At 24 years old, having finished college and gotten settled into a job that offered a lot of room for growth, Gina was ready to make the big move—leave her parents' home and strike out on her own in her very first apartment. She looked carefully for months and finally settled on a nice, sunny one-bedroom flat that had plenty of closet space for her considerable shoe collection. Gina had planned her move carefully, packing all the items she had collected with care—housewares, small appliances, her laptop, a great new plasma TV that she wanted to mount to the wall. She invested in good-quality furniture, knowing that she planned to keep it for years and wanted it all to hold up for a long period of time. Gina assumed that her new landlord would have coverage that would protect her in the event of a problem, so she really didn't give that a second thought. Imagine her surprise and dismay when, just a few months after she moved in, disaster struck. A fire started on the bottom floor in the unit directly underneath Gina's, and spread rapidly throughout the building until most of the structure was engulfed in flames—including Gina's apartment. What the fire didn't burn the smoke damaged; what escaped the smoke was ruined by the water from the fire department's hoses. The bulk of Gina's personal property was gone, and because she did not have a Miami renters insurance policy to cover the damage, Gina found herself out of thousands of dollars' worth of property with no provision to replace it.

Many people have the same false assumption that Gina did

When people move into an apartment or condo, they may think, as Gina did, that their landlord's coverage extends to them. Not so! The landlord's policy is intended to cover the structure but not the contents of the renters residing within the building. People must obtain their own coverage or run the risk of being financially wiped out in the event of damage, theft, or liability. The best way to understand what one's risks are, and how much protection they need, is to consult a professional insurance agent. An agent can evaluate each person's financial situation and property to determine how much coverage is needed. He or she can review one's needs periodically to ensure that coverage amounts are adjusted as needed as circumstances change over time. Talk to an agent today to learn more about Miami renters insurance and get the excellent service that a true professional can provide.