Back to School Insurance: Keeping College-Bound Kids Covered

When one of your kids is going to college in Kentucky or out-of-state, there's so much to think about: the cost of tuition, packing all the right things to take along, and registering for the proper classes, not to mention the powerful emotions that arise when one of your fledglings makes the bold leap out of the nest and flies away. One important matter that may be easily forgotten amidst all these other concerns is that of insurance. In particular, health and property are two aspects of every college student's life that may require new coverage.

Health Insurance

Virtually all institutions of higher education require their students to carry health insurance. If your soon-to-be college student does not already have health coverage, don't delay getting it; doing so can complicate his or her enrollment, making it impossible to register for courses and get started in school on time.

College students have numerous options when it comes to health coverage: they can stay on their parents' plan until the age of 26; they can obtain their own health insurance policy; they can enroll in the plan that is provided by their college or university; they can obtain health insurance through an employer; or, they may be able to obtain government-sponsored health insurance.

One important matter to consider is whether your student's health insurance policy will cover him or her during extra-curricular activities. Some school-sponsored health plans may not extend coverage to injuries incurred outside of the school environment, because they require students to receive their medical care on campus. This can be incredibly costly if your student happens to be hurt while away from school. Read the fine print on school-sponsored health insurance policies.

On the other hand, your own health insurance plan may not cover your student in the event that she suffers a school sports injury. Some plans exclude that type of coverage, and not all schools are required to cover their athletes. So make sure to read the fine print on your family policy, too.

Protecting Property

Chances are, your college student will be taking some valuable items with her when she goes off to college, including a computer and various other forms of high-tech gadgetry. She may also have a valuable instrument, or a costly bicycle. Since both loss and thievery are fairly common in most university settings, it's important to obtain coverage for these types of items so as to avoid paying for their replacements.

Since your student-and her stuff-will be away from home, it's unlikely that a standard homeowners' insurance policy will cover her valuable property. It may be possible to add this type of coverage onto your existing homeowners' insurance policy, but bear in mind that any claims made by your college student will affect your policy, and have the potential to raise your rates or make it difficult to obtain a new policy down the road.

Renters' insurance is an option for college students living away from home. Before buying a renters' insurance policy on your own, see if your child's school offers a deal with one or more companies. Make sure the policy covers losses during school-sponsored trips as well as in your student's dwelling.

There are also companies that specialize in college property insurance, which covers various forms of technology, instruments, furniture, and more. Some of these student personal property plans are officially recognized at colleges and universities throughout the U.S., and some schools have struck deals with them, making the coverage easy to obtain. Take the time to do a little research and find out what's available to your student, so you can save your money-and your energy-for his next visit home.

Contact Linville Insurance Agency today for more information about back to school insurance.