Back-to-School Insurance Checklist: What Families Should Review Before Move-In Day

Late summer in Wisconsin means one thing for a lot of Wisconsin families: back-to-school season. Between dorm shopping, schedule changes, and move-in day logistics, it's an exciting — and busy — time of year. But amid the packing lists and last-minute errands, insurance is one item that's easy to overlook, and one that can save families real money and real stress if it's addressed before the semester starts.

Whether your student is headed to a dorm across the state or an apartment across the country, a quick review of a few key policies can help make sure everyone is protected as the new school year begins.

Reviewing Auto Insurance Before Your Teen Heads to Campus

If your student drives, their auto policy deserves a second look before they leave home. According to the Insurance Information Institute, teen drivers make up only about 5% of licensed drivers nationwide but are involved in roughly 8.4% of all fatal crashes — a reminder that inexperience behind the wheel carries real risk, and real cost, for families.

• If your student is taking a vehicle to campus, make sure your insurance policy has an updated address on file and confirm coverage carries over to the new location.
• Ask about the “distant student” discount. Many insurers offer a discount for students who attend school more than 100 miles from home and leave their car behind, while still being listed as a covered driver for school breaks and holidays.
• Take advantage of good student discounts. Full-time students who maintain a B average or better can sometimes save 5% to 15% on their premium, depending on the carrier.
• Review your liability limits. Because teen drivers statistically carry more risk, it's worth confirming your liability coverage and considering an umbrella policy. Make sure your coverage is strong enough to protect your family's assets.

A quick call to your agent before your student packs the car can help you find every applicable discount while making sure coverage gaps don't creep in over winter break or summer.

Does Your Homeowners Policy Cover Your Student's Dorm Room?

Many parents assume their homeowners policy automatically covers their child's belongings once they leave for school, and in some cases, it does. Most homeowners policies extend limited off-premises coverage to a full-time student living in an on-campus dorm, typically up to 10% of your total personal property coverage. If your policy covers $30,000 in personal property, for example, that could mean roughly $3,000 in coverage for your student's dorm room.

That coverage usually comes with a catch: many policies cap theft coverage for high-value items like jewelry and electronics at $1,500 or less, and it typically only applies while the student remains enrolled full-time and under a certain age, often 24.

The bigger catch is location. Most homeowners policies stop covering a student's belongings the moment they move off campus into an apartment or rental house, which is where renters insurance comes in.

Why Off-Campus Students Need Their Own Renters Insurance

If your student is moving into an apartment or house near campus this fall, a renters insurance policy is one of the most affordable ways to protect them. Coverage typically runs somewhere in the $12 to $30 a month range, depending on location and how much coverage is needed, and it protects far more than just a dorm room's worth of belongings.

• Personal property coverage to repair or replace belongings that are stolen, damaged, or destroyed by a covered event.
• Liability coverage in case a guest is injured in the apartment or your student is responsible for damage to someone else's property.
• Additional living expenses if the apartment becomes temporarily unlivable due to a covered loss, such as a fire.

One detail families often miss: if your student has roommates, each of them typically needs their own renters policy. A single policy generally only covers the belongings of the people named on it.

Protecting What's New: Laptops, Electronics, and Everyday Essentials

Back-to-school shopping usually means new electronics, and college campuses are unfortunately not immune to theft. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. colleges reported roughly 4.7 burglaries and 2.5 motor vehicle thefts per 10,000 full-time students in the most recent reporting year, numbers that make a strong case for protecting higher-value items before move-in day.

• Take inventory. Photograph or list laptops, tablets, bikes, and other valuables, including model and serial numbers, and store the list somewhere safe.
• Secure the basics. Lock dorm and apartment doors, avoid leaving valuables visible in vehicles, and register bikes with campus security when possible.

A Few More Considerations for Families This Fall

Auto and property coverage tend to get the most attention, but a few other items are worth a quick check before the semester begins.

• Health insurance. Confirm your student's health plan network extends to their college's location, and understand how to access care if they need to see a doctor while away from home.
• Cyber and identity safety. New devices, new roommates, and shared campus Wi-Fi networks all create new exposure. Encourage students to use strong, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication, and to be cautious about the personal information they share on public networks.
• Life insurance and estate basics. For families with a student turning 18, this can be a good moment to talk through healthcare proxies or powers of attorney, since parents lose automatic access to a child's medical information once they become a legal adult.

Lindow Can Review Your Coverage Before the Semester Starts

Back-to-school season comes with a long checklist, but a quick insurance review shouldn't be the item that falls through the cracks. At American Advantage Lindow Insurance, we're happy to walk through your auto, home, and renters coverage before move-in day so your family can focus on the excitement of a new school year, not the what-ifs.

Reach out to our team before your student heads back to campus this fall, and let's make sure everyone is properly protected.

‍