development entity registration where applicable
• Performance and payment bond requirements that flow through from your GC contracts
• Required on Illinois public-private partnership projects
• Subdivision and site improvement bonds for local approvals

Illinois site plan approvals frequently require performance bonds for public infrastructure improvements tied to the development. Confirm bonding capacity is arranged well before your approval timeline.

Permanent Property & Landlord Liability (Post-Construction)

• Commercial property coverage replacing Builders Risk once construction is complete
• Landlord/premises liability for tenant and visitor injuries
• Loss of Rents coverage for vacancy or unit downtime after a covered loss
• Satisfies Illinois liability requirements once units are occupied

Once tenants move in, the project needs landlord liability meeting Illinois' statutory minimums and local rental registration requirements. We coordinate the Builders Risk-to-permanent-policy transition to ensure continuous coverage.

Commercial Umbrella / Excess Liability

• Extra limits over GL, Auto, and Employers Liability - typically $5M-$25M+
• Often required by lenders and institutional partners
• Activates when a judgment or settlement exceeds underlying policy limits

Illinois development deals frequently specify $10M+ total liability as a financing condition. An umbrella is the most cost-efficient way to reach those thresholds above a standalone GL policy.

Pollution Liability (Site & Environmental)

• Addresses contamination conditions discovered during site acquisition or development
• Relevant for sites with prior industrial use along Illinois' older corridors
• Covers cleanup costs and third-party claims from environmental conditions
• Often required as a condition of state redevelopment financing

A significant share of Illinois' developable land has industrial history. Environmental due diligence before acquisition, paired with Pollution Liability, protects against inheriting cleanup obligations from a prior owner's contamination.

State Financing & Compliance

Developers using state financing programs face specific compliance documentation requirements, often including proof of insurance coverage as a condition of funding disbursement. Coordinate your insurance program directly with your financing compliance team to ensure certificate requirements are satisfied at each draw or milestone.

Local Site Plan & Building Permits

Development projects in Illinois require site plan approval and building permits through local authorities, with inspections at each phase. Larger projects may also require additional approvals, which can carry its own bonding and insurance conditions for public infrastructure improvements.

Rental Registration & Compliance

Once a residential development is ready for occupancy, local rules require rental property registration and compliance before any unit can be leased. Insurance certificates are part of this compliance process, and Illinois law sets minimum liability insurance requirements for rental property owners that must be in place before leasing begins.

Environmental Obligations

Developers acquiring sites with prior industrial use may inherit environmental assessment and remediation obligations. Many developments are subject to affordable housing set-aside requirements, which can affect lease-up timelines, insurance certificate requirements for designated affordable units, and ongoing compliance reporting.