In the aftermath of the recent Austin flood, students are asking the same question: What about my ruined stuff? Many students don’t know what to do or who to contact about personal belongings ruined in incidents like floods or theft.
An accurate count of all damages from the flood has not been released at this time, but many students had personal belongings ruined due to the water. Jessica Smith, a freshman and management major, was aware UT was not responsible but voiced concern about damaged property.
“Yes, I knew about a UT’s lack of responsibility. I feel that the recent case was not a typical one. The responsibility belongs to the Austin residents that broke the pipe not UT. I personally did not have anything damaged, but I have friends that did. I believe that their items should be taken care of due to the fact that this wasn’t a natural disaster, but was the result of a lack in responsibility,” Smith said.
In a recent survey conducted by The Minaret it was discovered that only 34 percent of students know that UT does not include renter’s insurance in their housing agreement. 65 percent of students thought that UT covered their personal property.
A similar flood happened last semester in Straz where students’ property was also damaged. In the FAQ section of the university’s site, the question, “How do I insure my personal belongings?” is answered in the Residence Life section.
UT’s response is, “Since UT is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property from any cause, we recommend that you check to see if your belongings are covered under your family’s homeowners insurance policy.
If this is not the case, you may wish to buy renter’s insurance, which is reasonably priced. For more information on rental insurance, please visit http://www.nssi.com.”
In the same survey students were asked if they knew what renter’s insurance was, 65 percent of students said they simply did not know what it was. Only 34 percent of students said they know, without a doubt, what renter’s insurance is.
Most major insurance companies such as, Geico, All-State, State Farm and E-surance offer renter’s insurance at reasonable costs. UT recommends the National Student Services Incorporated (NSSI) for student insurance needs. Depending on your level of coverage NSSI can cover for fire, floods and thefts at reasonable prices especially for students living on campus.
Renter’s insurance is necessary to have because even if a landlord has insurance on the building that does not mean his tenants’ personal belongings are insured.
The landlord’s policy does not cover any of his tenants’ personal belongings in case of fire, flood or theft according to Geico.com.
“I have renter’s insurance. I live in an apartment complex off campus that requires renter’s insurance. It’s only $10 a month and I think it is well worth it because you never know what can happen,” said Marisa Quaresimo, junior and veterinarian major.
In the survey, students were asked if they had renter’s insurance, 91 percent of students said they did not have renter’s insurance. Only eight percent of students have renter’s insurance and have their personal property covered.
“After the Austin flood I am definitely considering getting renter’s insurance. I think it is a smart thing to have because I do not have the money to replace all of my personal property unexpectedly,” said Patrick Coyle, sophomore and nursing major.
Claire Jack can be reached at claire.jack@spartans.ut.edu