When it comes to insurance and a college student’s summer internship, you can rest assured that things are the same as they are during the school year. If your child is under the age of 24 and a full-time student, he or she is still covered under an ERIE homeowners insurance policy so long as he or she still makes your home his or her permanent address.
If your child does not make your residence his or her permanent address and/or is 24 or older, he or she will need a separate renters insurance policy. Share with him or her why renters insurance matters and that it can cost very little when bundled with a car insurance policy. A local Erie Insurance Agent can help your child get the right coverage.
Of course, it helps to lower the risk of anything bad happening in the first place. Here are a few tips worth sharing with your child:
- Leave more expensive items at home. If your child is away for a summer internship, encourage him or her to leave expensive items like bikes, jewelry and electronic devices at home with you if possible.
- Lock the doors. It seems obvious but many young people forget to do it, especially if they come from dorm life. Remind them they have no idea who may be walking through the apartment building’s hallways—and that renters experience 50 percent more burglaries than homeowners.
- Engrave electronics. Your child can gain a level of protection for electronics like laptops, tablets and smart phones by engraving them. Engraving makes it easier for police to identify stolen property if it is recovered.
- Stash valuables in a car’s glove compartment or trunk. The chances of a car theft increase when tempting items are visible to passers-by.
- Drill home the importance of fire safety. Not every threat to your college student’s possessions comes from outside the apartment. Fires caused by candles, incense, cigarettes and grills are very real possibilities. Encourage your child to refrain from burning candles and incense and to exercise caution with grills. (As for cigarettes, the advice is always to quit!)
- Use discretion when it comes to social media. Encourage your child to refrain from posting when they are away for a weekend or from “checking in” to a faraway locale via social networking sites. Posting on social media websites that they’re not home makes any potential burglars who come across their page take note.
Finally, learn some tips you can share with your child when it comes to personal safety in a new town or city.
Read the full story from Erie Insurance: “How Interns Can Protect Their Belongings and Figure Out Insurance“
