Where is Insurance for College Students to be found?
Need to find insurance for college students? The good news is that it's out there and many companies do have products that cater specifically to college students.
The bad news is that finding affordable college health insurance, car insurance, dental insurance, renters insurance, and other student insurance may not be as easy as finding a company that will insure you!
But, I suppose this is all relative to your own personal situation.
Knowing what to look for is not as easy.
Where can I find auto insurance for college students?
Everyone has heard of how much you can save on auto insurance these days. Savings can be just a phone call away. But, if you don't want to call and talk to someone, you can request a quote online. However, doing it this way will have an agent (sometimes many agents) calling you.
Auto insurance is very important. It is absolutely necessary to have. You don't want to be stuck without it. The consequences of driving without it are not worth the money you'd save by not having it.
When it comes to insurance for college students, having auto insurance is a no brainer!
There are a few things that you should know about and consider before buying auto insurance.
First, do you need full coverage or would you be fine with just collision coverage? The difference is that if you cause a crash, full coverage will help you get your car fixed and the person's car you crashed into.
With collision coverage, the insurance will only pay to fix the other person's car, not yours (if someone crashes into you though, and it's their fault, then it is their insurance that will pay to fix your car).
Sometimes this decision is made for you depending on what type of car you drive, if you have an auto loan, or how new the car is.
If it is a newer car and you are planning on keeping it for a while, then spending the extra money each month to have full coverage auto insurance is probably a good idea.
This way if something happens, you will have the coverage you need to keep your car going.
But, if you are driving an older vehicle that you don't want to put anymore money into (and some really aren't worth keeping if they get in a wreck), then collision coverage is fine and you can save the extra money.
Also, auto insurance for college students has some perks because if you have a good driving record and keep good grades, you can get a good driver discount and a good student discount from some insurance companies.
There are probably even more discounts available to you. Just check with your insurance agent to find out for sure.
You never know what discounts may be available to you with things that you are already doing (e.g. if you don't drink, your insurance company might have a discount for you).
Make sure that you shop around for auto insurance. There are so many providers available that you should be able to find a good price for good insurance.
You can use the internet (the super easy way) or call around your local area and talk with a real live agent.
Either way though, getting auto insurance is a must do while you are going to college (and there after of course).
Where can I find health insurance for college students?
If you aren't working at a full-time job as a full-time college student (if you are, then kudos to you), then chances are you aren't getting any insurance benefits.
This might not seem that important to you if you are single or still are on your parent's health insurance plan. But, if not, then you need to consider getting some health insurance.
With medical expenses costing hundreds, even thousands, of dollars, it is absolutely necessary to have some sort of health insurance to help cover those bills as they come about.
The good news is that you have several options if you are in need of health insurance. The bad news is that it is generally going to be more expensive and not as good as if you were getting it through an employer.
But, some student health insurance is better than no insurance at all.
First, start by checking with your school. Usually by looking on the school's website, you can find out if your school offers health insurance for college students who are currently attending.
Also, if you look online, the school may even have the payment options available for you right on their website. They will usually divide these up by students who are single without kids, single with kids, married without kids, or married with kids.
Obviously, a single person without kids is likely to pay less than a married person with three kids.
Your school may or may not offer this kind of insurance for college students currently attending. But, it never hurts to check.
If you can't find insurance through your school, the next place to check is online. You can usually find a website that will compare several companies' products based upon criteria you provide about your specific circumstances.
These websites have you fill out a form and submit it. Then, a live agent will call you to follow up with more information.
These forms usually ask for your age, height, weight, smoker status, and some other questions.
Be sure to write down the prices and information about the product(s) you are interested in. This is so that you and the agent are on the same page when he or she calls.
If you have any hesitation, then wait! Get more information before you make a decision. Talk to another agent, look more online, or consider another product.
But, also realize that you probably won't find the perfect option. So, after considering a few products, (no more than 5 or 6) make a decision that is best for your situation.
"What about the other insurances, like renter's insurance?"
When it comes to other insurance for college students, there are some that I would highly recommend and others that are not really necessary.
One of the insurances that I would recommend is renters insurance. Now, it is obvious that this insurance is only for people who are renting an apartment or other living space.
At first glance, renter's insurance might seem like an unnecessary expense. But, think again! Renter's insurance can protect your possessions in your home just in case there is a fire or even a break-in. You never know what might happen.
Not only is the protection really good, but it is also really inexpensive in monthly costs (my wife and I only paid about $10 a month when we had it on our apartment).
Some landlords will require you (or strongly advise you) to get renter's insurance. So the decision might already be made for you. But, even if they don't, get it for your own protection.
Another insurance for college students that you might overlook is life insurance. Life insurance is a great tool to help those you love if, heaven forbid, you were to die.
Every person must evaluate his or her own situation. If you have a family, then it is almost selfish in a way to not have that protection on you, especially if you are the head of the household and/ or a breadwinner.
A single person who is still living with his or her parents might not need life insurance quite yet. It is possible that your parents have a policy on you already. If not, it may still be a good idea to get a small policy to help with burial expenses. But, talk to your parents first.
The first place to look for life insurance would be at work. Many companies offer discounted life insurance to their employees. Be aware, however, that if you ever quit or get fired, then your work life insurance is no longer in force!
The next place to look is with a licensed independent life insurance agent. An independent agent usually has access to many companies' prices and can get you a great rate for a large amount of coverage.
I would only recommend term life insurance for college students (as do many financial experts). It is the perfect match for college students who need a lot of coverage for a low monthly rate.
You will have to determine your own needs and interests and decide (with your spouse if you are married) how much coverage you will need and for how long.
Be sure to speak to a licensed independent insurance agent to make sure you get all your questions answered and the best insurance for you.
Let me sum up!
As you look for auto, health, renter's, and life insurance for college students, make sure that you speak to a professional insurance agent who can answer all your questions and help you find good rates.
Doing this correctly will not only give you the advice you need about insurance for college students, but it will also help you get what you actually need and help you make the best decisions possible.
Good hunting for student insurance!
Done looking for information about insurance for college students? Learn more about how to manage your college student finances next!
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