Do Students Need Contents Insurance?

If you’re heading to uni with a new laptop and expensive textbooks, you should consider contents insurance – we cover everything you need to know!

Contents insurance might not be something you’ve ever thought about, but if you’re heading off to uni with a brand-new laptop and a pile of expensive course textbooks, it’s something you could consider.

Student contents insurance will ensure all your belongings and gadgets are properly covered in case they’re damaged, lost, or stolen.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about student contents insurance. We’ll cover:

  • What is student contents insurance?
  • How does contents insurance work?
  • How do I claim on my student contents insurance?
  • Do all students need contents insurance?
  • What’s covered and not covered by student content insurance?
  • How much is student contents insurance?
  • How to choose the best student contents insurance

What is student contents insurance?

Student contents insurance is designed to look after your belongings while living in university halls of residence or shared student accommodation. It can cover your possessions against loss, theft, or damage.

How does student contents insurance work?

Student contents insurance works like other home, contents, or buildings insurance – a general policy will cover most of your belongings. You’ll need to estimate the total value of your possessions (the ones you’ll be taking to uni) and share this with your insurer. As a general rule, the higher the total value of your items, the higher your premiums will be (the amount you pay monthly or yearly) to cover your belongings.

If you’ve got expensive items, you might have to pay extra to ensure these are covered, as some policies limit how much they’ll pay out for a single item.

Students’ contents insurance policies differ from standard contents insurance because they offer optional extras designed specifically for students. This might include insurance for lost keys, tuition fees, and rent protection and tenants’ liability cover (which covers you in case you cause accidental damage to your student accommodation).

Some policies will include gadget insurance (covering your gadgets against theft, loss or damage), but for others, you’ll need to pay extra for this. This is one reason why it’s so important to do lots of research and read what’s included in the policy carefully before choosing your contents insurance.

How do I claim on my student contents insurance?

If anything happens to your belongings and you want to make a claim on your contents insurance, the first step should be to gather evidence. You should ensure that you have a copy of the receipt (a physical receipt or an email) for all valuable items to help you out in the event of a claim.

When you make a claim, your insurer will likely ask for evidence of the damage in the form of a photograph or video. If your belongings are stolen or lost, they’ll likely ask for a police report.

You should report the incident to your insurer as soon as possible. They’ll tell you exactly what evidence they need to assess your claim. Once they’ve received your evidence, they’ll either approve or deny your claim. If they accept your claim, they’ll pay out according to your insurance policy (which could be a replacement item or a lump sum).

Do all students need contents insurance?

For most students, contents insurance is a must if you’re studying away from home. You’ll get peace of mind knowing your belongings and possessions are protected.

Most students will arrive at their student accommodation with expensive and often new items, like a laptop, phone, or bicycle – not to mention expensive course textbooks. Getting contents insurance is a good way to look after your valuable belongings in case of loss, theft or damage.

However, it’s also worth checking if your possessions are covered under your parents’ home insurance policy in the ‘temporarily removed from the home’ section. This only applies if your parents’ house is your permanent address, and it isn’t the case for all policies, so always double-check and don’t just assume you’re covered!

You might already have insurance policies for some or all of your gadgets (for example, you might have taken out insurance when you purchased your phone). In this case, you’ll only need contents insurance to cover the rest of your possessions.

What’s covered by student contents insurance?

Different contents insurance policies will have different levels of coverage with different benefits and added extras. We’ll run through some items that might be included in a student contents insurance policy as standard or available at an extra cost.

  • Gadgets (for example, your laptop, mobile phone or tablet)
  • Musical instruments (protects instruments against damage and theft)
  • Room key cover (covers the cost of losing your room or house keys)
  • Tuition fee cover (covers the cost of your rent and tuition if you can’t continue your course because of an illness or accident)
  • Accidental damage (not all policies will cover accidental damage as standard)

Ensure you check your chosen policy carefully for what’s included and what excesses apply (the amount of money you’ll have to pay to replace an item).

What’s not covered by student contents insurance?

Again, different policies will have different exclusions, but here are some of the most common ones:

  • Theft with no sign of forced entry.
  • Theft when your door is left unlocked, or there is no approved lock.
  • Cover during vacation periods or when the accommodation is unoccupied.
  • A single high-value item, unless added as an extra (through gadget cover or personal possessions cover).

Living in shared accommodation means that your insurance won’t typically pay out if your room door was unlocked, even if the main door was. This is why you must always lock the door to your room whenever you go out, even if it’s just for a short time.

How much is student contents insurance?

The cost of your student contents insurance policy will depend on several factors, including:

  • The cost of your belongings – the higher the cost of your items (including high-value items), the higher your insurance will be.
  • The location – areas with higher crime rates will have higher insurance premiums due to the added risk.
  • The type of property – the price of your insurance will depend on whether you live in student halls of residence, a student house, or a flat.

How to choose the best contents insurance for students

When it comes to choosing the right contents insurance, don’t just look for the cheapest option. You’ll need to look carefully at what’s included in each policy and choose one that aligns with the belongings you want to be covered. For example, you might choose a policy that includes gadget cover if you own several expensive gadgets.

You should also check the excess carefully – there might be different excesses depending on what you claim for. Make sure you’re comfortable paying that amount in the event of a claim.

Some of the best contents insurance for students includes:

Cover4Insurance – a specialist in student insurance, providing walk-in theft cover, gadget cover, and overall fantastic value starting at £20 a year.

Protect Your Bubble – an insurer which offers a student discount on its policies, best for students with multiple gadgets. You can protect three gadgets for £16.99 per month (before the student discount is applied)

Urban Jungle – a flexible insurer with low monthly prices, tailored to students with its monthly £5 starting price.

studentGuard – a student-focused insurer offering a range of benefits and optional covers. You’ll pay around £35 to £75 per year with 0% interest on monthly payments.

How Split The Bills can help

Getting contents insurance to protect your valuables can give you peace of mind about your possessions and cut down on your stress levels. Likewise, our bill-splitting service takes all the hassle out of student utility bills…

Split The Bills is a stress-free bill-splitting service designed to make students’ lives easier. Our team will set up and manage your household bills on your behalf – all you have to do is pay one monthly bill!

Our student bills package includes electricity, gas, broadband, water, and an optional TV licence. We only use trusted suppliers to help you get the best deal. Plus, our plan is uncapped, so you don’t have to worry about how much energy or water you use.

Find out more about how our service works, or get in touch with our team to simplify your household bills.

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