ONE in three young people will be a victim of crime at university, according to the Home Office, so taking out insurance is essential.

With many students taking laptops and iPods as well as stereos and televisions to university, their possessions are now worth an average of £4,200, according to Endsleigh Insurance.

Ama Uzowuru, vice-president of the National Union of Students, said: “Students are a prime target for burglary, and we want them to do all they can to protect themselves against crime.”

Most insurers will allow parents to extend their home insurance to cover their offspring while at university, at no extra cost.

Churchill, for example, offers £4,000 worth of insurance, while Direct Line covers personal possessions up to £5,000, or 15% of the sum insured on the parents’ policy.

Check the small print, though, because some insurers will only cover your son or daughter’s belongings if they are kept in a room that has a lock on it.

Most rooms in halls of residence or university flats will have a lock, but many of those in shared houses do not.

You may also find the insurance does not cover belongings away from home or during the holidays, so a laptop or iPod lost or stolen while on campus may not be covered.

Peter Gerrard at Moneysupermarket, a price comparison site, said: “Extending parents’ home contents cover may prove to be a false economy.

“Exclusions often apply and any claims could affect no-claims discounts. Given that students are at greater risk of being victims of theft, some parents may prefer to buy a standalone policy.”

Some halls of residence include insurance in their weekly fee. Anyone staying in university accommodation should therefore check whether they are already covered before buying a policy.

The big banks – Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and NatWest – offer insurance as part of their student packages. Barclays, for example, offers cover from £2 a month. The total premium depends on factors such as the address and the amount of cover required. Those living in halls of residence pay less than those in private rented accommodation.

NatWest’s policy is similar. The standard policy costs £15 a year and provides £2,000 worth of cover. However, items such as laptops and mobiles are not included, although they can be added for an extra cost as standard.

Insurers including Endsleigh and Saxon also offer insurance for students. They tend to have a wider range of cover, but are not necessarily cheaper.

Before buying a policy, write down everything that you will be taking to university to make sure you get the right level of cover. If you are taking a bicycle, for example, check it will be insured.

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