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Students and student accommodation are seen as easy targets by thieves. Certainly all of us in the office either know someone or have personal experience of the pleasure of having our student residences robbed both in halls and shared flats. Now that we are sensible grown-up twenty somethings we all agree that trying to survive without is not very intelligent. The good news is that your landlord legally has to have building insurance and will normally (but don't forget to check) have contents insurance for their own stuff. The bad news is that it is very unlikely that the landlord's policy will cover your prize possessions. The chances are that you will need your own policy but it is worth investigating if your parent's household policy covers you.
Unlike normal households you will need to get insurance individually rather than as a house. We suggest that you should get an absolute minimum of £2000 contents insurance. If you want to have your bits and bobs covered outside your digs you will need extra cover (usually called "all risks").
Costs start at around £30 for very basic cover in a low crime area. If you have computers, bikes etc or live in Dodgyville then expect this to increase dramatically. There are usually reductions if you are in halls. Make sure you familiarize yourself with any exclusions and find out what security features your house will have to have.
We can not give any first hand recommendations but following a good bit of research on the net, the option that we liked the most is the NUS endorsed Endsleigh insurance. It is not the cheapest but does not require you to have mortice locks, window locks or be in the house all day everyday. They also have the option of providing cover in the holidays when the property is unoccupied. Some policies will not even cover you during the holidays even if you are still living in the house! This policy also gives a good range of additional cover for things you should be covered for but probably wouldn't think to get. To get an indication of cost click here. Let us know what you think or if you have found any better options.
Have you taken out a policy that protects you against having to leave your course part way through? It is worth remembering that policies like Saxon's Fee/Loan Shield (0116 264 4618) will cover the costs of your accommodation if you end up not being able to use the room you have shed so much sweat over finding.
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