| Students are often portrayed as being lazy, | | | | The task of insurance, however, usually falls to |
| indolent, or, perhaps most damningly of all: scruffy. | | | | the parent. This has not gone unnoticed by the |
| But todays students are often more active and | | | | UK banking industry and, aside from the traditional |
| involved than their parents, and they demand the | | | | insurance providers, the high street banks plus |
| rewards that come with this behaviour. Valuable | | | | their myriad financial solution offshoots (see |
| pieces of equipment are de rigueur in many of | | | | Barclays - for an example of the sheer range of |
| the UKs student halls; parents having lavished | | | | products available), there are a growing number |
| attention upon their offspring in the form of gifts, | | | | of new competitors to the insurance market. The |
| money and, increasingly, credit cards cards | | | | icing on the cake is that even from within |
| immediately used to go out and purchase more | | | | individual insurance services there are usually a |
| shiny offerings. | | | | number of differing insurance packages to choose |
| In fact, the operation involved in conveying a | | | | from. Making the right choice from so many |
| freshly minted student to the halls of their | | | | insurance packages can ease the financial burden |
| choosing can take on a military bearing as their | | | | of insuring your child through their student years. |
| hi-fi, decks, television, and computers are loaded | | | | Its often a good idea to use an insurance provider |
| into and on top of the car chosen to risk the | | | | databases service like Moneynet ( ) to check on |
| soon-to-be-familiar route to the student halls. This, | | | | the current rates and insurance packages |
| of course, is not to mention the miniaturised | | | | available, if only because services such as these |
| electronics that go hand in hand with their larger | | | | are constantly updated with the latest insurance |
| brothers: the mp3 player and omnipresent mobile | | | | or, indeed, banking, information. However, the |
| phone (fortunately these are, now, becoming one | | | | next stage comes down to personal choice: do |
| and the same) all are essential student equipment. | | | | you want to extend your home insurance to |
| It doesnt stop at electrical goods either, as | | | | cover student possessions away from home? Or |
| expensive clothing hits higher on the priority list of | | | | perhaps you want a separate service from a |
| our average student todays student is, after all, | | | | provider catering specifically to the student |
| on display for their sartorial elegance as much as | | | | insurance sector? Or, and this might be just a |
| for their intellectual prowess. | | | | touch too far, do you want a service that your |
| All of which begs the question: What if it all | | | | new student can monitor themselves, thus |
| justdisappears? | | | | learning the importance of financial considerations |
| Theft, as it always has, runs rife throughout the | | | | to modern lifestyles? |
| UK a recent survey by the Home Office ( ) | | | | Well, its risky, but the choice is yours. |
| shows that there has been a 4% rise in robbery | | | | Disclaimer |
| in April to June 2005 compared to the same | | | | All information contained in this article is for |
| period a year earlier, while UK crime figures have | | | | general information purpose only and should not |
| increased generally for the first time in six years. | | | | be construed as advice under the financial |
| Apart from the figures, student insurance has | | | | Services act 1986. You are strongly advised to |
| become more of a priority as UK consumer | | | | take appropriate professional and legal advice |
| society tightens its grip on another generation of | | | | before entering into any binding contracts. |
| students. | | | | |