Lap-top/dorm insurance

[mommy2allyandaveri]

My husband bought a very nice macbook for himself on 5/13. His work ended up buying him one also. We have decided to keep it for our daughter who is graduating this year. We are too late to buy apple care and I worry about it being stolen from her dorm room.

Has anyone ever bought insurance for a dorm or laptop? What has your experience been?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Talk to your home insurance agent. They'd probably have the best response, and you're already a customer.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I would like to stay away from home owners. Filing a claim can lead to lots of issues such as not being renewed and increased premiums, all for a 1500 stolen item.

 

[starry_solo]

Renters insurance. If it’s just for the laptop check to see if you can still get covered with Square Trade?

 

[tvguy]

I would like to stay away from home owners. Filing a claim can lead to lots of issues such as not being renewed and increased premiums, all for a 1500 stolen item.

My homeowners automatically covers items in your children's College Dorm room. Insurance companies are funny. If you buy renters coverage, the renters company may require you to file a claim with your homeowners first since they may very well cover you, and would be your primary insurer.

 

[barkley]

My homeowners automatically covers items in your children's College Dorm room. Insurance companies are funny. If you buy renters coverage, the renters company may require you to file a claim with your homeowners first since they may very well cover you, and would be your primary insurer.

our dd's college time renter's insurance was through the same company as our homeowners (auto and life as well) and we were advised by our agent to get it b/c (1) it would take a significantly large claim to exceed our homeowner's deductible and (2) any claim could cause our homeowner's premium to increase. her renter's insurance ran around $150 per year (it's now around $180 since she's in an apartment w/more belongings so higher coverage) with a $200 deductible.

 

[jerseygal]

We added the laptops for our sons to our homeowners policy.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would like to stay away from home owners. Filing a claim can lead to lots of issues such as not being renewed and increased premiums, all for a 1500 stolen item.

Then talk to a random, completely separate insurance company.

 

[Hikergirl]

Both my college aged kids have renters insurance. My dd pays around $6 a month, and I can't remember what my ds paid (his was a pay in full for the year). IIRC his covered accidental breakage too. I'm not sure if that is standard, it might be.

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

Our daughter is an incoming college freshman and they strongly recommend renter's insurance. I'll call my homeowners insurance company soon to add it.

 

[MillauFr]

I wouldn't use your homeowners to cover this. Your rates will increase or worse you could be dropped if you make claims.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Our sons items was covered under a renters insurance policy... he has his own car insurance and it gave him a discount to have it so it ended up free... ( it was $11 a month and he got a mulitline discount of about $11)
we decided to put a tile on it just so it could be tracked... well worth the money

 

[LynnTH]

Just bought both my kids renters insurance for college. (not in dorm anymore but their own apartments). It was about $100 a year for each of them and covers up to $20,000. Also covers up to $300,000 in personal liability and $10,000 for fraud. Well worth the peace of mind.

 

[DisneyTexan]

Check into www.collegestudentinsurance.com It is well reviewed on the College Confidential message boards. Some parents have said that they submitted claims without any issues. I can't remember the pricing, but there are assorted affordable options. My daughter's policy is something like a $4,000 limit with a $50 deductible.

 

[Starwind]

While a student I lived in University dorms in both Canada and the US. I purchased renters insurance on my own.

 

[Eastern]

https://www.collegestudentinsurance.com/ I highly recommend getting a policy like this. If you make claims, it will not affect your homeowner's insurance.

I had a policy for each of my 3 sons during college and made three claims of approximately $100, $350, and $500. All were paid promptly after submitting pictures and claim form plus any applicable receipts. In one case, it was a watch that was damaged and they required me to send this item to them but they paid the postage. btw it was all done online by uploading pictures and scanning receipts. So easy.

The plans cost about $100/year and your premium depends on the deductible you choose and maximum claim you can make.

My sons would always tell me stories, like one kid accidentally spilled his can of soda on his friend's new laptop. Things happen! Looking back, my claims made probably equaled my premiums paid but the peace of mind was definitely worth it.

 

[EACarlson]

Then talk to a random, completely separate insurance company.

If you do this, make sure there is not anything in the policy that says it is secondary to other applicable insurance policies. If there is and you don't file with your homeowner's first, you've just committed Insurance Fraud. My suggestion would be to find an independent insurance agent and lay everything out to them.

 

[MrsPete]

My sons would always tell me stories, like one kid accidentally spilled his can of soda on his friend's new laptop. Things happen! Looking back, my claims made probably equaled my premiums paid but the peace of mind was definitely worth it.

Yeah, I think a spill /drop is more likely than a theft.

Other things that concern me more than possible theft:
- Loss of work saved on a destroyed computer.
- Loss of use of the computer (in college, even a couple days would be a real problem).
- Loss /destruction of a cell phone, which is "carried around" more than a laptop.

 

[mhamach]

our dd's college time renter's insurance was through the same company as our homeowners (auto and life as well) and we were advised by our agent to get it b/c (1) it would take a significantly large claim to exceed our homeowner's deductible and (2) any claim could cause our homeowner's premium to increase. her renter's insurance ran around $150 per year (it's now around $180 since she's in an apartment w/more belongings so higher coverage) with a $200 deductible.

Same experience here; got renter's insurance for about $180.

 

[_19disnA]

Getting an opinion from a different insurance company may not be of any value since coverages can vary and the details of your policy could be specific to that company. College confidential has some good/some terrible threads. I find WAY too many h.s. know-it-all types who fling out random/authoritative sounding opinions on whatever the topic. Comments from parents can be reliable if that person actually has some experience on the specific topic being discussed.