There's No Debating This Policy: Everyone Needs Renter's Insurance

Edited questions from Apartment Life, Sara Gebhardt's online discussion about rental issues.

Q: Washington: Do you recommend renter's insurance? I've lived in my apartment for two years. Where would I get it from, the apartment's management?

A: I wholeheartedly recommend renter's insurance. It's a good way to protect yourself in case of theft or damage. Most renters don't realize that their landlords or the building owners may insure the structure of the apartment, the appliances, etc., but not the renter's stuff.

Even if you think you don't have much valuable property, you probably do. Just think about having to replace all your possessions -- clothes, electronics, books, jewelry. A basic policy costs about $150 to $200 per year. I think it's worth it.

You would get it not from your management but from an insurance company. You can check with car insurance companies.

Washington: After much searching for an affordable apartment, I'm also considering house rentals. A friend suggested that I contact a real estate agent for help in finding both apartments and rental houses. Is this a good idea? Do agents charge the renter for such services?

This is one of many ways you can find rental homes and apartments. Agents are more likely to know about houses than apartments, but either way, adding an agent to your search would only help. Generally, you don't have to pay for such a service; the owner of the property will pay some sort of commission to your agent. That could lead to a higher rental rate, but you technically won't see it as a charge to you. With more people renting their houses as they wait for the real estate market to take an upturn, it's not a bad idea to see what you can get.

Arlington: My two roommates and I are renting what is listed as a "one-bedroom" apartment with a den and breakfast nook. I ended up with the nook, which works just fine as a bedroom. However, I don't have a door. I have a curtain up, which is fine for the visual barrier a door provides. The problem is that it is obviously not soundproof at all. It is driving me nuts, being able to hear every little thing outside my bedroom. The door frame is not a standard size, so I don't think buying a typical door would work. Any suggestions?

The most obvious idea is to get a customized door built for the area. You would have to get permission from your management to install something like that, though. Barring a door -- which would keep out the most noise -- you could try a room divider or design your own, more solid makeshift barrier.

Baltimore: What's the best way to kick out a roommate? He doesn't seem to get subtle hints, and I'm afraid he'll still be living with my fiance and me after the wedding. There is potentially no end in sight.

In apartment living, as in life beyond rented walls, sometimes you have to discard your subtle hints and kick it up a notch. Blatant, direct statements such as "When my fiance and I get married, you will have to leave" may work better than implying you would like some space of your own now that you're beginning a new phase together.

Also important is what the lease says. When it comes time to renew, you will have to go your separate ways anyway. If the timing does not work for your schedule, then you will have to discuss the issue with your roommate directly. If you're on good terms with him, you might even help him find an apartment. That's a not-so-subtle hint that you want the living arrangement to come to an end.

Sara Gebhardt's Apartment Life column appears biweekly in this section, and her Web chat appears monthly on http://washingtonpost.com. The next chat is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 2 p.m.