Studentsown more expensive consumer goods per head than the rest of the population,which makes them a target for burglars and street thieves. Make sure your childdoes not become another crime statistic. Here are some useful tips to help keepyour child and their possessions safe while they are away at college.
Safeguard theirvaluables
It'sa good idea to get your child to mark all their expensive items before theyleave for college. Write their name, student ID number and name of theircollege on items such as laptops and mobile phones. Marked items are adeterrent for thieves as they are harder to shift than unmarked valuables. Keepa note of the make, model and serial numbers and keep them in a safe place.This will help the Police track any stolen goods.
Hall of residence
Ifyour child is staying in halls of residence, you need to take out additionalinsurance. Halls of residence do not include insurance cover for the contentsof study bedrooms. You can either add your child's possessions to your policy oryou can take out a separate one. Remember that if you add them to your homeinsurance policy, you must inform your insurer. Not all insurers cover sharedaccommodation.
Ifyou opt for a separate insurance policy and your child doesn't want to partwith their cash, get them to add up the cost of replacing all their valuables. Thatshould help change their mind.
Rentalaccommodation
Thesame cover applies forstudents staying in privately rented accommodation. You can either add them toyour home insurance policy, or take out a separate one. Unfortunately, somelandlords do not provide adequate security on their properties. If this is thecase, it could compromise your child's safety and invalidate your policy.
Makesure your child and their possessions are safe by getting involved when yourchild is house hunting. You can assess the property and neighbourhood yourselfand help put pressure on the landlord to sort out any issues before the termstarts.
Youcan look for properties through a university accommodation service. A number ofhigher education institutions run landlord accreditation schemes that screenproperties before they can advertise through the service. Accredited propertiesmust have reasonable security, a strong external door and effective locks onall doors and windows. Try to encourage your child to only look at propertiesthat are accredited by their university or college. For extra security, yourchild could install a timer switch to switch on lights even when they are out.
Street safety
Teachyour child to be safe on the streets and to avoid taking unnecessary risks. Remindthem not to walk home alone at night. Their safety is worth a lot more than thetaxi fare home after a night out.
Alsoteach them to be aware of what is happening around them when withdrawing moneyfrom a cashpoint and not to talk on their mobile phone on the street. If theyare distracted by the conversation they are having, they are not aware ofwhat's happening around them. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Preventionis always better than the cure but the reality is that crime is still a factorin today's society.