How to cover your belongings as a student

As any parent of a student will tell you, there seems to be no end to the personal belongings deemed necessary to make your offspring’s student accommodation a true "home away from home." As A level results are published and university places confirmed, it is all too easy in the excitement to overlook the thorny question of insuring these belongings. There is also the question of cost. With students nowadays facing more financial pressure than ever before, many may be tempted to think of insurance as a luxury which they cannot afford.

According to research conducted by insurance company, Esure, 80% of students take belongings worth more than £2500 to University, with the average student having over £4000 worth of goodies in their student pad. At the top end, 10% have a staggering £5000 worth or more. It's easy to explain these statistics - what self-respecting student would be without their top-of-the range mobile, MP3 player and laptop? Then there are the TVs, stereo systems, games consoles, DVD players, musical instruments, designer clothes and jewellery, plus (hopefully!) the odd text book or two.

The 16 to 24-year-old age group is almost three times more likely to fall prey to burglars than the general population, and student houses, often with poor security, are particularly vulnerable. This is compounded by students' false sense of security in halls of residence with many leaving their doors open when 'popping out' for a moment - a gift to the opportunistic thief.

25% of freshers have given no thought to insuring their property and many others believe that they will be covered by their parents’ home contents policy. This may or may not be the case but it is vital that they check before leaving themselves vulnerable. Particular insurance companies which provide cover to students living away from home include NFU Mutual, MORE TH>N and Esure.

MORE TH>N allows parents a set chunk of their own cover to utilise against their student offspring’s belongings (15% up to a maximum of £11,250). They also provide free legal advice, particularly useful should your child come up against an unscrupulous landlord whilst negotiating the minefield of private student accommodation and dodgy leases. For just under £18.50, parents can take out full legal protection with up to £50,000 cover for legal fees and access to useful and professionally written letters, such as a demand for the return of a deposit.

NFU Mutual’s Premium policy covers student belongings up to £5000 and also covers loss during university vacations meaning that your child can leave their belongings in their accommodation if it is available out of term time. Loss from a vehicle is also covered, provided there has been forced entry.

Esure also provides £5000 worth of cover for belongings kept in a locked room. This applies not only to campus accommodation and student houses but also to boarding schools.

As your little darlings head off to university, be aware of all the potential problems and check beforehand. Insurance may seem like something of peripheral interest but it could save you a huge headache in the future.

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