Thieves target student digs

As approximately 1.6 million students across the UK prepare to set off to various universities or colleges, it's crucial for both the students and their parents to be aware of the heightened risk of theft and the importance of having ample insurance cover.

Research by esure home insurance reveals that the average student will take almost £1500 worth of belongings with them to university at the start of the 2008/09 term. Around one in ten (9 per cent) lucky students will have over £3000 of the latest must-have gadgets and designer accesories to kit out their student pad.

The top ten items students will be taking to university:

Mobile phone/PDA (81 per cent)
Laptop/computer (74 per cent)
USB/memory stick (61 per cent)
Camera (51 per cent)
iPod/MP3 player (50 per cent)
TV (39 per cent) - with 7 per cent being plasma TVs
Games console (38 per cent) - (PS2 14 per cent, PSP 9 per cent, xbox360 6 per cent, Nintendo Wii 5 per cent, PS3 4 per cent)
DVD player (32 per cent)
Designer clothes (23 per cent)
Musical instrument (21 per cent)

Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of students will be fashioning a designer wardrobe with one in ten of those (10 per cent) taking over £1000 worth of clothes with them. The average student will have £216 worth of shoes - with boys surprisingly beating girls in terms of value: £235 compared with £201.

Amazingly, 18 per cent of students will take over £200 worth of jewellery with them and 15 per cent will sport a watch priced at over £100. A more affluent image may attract the attention of opportunistic thieves.

However, hi-tech gadgets have also helped to boost the value of the average student hoard. Four per cent of parents surveyed even admitted their son/daughter will take a highly desirable MP4 player with them. These small, portable gadgets are a real temptation for opportunistic thieves as they are easy to snatch or slide into a pocket unnoticed.

What's even more surprising is that nearly a quarter of parents (24 per cent) haven't even thought about insurance for their son or daughters' contents whilst away at university and one in ten (12 per cent) automatically assume that these items are covered under their home policy.

esure's home contents insurance includes cover for students up to the value of £5,000. Under a parent's policy, esure will provide cover for their child's contents whilst they are kept in a locked room within a college/university halls of residence or student accommodation.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure home insurance, said: "It is very important that parents make sure they have sufficient contents cover in place to protect their child's belongings - either by checking whether it's included in their current policy or taking out separate insurance. Not having suitable insurance in place would hit students hard in the pocket and take a real chunk out of a student loan to replace the type of gadgets and designer gear that entices thieves."

Scottish students kit out their digs with the lowest value of items (£831) whilst students from the South East take double (£1634 worth of belongings).

Students from the North are most fashion concious with deisgner wardrobes valued at £606 whilst the Welsh take the most jewellery to uni (£227 on average).

Tips for university students to protect their personal possessions:

Make sure you're insured - ask your parents to checked their home insurance policy or contact their insurer direct to see if your belongings will be covered in halls or a student house. If not, consider buying separate cover.

Don't take the latest gadgets with you - consider taking older models of games consoles (the PS2 rather than the PS3) or an MP3 rather than an MP4.

Keep your door and windows locked whenever leaving your room unattended - even if you are at a lecture or in the kitchen, make sure your room is secure.

Never let anyone stay in your room when you're not there - never let a 'friend of a friend' stay in your room and lock away expensive items to prevent damage as well as possible theft if you go away at the weekend.

Don't leave valuables lying around - if on the ground floor, make sure high value goods are put where they can't be seen from a window and never leave high value belongings in a communal living area.