Back to School Safety Tip and Insurance for Your College Student

By: Mary Thompson (Capstone Brokerage, President) August 14, 2015

Many families are preparing for back to school. I see ample amounts of school supplies, dorm furniture and almost every retail clothing store in Las Vegas has a sign that says back to school sale. It is quite honestly my second favorite time to shop retail (first being Black Friday during the holiday season). For some, the process may be daunting and a bit overwhelming. However, you can really stretch your dollar and most will be very pleased to find great deals. Aside from all the shopping fun, safety is a very important topic that should be discussed at the dinner table in preparation for school starting.

When I was a kid I walked to school up hill in the snow 3 miles both ways! (ok, not really but I tell my grandkids this). Anyway, my mother always had the back to school talk with me. Basically she would tell me:

• Look both ways when crossing the street
• Use a crosswalk and wait for the signal
• Don’t take candy from a stranger
• Don’t accept a ride from ANYONE (Perhaps growing up in buffalo the most important no matter the weather.)
• Stay on the Sidewalk
• Don’t be late for school, leave with plenty of time.
• Safety In Numbers- Walk with a friend

These tips seemed silly to me at the time but as a mother and grandmother I now realize their importance. It is imperative for our children to also have a basic understanding of stranger safety. The National Crime Prevention Council has some great tips to help make the talk not so “Do what I say because I Said So.” And “More wow that makes sense…

It is also very important to prepare your adult children that are heading off to college. For most it will be first time they are on their own and left to their own judgment. I remember when my oldest daughter moved out to go to college. I was so worried. Would she be safe and make good choices? In the end she turned out fine and I believe that is because she was prepared. Here is a college checklist of safety guidelines with these basic points:

• Don’t walk across campus at night alone
• Never let a stranger into the dorms
• Always have a designated driver or call a cab
• Guard your drink
• Check in with mom and dad a few set times a week (yes they still exist)

Now there are also insurance issues to be sorted; for instance, you will need to let your health insurance carrier know your child will be living away from home as a full-time student. Find out how the health insurance policy will cover them when they need to receive healthcare. It is important to find out how it will work especially if they are attending a college out of state. They will still be covered on your health insurance policy in most cases if they maintain full-time student status, until they are 26. There may also be a need to obtain a property policy or renter’s policy. Laptops, cell phones, books are all expensive. Having a policy in place will protect them. Your auto insurance also needs to be told if a vehicle is being taken to another residence, the policy may need to be adjusted or changed to ensure coverage. If they live on campus there is also a recommendation to have extra vaccine boosters, check with your local health department.

Being prepared for back to school is a lot of work but it will be nice to have the kids back to the grind. I remember as summer would come to an end my kids would be driving me crazy with phone calls and sleeping in to all hours of the day. The daily routine was always welcomed in our home, well at least by me.