Is my child covered on my auto and home insurance while away at school?

Auto Insurance

A child who is away at college can often remain covered under a parent’s auto policy, especially if the parent’s home remains the student’s primary residence. Many insurers allow this even if the student attends school out of state.

Common situations:

• Student leaves the car at home: Often remains on the family policy and may qualify for a “student away at school” discount if the school is a certain distance from home.
• Student takes a car to school: Coverage usually continues, but the insurer should be notified because the vehicle’s primary location (garaging address) may have changed.
• Student regularly drives family vehicles when home on breaks: They generally should stay listed on the policy.

Homeowners Insurance

Parents’ homeowners insurance often extends some protection to a college student living in a dorm, including:

• Coverage for the student’s personal belongings (such as clothing, electronics, and furniture) while away at school. Coverage is often limited to a percentage of the policy’s personal property limit. [insurancei…ormant.com]
• Personal liability coverage if the student is responsible for certain injuries or property damage. [insurancei…ormant.com]

However, coverage may be different if the student:

• Lives in an off-campus apartment or house.
• Is no longer considered a dependent.
• Is over an age limit specified by the insurer. [insurancei…ormant.com], [markreidin…urance.com]

Bottom Line

As a general rule, dependent children away at college are often still covered under their parents’ auto and homeowners policies, but there are important exceptions regarding where the student lives, whether they have a car at school, and insurer-specific rules.  [markreidin…urance.com]

Before the school year starts, it’s worth calling your insurer to confirm:

1. Whether your child remains an insured under both policies.
2. Whether the car’s location needs updating.
3. Whether you’re eligible for a student-away or good-student discount.
4. Whether renters insurance is needed for off-campus housing.