Students heading off to college this year are taking more – and more expensive – stuff than ever before.  On the campuses where they’re headed, theft is probably the number one crime, affecting an estimated 1 in 10 students.  Given these facts, how do you protect your belongings?

Make a Home Inventory of Your Belongings

Make sure you do an inventory to find out just how much money is tied up in that dorm room.  Then talk to your homeowners insurance agent to find out what’s covered – and what isn’t – under your existing policies.  Students in dorms are usually covered by parents’ homeowners insurance policies.  But there may be coverage limits for items stored away from home.  Students who live off-campus are not always covered by homeowners policies, and may need renters insurance to protect against loss.

Leave the Irreplaceable Items at Home

Students should leave heirlooms, jewelry or other irreplaceable items at home, especially during their first year, when they know the least about their new surroundings and friends.  If a student insists on taking something of significant value, rent a safe deposit box near campus to house the items.  Discuss with an insurance rep what items are going with the student and where they’ll be stored.

Engraving electronics with a drivers license number and state of residence can help recover these items if a theft occurs.  Call the local police office for information on how to have this done.  Items like compact discs, book bags and other small items can be marked with a student’s name using an indelible pen.  This type of protective measure may be a deterrent to thieves who want to sell the items.

Students should never keep a lot of cash in a dorm room or sorority or fraternity house.  Encourage use of bank cards so students don’t have to carry much cash.  Make students aware of the risks and safety concerns of living away from home, encouraging responsibility, awareness, caution, and locked doors.

Car Insurance and College Years

Whether or not a student takes a car to college, contact your car insurance rep.  If the car is going, new information, such as where it will be parked and how much it will be driven, may raise or lower premiums.  If the car stays at home, parents may benefit if the student will no longer be driving it.

Bike Theft Prevention: Common Sense

Bicycles are covered by homeowners or renters insurance policies.  But you usually must pay a deductible that can be a few hundred dollars. Your best bet is to prevent theft in the first place . Don’t skimp on a lock, no matter how much the bike cost.  Cable-type locks are easily cut.  Buy the best lock available, and use it correctly, which means locking both wheels and the frame to an immovable object such as a pole or bike rack.

Bike owners should never use the length of time they’ll be away from the bike in deciding whether to lock it up.  It only takes a few seconds to steal an unlocked bike.

Keep the receipt for the bike and any accessories, along with a photo of the bike, in a safe place.  Let your insurance company know about the bike and its worth.  Register the bike with local police. It might seem silly – until it gets stolen.  Register its make, model, color and serial number. You can also register it with the National Bike Registry, a database that helps recover stolen bikes.

If the bike is a high-end, expensive one, consider a floater to insure it adequately (ask your insurance agent about this).  Floaters cover more than standard homeowners or renters policies – such as the cost of repairs if the bike is damaged, with no deductibles.

Remember to check with your homeowners insurance provider before your son or daughter heads off to college.  If you also realize you are paying too much for your homeowners insurance, use Donius Insurance’s online homeowners insurance questionnaire to compare quotes.