Kids Going To College

Your child is off to college and of course, it is only natural that they want to take their laptop, flat screen TV, DVD player, mobile phone and iPod with them.

Students own more expensive consumer goods per head than the rest of the population, which makes them a target for burglars and street thieves. Make sure your child does not become another crime statistic. Here are some useful tips to help keep your child and their possessions safe while they are away at college.

Safeguard their valuables

It's a good idea to get your child to mark all their expensive items before they leave for college. Write their name, student ID number and name of their college on items such as laptops and mobile phones. Marked items are a deterrent for thieves as they are harder to shift than unmarked valuables. Keep a note of the make, model and serial numbers and keep them in a safe place. This will help the Police track any stolen goods.

Hall of residence

If your child is staying in halls of residence, you need to take out additional insurance. Halls of residence do not include insurance cover for the contents of study bedrooms. You can either add your child's possessions to your home insurance policy or you can take out a separate one. Remember that if you add them to your home insurance policy, you must inform your insurer. Not all insurers cover shared accommodation.

If you opt for a separate insurance policy and your child doesn't want to part with their cash, get them to add up the cost of replacing all their valuables. That should help change their mind.

Rental accommodation

The same insurance cover applies for students staying in privately rented accommodation. You can either add them to your home insurance policy, or take out a separate one. Unfortunately, some landlords do not provide adequate security on their properties. If this is the case, it could compromise your child's safety and invalidate your home insurance policy.

Make sure your child and their possessions are safe by getting involved when your child is house hunting. You can assess the property and neighbourhood yourself and help put pressure on the landlord to sort out any issues before the term starts.

You can look for properties through a university accommodation service. A number of higher education institutions run landlord accreditation schemes that screen properties before they can advertise through the service. Accredited properties must have reasonable security, a strong external door and effective locks on all doors and windows. Try to encourage your child to only look at properties that are accredited by their university or college. For extra security, your child could install a timer switch to switch on lights even when they are out.

Street safety

Teach your child to be safe on the streets and to avoid taking unnecessary risks. Remind them not to walk home alone at night. Their safety is worth a lot more than the taxi fare home after a night out.

Also teach them to be aware of what is happening around them when withdrawing money from a cashpoint and not to talk on their mobile phone on the street. If they are distracted by the conversation they are having, they are not aware of what's happening around them. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Prevention is always better than the cure but the reality is that crime is still a factor in today's society.

To ensure your child's possessions are properly insured, visit http://www.directline.com/home/welcome.htm.

Article submitted Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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