What Kinds of Insurance Do Community College Students Need?

Oftentimes, when we think about preparing for our children's financial future as it relates to their college expenses, insurance policies are not on the top of our priority list. After all, tuition, room and board, books, food and other kinds of living expenses are enough to keep our heads spinning all on their own.

And, while it would be ideal that our kids don't experience any unfortunate incidents, sometimes life does not go as smoothly as we'd like. That's the whole purpose of having insurance in the first place, right? It's to prepare us for life's unexpected surprises and if anyone is prone to those, it would be people who are college-aged.

So, in questioning if your college student needs insurance, the answer is a resounding "Yes!" If the follow-up question is "Well, what kinds would those be exactly?" then you've come to the right place.

Health insurance. Everyone needs health insurance; not just in case there's an unfortunate accident that may require surgery or a hospital stay, but also as it relates to annual check-ups, shots (if, for instance, they are going to travel overseas) and any other medical needs that require making a formal doctor's appointment. As it relates to health insurance, your child is probably still on your policy (companies usually allow them to remain through graduation), but if not, most colleges and universities have affordable ones for enrolled students at their institutions.

Renter's insurance. Anytime a student is living off campus, they should have some renter's insurance. This covers damage, loss or theft as it directly relates to your son or daughter's property. It's pretty cheap to get and so long as you take pictures of the items that you desire to have covered, it's fairly easy to file a claim and be reimbursed.

Tuition's insurance. One kind of insurance that a lot of parents do not know about is tuition's insurance. What it does is cover the amount of tuition that your child would lose, should they have to leave school due to a medical reason or loss of a loved one. If you are willing to shell out a few extra bucks, you might even be able to purchase a policy that covers student loans.

Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance. Yes, there is such a thing, believe it or not. If your child is studying overseas and circumstances arise to where you need to get to them or they need to get to you, this can cover the expenses; expenses that would otherwise easily run into the thousands.

Auto insurance. If your child has a car, then unless they live in New Hampshire, it's a mandate that they have car insurance. Chances are, they are still under your policy, anyway. However, if they only plan to drive to and from campus, Progressive has what is known as a "Snapshot" program. Basically, they review the amount of miles that someone drives and customizes a rate based on the total. It can save you some extra dollars by going this route. Either way, once your child is in college, you might want to consider shopping around for some auto insurance quotes, just to see if you can possibly get a better deal elsewhere or negotiate another premium rate with your current company. It can't hurt to ask and with a child in college, every penny counts.

About The Author

Evan Fischer is a contributing writer for Auto Insurance Center, where you can find an auto insurance quote as well as read over customer reviews.