OREANDA-NEWS. Aviva, the UK’s largest insurer, says students preparing to leave home and starting at university should remember their possessions will be insured under their parents’ Aviva home contents policy.

Laptops, tablets and smart phones are popular theft targets and cost hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds to replace.

  • Aviva statistics show that claims for stolen and damaged mobile phones increased more than three-fold between 2010 and 2014. In 2014 Aviva settled 5,514 mobile phone claims totalling about 1.9m.
  • The National Union of Students says one in five students will fall victim to crime while it costs £900 to repair and replace items following a break-in.
  • The Office of National Statistics says students are more likely to be victims of property crime than those in other groups, including bicycle theft.

    An Aviva standard household contents policy provides £5,000 cover for items “temporarily removed from the home”. So, providing the student lives at home outside of term time, their belongings will be covered. This includes belongings in a student’s room, their shared house or halls on campus and covers them for fire, storm, flood, or malicious damage. Theft is covered, but only if someone breaks into or out of the accommodation.

    Simon Warsop, chief underwriting officer Aviva, said:
    “Going to university and leaving home for the first time can be a daunting experience and it’s easy to overlook how the value of item such as laptops, tablets, mobile phones and other gadgets can easily top £2,000.

    “Replacing these items following a burglary or theft can be very expensive, so it will be a welcome surprise to many students that their prized belongings may be covered under their parent’s home insurance. Students can also be re-assured that Aviva will replace a damaged or stolen mobile phone within 48 hours of a successful claim.”

    Belongings outside student accommodation
    Students will need additional personal belongings cover if they want their laptop, mobile phone and iPod covered when out and about, but if they are on their parent’s Aviva policy they will be covered.

    Personal Belongings cover can be added to an Aviva policy from £26.50 a year. This provides £2,000 worth of cover, including £750 for cash, and a single article limit of £2,000. (The overall limit can be increased to £10,000 and individual items can be specified on the policy if worth more than £2,000).

    The additional cover starts from £9 a year and covers all bikes within the family home up to your chosen limit between £300 and £2,500 for theft, loss or damage per bike. But remember when you are away from home and not riding the bike to lock it securely to an object that can’t be moved such as a concrete post or railing, to be covered for theft.

    Simon Warsop added:
    “If the family policy also has personal belongings cover too that means the student’s possessions outside their digs are also protected – at no extra cost. Although laptops and bikes can easily be replaced, being burgled or robbed isn’t something any student would want to go through. So it’s most important to remember to lock doors and windows when you’re out for the night.”