Do You Need Renters Insurance in College Dorms?
Your parents’ homeowners insurance usually covers your dorm, but the limits may be too low for adequate coverage.
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Written byMiranda Marquit
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Co-hosts the Money Talks News podcast
MBA from Utah State University
Miranda is a financial writer and avid podcaster with nearly two decades of experience contributing to major outlets, including Forbes, The Hill, and NPR.
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Edited bySara Getman
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.
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As a renter, insurance can cover your belongings and protect you against liability. But as a college student, whether you need renters insurance depends on where you live. You might not need college dorm insurance if you live on campus and are covered under your parents’ home insurance.
If you live off campus, though, you might need to get a renters policy, as your parents’ homeowners policy might not cover you.
Learn more about renters insurance and how to determine whether it makes sense to get a policy for your dorm room.
Do students need renters insurance for dorm rooms?
Depending on the situation, your college or university might offer limited insurance coverage for your dorm room. But not all colleges and universities offer insurance — especially for personal belongings stolen from your dorm room.
Review the insurance information provided by your college or university (if applicable) to determine what’s covered in your dorm apartment and what isn’t. Chances are, you need to handle it on your own and look for outside insurance coverage.
Find out about coverage limits as well. Perhaps the school’s coverage includes some items but not in amounts you’re comfortable with. The same goes for your parents’ insurance. It might cover some of your items due to off-premises coverage but have a limit.
Say you have an expensive computer or gaming system. The insurance policies available to you may not cover the entire cost of replacing these items if they’re stolen. In that case, it might be a good idea to purchase additional coverage.
Pay attention to the difference between a renters insurance policy and a dorm policy. Your dorm policy likely focuses on personal property, while a renters policy includes liability. That said, some dorm policies include liability coverage.
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Dorm insurance
Generally, students who live in a dorm have coverage through their parents’ homeowners policy. But some items might not be covered, and a separate policy might make sense — especially for expensive personal belongings like a laptop.
Dorm insurance generally covers personal belongings and focuses specifically on theft damage. It can be useful if you know you’re bringing expensive devices and want extra peace of mind if they’re stolen.
Policies like those offered by the company GradGuard are specifically designed to protect items like bicycles, computers, textbooks, clothing, and other personal property you might have when you live in a dorm. It can kick in if your parents’ homeowners policy lacks the coverage needed.[1]
Are you covered by your parents’ homeowners insurance?
In general, students who live on campus are covered by the off-premise portion of their parents’ homeowners policy. But the amount of coverage is sometimes limited.
For example, a policy might limit off-premises coverage to 10% of the regular coverage. In that case, the student is responsible for the rest of the cost.[2]
If you’re concerned about high-ticket items not being completely covered, dorm insurance might make sense. Additionally, if your parents don’t have homeowners insurance, getting an insurance policy to cover stolen or damaged items and protect your personal property might make sense.
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Do students need renters insurance for off-campus apartments?
If you live off campus, you might need a separate renters insurance policy as a college student.
In some cases, like living in university-owned off-campus housing, you might still be covered by your parents’ insurance.
But if you rent your own apartment not affiliated with your college, you likely won’t be covered by your parents’ insurance, and you should get renters insurance. Many landlords require you to carry a separate renters insurance policy for your apartment.[3]
Renters insurance covers more than just personal property. It also includes liability in many cases. As a result, if you’re concerned about damage to other peoples’ possessions or concerned about injury, a renters policy can offer peace of mind for off-campus housing.
Renters insurance for dorms FAQs
As you consider whether to get renters insurance or dorm insurance, here are some things to keep in mind.
Does your roommate need to be on your renters insurance?
No. If your roommate wants their personal property covered, they need separate insurance. Your dorm insurance and renters insurance normally only cover your items.
What items aren’t covered by renters insurance?
It’s important to understand that renters insurance doesn’t cover some items without being considered an add-on. For example, bicycles aren’t always covered automatically.
Additionally, you may need riders for high-value items like jewelry. Check your policy or talk to an agent for specifics.
Should you get renters insurance for your dorm?
As a college student living in a dorm, your parents’ insurance often covers you. But there might be coverage limits, so it might make sense to get a separate policy for your personal property in case of theft or damage.
Does homeowners insurance cover dorms?
Yes. Homeowners insurance can cover dorms with off-premises coverage. But there might be limits on off-premises coverages. Check your policy or talk to an agent to confirm.
Sources
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Miranda Marquit Insurance Writer
Miranda Marquit, MBA, is a freelance financial writer covering various markets and topics since 2006. She has contributed to numerous media outlets, including Forbes, TIME, The Hill, NPR, HuffPost, Yahoo! Money, and more. Her work has been syndicated by MSN Money, Marketwatch, Credit.com, and other publications. She has written about insurance topics for Clearsurance, HealthCare.com, and various other websites. She is also an avid podcaster and co-hosts the Money Talks News podcast. Miranda has a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Syracuse University. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Miranda has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.