Are Your Student’s Valuables Protected

Is Everything Safe?

One more thing to worry about, is their stuff safe? When they were at home you knew the valuables were safe, but now? Right up there with the call from my college daughter that she lost her phone, keys, student ID, (fill in the blank), is the call you get when they tell you someone took their cell phone, watch, or whatever valuable item your child has had stolen.

And it has been through her tears and yelling about an item of hers being taken, that I find myself, once again, asking if she had kept their dorm door open. Freshman year, my daughter’s room was at the end of the hallway next to the stairwell. She was warned many times to never leave her door open when she was not in the room because it was very easy for a passerby to steal something and slip right down the stairs unnoticed. My daughter has lived in dorms, apartments, and off-campus housing, and consistently, I have personally witnessed her forgetting to lock her bedroom doors (not the front door, although she has done that on occasion). Usually, when I make a mere mention of that fact, I get a sassy response along the lines of “I’m just running down the hall to the bathroom,” or, even better, “Mom, no one would ever take my stuff.” It is exactly this naiveté that has taught her a painful lesson; not everyone is kind and good and honest. And in my daughter’s particular situation, it was not taken by a roommate, but a visitor to her living space. It is why I have always purchased renter’s insurance for her and a dorm vault.

Put the Valuables In The Vault

Dorm Vault takes up very little space and can be attached either with a security cable or a bolt. It is designed specifically to comply with residence hall and apartment lease regulations which do not allow it to be mounted to the wall or bedposts. I was so impressed with the Dorm Vault that I reached out to the Founder/Owner to learn more about his company. He agreed to offer readers of our blog a 10% discount. Just use the code HUH10OFF.

Equally as important is having renter’s insurance. If you read your student’s undergraduate housing agreement, item #11, The University is not liable for loss or damage to property caused by fire, rain, windstorm, hurricane, theft or vandalism, or other act of God or casualty or any causes beyond the control of the University.
For dorms, your homeowner’s policy will most likely cover 10% of the total personal property coverage or up to $1,000, which means an item costing over $1,000 will not be fully covered.

For off-campus apartments, renter’s insurance may even be required, especially in the newer luxury apartments. What I like about having renter’s insurance is that it covers personal property and not just the liability insurance that may be required. You can check with your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if it covers your student or if they offer it but I did shop around, as well as check with some of my friends, and the renter’s insurance companies that many students are using were the following:

• National Student Services, Inc.  800-256-6774
• Gallagher (aka College Student Insurance)  888-411-4911
• Security First (which is a Florida Renter’s Insurance company)  877-900-3974
• Nationwide  877-669-6877
• Allstate
• Progressive
• State Farm
• Geico
• GradGuard
• Stillwater Insurance

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