Student Contents Insurance 2025
Helping you to find the best student contents insurance and why you might need it.
As if moving to uni wasn’t scary enough, you’ve probably heard many horror stories of belongings being damaged, lost or even stolen while in student housing and accommodation.
Of course, these things happen whether you’re a student or not, but moving into a new place with new people can be a good time to set some precautions. Students can often be a target of theft, especially around freshers, when lots of new people are moving into a new place, with lots of tech and gadgets to boot.
Something that could save yourself from the stress and anxiety of your belongings going missing is student contents insurance. Our recent Freshers Report showed that 82% of you felt like school hadn’t given you enough financial education. That includes things like insurance — or anything to do with finances for that matter.
So, you’re in luck. We’ve got everything you need to know about student contents insurance in the UK and even where to get the best student contents insurance from.
And there’s more where that came from – our freshers guide answers all the questions you have on preparing for, moving to and starting uni.
In this guide:
- Best student contents insurance
- What is student contents insurance?
- How does student contents insurance work?
- Do students need contents insurance?
- What does student contents insurance cover?
- What doesn’t student content insurance cover?
- How to save money on student contents insurance
- FAQS
Best student contents insurance
There are several providers that can help with contents insurance, so we’ve gathered some of the best student contents insurance providers, to make that search a little easier!
1. Cover4Insurance
Specialising in student insurance, Cover4Insurance provides one of the best value student contents insurance for uni accommodation.
Compulsory cover includes personal possessions like computers and equipment, protecting them against loss or damage by flood, fire, storm, theft, and similar causes.
You can choose from a range of optional extensions, including:
- Accidental damage to landlord’s property (Tenants Liability)
- Course fees and rental protection
- Musical instruments
- Personal accident and criminal assault
Get 10% student discount with Cover4Insurance
2. Endsleigh
Endsleigh’s studentGuard insurance is a flexible cover with no interest added on top of your monthly payments.
Their standard student contents insurance includes:
- loss from theft
- attempted theft
- malicious damage
- fire and flood
- theft of items being transported to and from your student home
- mugging and assault cover
You can also add additional cover for things such as mobile phones, personal possessions, and accidental damage.
Get up to 15% off Endsleigh student contents insurance
3. Urban Jungle
From just £5 a month, you can get a student contents insurance policy from Urban Jungle. They don’t charge interest if you choose to pay monthly, allowing you to save a little bit more of your student budget.
A great thing about Urban Jungle is that they allow you to make changes to your policy for free, enabling you to add or remove additional coverage to suit your needs. You can even add ‘communal areas’ to your cover, to help protect your belongings in shared spaces – like a student kitchen.
Their standard policy includes cover against:
- Accidental damage
- Flood or fire damage
- Accidental damage to your landlords possessions (Tenants Liability)
- Theft/attempt of theft
4. Sainsbury’s Bank
Sainsbury’s Bank standard cover includes theft at home or term time accommodation (including laptop, tablets, mobiles, cameras), plus accidental damage to your laptop.
You can also add additional cover to protect your mobile from accidental damage, as well as smart watches.
Sainsbury’s offers their student contents insurance as part of home cover, so if you live with your parents and they’re covered by Sainsbury’s, you’ll automatically be covered when you go to university – saving the hassle of trying to sort out a new policy.
Get Sainsbury’s Bank Insurance
5. MoneySuperMarket
Comparison sites like MoneySuperMarket will give you more insight into the best insurance policies, including ones that aren’t student-specific.
Fill out a form based on your accommodation situation and what you would like covered, and the site will match the best deals to you. It’s a super easy way to compare a range of policies.
Compare insurance with MoneySuperMarket
Check your student bank account too
Some student bank accounts will offer student contents insurance as part of their package, especially if you pay a small price each month. So it’s definitely worth checking some of the best student bank accounts to see if you could get a good deal.
What is student contents insurance?
Student contents insurance offers financial protection for your belongings while you’re at university. This cover is designed to help with the cost of replacing personal items if they are stolen, lost, or damaged.
It provides valuable peace of mind, knowing your possessions are protected. You might also consider looking into gadget insurance for students for additional coverage for your essential tech in case of accidents or emergencies.
How does student contents insurance work?
Student contents insurance operates much like car insurance.
If your possessions are damaged by fire, stolen, or experience another covered event, you can file a claim and receive a payout. This payout will cover the cost of repairs or replacements, minus the excess specified in your policy. The excess is your personal contribution to the claim and varies depending on your policy and how much you’re willing to pay.
