Skip to content Accessibility info

Charles Meyer Insurance Agency Blog

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Insurance

Specifically insure your college student's laptop or PC

For just a few extra dollars, you can save yourself and your student a lot of money and frustration by separately insuring his or her laptop or pc.


August marks the return of students to college and if you’ve got one who’s getting ready to start another year or head off for the first time, he or she may potentially be carrying thousands of dollars of electronics to and from class every day.

Parents dread receiving the call explaining a broken laptop because of a spilt drink or it was crunched from being stepped on in a dorm room. Accidents certainly do happen and if your college student is without a laptop, that could make it difficult to study, write papers or take notes in class.

Issues could arise with homeowners insurance coverage

Some parents think that by their student claiming residency at their home, renters or homeowners insurance will cover the costs of a lost or damaged device.

If a student is living at home, or at least still claiming residence at home, the homeowner's policy should cover damages. And on-campus housing is covered under the tuition language and their parents' policy. But wait …

That’s not always the case with some homeowners insurance policies, and some types of coverage could have parents working through tons of red tape just to replace the device. When it comes to students needing their laptops replaced immediately, a personal insurance policy specifically for their Chromebooks or MacBooks could replace the device immediately, so students won't have to see as much downtime as a result of losing their computers. Plus, there’s no deductible if you specifically insure the laptop.

What to do when kids live off campus

Homeowners insurance tends to get more complicated when students move off campus and into an apartment. Typically, renters insurance is needed to protect devices that are stolen or damaged in a fire.

Mysterious loss and accidental damage or destruction, even by the owner, is covered under a personal articles policy for laptops or PCs, making it a great thing to have whether they’re going to be in a dorm, fraternity/sorority or off-campus housing.

Additionally, computers tend to break quite often - especially for college kids. According to Consumer Reports, roughly a third of laptops don't make it to their fourth year of ownership, and most warranties protect less as the years go by.

With many electronics, parts are covered for one year, but labor is only good for 90 days. Replacing laptops completely becomes an expensive proposition, and even more so for parents who invested in multiple electronic devices for their kids.

Specifically insuring your student’s pc or laptop will give you the peace of mind of knowing that whatever the damage or situation, he or she will be covered and you won’t need to jump through hoops to get a replacement.

It’s not too late to get coverage. Call or text us now to make sure you’re making a smart move with your student’s coverage. 314-894-1313 or text 314-894-1313.