Will My Homeowner’s Policy Cover My College Student?

As the summer comes to a close, many college/university students are excited to return to in-person learning. Whether it is their first year or last, post-secondary back-to-school shopping is always more expensive than their previous grade school years. Older students might require new electronics such as a new laptop computer, cell phone, headphones, and a printer. Or some even purchase décor items to make their dorm feel like home.

With all of these valuables heading to school with them, how can you protect their belongings? The accumulated items are undoubtedly worth a pretty penny, and the cost of replacing them would take quite a bite out of your bank account. Simply put, a student who is enrolled in and actually attends a school, college, or university and who is dependent on you for support and maintenance is also insured even if temporarily living away from your premises. Some policies have a limit on the amount of content the student can have with them, so make sure to discuss this with your Merit broker.

Insurance Risks on Campuses

Many university students share a room with other co-eds. Living with other students can increase the potential risk of theft and vandalism to their personal property. Tenant insurance can protect a student if their possessions are stolen, or if there is damage done to their property.

When evaluating insurance for your college student, you may want to consider liability protection. A student can be sued for deliberate or in deliberate actions such as damaging property on campus or someone being harmed in their dorm room because of negligence. Liability coverage can offer an extra layer of protection when it comes to legal or medical fees associated with the incident.

Liability from your policy may also extend to premises in Canada where a student insured by your policy is temporarily living while attending school.

Renter’s Insurance, Dorm Insurance, or Your Homeowner’s Policy

Talk to your Merit broker about your homeowner’s policy to find out how much coverage you’ll have for your student’s belongings while they are away.

Auto Insurance
Many parents create an auto policy under their name, even if their child is the main driver. Especially if your child plans on taking their car with them to school, make sure to remove your child as a secondary/occasional driver and amend to the primary. If the car remains in the parent’s name, as the owner of a car, they are legally responsible for the acts of the driver regardless of if they were present during an accident or pulled over by the police.

Sending our kids off to school can be an emotional but exciting time for parents and students alike. To put your mind at ease this school year, talk to your Merit broker about how to protect your child while at school.