Renters beware

[alarimer]

If any of you live in the path of Hurricane Rita, be aware that your renter's insurance may not cover damage due to rain water or floods.

I just got off the phone with both my aparment complex managers and the insurance people. My apartment complex will not allow any of its residents to board up windows. "They don't want anything on the outside of the buidlings". Not even in a Cat 4 hurricane. Fuckers. Shitheads, etc. (*(&*^^&^%$%!^&*&! I am so livid- I hung up on the little asshole I was talking to.

But it gets worse. My insurance does NOT cover water damage. This includes flooding and rain if the windows break or the walls leak etc. Fuckers. I hate, hate, hate insurance companies. Now this was State Farm so your policies may vary depending on where you live. Also renters can't get flood insurance which would solve the problem.

[SeattleGirl]

1. Suggestion

Check the landlord/tenant laws in your state. I know that has nothing to do with the insurance issue, but it might tell you something about your rights as far as protecting your property -- even if you are only renting. You should be able to access this information on-line through the state's website.

[alarimer]

9. I am going to check now

thanks

[ncrainbowgrrl]

2. kick.

What a horrible situation.

If my apartment complex was claiming to not allow this in the face of such an awful storm, my next call would be to the media to get this into the court of public outrage!

:kick:

[alarimer]

20. I am using the duct tape option

and getting the hell out tomorrow. they can evict me later. If there is anything to evict me from.

[SoCalDem]

3. Put it up on the INSIDE..and cover the holes later

and paint over the repairs:)

[Rainscents]

11. That is what I would do! Fuck the Landlord!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Yes, put plastic over furniture, and use duck tape liberally

Board the inside, seal it with duck tape, tape the inside of the windows so they resist blast pressure. Put plastic sheeting over furniture and put valuables and clothing in plastic bags. Put everything up off the floor so even if you get a half foot of water inside it wont flood those items.

[cynatnite]

4. Can the apartment complex be held liable?

If boarding up the windows could have prevented damage and they said no, it seems to me they could be held liable.

[alarimer]

7. I don't know what the laws are

It seems to me they could be liable. Probably no one has ever tried to sue them.

[CitrusLib]

5. That's a giant suck.

We went through Charlie (marginally) and got broadsided by Frances and Jeanne last year and I can tell you water damage seemed to vastly outweigh wind damage in the area right around me. Not from flooding and not from window breaks. The rain was being driven horizontally and came straight through cracks and crevices around doors, windows, baseboards and seeped through the mortar used in CBS construction. From the outside, you would think my sister's home was left in pristine condition after both storms roared through, but they ended up having to replace both the living room and dining room carpets from the rain that came in through the baseboards and CBS. My house was spared by virtue of the direction it faced and the construction around it. Good luck to you!!

[spuddonna]

6. Kick! n/t

[0007]

8. Are you insured from looters damaging your property?

[pitohui]

19. renter's insurance does cover any looting

renter's insurance does cover crime, nonetheless i would not leave small valuable items around as they are depreciated & you get back a fraction of what they were worth if you can prove you ever owned the item at all

most jewelry would not be covered unless you have a special "rider" on yr policy, which most renters could not afford, so don't leave yr jewelry behind, the same is true of cash, more than $200 cash is unlikely to be insured, don't leave hidden cash behind


nat'l flood insurance is a separate program, i am not aware of any renter being able to obtain flood insurance, because deductible are so high for flood insurance & you do not own the structure, it is unlikely you would have enough losses to meet the deductible anyway, ppl who rent do not have furniture that is of much value after being depreciated by the insurance adjuster

every renter should have a safety deposit box large enough to secure valuable paper, jewelry, photos, and yr computer's hard drive

please take care, ya'll

i'm not an insurance agent, my comments are based on my own experiences in natural disaster & are meant to be a general help, for details, talk to yr personal attorney or agent

[bigbrother05]

10. I just talked to a friend

in Galveston, he said he didn't have and wood for the windows. I told him to put up anything on the inside. Wood would be good if you have it. Good luck, stay safe.

[Sapphire Blue]

13. Get the landlord's refusal to allow boarding up windows in writing...

...specifically, their refusal to allow you to board up windows in preparation for a hurricane. Contact an attorney and/or tenant/landlord assoc. for advice on what action you can take in the event that you suffer damages due to the landlord's refusal.

And as someone else suggested, board up & do whatever else you can do inside... and take care!

[Bake]

14. Check your policy

The big question in the wake of Katrina, for coastal policyholders who did NOT have flood insurance, is whether the water damage was caused by "flooding" (i.e., rising water) or by wind-driven water.

Hard to imagine that your policy doesn't cover ANY kind of water damage. Probably not flood damage, but wind-driven water (which may or may not include the storm surge -- I'm sure that issue will be litigated!) should be covered. Check your policy.

Bake, Esq.

[lizziegrace]

15. I have State Farm

there's an exclusion for water and I had to buy a special rider for sewer backup since we all have basements here in Ohio. I'm glad you posted this. I need to read my policy even closer. If you're not in a position to own your own home and get federal flood insurance, you're screwed. But hey, we should be used to it by now...

[kath]

17. Yep, BOHICA.

BendOverHereItComesAgain

[gauguin57]

16. That sounds exactly like something my apartment mgt. would say.

Seriously ... I've had it with apartment life ... the companies that own these apartment complexes are so rigid and assholey. I just found out, for example, that a woman (who, admittedly was a month behind in her rent) was given an eviction notice a couple of days after her husband killed himself. While it was the landlord's legal right to do that, it sure was a sh*tty thing to do!

I live inland, but I can guarantee you that if a hurricane were coming, my landlords would prevent me from boarding my windows (and would probably suggest I get a life preserver).

[1932]

18. You might as well board up your windows.

Either they'll terminate your lease, charge you damage, or you'll have an apartment so waterdamaged that you'll be able to terminate your lease due to the property being unihabitable. Either way, you're out a place to live. If you board up your windows, at least your possessions won't be damaged.

[alarimer]

21. Can't find any plywood anymore.

Will look tomorrow