How College Students Can Protect Themselves

This article is brought to you by GradGuard. We protect college students and their families from the financial risks of college life, like providing a refund for tuition or replacing a stolen backpack when your school may not. When the unexpected happens, GradGuard’s tuition insurance and renters insurance can help you get back on track.

College students learn a lot about life, both in and out of the classroom. Outside of the classroom, you learn about what it takes about living on your own for the first time, especially if you live with a roommate or alone in the dorms or an apartment. A huge part of this includes learning how to protect yourself from dangers of all kinds. Knowing about potential dangers and how to protect yourself can help save money and give you a sense of peace when things do arise.

Theft Prevention

Students often bring valuable possessions like laptops and smartphones to college, and implementing precautions such as engraving personal information, using strong passwords, and securing belongings can enhance security. Always keep your backpack with your valuables within reach. Make sure things like your laptop, cell phone, and wallet are in a secure, hard-to-reach area in your backpack or wallet. If possible, avoid walking on campus alone, especially at night. Try to have a friend to walk with or get a public safety escort to walk with you to your destination if possible. Ensure that your technology is password protected and do not give out personal information over text, phone calls, or emails, especially if you did not initiate the communication.

Securing Living Spaces

Whether on or off campus, cultivating the habit of locking doors, installing locks on personal areas, and using small safes for valuables to fortify security. Be sure windows and doors are secured and locked when you leave and when you are asleep. Depending on your neighborhood, you may decide to keep your windows and doors locked, even if you and your roommates are home. If you have a car on campus, make sure you have that locked as well and avoid storing valuables there. When you move into an off-campus apartment, try to be friends with at least one other tenant so they can help ensure that any packages you receive are safe.

Fire Safety

Fires can occur in various settings, and prioritizing fire safety through functioning fire alarms, fire escape plans, and awareness of flammable items is paramount. Even if you are in class, make sure you are aware of how you plan to get out of the building in case of a fire. In your living space, make sure your alarms are working and replace them and the batteries as recommended. Talk to your roommates and others in your building about potential escape plans. If possible, have at least two ways of getting out if needed. Avoid putting flammable materials near lamps. Be sure to turn things like stoves, ovens, and hot plates off and blow out candles if you can light candles. Have fire extinguishers and fire blankets on hand just in case. If you do not feel like you can put out the fire on your own, call 911 so the fire department can come out and help.

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Renters Insurance

No matter how careful you are and how many precautions you take, things can still happen and you need insurance to help cover them when they do occur. Renters insurance helps to cover your personal property when you are renting an apartment or a house. Some landlords require tenants to have insurance coverage while others simply recommend it. Either way, it is a good thing to have just in case something comes. GradGuard’s Renters Insurance, tailored for students like you, offers personal property coverage, liability protection, a low deductible, and no credit check. Partnering with colleges and universities, GradGuard provides affordable rates to safeguard your possessions. There are various levels of protection to choose from, depending on how much coverage you need.

The Importance of Protection

Financial Implications: It is no secret that college is expensive and students live on a tight student budget. John Fees, co-founder of GradGuard, highlights the financial challenges families can face in replacing stolen or damaged items, disrupting the college experience. Many college students and their families are unable to replace things that are stolen or damaged because things like cars and laptops are so expensive. Things like renters’ insurance and other preventative measures may seem like a hefty upfront cost, but, in the long run, they are a lower cost than repairing or replacing stolen or damaged property.

Peace of Mind: Being protected gives you peace of mind that you can have things taken care of. College is already stressful enough, so the last thing you need is to be worried about your personal belongings being damaged or stolen. GradGuard’s Renters Insurance ensures students’ possessions are safeguarded against loss or damage worldwide, allowing families to have peace of mind. Taking the precautions you need to can help prevent damage or theft altogether. It is crucial to be proactive to ensure your own personal safety and the safety of your personal property.

Protecting yourself as a college student can help you save money from having to deal with lost, stolen, or damaged personal belongings.

It’s no secret that college costs a lot of money. Make sure your investment in higher education is protected with GradGuard. Our affordable tuition insurance and renters insurance plans are specifically designed for college students. Customizable plans make it easy to protect your tuition, room and board, laptop, bike, and so much more.