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Student contents insurance

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What is student contents insurance?

Contents insurance for students protects your belongings. It’s a specialist form of home insurance designed for students.

It means you aren’t left out of pocket if you need to replace or repair anything after something happens. This could include someone breaking into your accommodation, or damage caused by a fire or flood.

Do I need student contents insurance?

There’s no legal obligation to have contents insurance, and your landlord or accommodation provider can’t insist you have it either. But if you’re worried about break-ins or your belongings getting lost or damaged, student contents insurance could give you peace of mind. If you're wondering what the the value of your items might be you can calculate the value of your belongings to see how much cover you might need.

  • Your landlord’s building insurance policy is unlikely to cover your possessions.
  • Student accommodation can have some cover included but it’s unlikely to insure everything.

Does my homeowners’ insurance cover students?

Some policies might cover your things while you’re away at uni, but not all do. Even if you’re covered, the policy might not give you the level of cover you need. And if you make a claim, it could affect the no-claims bonus of your home insurance policy.

Any claims made on a student contents insurance policy are separate and shouldn’t impact your existing policy.

How much does student contents insurance cost?

The cost of a student content insurance policy depends on a number of things, including:

  • Where you’re studying
  • The type of property you’re living in
  • The accommodation’s security
  • The value of your belongings
  • Whether you want extras like accidental cover or cover for personal possessions away from home

How do I get cheaper student contents insurance?

There are a few ways you can get cheaper contents insurance for students:

  • Pay annually, if you can
  • Build your no-claims bonus
  • Check your security measures
  • Compare prices

Pay annually, if you can. It might seem easier to pay for your insurance monthly, but be aware that insurers often charge interest for that. If you can afford to pay in one lump sum you should end up paying less overall.

Build your no-claims bonus to get a cheaper deal. If you can go a year or longer without claiming, your insurer might offer a no-claims bonus each time you renew. If it’s your first time getting contents insurance then this won’t apply.

Check your security measures. It's important you have the correct door locks and window locks. This should help minimise the risk of break-ins and could help reduce your insurance costs.

Compare prices and shop around as this could save you money. Comparing like-for-like student contents policies could help you find the best deal in minutes and with minimal effort. It’s the easiest way to save money on your student contents insurance.

What does student contents insurance cover?

Student contents cover protects your possessions from loss, damage or theft if there’s a fire, flood or break-in at your property.

Your policy is likely to have a single item limit. This is the maximum amount you can claim for any one item. Many policies set this at £1,000.

If you have any possessions worth more than this, like a laptop or musical instrument, you could get additional cover by listing them on the policy.

Possessions covered as standard include:

  • Clothes
  • Electronics
  • Books
  • Sports equipment
  • Musical instruments
  • Cash

One way to visualise it is if you turned your student accommodation upside down, everything that fell out is likely to come under your contents insurance policy.

What doesn’t student contents insurance cover?

Anything your policy doesn’t cover, you might be able to add to your policy. This includes:

Your policy might not pay out if:

  • You leave your accommodation for a longer period
  • You’ve left doors or windows open or unlocked
  • You try to claim for gradual wear and tear of belongings

A student contents policy doesn’t cover vehicles, so if you have a car you need to insure it separately with a car insurance policy.

Always check the policy details to see what it does and doesn't cover before you buy it.

What do I need to get a student contents insurance quote?

It’s quick and easy to compare student contents insurance quotes with us. You just need to provide a few details, including:

  • Where you’re living
  • Who you’ll be living with
  • The value of all your personal belongings

You don’t have to be 100% accurate when working out how much your belongings are worth. But if you don’t get enough cover, you could be out of pocket if you need to claim. If you overestimate, you could end up paying too much. If you need help working this out, check out our contents calculator.

Compare cheap contents insurance for students

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What do I need to check when getting student contents insurance?

  • What is and what isn’t covered and what you need to do to claim. The cheapest policy might not always be the best option for you.
  • The terms and conditions, as some policies may have specific requirements for you to stay covered. For example, locking the bedroom door when leaving the house.
  • The size of your home insurance excess. It might not be worth paying £250 excess to claim for a £300 laptop, for example.
  • The period of cover. If you’re relying on your parents’ insurance, the policy might not cover your belongings when term time ends.
  • The level of cover, if you’re relying on your parent’s home insurance. It might have more restrictions than a student contents insurance policy.

How do I stay safe and secure while I’m in student housing?

