AAA explains benefits of renters insurance after broken pipe floods woman's apartment

A Westmoreland County woman is demanding answers after she said a broken pipe flooded her apartment last week in Rostraver Township.

Jennifer Pascarella said she's lived at the Rostraver Apartments for nine years and claims this isn't the first time a tenant has dealt with broken pipes at the complex.

Pascarella said she had just gotten home last Friday when she noticed water in her hallway.

"I came into the kitchen, and it was pouring out my furnace room, under the door, like gushing, gushing, gushing," Pascarella said.

She said she immediately contacted her landlord and tried turning off her water heater.

"I called my landlord, and she answered like 45 minutes later, and I told her it wasn't just a leak, it's, it's flooding. She said to me, 'I'm an hour away, and we have no maintenance. What do you want me to do?'" Pascarella said.

She said hours went by as she tried to keep the water from damaging everything inside.

"I'm throwing every blanket, every towel I have, rug. I'm starting to throw clothes on it because I'm trying to prevent it from going into my children's room," Pascarella said. "By the fourth hour, when the plumber shows up, they said that it's not the water company, it's their pipe that's either clogged or broken. So, finally, they shut the water off to the whole building just to stop it from flooding in my apartment.

Pascarella said her landlord hired a company to bring in dehumidifiers to set up inside her apartment. The company also removed any damaged carpet and tile. She told KDKA Investigates that she went five days without hot water.

"I have three kids, so we couldn't bathe, we couldn't wash dishes, we couldn't do anything," Pascarella said.

She said she asked her landlord to stay at a hotel or in an empty apartment at the complex until repairs are complete, but was denied.

"I also asked them if they can help me pay for the electric bill and maybe waiver my rent for July because we've had to live here in this mess, and they refused," Pascarella said.

She said her landlord gave her a laundry card to clean any clothes she used to soak up the water on the floors.

"She came up here with a laundry card, and there was like $48 on it, and I said that's not going to be enough to do. I had like 30 bags full, so she left, came back, gave me another $40," Pascarella said.

Pascarella said she exchanged several emails with the landlord and shared their response with KDKA-TV about the problems in her apartment.

"We understand that this situation has been frustrating and disruptive, and we appreciate your patience while restoration efforts are completed," one email said. "Our team acted immediately upon learning of the issue and engaged professional mitigation services to address the water damage. We have also worked to assist you during this process by providing laundry assistance and other support measures."

The email went on to say, "We would also like to take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of renter's insurance. The property's insurance coverage does not extend to residents' personal belongings, temporary relocation expenses, or other personal losses that may result from unexpected incidents. Renter's insurance is designed to provide protection for residents in these circumstances and is strongly encouraged."

"They keep saying to me, I should have had renters insurance. They keep throwing at my face," Pascarella said.

KDKA-TV talked to AAA to learn what renters insurance does and does not cover.

"It's a common misconception that people think their personal property, like furniture, clothing, anything that is contained in their home, is covered by the landlord's insurance policy. However, it is not. So, a renters insurance policy is really important to have for those coverages," said Tyesha Rodriguez, a AAA insurance manager.

KDKA-TV asked what the apartment complex could be responsible for.

"The structure itself. If you think about it, if you flip that structure upside down, everything that stays is the responsibility of the landlord, anything that comes out of that house, that falls, that is your property, that is your property that you are responsible for," Rodriguez said.

AAA said part of its renters insurance policy includes protections for loss of use.

"If, for example, there was a fire and you're unable to live in that rental property, we would help with hotel fees and all that good stuff so you don't have to be responsible for that, too," Rodriguez said. "The most important reason to get renters insurance is to make sure that you're protecting yourself and your family and your personal property that you worked so hard for."

Pascarella said a vacuum is the only thing that may have been damaged during the flooding and is more concerned about getting the floors and walls fixed and ensuring there's no mold or mildew inside that could harm her or her kids.

"You can smell the mold in here right now," Pascarella said.

KDKA-TV reached out to Rostraver Apartments and its managing company, The Michaels Organization, for comment. We did not hear back on Friday.