Donovan Palmer wishes he'd known he needed renter's insurance when he moved into the Cholla apartments residence hall in August.
The computer information systems freshman lost clothes, textbooks, a computer and more when a sewage pipe burst over his room last month, he said.
Even though Palmer thinks ASU is completely liable for the damage, having renter's insurance still would have made his situation easier.
"Then maybe I wouldn't be trying to get ASU's insurance to pay for what I lost," he said.
Every year, thousands of students move into ASU residence halls, but not all know how to protect the thousands of dollars in possessions that they bring with them.
"Kids have no idea," said Carolyn Gorman, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute. "Young people don't have enough life experience to understand that they need to insure their property."
Residential Life recently reminded residents in a newsletter that they need renter's insurance to protect their possessions.
"Just as homeowners have insurance, it is wise for all students to have renter's insurance," said Diana Medina, Residential Life spokeswoman. "Renter's insurance can provide peace of mind and protection against tragedies."
Medina said Residential Life would take responsibility if damage was caused by their negligence, but incidents like that are rare.
But that's what Palmer said happened to him.
He notified maintenance about a ceiling leak, but no one fixed it before it turned into a foot of sewage water covering his room, he said.
"I felt like a Hurricane Katrina victim," Palmer said. "I wore the same shirt and shorts for a week. I had nothing to eat, and I didn't know where I was going to sleep."
Residential Life transferred him to another room and cleaned some of his clothes, Palmer said.
"We do everything possible to help in any situation," Medina said. "But we do also encourage students to have renter's insurance."
Theft, which is more common than situations like Palmer's, is also an important reason to have insurance on college campuses, Gorman said.
According to ASU's Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Report, 452 burglaries and thefts in Tempe-campus residence halls were reported to ASU police in 2005.
Most insurance companies, including Allstate and State Farm, will usually extend parents' homeowner's insurance to students living on campus.
Renter's insurance often also includes liability coverage in case a person is injured in a student's room and tries to sue the student.
"That way if another student gets hurt in your room, or if someone's delivering food and trips, you're covered," Gorman said.
But there might be limits to student coverage, said Mike Siemienas, an Allstate spokesman.
"We always recommend students talk to an agent to make sure they fall within the appropriate limits," Siemienas said.
For students who are independent of their parents or living off campus, renter's insurance costs about $150 to $200 a year, he said.
Residential Life is currently looking at several vendors to offer insurance to residents, Medina said.
"That's a really good idea," Gorman said. "If it's a group policy, it will make renter's insurance even cheaper for students. That way, there's no reason they shouldn't have it."
Palmer said ASU should have at least made him more aware he needed renter's insurance.
Even though he shouldn't be held responsible, having special coverage may have made dealing with his room damage easier, he added.
"I lost a lot of things that are irreplaceable," he said. "Now all I want to do is get this taken care of so I can live normally."
Reach the reporter at: meghan.keck@asu.edu.
