What home insurance do students need?

What is home insurance for students?

Home insurance for students might sound a little strange - seeing as students are typically moving into temporary accomodation. But you'll usually be looking at a contents insurance policy. That's insurance for your belongings.

A specialist student contents insurance policy is a bit different from a standard home insurance policy. A typical home insurance policy includes both buildings insurance and contents cover. That's cover for the building's structure as well as your belongings.

Buildings insurance is the landlord's responsibility, so students don't need to buy it themselves.

Here's a list of the items covered in a typical student contents insurance policy:

• Laptops

• Phones

• Furniture

• Clothes

• Books

How does home insurance for students work?

The type of student accommodation you're living in can affect your insurance.

If you're living in halls of residence, your university might already include cover.

But if you're living in a house share or flat share, it's crucial that each student has their own policy. Otherwise you'll need to make sure that a single policy can cover all occupants.

Regardless of insurance, it's important to be mindful of security in shared living spaces. Make sure rooms are secured when you're not home, and keep valuables locked away and out of sight.

Do you need your own student home insurance?

If your parents' have an existing home insurance policy, it's worth checking whether they have a 'temporarily away from home' clause. This can cover a student's belongings.

But there are limitations to this temporary cover. Often these will include single item value limits. A single item value limit is the maximum amount an insurance provider will pay for any one individual item.

If an item is worth more than this limit and you don't declare it, you'll only receive the maximum pay out. This will be the single item limit, not the full value of the item.

There's also a lack of cover for items taken outside the home. So you might not be covered if you're taking your laptop with you to your lectures and seminars.

Getting a specialist student policy can be a better idea if you want more comprehensive cover. Especially if you own high-value items or want to cover against accidental damage.

What's the difference between contents and buildings insurance?

Contents insurance covers your personal belongings, whereas buildings insurance covers the structure of your property.

Students will only need contents insurance, as landlords are the ones responsible for buildings insurance. If you're a landlord, you'll want to look into landlord insurance for students.

So - if you're off to uni, you won't need to worry about buildings insurance. You'll just want to consider student contents insurance for your personal belongings.

What optional extras can you add to a student policy?

There are a number of common add-ons that might be helpful if you're setting off for uni:

• Personal possessions cover: This is for items you might take outside the home, like phones and laptops on campus.

• Accidental damage cover: If you're a bit accident-prone, this add-on is the perfect safeguard against trips and slips. You might spill a coffee on your laptop during a study break, or crack your phone screen as you dash to a lecture.

• Musical instrument or bike cover: These are considered as high-value items that may not be covered by a standard policy.

• Legal expenses cover: This cover can help with legal costs if something goes wrong.

How to find the best student home insurance

Looking at different student home insurance policies can leave you feeling a little swamped. But don't worry, we'll walk you through how to find the best deal.

Make your space secure:

We've already talked about the importance of keeping your uni room secure, and your valuables out of sight. But the more thief-proof your room is, the more you're likely to save on your insurance.

Getting insurer-approved locks and making sure doors and windows are secure can help lower premiums. But be aware that you're not allowed to make physical changes to your accommodation without permission from the landlord.

Pay annually:

Paying annually means you won't be paying interest, so usually cuts the cost of your policy. Some students contents insurance providers will offer 0% interest so you can split the cost throughout the year though. This isn't always the case though, so make sure you check the policy wording carefully.

Giving the most accurate valuation:

You'll want to estimate the overall value of your belongings as accurately as possible. Being off the mark can mean you pay too much. Or you'll lose out if you need to claim and your valuation isn't enough.

A contents calculator can help you make the most accurate estimation for the overall cost of your belongings.

Check if you're already covered:

Here's where you may want to chat to your parents. If you're already covered on their home insurance, you don't want to end up paying twice.

Build up your no-claims discount:

We know uni is a busy time, but try to look after your belongings as much as possible. Not having to make any claims can build up your discount, meaning lower premiums when it's time to renew your policy.

Increase your voluntary excess:

Increasing your voluntary excess lowers premiums because you're agreeing to pay a bigger portion of the claim cost. This reduces the financial risk to the insurer, allowing them to offer a lower annual premium.

But, this amount will be deducted from any final payouts you receive if you need to make a claim. So, make sure you set it at an amount you could afford if needed.

Shop around:

As always, shopping around is your best bet when it comes to finding the cheapest deal. When you get a contents insurance quote with us, we'll compare up to 79* companies to find you the best price.

Make sure you carefully read the policy details before you buy though. You'll want to be certain that your chosen student home insurance covers everything you need.

*Correct as of June 2025

What to do if you need to make a claim

If you need to make a claim, here's what you'll need to do:

• First check your policy to ensure the losses or damages that have happened are covered. Contact your insurer to kick off the claims process.

• Report any crimes to the police straight away. They'll give you a crime reference number to initiate your insurance claim.

• If possible, dig out any receipts, bills, or proof of ownership for the items you want to claim for.

• Take photos or record videos showing the damages caused by a theft or burglary.

• Think carefully about whether it's worth making the claim. There's no point claiming if the losses come to less than the excess you have to pay. It also might not be worth claiming if the amount is just slightly higher than the excess, as this could mean higher premiums in future.