Renters often uninsured, Allstate study finds

As a growing number of people are forced to rent rather than buy a home, a study conducted by Allstate and Opinion Research Corp. found that just 37 percent of Floridians surveyed have renters insurance to cover their possessions in case of a loss. The Tampa area fared a bit better, with a little more than half of its renters saying they have insurance. Allstate says the average cost to replace personal property items found in a typical apartment is more than $13,600, and the typical cost of renters insurance in the Tampa area is $21 a month. In Florida, more than 2-million people rent apartments, single-family homes or townhouses. Of those surveyed without renters insurance, 39 percent said they haven't gotten around to it, 32 percent said it's too expensive, and 10 percent thought the landlord is responsible for insurance of their personal property.