Do College Kids Need Car Insurance?

You might assume that if your college student goes away to school and doesn’t have a car, that you can drop them from your car insurance policy and start saving some money. After all college is expensive enough without paying for extras. However, what if they come back for Holiday breaks and want the car to visit friends? Or, what if they are away at university or college and their friends ask them to be a “designated driver” one night?

If your student doesn’t take a car or truck to school, we encourage that you keep car insurance for college students under your policy for a variety of reasons:

1. They’ll be fully protected if they come back home for weekend visits and would like to drive. Additionally, they’ll have insurance protection when they are driving a friend’s vehicle while away, and that auto isn’t adequately insured.
2. Keeping a student on your auto policy keeps continuous insurance coverage, which may be beneficial when they ultimately get their own vehicle insurance policy.
3. As a full-time student, your son or daughter may receive a Good Student Discount (if they maintain a grade average of 3.0 or higher). Be sure to let us know, and provide us with a copy of the transcript or a letter from a college advisor. The savings can be considerable.
4. If your child attends college 100 miles or more away from home, you can also apply for the Distant Student Discount.
5. Even if they don’t take a car to school and never drive for the next four years, they’ll be thoroughly insured if they are struck by a car while taking a walk or bicycling, or while being a passenger in somebody else’s automobile.

If they take a vehicle to school, you should have car insurance for college students since it is usually much more expensive for young drivers and students to have their own policy. Be sure to notify us about the new garaging address. Not only do insurance companies prefer that, but it may also save you cash, especially if your student attends college in a less populated area of the state.

Full-time college students can usually remain covered on their parents’ auto policy if their primary address is the parents’ house, even if they attend college and university out of state. Make sure that the policy meets the minimum auto liability requirements for that state.

Important Note: They’ll need their own auto policy if your student owns the vehicle and holds the title.

Remember, you can save on insurance by letting us know, or your insurance agent, if you have a student that will be living more that 100 miles away from home without a car. Even if they are going to have a car, let us know.

We’ll gladly evaluate your situation and make sure all coverage is current and adequate.  Call 469-606-4590 to reduce your rates.