Insurance Needs For College-Bound Students
With some millions of households sending high school graduates off to college this year, this summer will be a crazy time. And during all this planning, one important thing is regularly overlooked by college-bound students and their parents—insurance.
More than 80% of college students who rent typically do not have enough insurance to protect their personal property—such as laptop and desktop computers and stereos—or to shield them from liability if someone should get hurt in their apartment. Additionally, one in seven students carries no health insurance.
Contrary to popular belief, insurance can be very affordable for college students. For example, a typical renters insurance policy providing $15,000 in personal property coverage and about $100,000 in liability protection, costs anywhere from $100 - $150 a year.
Health insurance seems to be another tricky issue for college-bound students and their parents. A recent survey revealed that 84% of college students and their parents either don’t know or mistakenly believe that the student’s health insurance will cover them when they travel or study abroad. In fact, many health insurance policies limit health coverage only to the U.S. Also, parents and students are seldom aware that once a student is over 18, he/she can often be covered by a parent’s health insurance only if he/she is a full-time student. Once a student reaches age 23, that student will usually lose coverage under a parent’s policy, regardless of their enrollment status.
Students and parents should visit an insurance professional to discuss insurance needs-- auto, health and renters. A good idea before the student goes off to college is to make a list of personal belongings the student is taking with them and keep it in a safe place in the event of theft or damage.
