Renters Insurance

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Senior member
Nov 6, 2000
366
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Title pretty much sums it up. About how much am I looking at paying for this? Who do you guys get yours from?
 

dbk

Lifer
Apr 23, 2004
17,685
10
81
$100 for the year from allstate back when i was in college
 

Jumpem

Lifer
Sep 21, 2000
10,757
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81
Under $100/year. And you should want to have it even if it is not required by the landlord.
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
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I got mine through Geico (they sub contract it out to Travelers). It was about $100 for the year. It's nuts not to have it.
 

daniel1113

Diamond Member
Jun 6, 2003
6,448
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$13 a month from Travelers. I really can't think of a reason not to have renters insurance when it costs less than $150 a year.
 

mcvickj

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2001
4,602
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76
It actually saved me money in the long run when I had it because of the multiple policy discount with State Farm. IIRC mine was somewhere around $90-$100 for a year.
 

jinduy

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
4,781
1
81
i went thru southern calif AAA

they gave me some "basic" package and i customized it by removing all the bells and whistles and it came out to very cheap. i forgot the price though since this was 5 years ago.

obviously the AAA agent was not happy with my customization :).
 

Tiamat

Lifer
Nov 25, 2003
14,068
5
71
depends which state you are in, how secure your apartment is, etc.

I was paying $200/yr in Boston, now paying 88$/yr in Virginia. One difference is that my apartment in Boston was pretty crappy and the one I am currently living in is relatively lux having security cameras, onsite concierge, centralized fire system, sprinklers, etc.

Also, back in Boston, my insurance company had no listed perils. Now, they have gotten rid of that plan (for obvious reasons) and have 18 listed perils not covered.
 

coreyb

Platinum Member
Aug 12, 2007
2,437
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I got mine before I moved in then had it canceled a month later. I'm a cheap ass and like to take chances I guess.
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
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never had it. What is it supposed to cover? In case your building burns down and you lose everything?
 

Tiamat

Lifer
Nov 25, 2003
14,068
5
71
Originally posted by: Gibson486
never had it. What is it supposed to cover? In case your building burns down and you lose everything?

yes, and other things like burglary. Also, if someone gets hurt in your apartment, you get personal liability and medical.

 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
Originally posted by: Gibson486
never had it. What is it supposed to cover? In case your building burns down and you lose everything?

Yes. The owner's insurance doesn't cover YOUR possessions. Unless you have renter's insurance, you're S.O.L. if something happens to the apartment, unless you can prove it was the fault of the landlord. And then, it's probably going to be lengthy court time & the lawyer is going to take 1/3.
 

Born2bwire

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2005
9,840
6
71
I was looking for a provider for rental insurance the month I was burgled. I lost enough in the burglary to cover rental insurance for 10-20 years. >< We also had a fire in our complex, our neighbor fell asleep smoking. His bedroom and the bedroom the floor below his were completely gutted by the fire (we lost a keyboard from water damage from the fire fighters). So I wouldn't hesitate to plop down $100 for insurance. You only need one incident to have it more than pay for itself.
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
Hmmm...the only thing that I have that is worth alot to me are my 2 guitars. 1 retails for about $1800, an dthe other is a cheap guitar, but it hold lots of personal value. If everything else burned, I could not give 2 sh!ts. So, i guess I'd take out a polic just for that expensive guitar?
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
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Doesn't it also cover personal property in your car?? Such as someone stealing your laptop or camera out of the trunk??

Am looking at Gieco now, didn't know I could get it through them and have it all on the same bill. How exciting :)
 

AstroManLuca

Lifer
Jun 24, 2004
15,628
5
81
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Hmmm...the only thing that I have that is worth alot to me are my 2 guitars. 1 retails for about $1800, an dthe other is a cheap guitar, but it hold lots of personal value. If everything else burned, I could not give 2 sh!ts. So, i guess I'd take out a polic just for that expensive guitar?

It would take 18 years of paying your renter's insurance to equal the cost of just that one guitar. If you think there's a chance you'll be robbed in the next 18 years, probably worth it. If you're certain you won't be robbed by then, maybe not.
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
0
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Hmmm...the only thing that I have that is worth alot to me are my 2 guitars. 1 retails for about $1800, an dthe other is a cheap guitar, but it hold lots of personal value. If everything else burned, I could not give 2 sh!ts. So, i guess I'd take out a polic just for that expensive guitar?
You may not give a shit, but imagine buying everything from scratch.

Even if you don't own a lot it is still a LOT of money.

I am sure you have a few hundred dollars worth of clothes alone, imagine having nothing but the clothes on your back.
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
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Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Hmmm...the only thing that I have that is worth alot to me are my 2 guitars. 1 retails for about $1800, an dthe other is a cheap guitar, but it hold lots of personal value. If everything else burned, I could not give 2 sh!ts. So, i guess I'd take out a polic just for that expensive guitar?

It would take 18 years of paying your renter's insurance to equal the cost of just that one guitar. If you think there's a chance you'll be robbed in the next 18 years, probably worth it. If you're certain you won't be robbed by then, maybe not.

If I move back to boston, yeah. But I live in natick and nothing really happens here...however, it's right next to framingham...so maybe i will.
 

DayLaPaul

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2001
2,072
0
76
For those of you chiming in who have renter's insurance, have any of you ever had to file a claim? How painful/painless was the process and how large was the claim? Also, after filing a claim, how much did your premium increase?

I've heard many others extol the virtues of renter's insurance as well and I know it's something I should probably have, but I just can't shake the feeling that it, along with most insurance, is a scam. It sounds good in theory, I must admit, but what good is a policy that is impossible to collect on?
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
1
0
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Hmmm...the only thing that I have that is worth alot to me are my 2 guitars. 1 retails for about $1800, an dthe other is a cheap guitar, but it hold lots of personal value. If everything else burned, I could not give 2 sh!ts. So, i guess I'd take out a polic just for that expensive guitar?

You might be able to but I honestly don't think that it would be all that much cheaper than getting the normal policy.

You may not think you have much but the replacement cost of your clothes is probably over $1k. Replacing your computer could be similar in cost. With your guitar thrown in there I bet you're looking at over $10k of replacement costs, even if you have what you think is very little.
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
Originally posted by: ProfJohn
Originally posted by: Gibson486
Hmmm...the only thing that I have that is worth alot to me are my 2 guitars. 1 retails for about $1800, an dthe other is a cheap guitar, but it hold lots of personal value. If everything else burned, I could not give 2 sh!ts. So, i guess I'd take out a polic just for that expensive guitar?
You may not give a shit, but imagine buying everything from scratch.

Even if you don't own a lot it is still a LOT of money.

I am sure you have a few hundred dollars worth of clothes alone, imagine having nothing but the clothes on your back.

Luckily for me...I lost weight and all my clothes is too big for me...so I have to buy it all again regardless;)

But yeah, I get what you are saying. I welcome them if they want to steal my non LCD 36 in HD TV, though. I bought it for under $100 last year off of craigslist. I am not looking forward to moving that TV again. I was hurting for 3 days after I moved it. If they can break into my at and steal just that, then by all means....i will hold the door open for you. The pain and suffering they will go through after moving it is more than enough revenge for me;)