> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# SM Renters unprepared, unconcerned about disaster
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/sm-renters-unprepared-unconcerned-about-disaster/
- Published: 2008-08-25T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T20:50:06.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Real Estate & Housing, Downtown, #archive-import

*Renters willing to gamble*

*By NORA SORENA CASEY Special to the Daily Press*

DOWNTOWN In a city where approximately two-thirds of residents are renters, many Santa Monicans are uninsured in cases of fire, water damage, or theft in their homes.

A survey of 1,000 renters nationwide, released on Aug. 12 and conducted by the Opinion Research Corp. for Allstate, showed that area renters are less likely to carry renters insurance than those in other states. The survey reported that while the national response found 40 percent of renters had insurance, 35 percent of Californians and only 27 percent of Los Angeles-area renters are covered.

Renter’s insurance will cover fire, water damage and stolen property, which is not insured by landlords. Different coverage can also account for off-property theft, tenant liabilities, and earthquake damage.

Mike Sutton, president of M.D. Sutton Insurance, estimates that 20 percent or less of Santa Monica renters have insurance. He estimates that approximately half of renters are aware of insurance, but may choose not to purchase it, while the other 50 percent are uninformed.

“I think insurance agents may make people aware of it,” said Sutton. “But they tend to put it on the back-burner and don’t follow through.”

The Allstate survey found that 42 percent of renters don’t have insurance because they haven’t made the time to look into it, and 30 percent believe they do not have enough valuables to justify having insurance.

“I’ve only lived in Hollywood and Santa Monica and in both places — for as long as I’ve lived — I’ve never heard of anyone having renter’s insurance,” said Dawn Simone, a local renter who has never felt she needed insurance. “No one’s really clear on what it does.”

The low level of renters with insurance contrasts sharply with the number of property owners who are insured, which Sutton estimated at approximately 99 percent in Santa Monica. He attributes this to the investment level needed for a single-family home is much greater, and to take out loans on a house fire insurance is required.

“Common sense dictates that you have it to protect that investment,” said Sutton. “If you had a one bedroom apartment and you were 30 years old … sometimes people aren’t so worried about that.”

Michaelyn Jones, the general counsel for the Santa Monica Rent Control Board, agrees that renter’s insurance is a matter of personal choice. The board answers renter and landowner questions, but as far as Jones knows, no one has ever inquired about purchasing renters’ insurance.

“It hasn’t come to us,” Jones said, “but this kind of question isn’t within the jurisdiction of the rent control board. I think it’s really a subjective question.”

As with most types of insurance, many get by without renters’ insurance, but when disaster strikes it can lead to problems. The Allstate survey found that 80 percent of Los Angeles renters have not done a home inventory check list or tried to estimate how much their possessions are worth.

“It’s not a problem unless they have a fire,” said Bob Sullivan, past president of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles. “That’s when they usually find out they should have gotten it or were supposed to.”

Fire is the most serious problem that renter’s insurance can help, according to Sutton. He said that water damage is the second mostly costly, but theft is the most common. In Santa Monica the police noted 388 instances of home burglaries and robberies last year.

Michael Tarbet didn’t have renters insurance when his apartment was damaged by fire, but he doesn’t feel that it was much of a problem.

“We lost stuff, (the landlord) didn’t pay for the things we lost,” Tarbet said. “It didn’t bother us. We needed a new bed anyway.”

However, Westside Rentals Insurance agent Michael Ketchelidis believes that renters’ insurance is necessary.

“If your clothes are gone what would you do?”Ketchelidis said.“If you didn’t have coverage for it could you go out and replace all of your clothes right now? Even if you are underinsured, have something.”

Renters’ insurance is important for landlords as well as renters. Ketchelidis said that many big rental companies will require renters to have insurance before renting them apartments. When renters aren’t required to have insurance, he believes they are much more likely to skip it.

“I don’t have it, I haven’t looked it up,” said Santa Monica renter Sean Proctor. “I just haven’t had the time to look it up. Plus, I rent, it’s not like I got that much money.”

Both Proctor and Simone would consider insurance if they were in nicer apartments, but for the time being, like many renters across the city and nation, it is not one of their priorities.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 25, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/082508.pdf?ref=smdp.com)