Class is in Session: Back-to-School Insurance Tips

With summer winding down, it’s time to send our kids – both young and old – back into classrooms, dorm rooms and off-campus housing for another year of studies. As they check off their own back-to-school checklist, it’s a great time to put together your own checklist and review home and auto insurance coverage options you may need to consider before the first bell rings to begin the new school year.

We’ve put together some tips and insurance considerations for both high school and college students, so grab your #2 pencils and let’s get started.

Tips for college students

• Even though your son or daughter will be away from home, you still want to make sure they’re protected. Your homeowners insurance policy may cover the property in their dorm rooms, such as televisions, computers, printers and bicycles. 
• If your student is living off campus, they’ll need renters insurance to cover their belongings if stolen or damaged, especially with more students today requiring laptops, computers and smartphones for their classes. This coverage may also provide protection in case someone is injured while in your student’s off-campus housing. Your local Rockingham Insurance agent can discuss how renters insurance can protect your student if they choose to live off campus.
• There are some important auto insurance considerations to discuss with your local Rockingham Insurance agent. You will want to discuss with your agent if your student will have a car at school or not, the school location’s minimum requirements for coverage, and whether or not the student’s name is on the vehicle’s title. 
• Extra credit: Your local agent may also be able to provide you with a “good student discount” that could save you up to 10%!

Tips for high school students

• The most important tip for new or inexperienced teen drivers is to avoid distractions. With more cars and school buses on the road, younger drivers need to pay special attention, especially in school zones and around students getting on or off buses. 
• Consider enrolling your teen driver in a driving safety class and review with them safe driving resources available here. 
• High school students may also have valuable property that needs protection, such as computers and sports equipment, so take an inventory of these items along with photographs in the event the items are lost or damaged.

Even if you don’t have students in high school or college, back-to-school safety applies to everyone. We encourage everyone to slow down and be extra careful driving during the school year. Key areas to take note of include bus pick-up and drop-off points, bike lanes, school zones, and pedestrian crosswalks. And with more cars on the road during the school year, check with your local Rockingham Insurance agent to make sure you have the right auto insurance coverage.