As summer winds down and the new academic year approaches, college students across the country are preparing to head back to campus. Amid the excitement of decorating dorm rooms and meeting new roommates, it’s important not to overlook one essential aspect of college life: renters insurance.

If you’re not familiar, renters insurance is a type of insurance policy that protects your personal belongings from damage or theft. While it might not be the first thing on your college packing list, it’s a vital safety net that can protect you from financial hardship.

Why Renters Insurance?

Imagine coming home from class to find your laptop stolen or your textbooks ruined by a burst pipe. With renters insurance, you can file a claim and have the cost of replacing your belongings covered. College is already costly, and these policies save you from having to pay to replace your belongings yourself.

Additionally, renters insurance includes liability coverage. If someone gets injured in your apartment or you accidentally cause property damage, your policy could cover the costs. 

Renters Insurance: Dorms vs Off-Campus Housing

For students living in off-campus apartments, renters insurance is an absolute must. Some landlords will even require you to take out a policy before you can move in. 

When it comes to coverage, if your landlord has insurance, it will likely only cover the building itself, not your personal belongings. So having your own insurance policy, whether you’re required to have it or not, is necessary to protect you from the financial burden of replacing stolen or damaged items and to provide liability coverage for accidents.

But what if you’re living in the dorms? Don’t colleges and universities have insurance?

While, yes, academic institutions do, in fact, carry insurance policies, these typically cover the buildings themselves, not their students’ personal belongings – just like an apartment. So if your personal property is damaged or stolen in a dorm, you would need renters insurance to cover the costs of replacing your items.

Things like textbooks and electronics can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, but renters insurance policies often cost less than $15 a month. So whether you live on or off-campus, having coverage for your belongings is incredibly important, and much less costly than replacing them on your own.

Peace of Mind

Starting college is an exciting time of new experiences and increased responsibility. But taking out a renters insurance policy can provide significant peace of mind, allowing you to focus on what really matters: your education.

At Rockingham Insurance, we believe in empowering our community with the knowledge and tools they need to protect what matters most. If you’re ready to have a worry-free college experience this year, reach out to your local Rockingham Insurance agent today and ask them how you can get started with a renters insurance policy.