On-campus thefts not covered
Students encouraged to buy their own property insurance

Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of stories that examine housing options on and off campus.

By Jillanne Johnson
Staff Reporter

In the past year, 22 thefts in on-campus residence halls have been reported, said Sgt. J.C. Drake of the TCU Police.

However, the university only insures university property, said Roger Fisher, director of residential services. Fisher said because that is the case, students living in residence halls should be sure they have insurance coverage for their personal belongings.

Fisher said about every two months, someone comes to his office about a theft.

“We are on a campus that is fairly safe, but unfortunately theft happens,” Fisher said.

All students must sign a housing contract prior to housing registration. According to the contract, TCU is not liable for students’ personal property for any reason, and it encourages students to carry their own property insurance.

“The likelihood of something like the fire at Seton Hall happening is not great, but (any) event could be a catastrophe,” Fisher said.

Fisher said he wants students to be responsible by checking with their parents’ insurance company and then calling around if they think they need further coverage.

Howard Ryerson, an underwriting consultant for Prudential Insurance, said the first thing his company suggests is for students to check their parents’ homeowners policy. He said depending on the state of residence and type of coverage, most homeowners’ plans cover a student’s property off the premise of the home.

All-State spokeswoman Toni Harrison said the company’s homeowner’s insurance covers off-premises belongings up to 10 percent of the plan’s contents coverage. So, if the contents of a home are insured for $120,000, a student’s belongings in the residence hall will be covered up to $12,000.

Fisher said students are responsible for damage they cause to other peoples’ property. If a student is the cause of a fire or pipe break, then other students could hold them responsible for their property as well.

“I’ve known a case where parents of a student who was injured in a fire sued the student who started the fire,” Fisher said.

Harrison said that All-State would cover the damage caused by another student but would also try to hold that person liable for the costs incurred by the damage.

Fisher said the problem with coverage through homeowners insurance is that many parents raise their deductible over the amount of property a student has in the residence halls. For example, if the deductible on a homeowners policy is $2,000 or $3,000, then damage to a computer that costs $1,500 would be the responsibility of the student to cover.

State Farm agent Earl Wood said in the last couple of years, the demand on insurers due to natural disasters has caused deductibles to rise. Wood said Texas deductibles remain higher than in other states because of weather conditions.

“We’re moving most deductibles up to a $1,000 to protect the masses from higher premiums,” Wood said.

Wood said when students move off campus they should also research what type of coverage would be most appropriate for their residence. Depending on the homeowners policy of the parents, students are covered differently as long as they are considered residence of their parents’ home.

Jillanne Johnson
j.johnson@student.tcu.edu