Before College Move-In Day: Three Insurance Questions Every Parent Should Ask

Move-in day comes with a long checklist: bedding, storage bins, class schedules, meal plans and one more trip to the store. However, one important item is easy to overlook—insurance.

Before your student leaves home, make sure their belongings and vehicle are protected in the place where they will actually live.

Start with the housing question. Will your student live in a dorm or an off-campus apartment?

A student living in campus housing may have some personal-property coverage through a parent’s homeowners or renters policy. However, coverage limits, deductibles and eligibility rules can vary. Students living off campus may need a separate renters insurance policy. Renters insurance can help protect their belongings and provide liability coverage if someone is injured in the apartment.

Where your student lives can change which policy responds when something goes wrong.

Next, look at what they are taking with them. A laptop, tablet, phone, gaming system, bicycle and other electronics can quickly add up to thousands of dollars.

Create a simple inventory with photos, model numbers, serial numbers and receipts when available. Ask whether the policy pays replacement cost or the item’s depreciated value. For unusually expensive technology or equipment, additional coverage or an endorsement may be worth discussing.

Do not assume that every valuable item is fully covered simply because personal-property coverage exists.

Finally, decide whether the car is going to campus. If your student takes a vehicle, the insurance company needs to know the college address, where the car will be parked and how it will be used. Rates and coverage requirements may change based on the new location.

If the vehicle stays home while the student attends school a significant distance away, your family may qualify for a student-away-at-school discount. Some insurance companies also offer good-student discounts. Eligibility and savings vary by insurance company and state.

The right answer is not always removing the student or vehicle from the policy—it is accurately reporting how and where the car will be used.

Before packing the final box, schedule a policy review. Confirm the student’s address, coverage limits, deductibles, valuable belongings and driving plans. A brief conversation now can help prevent an expensive surprise later.

Let’s update your policies before move-in day so your student can leave home with the protection they need.