The Seahawk

Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: Op/Ed

Jordan Rogerson is a third-year student at UNCW. She is a communication studies major with a full schedule, and when she's not studying, she's working.

For the past two years, Rogerson has lived in the Cape Cottages apartment complex off of College Road with two close friends. When reminiscing about her experiences at UNCW, she said she has enjoyed spending time with friends, going to the beach and attending the occasional party. No event or situation has negatively tainted the college life for Jordan Rogerson, except for maybe one.

Oct. 24, 2006 at approximately 7 p.m., Rogerson was not at her apartment. She, along with another roommate, was working. The third roommate was frying okra for dinner. Sidetracked, she walked away from the kitchen, leaving the okra cooking in oil on the stove.

Fifteen minutes passed. The neglected okra caught fire. Hot flames moved quickly from the frying pan to the droplets of grease splashed on the stove's surface, building momentum and making its way up towards the microwave. Smelling the smoke, Rogerson's roommate rushed into the kitchen. In a panic, she filled a dishpan with water and threw it onto the flames. The fire continued to spread.

Within seconds, the smoke from the flames engulfed the entire kitchen, setting off the smoke alarm and eventually the water sprinklers. Fortunately, the pressure from the sprinklers put out the fire. But it didn't end there.

The sprinklers don't turn off until someone shuts them off manually, and unfortunately for Rogerson and her roommates, no one was working in the office at this time of night -- not even a security guard. The sprinklers continued to spray water. While the police arrived within minutes, it was too late-the entire apartment was flooded.

Hearing what had happened, Rogerson left work and hurried home. Coming back to an almost destroyed kitchen and flooded apartment was not easy. All of her possessions were under water: laptop, furniture, CDs, movies, TVs, stereo equipment, textbooks, clothes and shoes. Luckily for Rogerson, she had renters insurance.

Renters insurance was able to cover the replacement value for all Rogerson's damaged possessions. This means that her five-year-old stereo was replaced with as much money as it would cost for her to purchase a new comparable stereo. Through renters insurance, she was able to claim her roommates' damaged possessions under her, and they were also reimbursed.

The majority of students at UNCW have never heard of renter's insurance. While it is not required, it is just as necessary to have as car insurance. The biggest misconception when students sign up for a lease is that the insurance is already provided for. Yes, your apartment is protected by insurance, but your possessions are not. Renters insurance will not only protect your personal items, it will also give you help with temporary housing and liability protection such as medical expenses for people on your property or a lawyer if you are sued by someone that you unintentionally injure.

Although prices range depending on the insurance company, most renters insurance stays within $12 to $15 per month, which is nothing when you consider the benefits.

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