Students urged to add belongings to parents' policies

Students are being advised to save money by insuring their belongings onto their parents' home contents cover free of charge.

Insuresupermarket.com points out students are unlikely to consider arranging insurance for their contents before embarking on university life, especially for financial reasons.

However, Richard Mason, director of insuresupermarket.com, advises students to add their possessions to their parents' existing home contents cover in order to save money.

He added: "Students can add their possessions onto their parents? existing home contents cover. Several of the big insurers including Norwich Union, Lloyds TSB and esure.com offer this option for no extra charge.

"The cover includes up to £5,000 worth of possessions or 15 per cent of the sum insured on the parents? policy (normally about £30,000 therefore providing insurance for £4,500 worth of possessions).

"It?s easy to do and will save much needed cash at a time when budgeting is impossible and there?s no spare cash in the wallet."