Quick Answer: Every home in Lake Barrington Shores belongs to one of the community's 13 condominium associations, and each association's master policy is written to protect the association, not you. Your own condo (HO-6) policy covers your belongings, your liability, the interior upgrades the master policy may leave out, and your share of a master deductible or special assessment. Under Illinois law, your board can charge the master policy deductible to the unit where a loss started, so the loss assessment limit on your policy matters more than most owners realize. Most residents also save by placing their auto insurance with the same carrier. Call 833-776-4671 for a free review of your policy against your association's coverage.
How Insurance Works at Lake Barrington Shores
Lake Barrington Shores has three layers of coverage, and most owners only know about one of them.
- The master association. The Lake Barrington Community Homeowners Association (LBCHA) runs the shared amenities, including the lodge, marina, sports complex, and the 24-hour main gate on Barrington Road. Its board is made up of the presidents of the 13 condominium associations, and an Insurance Commission reviews the community's coverage, according to the LBCHA rules and regulations.
- Your condominium association. Your building's association carries the master policy on the building itself. Its declaration and bylaws decide exactly where its coverage stops and yours begins.
- Your own HO-6 policy. This is the only layer written for you: your belongings, your liability, your interior improvements, and your share of anything the association passes back to owners.
When those three layers do not line up, the gap usually shows up at the worst possible time, after a water leak or a storm, when two policies each point at the other.
What the Master Policy May Leave to You
Illinois law requires a condominium association to insure the units, the limited common elements (unless the board determines otherwise), and the common elements. The same statute, 765 ILCS 605/12, says the association's insurance need not cover improvements and betterments that owners install, and that if it does, the association may assess the added cost to the affected units.
In plain terms: the updated kitchen, the new flooring, the built-ins, and the bathroom remodel may be yours to insure. Your HO-6 policy should carry enough building coverage to replace what you, or the owners before you, added. The only way to know the right number is to read your association's declaration and insurance certificate next to your policy, which is exactly what we do in a free review.
The Deductible Rule Most Owners Have Never Heard Of
Master policies often carry large deductibles, and Illinois gives the board three ways to handle one after a claim. Under 765 ILCS 605/12, the board may pay the deductible as a common expense, may (after notice and an opportunity for a hearing) assess it against the owners who caused the damage or from whose units the damage originated, or may require the owners of the affected units to pay it.
That means a dishwasher line that fails in your unit and damages the units below could leave you with a bill for the building's deductible. Loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 policy is what may pay that bill, and many policies include only a modest limit by default. Ask your association manager for your building's current master deductible, then make sure your loss assessment limit is at least that high. It is typically an inexpensive change.
Liability in a Community Built Around Gatherings
The master policy covers the association's liability for the common areas. It does not cover you if a guest is hurt inside your unit or if water from your unit damages a neighbor's. Illinois also allows a board to require owners to carry liability insurance for damage to another unit caused by an owner's negligence, so check whether your association has adopted that rule. Many owners with savings or a second home to protect also add a personal umbrella policy over their condo and auto coverage.
What If We Spend Winters Away?
If you head south after the holidays, tell your agent before you go. Many policies limit certain claims when a home sits unoccupied for an extended period, and a frozen or failed pipe in a condo building affects more than one unit. A monitored thermostat, a water shutoff, and a neighbor with a key may be all a carrier asks for, and we will confirm your specific policy's rules so there are no surprises.
What Moves the Price of Condo Insurance Here
An HO-6 policy is usually one of the less expensive policies a household carries, and the biggest drivers are the building coverage you need for improvements, your personal property limit, your loss assessment limit, your deductible, and your claims history. Carriers weigh those differently, which is the practical reason to compare. We quote your unit across 20+ carriers.
Auto Insurance and Bundling for Residents
Your condo policy is only half of the picture. Most carriers that write HO-6 policies also write auto, and placing both with one carrier may lower the cost of each. When we review your condo coverage, we look at your auto policy too, so your liability limits match across both and leave room for an umbrella if you want one.
A few things worth asking about as a Lake Barrington Shores resident: whether a low-mileage or usage-based discount fits how much you actually drive, whether a car you leave behind for the winter can be moved to reduced coverage while it sits (some carriers allow it), and whether your current deductibles still make sense for your cars today. We compare the options across 20+ carriers and show you the combined price, not just one policy at a time.
A Local Producer Who Lives Nearby
You do not have to sort this out alone. Many owners simply send us their declarations page and their association's certificate of insurance. We read both, show you where they line up and where they do not, and only suggest a change if it closes a real gap or saves you money.
Patrick McHugh
Personal Lines Producer, Pro Insurance Group
Patrick has more than 30 years in insurance, lives nearby in Port Barrington, and has family right here in Lake Barrington Shores. He works with condo owners throughout the Barrington area. He will review your current policy against your association's coverage, free, and meet by phone, by video, or at our Huntley office.
The Pro Insurance Difference
We Shop 20+ Carriers
One application. We compare the carriers that fit your home and cars instead of selling you one company's product.
We Re-Shop Every Renewal
Carriers raise rates quietly over time. We re-check your premium against the market each year so you stay in the best position.
We Handle The Switch
Changing carriers is easy. We coordinate the new policy and cancel the old one for you.
What Our Clients Say
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Common Questions
Does the master policy cover my Lake Barrington Shores unit?
Partly. Illinois law requires each condominium association to insure the units, limited common elements, and common elements, but the association does not have to cover improvements and betterments owners install. Your declaration sets the exact line. Your own HO-6 policy covers your belongings, your liability, interior upgrades the master policy leaves out, and assessments passed back to owners.
Can my condo association charge me the master policy deductible?
It can. Under 765 ILCS 605/12, the board may pay the deductible as a common expense, may assess it (after notice and an opportunity for a hearing) against the owners who caused the damage or from whose units it originated, or may require the owners of the affected units to pay it. Loss assessment coverage on your HO-6 policy may pay that charge.
How much loss assessment coverage do I need?
At a minimum, enough to cover your building's master policy deductible, since that is the charge most likely to be passed to you after a loss. Ask your association manager for the current deductible and compare it to the loss assessment limit on your declarations page. Raising the limit is usually inexpensive.
Do I need liability insurance if the association already has a policy?
Yes. The association's policy covers its liability for common areas, not your personal liability inside your unit or for damage your unit causes to a neighbor. Illinois also lets a board require owners to carry that coverage, so check your association's rules.
Can I bundle my condo and auto insurance?
Usually, yes. Most carriers that write condo (HO-6) policies also write auto, and bundling the two may lower the cost of both. We compare bundled and separate pricing across 20+ carriers and make sure your liability limits line up across both policies.
Can I meet with a local agent near Lake Barrington?
Yes. Patrick McHugh, our personal lines producer, lives nearby in Port Barrington. He can review your policy and association paperwork by phone, by video, or in person at our Huntley office. Call 833-776-4671 to set a time.
Get a Second Look at Your Condo and Auto Coverage
Send us your condo and auto declarations pages and your association's insurance certificate. We will show you where they fit, where they leave a gap, and what a bundle could save, free.
Get My QuoteCall 833-776-4671
Reviewed by Patrick McHugh, Personal Lines Producer
Illinois licensed insurance producer #2121371. Licensed since 1992, and ran his own agency for 27 years before going independent. Lives in Port Barrington and serves Lake Barrington Shores and the Barrington area.
Last updated October 2026