Thanksgiving is this week, meaning college students across Wisconsin will head home for the holiday. If you have a college student visiting this week, it might be a good idea to go over your homeowners insurance policy and determine if you have enough coverage for your student while they are away at school.
Generally, your Wisconsin homeowners insurance policy will coverage your student while he or she is living in a dorm. The general coverage limits with most companies is 10% of your total personal property coverage. Typically, your personal property coverage is about 50% of your property coverage. Therefore, if your property coverage is $200,000, your personal property coverage is $100,000, and your college student has $10,000 of their property covered while they are in a dorm at school.
Look over your insurance policy and determine if your student has enough coverage for their possessions. Don’t forget to include expensive computers, entertainment systems, gaming systems, clothes, jewelry, and more. Try using Know Your Stuff, an online home inventory system that you can use to keep track of your belongings.
If your son or daughter is in college but lives off-campus in an apartment or house, he or she may not be covered on your homeowners insurance policy. Consider purchasing a renters policy, which are typically only about $125–$200 for a one-year term.
Contact your Wisconsin insurance agent with any questions and to talk over which policy options are best for you and your family.
-Sam