Protecting your personal belongings while you are a resident of University Housing is an important thing to consider before your move in. Having a renter’s insurance policy in place to protect your possessions is an important part of that plan.
As outlined in the University Housing Community Guide: “Residents are responsible for insuring against the loss of, or damage to, personal property and for personal injury (either through their parents’ or guardians’ homeowner’s policy or via renter’s insurance).”
Additionally, the University Housing Agreement, which all residents sign at the time of the Housing Application through the Housing Resident Portal, states in Section 16—“Responsibility for personal property: The University does not assume any legal or financial obligation for any resident’s personal property that may be lost or damaged in its buildings or on its grounds. The student or their parents are encouraged to carry appropriate insurance to cover such losses.”
The Office of University Housing and Residence Life strongly encourages all residents to acquire their own renter’s insurance or discuss with their parents or guardians the implications of using their home owner’s or renter’s insurance, should the need for a claim arise.
Please take a look at the University Housing Renter’s Insurance Guide. It has all sorts of important information to help you think about why having renter’s insurance in place is something that you need to have set up.
If you do not have an established relationship with an insurance company, there are links below to two firms. Both the Horace Mann and CSI Insurance Agency, Inc. have good reputations throughout higher education. Neither UofSC Aiken nor University Housing will benefit in any way if you decide to purchase one of their insurance plans, nor are there products or services endorsed by UofSC Aiken or University Housing. These links are provided simply as a service to our residents.
Again, we do recommend that you have some kind of insurance package in place before you move in, as neither UofSC Aiken nor University Housing is responsible for damages to or losses of your personal property. However, if you did not do this before you move in, it is not too late to set up your renter’s insurance.
Lastly, please note that many families will find that they have enough coverage through their homeowners or renters insurance policies to cover their student staying on campus, but it is important to have that conversation about the insurance coverage before the need arises.