Moving to university involves a hundred decisions. Insurance shouldn't be the one that falls through the cracks. Here's a practical checklist of every insurance-related action to complete before you move in — so your belongings are protected from the very first night.
Before You Move In: The Checklist
📦 Contents & Belongings
☐
Inventory your belongings. Write a list of everything you're taking to university, with approximate values. Include clothes, books, kitchen items, sports equipment and electronics. This helps you choose the right level of cover and speeds up any claims.
☐
Check your parents' home insurance policy. Look at the policy documents — not just the summary. Check whether students are covered, what the sub-limit is, what the excess is, and whether gadgets are included. Don't assume — read it.
☐
Get dedicated student contents insurance if you're not fully covered. If there are gaps in your parents' policy — or no student cover at all — get a dedicated student policy before you move in. Student Protection's Essential plan starts at £249/year.
💻 Gadgets
☐
List all electronics and their values. Laptop, phone, tablet, earbuds, smartwatch, camera. Note the model and current market value of each.
☐
Photograph or screenshot proof of purchase for all high-value items. Store receipts in cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud) so you can access them if your device is lost or stolen.
☐
Note serial numbers for all devices. Serial number + proof of ownership dramatically speeds up theft claims and helps police recover devices.
☐
Confirm gadget cover is included in your policy. Contents insurance doesn't automatically cover gadgets — check your policy explicitly includes gadget/electronics cover.
🎓 Tuition Fees
☐
Know your total annual fees. UK students: up to £9,250/year. International students: £15,000–£40,000/year. The higher your fees, the more valuable tuition fee protection is.
☐
Check whether your university has its own withdrawal and refund policy. Some universities refund tuition fees on a sliding scale if you leave early in a term. Know what you'd get back before buying insurance.
☐
Consider tuition fee protection, especially if you're an international student. One serious illness could mean losing a year's fees. Protection starts from £349/year as part of Student Protection's Complete plan.
🔑 Keys
☐
Find out the cost of replacing lost keys in your accommodation. Some universities charge £50–£200+ for key replacement. Know the cost before you need it.
☐
Add key cover to your student policy. It's typically under £15/year as an add-on and pays for itself immediately if you ever need it.
🏥 Health
☐
Register with a GP near your university. Do this in the first week. You'll need a local GP for NHS services, mental health referrals and medical certificates (which are required for tuition fee insurance claims).
☐
International students: confirm your IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) is paid. This entitles you to NHS services during your studies.
🚲 Other
☐
Bicycle: get a solid lock AND check cover. Register your bike on BikeRegister.com and confirm whether your contents policy covers cycle theft, and up to what value.
☐
Car: notify your insurer of your term-time address. Failure to do so can invalidate your policy.
☐
Travel: sort annual travel insurance if you plan to travel during breaks. Essential if you're studying abroad.
One Policy That Ticks Most of These Boxes
Rather than managing multiple policies, Student Protection's Complete plan covers contents, gadgets, key cover and tuition fees under one policy for £349/year. It's the fastest way to complete this checklist in a single step.