First Lesson of the Semester: How Do You Protect Life in a Backpack?

Alpharetta, Georgia (January 18, 2008) College bound families vying for legroom on the road back to campus this week may find it ironic; but the truth is that the size of standard college gear is shrinking. Amidst the clothes and care packages, the true essentials of modern college life: laptop computers, PDAs, MP3 players, cell phones, and digital cameras take up little space and are commonly worn and carried like accessories. But, oh how their price tags and prominence have grown.

Growing right along with today's penchant for all things micro and mobile is the students' risk of losing lives and libraries that they now carry on their backs. According to CSI Insurance, a firm that specializes in protecting student personal property, technology items from computers to cameras make up 69% of all student property losses.

Despite all the obvious attraction of portability; it has decided disadvantages too. Envelope-sized computers and pocket-sized phones and music devices are easier to take with you; but they are easier to take from you too. Not only are these precious handhelds targeted by thieves, but because they are in pockets, backpacks, and armbands, they are accident prone in a way that the desktop computers and stereos of a decade or two ago never were. The trend significantly increases a student's risk of losing crucial assignments, contacts, documents, photos or all of the above in one single incident from one single source

Still, many students will enter their dorms, apartments, fraternity/sorority houses, even study abroad programs, without protecting the thousands of dollars worth of high-tech gadgets they depend on academically and personally. Even those who consider the high cost of outfitting kids for college often mistakenly believe that their parents' homeowners insurance will cover these items if they are stolen or damaged at school. Parents and students should ask themselves (or their insurance agent) these questions to see what they stand to lose:

10 Key Questions to Ask About Protecting Your Belongings at College

1. Will the policy pay first if I have a loss, even if I have other insurance?  Is Replacement Cost Coverage Standard?
2. Does the policy cover theft?
3. Does the policy cover all sorts of damage including accidents?
4. What exclusions in the policy should I know about?
5. Does my policy cover damage due to earthquakes and all types of flood damage?
6. Am I covered even in between semesters or school breaks?
7. What deductibles are available to me?
8. Can I file my claim online 24/7?
9. Am I covered just on campus or off campus as well?
10. Is the school property that is in my possession covered? If I borrow or use school equipment, will it be covered under my policy?

Students and their families may believe that the homeowners' insurance on their primary residence adequately covers the student's property. Yet, the typical deductible on a homeowner's policy often exceeds the cost of a student's computer, MP3 player, cell phone, etc.

Here are some important facts:

• Homeowners coverage is limited—it is intended for a traditional home not student housing
• Average deductibles are $500-$1,500
• Payments are often reduced to account for depreciation
• Claims from college increase homeowners rates and can even threaten your coverage

For more information:
CSI Insurance Agency, Inc.
316 Maxwell Rd. Ste 100
Alpharetta, GA 30007
www.collegestudentinsurance.com
Phone: (888) 411-4911
Fax: (678) 832-4910
info@csiprotection.com