According to a piece of research by Moneysupermarket.com, around 34% of students have been the victim of robberies in a shared house or university halls. The five most valuable items stolen from students are money (17%), handbags (7%), jewellery (6%), phones (6%) and cameras (6%).
Given this statistic, perhaps now is the time to assess whether you would be covered in the case of a theft to your student home? Especially following the Christmas break, when it’s likely you may have some new possessions to bring back to university with you.
It might seem like a boring thing to spend your student loan on, however, it could end up saving you hundreds of pounds in case of an emergency.
So, what type of insurance do I need?
While your landlord is responsible for the insurance of the building and the fixtures and fittings within it, protecting your own personal belongings is entirely your responsibility. Therefore, you will need to consider taking out contents insurance, in case of loss or theft.
Contents insurance pretty much does exactly what it says on the tin. It insures you for cost of your belongings while they are in your accommodation. Most basic student contents insurance will protect you from loss, theft, general damage, earthquakes, weather damage and water damage.
Does student content insurance cover my possessions out of the house too?
Usually a basic contents insurance will only cover your possessions while they are in the property.
However, if you want to, you may add an additional protection to cover these possessions when you are out of the house too. For example, when you’re carrying your phone, camera, watch or laptop around campus. It’s always best to carefully read what is included in each specific insurance package you are looking at and take time to compare against different providers.
Am I not covered by my parents’ contents insurance?
It’s worth consulting with your parents before you sign up for a new insurance policy to see if you are already covered by their home contents insurance. This situation isn’t as common as it used to be, and won’t always be an option, however, it’s definitely worth reviewing their policy as it could save you money as a result.
Even if you don’t currently come under their insurance policy, it’s worth asking your parents to get a quote to add you to their policy. It may work out quite a bit cheaper than starting a completely separate new insurance policy for yourself. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that the excess on your parents’ insurance might be higher with you added on. Also, their no-claims bonus will also be affected if you have to make a claim on the policy. So, make sure to have a chat about it with them, as there is always a bit of a risk involved for them this way.
How much is student contents insurance?
Contents insurance for students can vary dramatically from policy to policy. However, as an average, you should expect to pay under £100/year. That’s around £8.30 per month.
We would always recommend researching the price comparison sites for quotes to see which are best value and suit your needs best. You can always try to haggle too – if you get a cheaper quote from another insurer, then be sure to let them know, as they might price match or even give you a slightly cheaper rate.
Tenant liability for damage to the landlord’s property
Spills, breaks, smashes and tears can happen. It’s a fact of life. However, as a student renting a fully-furnished property, you might also be responsible for insuring the landlord’s furniture and other contents while you are living there. This will cover any loss or accidental damage to the fixtures, fittings or furniture in your landlord’s property.
You can then have peace of mind that you can afford to cover the cost of replacing or repairing your landlord’s contents if you break anything whilst living there. This way, you are more likely to get your deposit back at the end of your tenancy. Speak to your landlord before signing your contract to see whether you will need this type of insurance too when you move in.
If you have any questions about the type of insurance you need when renting one of our luxury student flats, then get in touch with our friendly team for professional advice.