Students covered for contents

With students preparing for university, many will be thinking about the prized possessions they’ll be taking with them.

Gadgets such as laptops, tablets and smart phones can cost hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds. So students need to ensure they have the right insurance in place.

However, many students do not realise that if they normally live with their parents their home contents insurance could provide cover for belongings.

What’s covered

An Aviva standard household contents policy provides £5,000 cover for items “temporarily removed from the home.” So, providing the student lives at home outside of term time, their belongings will be covered. This includes belongings in a student’s room, at their shared house or halls on campus and covers them for fire, storm, flood, or malicious damage. Theft is also covered, but only if someone physically breaks into or out of the accommodation.

What about belongings outside student accommodation?

If they want their laptop, mobile phone and iPod covered when out and about, students will need additional Personal Belongings cover, but if it’s on their parent’s policy they will be covered.

Personal Belongings cover can be added to an Aviva policy from £26.50 a year.   This provides £2,000 worth of cover, including £750 for cash, and a single article limit of £2,000. (The overall limit can be increased to £10,000 and individual items can be specified on the policy if worth more than £2,000).

Jonathan Cracknell, household underwriter at Aviva, says: “Going to university can be very expensive, so it will be a welcome surprise to many students that their prized belongings may be covered under their parent’s home insurance.

"If the family policy also has personal belongings cover too that means the student’s possessions outside their digs are also protected – at no extra cost!

“Of course laptops and bikes can easily be replaced but being burgled or robbed isn’t something any student would want to go through. So it’s most important to remember to lock doors and windows when you’re out for the night, and keep your wits about you if you’re using your mobile phone or digital camera in the street.”

Aviva’s safety tips for students going to university

Don’t forget to lock up… remember to lock doors and windows when you go out so you don’t leave your room open to opportunistic thieves.

Travel light…Don’t carry belongings you don’t need, these are likely to be safer locked up in your room.

Zip up…Keep your bag zipped at all times so that prying hands can’t get a hold of your valuables.

Out of sight, out of mind…Don’t leave your valuables in full view when you go out. Hide them away somewhere safe.

Be discreet…When you’re out, make sure you’re not flashing your mobile phone or MP3 player; this alerts thieves to what you’ve got on you.