Does my contents insurance cover halls of residence?

Ahead of your new adventure, it’s important you know what is and what isn’t covered by both your home insurance and your place of study.

Does my university have contents insurance cover?

You’ll find that many of them have some cover in place. If so, you’ll need to take a look at their policy details. University and college policies often include other useful cover, such as:

• Damage to your items due to faulty laundry equipment or broken fridges and freezers.
• Theft of items from communal areas if there are signs of forced entry.
• Theft of your bag and contents while in transit between home and halls.

What possessions could be covered by a university’s contents insurance?

You’ll often find possessions covered against loss by fire, flood and theft at halls include:

• Gadgets, including computer equipment
• Audio equipment
• Valuables and jewellery
• Musical instruments
• Sports equipment
• Photographic equipment
• Clothes

Read our downloadable guide for a more comprehensive look at what is and isn’t usually covered by student contents insurance.

What if my university doesn’t have sufficient contents insurance?

If you find that your place of study doesn’t have adequate cover (or you’re a student not in university accommodation) you might first want to check your parents’ contents policy.
It may include, or be extended to include, cover for your possessions while you’re in student digs.

If this isn’t possible either, don’t worry, you can always arrange your own policy to get the protection that you need for your possessions.

And make sure you check whether you’re covered during the holidays.

Which items are not covered by my home insurance?

You might find that mobile phones, cash, credit cards and other valuables are excluded (unless they’re stolen via forced entry to your room).

You usually have to add on cover if you have a bike you want to insure. You might also want to consider adding personal possessions insurance, which offers cover for the belongings you take with you when you’re out and about.

What else should I keep in mind?

• Check you’re happy with any existing policy’s limits, especially if you have any particularly valuable possessions. Most policies have a maximum limit that any single item can be worth before you need to specify it separately on the policy (often around £1,500, but can be lower). This is especially worth checking if you have an expensive laptop you’re taking with you.
• Remember that accidental damage cover isn’t likely to be included, so if you break or damage something you might not be covered.
• Keep your room locked when you’re not in it; you might not be able to claim on your contents insurance if your belongings are stolen and there’s no sign of a break in.
• Have a look at the process you need to go through to make a claim, should the worst happen. There’s usually a section that explains how to do this in your policy.
  
  

Lots of providers offer tailored home insurance to cover many aspects of student life. Use our contents insurance comparison service to help you find the level of cover you need at the right price for you.