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If your teenager will be heading off to college with a computer, perhaps a video game and other valuable items, it’s important to consider what might happen if these items were stolen, damaged by fire or vandalized?  Would your homeowners policy provide the coverage to replace your student's possessions while away at college?
As a parent, you have enough to worry about when your kids go to college. But you can protect your kids' valuables through insurance. If you plan ahead, you can avoid the risks of being caught unaware about your homeowners insurance coverage.

Taking some time to sit down with your child to list everything that will be moved to college will then allow you to put a value on each item.

Then contact your insurance agent to verify the details of the coverage your policy provides including any coverage limitations.  Once you know the maximum coverage limit provided by your homeowners insurance for your student, you can compare it to the total value of your child's belongings. If the total value surpasses the maximum amount of allowable coverage, you’ll want to know it now before there is a need to file a claim.

Your agent will want to know whether your child will be living on campus or in an off-campus apartment. Most homeowners insurance policies will cover your student's personal property in a dorm up to the limits of your policy.  However, this is typically not the case if your child will be living off-campus.  Instead, you will need to consider renters insurance. 

Regardless of which type of insurance will apply, it is important to have an inventory ahead of time of all items – including descriptions, serial numbers, and other details – and to advise your child about taking normal precautions to protect their belongings in their new environment. 

Being prepared and paying attention to insurance coverage details before your child leaves for college will mean a smoother transition for both of you. The key is to not assume that you have adequate coverage for your kids' possessions at school but to check with your agent to understand all insurance options for the best result.

Here at the Boizelle Insurance Partnership, we help parents to sort through their options when they send a child off to college. So we can answer your questions and help you, too.  Feel free to contact us at your convenience for a no-obligation review of your homeowners insurance policy and a discussion of what might be your best course of action.