Back-to-School Insurance Needs: Are Your Clients Covered?

It’s the time of year when kids go back to school—from kindergarten to college. Even if parents have done this before, there’s always plenty to do to get ready for a new transition. One thing most parents don’t think about is insurance—and whether their coverage needs will change along with the new school year.

Insurance agents have an opportunity to market several lines of insurance to parents during the back-to-school season. Here are a few ideas:

Homeowner’s insurance. Are your clients’ policies up to date? Kids develop new hobbies during the school year, some of which involve expensive sports, music, or other equipment. Parents should be sure that any expensive equipment is covered on their homeowner’s policy, and that the policy has replacement cost on contents coverage so they can replace it if needed.

Auto insurance. Do some of your clients have teenagers in the house who are getting to be around driving age? If so, it’s time to consider an update to auto insurance. Insurance agents who sell auto insurance should definitely pay attention to parents of teens that are around the right age to start driving, as putting a teen driver on a policy can be stressful for parents—and they can use expert advice to find the best coverage.

In addition, if a college-age student is leaving a car at home, insurance companies will often give a discount on auto insurance if the driver is away from home during the academic year. This benefit has limits; sometimes there’s a cap on how many miles the car can be driven while the student is away, or the student has to be more than 100 miles from home for the discount to kick in.

Renter’s insurance. Do you have clients who are sending their kids off to college? Homeowner’s insurance policies can cover the student’s possession in case of theft or fire loss if the student is staying in on-campus housing. However, if the student is living off-campus, parents may need renter’s insurance to safeguard the child’s belongings, or extending liability from their existing homeowner’s policy.

Health insurance. College-age students can stay on their parents’ policies up to age 26, but there are some limits to that. If the parent’s network area doesn’t extend to the location where the child goes to school, this can make that option problematic. There are health insurance policies designed for students, often offered directly through the schools. Parents who have to switch policies for their children will appreciate expert guidance.

Identity theft protection. Students going to college often don’t have the financial savvy of adults who have been handling their own finances for decades. In addition, given the communal nature of dorm life, the student’s bedroom is often far from secure. College students are particularly vulnerable to identity theft.

Tuition refund insurance. This coverage ensures at least some of college tuition is refunded if the student withdraws from school for various reasons, including illness or a death in the family.

Insurance is often the last thing parents think about when getting their kids ready for returning to school—or starting the academic year in a brand-new school. But it shouldn’t be. As an insurance agent, remind your customers- who are parents- of their insurance needs during this time, and you’ll be able to help them get the coverage they need for this important transition.

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