With nearly two-and-a-half million students planning to start or return to university this September with as much as £3,000 worth of possessions*, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) is urging students to make sure their valuables are insured and to protect their belongings against theft or damage as the new year kicks off.
Given the NUS estimate that 1 in 5 students are victims of crime while studying at college or university**, the ABI is issuing five top tips to remind students of what they should be doing to keep their possessions protected:
- Check your parents’ and university’s policies – it may be possible for an existing home insurance policy to be extended to cover possessions at university, or, there may be an insurance cover already in place in student halls. Check to see if there are any limits on the value of your possessions and if so, consider taking out a separate policy. If you are staying in privately rented accommodation, make sure you keep your door locked, and remember to not leave anything valuable behind outside of term time.
- Shop around for the best deal – when it comes to buying any kind of insurance, it is always worth shopping around to find the best deal that works for you and ensure that the cover you are being offered is adequate.
- Don’t leave valuables unattended –avoid leaving valuables like laptops unattended when you are out and about, as this increases the chance of theft.
- Consider marking and hiding your valuables – hide your valuables at home and when your room or property is unoccupied, keep your valuables away from view. Security mark your valuables with your details or register them on www.immobilise.co.uk, a police-supported national property register, to help police identify them if they do go missing.
- Lock your windows and doors – if you are moving into student halls, to minimise risk, remember to shut your windows and lock the door when you are out of your room. For those moving into private accommodation, make sure your front and back doors are strong and secure, with good quality locks.
Laura Hughes, Senior Policy Adviser, General Insurance, said:
“University life can be exciting and demanding, and we know that insurance is often not the first thing on your mind. But, with students taking on average more than £3,000 worth of stuff with them to university***, it’s vital they make sure they have proper protections in place.
“Students moving into privately rented accommodation may be unaware of the burglary risk in their area. Ensuring you have the right cover and that your possessions are protected will mean you will have one less thing to worry about further down the line.”
-Ends-
Notes for Editors
* Endsleigh: https://www.endsleigh.co.uk/press-releases/2nd-september-2016/
** NUS: https://www.nus.org.uk/en/advice/student-safety/top-five-crime-prevention-tips/?load=5&top=1600
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