Student properties can be a goldmine for thieves, rammed with laptops, phones and gadgets.

Even though your student contents cover helps you replace your possessions if you have a break-in, it’s best not to be burgled in the first place:

  • Secure your house or room properly with working locks
  • Hide your valuables out of sight
  • Lock your doors and windows when you’re out
  • Secure expensive items during holidays
  • Mark your belongings – use a permanent marker to put your name and postcode on them, or use a UV security pen that can help police return stolen items to you

Types of home insurance

Icon of a blue house

Home insurance

protects your home and its contents from those unexpected accidents.

Buildings insurance

protects the permanent fixtures and structure of your home.

Contents insurance

protects your household belongings against theft, loss and damage.

Landlord insurance

can protect you and your rental property against unexpected costs, like building or content damage, as well as any disputes.

Tenants insurance

covers your belongings against loss, damage and theft while in your rental property.

Flood insurance

can offer some protection for your home and belongings if you live in a flood risk area.

Over 50s home insurance

can provide peace of mind your home and belongings are protected against loss, damage and theft.

Flat insurance

can be tailored to cover the building, content or both depending on whether you own or rent your flat.

What our home insurance expert says:

It's common to assume that when you're at uni, your belongings will be protected by your parents' contents insurance policy. This isn't always the case.

You shouldn't rely on your university accommodation or landlord to protect you either. They usually only offer a basic level of insurance, which might only protect a small range of possessions.

If you're in any doubt about what you're protected against, check any policies you already have. But be aware it might not offer all the cover you need. Make sure you have sufficient contents insurance in place for added peace of mind.

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Jessica Willock

Home Insurance Product Manager

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"Good selection of possibles made choosing really easy and stress free."

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Robert - Confused.com customer (June 2022)

"It was easy and covered all we need."

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"Easy and simple to use! Making life easy when it comes to renewals!"

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Need more help?

Are laptops, consoles and mobile phones covered by student contents insurance?

Your phone, laptop, games console and other gadgets should be covered by your student contents insurance, just like any other personal possession. But unless you buy additional cover, they might not be covered away from home or from accidental damage. If your gadgets are important to you, you might want to think about gadget insurance, and for more expensive items of over £1000 each, you could consider high value item contents insurance.

Can I cover my room key?

You can sometimes get room key cover as an add-on to your policy. If you lose your key, it should cover the cost of calling out a locksmith and replacing the locks.

Does student contents insurance cover high value items?

Each policy will probably have a single item limit. This is the maximum you can claim for one item, and it’s normally £1,000. If you have expensive items worth more than this while you’re at university, ask your insurer if you can arrange additional cover.

Some examples of high-value items include:

  • High-powered gaming laptops and desktop PCs
  • Heirlooms and expensive jewellery
  • Musical instruments
  • Sports equipment
  • Bicycles

Do I need student contents insurance if I still live at home?

If you live at home with your parents, your possessions should be covered by their contents insurance policy. But check the T&Cs and find out whether pricey gadgets like laptops and phones are covered when you’re out and about.

Does my student halls of residence have insurance?

Some cover might be included as part of your student accommodation. The cover they offer might not be as much as other student contents insurance policies you can buy yourself. Compare the policies side by side to see if they cover everything you need.

How do I make a claim for my belongings?

If you’re a victim of theft or burglary, you should call the police first and get a crime reference number. Then, call your insurer on the claims number in your policy. You should be able to find it on their website too. Any evidence you can find to support your claim such as receipts or photos of stolen items might speed up the process.

How many claims can I make?

There shouldn’t be a limit to the number of claims you make. But the more you do make, the more you’re likely to pay for insurance cover in the following year. It could affect your no-claims bonus too. Multiple claims over a short period can make an insurance company suspicious of fraud.

How much does student home contents insurance cost?

That depends on a number of things, including:

  • Where you’ll be studying
  • The type of property you’re living in
  • The accommodation’s security
  • The value of your belongings
  • Whether you want extras like accidental cover or cover for personal possessions away from home

How much excess should I choose?

Agreeing to a higher voluntary excess could reduce the cost of your insurance. But it’s worth thinking about how much you’d be prepared to pay if you had to make a claim. For example, would you want to pay £250 to claim for a £300 bike?

When should I get student contents insurance?

You can buy contents insurance for students at any time. But in an ideal world, it’s best to have it as soon as you move in so you’re covered from day 1.
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