Before taking out an insurance policy, it’s important to ensure you have enough coverage for all your belongings, especially those you value most or that are highly valuable. You wouldn’t want to file a claim only to discover that half of your possessions aren’t covered.
Also, when considering contents insurance, remember that you don’t need building insurance. That’s your landlord’s responsibility, so be sure not to pay for something you don’t need!
Do students need contents insurance?
Moving out for the first time can be daunting, especially when living with new people. Being prepared is key.
Student contents insurance isn’t legally required, but it’s a smart choice for your protection. Students often have valuable items like laptops, phones, and other tech, which can make them targets for theft.
Beyond theft, accidents such as fires can damage your belongings, and replacing them can be very expensive. With contents insurance, you won’t have to spend hundreds or even thousands of pounds to replace your possessions, which is particularly helpful on a tight student budget.
If you own valuable or sentimental items, such as family jewellery or expensive electronics, considering student contents insurance is a good idea. For the best coverage, purchase your insurance as early as possible once you know your new address. This ensures you’re covered from the moment you move in.
What does student contents insurance cover?
Student contents insurance policies vary, so always check the fine print to understand your coverage. Most policies cover damage or theft in student accommodation, typically including:
- Gadgets (phones, laptops, etc.)
- Books
- Furniture
- Clothes
- Musical instruments
You can often customise your policy with extra protection for high-value items. Items worth over £1,500 may need to be individually listed as ‘high-value items’.
What doesn’t student content insurance cover?
Some student contents insurance policies come with exclusions, meaning certain events or items are not covered as standard. These commonly include:
- Accidental damage: Damage caused by accidents is typically not covered but can often be added to your policy as an extra.
- Items stolen outside your accommodation: This can usually be included as an add-on, often as personal possessions cover.
- High-value items: Items worth more than £1,500 that are not specifically named on your policy are generally excluded.
- Theft from unoccupied accommodation: If your student accommodation is left empty for a certain period (usually 30 days), theft may not be covered.
- Theft without signs of forced entry: Policies often exclude theft if there is no evidence of forced entry into the accommodation.
You can usually add these additional coverages to your policy if they are available.
How to save money on student contents insurance
Tight student budgets are a given, so saving money is probably high on your list.
Luckily, we’ve got some tips and tricks to help you lower the cost of your student contents insurance.
Here’s how to potentially reduce your premiums:
- Compare and shop around: Don’t settle for the first quote. Get multiple prices and policy details from different insurers.
- Haggle: Don’t be afraid to call insurers and negotiate!
- Pay annually: If you can, pay for your policy upfront, as annual costs are often lower than monthly payments.
- Accurately value your items: Ensure you’re not overpaying by valuing your belongings correctly, but also don’t under-insure, which could cost you more in the long run.
- Increase your excess: Opting for a higher excess (the amount you contribute to a claim) usually reduces your overall monthly premium.
- Boost security: Installing security measures like alarms or locks might lead to a lower cost.
- Read the small print: Always review the terms and conditions carefully to avoid any unexpected surprises.
FAQs
Do student houses have contents insurance?
Always check with your university accommodation provider — whether that’s a private landlord or university halls.
Some accommodation packages may have certain insurance included, so it’s worth checking before you fork out for it yourself.
Do you need insurance for student halls?
From a personal view, you should opt for student contents insurance when living in student halls. These halls are typically communal and you’ll be living with several people you don’t know very well, so for your peace of mind, insuring your belongings is a smart move.
Some student halls may include contents insurance, so always check with your accommodation provider to see what’s included and what isn’t.
It’s not a legal requirement to have student contents insurance, but it’s something worth considering as theft between students sharing spaces isn’t entirely unheard of.
Are students covered by their parents’ insurance?
If you live with parents or guardians, check if their home contents insurance covers students. Some will cover children who have moved away for university.
Typically, your parent’s address will still have to be your permanent address, but since uni accommodation is mostly temporary, it shouldn’t be an issue.
Unlock even more with Student Beans
All your favourite brands at your fingertips, from fashion and beauty to food and drink, available to college and uni students aged 16 and over. Dive into our blog to find tips and advice to help you navigate student life, from applying to uni to life after graduation.
- Sign up to a Student Beans account now or login to start saving on the biggest and best brands.
- Download the Student Beans app to unlock exclusive app-only discounts to make student life a little bit more affordable.
