Home insurance may not cover your student’s possessions

Next year’s increase in university fees will see nearly twice as many students go to university this year, as a scramble for places this year to avoid fees of up to £9000 a year is in full swing. The usual pattern of many students taking gap years has been disrupted as tens of thousands of students have all applied in the same year, leaving many universities without a single empty place.

Every year thousands simply assume that their home insurance cover will look after their children’s possessions while they are away at university, and find out when making a claim that they do not.

This year will see an increase in these cases, simply because of the number of people going to university, and it’s important to make sure you aren’t one of them.

Whilst some home insurance policies do cover students possessions, not all do, and the ones that do are not always adequate. Student possessions insurance is offered with the various risks of university in mind, and is offered by people who understand student life.

Many home insurance policies will not cover a home with doors left unlocked, or windows left open, but university often sees such eventualities, and often not through the fault of the student who is burgled. Housemates can be at fault.

The student cover offered with many home insurance policies also only provides cover up to a certain limit, around £3000, which sounds like a lot but in truth is not.

Students possessions can really add up in value, with an iPod, iPad, iPhone, Laptop, television, computer and games console adding up to nearly that amount alone. Add clothes and shoes to the mix and many students easily find themselves with £5000 worth of belongings before they buy any books for classes at university.

Phone your home insurance provider to double check what cover they provide, and then compare that with dedicated student possessions insurance before sending your children to university uninsured.