[Sacramento Kevin]

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People actually get this? I've rented for 10 years and never once thought of getting it.

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Here's why you get renters insurance:
I was an apartment manager several years ago. We got a call one day from a resident saying they could hear their neighbors fire alarm going off for several minutes.

We entered the apartment and no one was home. The dumb-ass had a steak in the oven broiler (550 degrees) and left their apartment. There was smoke everywhere. The steak was burnt to a crisp. We took out the steak, threw it in the sink and doused it. And turned off the oven of course.

Your neighbors are stupid and will burn your building (and all your belongings) down with their stupidity. If you don't have insurance, you're [censored]. And don't think you can sue someone who's liable for a fire (assuming you can prove negligence). You can't sue someone who has no money/assets. Odds are, if they are in an apartment, they have little anyway and they would likely file bankruptcy and you wouldn't get a penny.

Renters insurance is too cheap not to have it.

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B.S.

This is the exact reason my friend's apartment burned down (neighbor put food on the stove, fell asleep). She had renter's insurance. It covered fire damage. They still tried to worm their way out of paying her a dime, because insurance companies are the lowest form of scum-sucking amphibian sh|t.

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PJ - is your friend based in California (I got the impression you are, based on some of your other posts). If so, then I would strongly suggest that they contact the CA Department of Insurance. They have an online link that allows you to make a complaint. Companies have to respond within 15 days or face a fine.

In this scenario, there is almost no way that this isn't covered, even for a very cheap company. This is a standard loss type, and as noted above, is exactly what renters insurance is for.

What should have happened is that the company should have paid your friend, and then subrogated against the person responsible for the fire. If they have insurance, their liability insurance will cover it. Since they likely don't, the company will either go after her assets (likely none left) or just let it drop.

If the company is trying to subrograte *before* paying your friend, that is definitely a poor claims practice and the DOI will investigate.