Students take £4,000 worth of gadgets to university

Today's student will take just under £4,000 worth of possessions with them to university, according to a survey by Endsleigh, the student insurance provider. In addition, over a third of these possessions will be carried around town and campus by students - with over £1,300 worth of possessions on them at any one time.

A student cycling into university carrying their laptop, mobile phone, MP3 player and books while wearing a watch and typically valued clothes would have an average of £1,305 worth of possessions on them. This figure even excludes other popular possessions, such as jewellery, makeup, cash and credit cards.

The survey revealed that the most common item taken to university is a laptop. Every student surveyed will be taking either a laptop (94%) or a desktop computer (6%) to university for the start of the new term according to Endsleigh's data

Other popular possessions students take to university include;

Mobile phone (inc. iPhone and Blackberry) (93%)
MP3 players/iPods (73%)
Digital cameras (62%)
Hair straighteners (49%)
Make-up (42%)
Games consoles (27%)
Sports equipment (25%)
Musical instruments (24%)

Nearly every student has a mobile phone but the survey found that with students BlackBerry (8%) is winning the battle of the smartphone over the iPhone (6%).

Musical instruments were named as the most expensive possession with an average value of £778. Other expensive items that many students are taking to university include DJ equipment (£418) and laptops (£574). The average student's wardrobe is worth in excess of £450. Around 1 in 10 students (9%) take their car to university, while double (18%) keep a bike.

Vicki O'Connell, Endsleigh spokesperson, said: "Students are more tech savvy than ever before. Compared to just a few years ago we are seeing a much greater number of smartphones, games consoles and laptops filling students' rooms. As lifestyles become more mobile the ‘must have' items become more portable. Our research shows just how easily the value of your possessions accumulates.

It's important to remember that items which are lighter and smaller are also more prone to loss or theft. Our research looked at the possessions of an individual but the value of a household can increase considerably when second and third year student house share and have multiple sets of equipment.  We would encourage students not to rely on being covered by their parents' insurance."

At Endsleigh we look at insurance as supporting the lifestyle you want rather than protecting against one you don't want. Arranging insurance specifically tailored to your lifestyle takes just a few minutes but the benefits last an awful lot longer."

Aaron Porter, NUS President, said: "Modern higher education makes it necessary for students to have access to range of expensive technology and moving away from home for the first time can mean taking a lot of valuable items with you. Taking precautions against theft and damage can provide you with valuable peace of mind and ensure that you are not left out of pocket at a time when money can be particularly tight."

Endsleigh's top tips to help students keep their possessions safe:

Ensure that you check the security of your accommodation when you arrive and raise any safety concerns with the landlord/halls of residence immediately

Always make sure the doors and windows to your room/flat are locked when you leave

Make sure valuables are not left in full view if leaving them unattended any length of time

Try not to draw attention to valuable possessions when walking around the town or campus

Ensure you are covered by contents insurance that is specially tailored to students' needs