College students and recent college graduates should consider their need for homeowners’ insurance. College students should make sure they are covered by their family’s home insurance policy and recent college grads should seek their own coverage. 

Major life changes often require a change in your insurance policies. When a child goes off to college is no exception, and parents will need to consider how this change will affect their child’s insurance needs. Home insurance protects not only your home, but your personal possessions including computers, clothing, furniture, etc.

College students need to be protected by homeowners’ insurance too, as many of them take valuable belongings with them to college. Many homeowners don’t realize that most standard homeowners’ insurance policies offer some coverage for their college student if the student lives in an on-campus dormitory. If you have a child who is currently enrolled in college, then you may want to check the details of your coverage as well as take inventory of your child’s possessions. You’ll need to know whether he or she is bringing expensive items like laptops or iPods to the dorm, so that you can discuss this information with your homeowner’s insurance agent. Keep in mind that because a dorm room counts as a residence, it is limited to only 10% of contents coverage. In addition, if a dorm room is left vacant for 45 days the coverage may not apply. Be sure to talk with your home insurance agent to find out exactly what kinds of items are covered and up to what limits. In some cases, it may be a good idea for college students to get a renter’s policy.

While college students are generally covered under their parents’ policy, they will need to reconsider their coverage when it comes time for graduation. If a recent college graduate in your family is moving off-campus and into his or her own home or apartment, he or she will be required to purchase coverage. If your college grad plans on renting, he or she should consider renter’s insurance which will provide coverage for possessions in the event they are ruined or destroyed in some form of covered peril (theft, fire, wind, hail, etc).

If the college graduate in your family is planning on actually buying a home in the near future, he or she should purchase a full homeowner’s insurance policy which will protect not only possessions but also the structure of the home, other structures on the property, provide liability coverage, and loss of use coverage. A licensed Florida homeowners insurance agent can help the college student or college graduate in your family find the best coverage to protect his or her belongings.

Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.