An electrical fire and flooding caused part of Ebony Martin's ceiling to collapse during the 7 years she spent in her home.
"I did make memories in this home until all the problems," Martin said.
Because Martin did not have renters insurance, she spent hundreds of dollars replacing her damaged furniture.
"My furniture was damaged," Martin said.
The liability insurance renters may pay through their lease covers the landlord's property — not the renter's belongings.
"I wish I knew that at that time because I never would imagine that would have happened," Martin said.
Nearly 45% of renters across the U.S. don't carry a policy. Menomonee Falls insurance advisor Dan MacLeod says that can be a costly mistake.
Most of the cases MacLeod sees involve issues not caused by the renter, like burst pipes. He says a plan with at least $15,000 in personal belongings coverage can cost just $8-13 a month. Loss of use coverage could also help pay for temporary housing if a home becomes uninhabitable.
Insurance experts say renters should take an inventory of their items to get the right coverage. Renters with expensive jewelry may need to add it on separately.
Website MoneyGeek.com allows renters to compare policies and prices to find what works best for them.
"It can come in handy," Martin said.
After learning the hard way, Martin hopes others will avoid the mistakes she made.
"I learned something from this. I'm still learning from this," Martin said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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