Ensuring Peace of Mind When College Beckons

As many of you know my oldest just headed to college last week. Its has to believe this time has come. She's leaving Nashville with her car and lost of stuff. This is an exciting but stressful  time. It seems like there are 1001 things to think about and plan for. Make sure insurance is one of them - preferably at of near the top of your list. That's because there are more than 50,000 thefts and other property crimes on US campuses every year - and countless more routine emergency medical incidents.

In some cases, existing homeowners, health and auto insurance policies provide the coverage you need. In others, you may need separate or additional coverage, especially if the student will be away form home. Here are some of the issues to help you decide.

Nashville Car Insurance - The key issue here is whether your Nashville car insurance poses any limitations for extended out of state use or does the policy meet the minimum  auto insurance requirements of the state in which it is being used. You also need to let your insurer know when the auto is going to be parked or garaged at the new location, especially if it's out of state.

Nashville Home Insurance - It's amazing how the value of a student's personal belongings quickly add up, often to a five figure number. You should check whether your Nashville home insurance covers this - but remember, even that may require expensive items such as computers or valuables to be listed separately on the policy. Otherwise consider renter's insurance which has advantages of liability protection and may even include certain medical costs.

Health Insurance - Most family policies cover dependents who are full time students to age 23 (or beyond in some states), but definitions of "full time" vary by insurer. Student who marry will likely lose this coverage. If your policy is through an HMO and the student is outside their area, although their probably covered for locally for emergencies, they may have to return home for routine medical visits. Separate student health insurance plans are available but the benefits are usually limited when compared to family plans.

The most important point is the need to always check the extent of your existing coverage before the student leaves. Of course, our Staff at Royce Williams Agency and Insuring Nashville will be glad to provide further information and advice. Please call us at 615-356-4800.