Student Digs Are Top Targets For Thieves So Think About Insurance
September 2005
Research just published by the Home Office shows that 1 in 3 students are the victims of crime while at university with over 75% of the crimes involving burglary. And it's not surprising because most students digs are stocked full of iPods, laptops, dvds and mobile phones etc, rich pickings for the thieves, as they know only too well.
And this booty is normally multiplied many fold as students tend to live together.
Of course it also doesn't help that many students are notoriously dippy when it comes to shutting windows and doors, especially after a heavy night on the grog....
Both Students & Parents Should Check Their Home Insurance Policies
- Many student halls have block insurance covering the students possessions, overall security is also normally better than with a private residence
- For non-hall residents many insurers will cover items under the parents general content insurance, but the level of cover varies
- Also, many home content policies only cover possessions for term time and not the holidays (student burglaries go up over the holidays because the premises are normally empty, the thieves of course know this)
- Many home content policies only offer cover for students in official halls of residence and not in privately rented accommodation
- This is why its imperative to check out the home contents insurance policy in full paying special attention to the small print
Parents - Consider What A Claim Will Do To Your Premiums
This is an important point because as students are far more likely to get robbed any claim could effect premiums in the future. It's therefore possible for a households premium to rise when no actual theft took place on the home that the cover was designed for.
This is why it's often a practical idea to insure students contents on a separate stand alone policy.
There are plenty of insurance companies specialising in this kind of student cover including Endsleigh and Saxon Direct. Endsleigh offers a policy for as little as £16 pa for students in halls of residence (don't get double cover though as many halls come with their own blanket coverage).
If the student is living in rented accommodation the cost of the cover will rise and also depends on location which is something to think about as students are not known for living in the best parts of town.
Expect to pay between £50 - £150 for a general possessions policy but this can depend on many factors.
Summary
For those students with expensive toys it's pretty important to check out what's covered and what will happen in the case of a robbery. Look at 3 main areas -
- What cover if any the university offers if living in halls of residence
- What cover the parents home content insurance offers (and the potential rise in premium if a claim is processed), and
- Get some quotes from a number of different insurance companies and NEVER do business with the first company who quotes
See Also
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