Acuity Renters Insurance for College Students
Acuity Renters Insurance for college students is a great way for students to protect their personal belongings from damage or loss. College students have enough to worry about just attending school and trying to keep up their grades. They don’t need the added worry of having to replace some or all their belongings in the case of an accident or disaster. How do you know Acuity is the right company for your renter’s insurance? Read this Acuity renters insurance review and discover all they have to offer and what they all cover.
About Acuity Renters Insurance Coverage
Acuity has been in the insurance business since 1925 and continues to provide good service and more than adequate insurance products at affordable prices, including the Acuity renters insurance for college students. Acuity renters insurance covers the personal property whether students live in a dorm, apartment, condo, or a large home in the country.
Renters Insurance Only Covers What’s Inside
It’s important to understand that Acuity renters insurance covers everything you own inside the building, but it does not cover the building. The homeowner or landlord typically pays for the homeowner’s insurance. The renter’s insurance only covers your belongings inside the structure.
Acuity renters insurance will cover loss from fire, storm damage, theft, vandalism, and even loss of items. They protect all the student’s belongings, including clothes, appliances, furniture, electronics, jewelry, sporting equipment, and any other things they own. Whether they’re lost, stolen, or damaged, they’re covered by Acuity renters insurance for college students.
If you happen to own some things that are more valuable, such as jewelry, camera equipment, collectible sports cards, or electronics, you can purchase additional coverage for a very low price. Additionally, if you run a small business out of your rental home, Acuity offers additional coverage to protect those items. Even if you’re traveling across the world, your personal belongings are still covered.
Students can pay their insurance premiums online, over the phone, or through the mail. They can also use autopay and have the payment come out of their checking or savings account automatically every month. A discount is given to students who use autopay. Students can also access and view their accounts online as well.
Acuity renters insurance for college students provides the following coverage:
- Personal property coverage – This coverage protects all your personal belongings from covered losses whether the items are in your rental home or halfway across the world with you.
- Liability coverage – This coverage protects you in case someone sues you if they’re injured on your property whether it’s your fault or not. They’ll even help pay your legal expenses.
- Medical payments – This coverage will pay medical bills if a visitor is injured while in your home and needs medical care.
- Loss of use – This coverage will help pay for you to live somewhere else temporarily while your home is being repaired or replaced. It pays rent, food, and any additional expenses you may have because of the loss.
- Additional endorsements – For a small fee, you can purchase additional insurance for things that are not covered in the basic renter’s insurance policy. They offer things like cyber and identity theft protection, among other things. These things are very affordable. For instance, cyber and identity theft protection is only about $35 per year.
One of the main reasons why students and parents might do an Acuity renters insurance review is to check out the rates. While rates alone should not be the deciding factor when choosing a renters insurance policy, it typically plays a big part. Here are some sample rates for different policies using different variables like location, deductibles, and overall coverage.
Austin, TX Acuity Sample Quote
A student attending college in Austin, Texas, and living in a one-unit home can expect to pay about $281 per year for the following coverage.
- Personal property coverage – $30,000
- Personal liability – $300,000
- Deductible – $500
- Medical payments – $5,000
- Replacement cost of belongings – $0 ($12,000 coverage)
For a lower premium, the student can get the same coverage but with a $1,000 deductible. This would lower the premium to $277. The same student can increase the personal property coverage to $60,000 and the personal liability coverage to $500,000 will see a premium of $394 per year. Increasing the deductible to $1,000 on the higher coverage will lower the $394 premium to $366 per year.
Madison, WI Acuity Sample Quote
A student living in a one-unit apartment in Madison, WI can expect to pay $112 per year for a policy that offers this coverage.
- Personal property coverage – $30,000
- Personal liability – $300,000
- Deductible – $500
- Medical payments – $5,000
- Replacement cost of belongings – $0 ($24,000 coverage)
Renters who wish to increase the personal property coverage to $60,000 and the personal liability coverage to $500,000 will see a premium of $152 per year. Increasing the deductible to $1,000 will lower the $152 premium to $145 per year.
Reno, NV Acuity Sample Quote
A student attending college and living in Reno, Nevada can expect to pay $132 per year for this coverage.
- Personal property coverage – $30,000
- Personal liability – $300,000
- Deductible – $500
- Medical payments – $5,000
- Replacement cost of belongings – $0 ($12,000 coverage)
This student can lower the premium by increasing the deductible to $1,000. The new premium would be $121 per year. If the student wants to stay with the low $500 deductible but wants to increase the coverage, the student would pay $214 per year and would have this coverage.
- Personal property coverage – $60,000
- Personal liability – $1,000,000
- Deductible – $500
- Medical payments – $5,000
- Replacement cost of belongings – $0 ($24,000 coverage)
There are many variables that can increase or decrease the premiums, such as if you have a dog, the type of siding on the home, if you have a roommate, etc. Therefore, the rates above are just close estimates. Things such as discounts can lower the premiums. Acuity renters insurance also offers various add-ons such as:
- Enhancement coverage – $31 per year (things like refrigerator food loss due to power outage, arson reward, tree removal, theft loss of valuables, door lock replacement, credit card theft, and more)
- Sewer, water, and drain backup – $50 per year
- Additional coverage for valuables – $50 per year
Replacement Cost
Another thing that students and customers like about Acuity renters insurance is that they offer replacement costs. Many insurance companies pay actual cash value. What’s the difference? There’s a big difference. With actual cash value, you only get paid what the item is worth at the time of the loss regardless of what you paid for it or how much you need to pay to replace the time. With replacement cost, you’ll get paid what it actually costs you to replace the item.
Many students unfamiliar with insurance terminology purchase renters insurance that pays actual cash value thinking their items will be replaced. If they’re unfortunate enough to suffer a big loss, they quickly discover that they won’t have near enough money to replace their items. This is not the case with Acuity renters insurance for college students because they’ll pay what it actually cost to replace the personal belongings with the same item.
Limits
Acuity renters insurance covers a lot of things and offers some great protection for college students. However, like most insurance companies, there are some limitations. They will not protect you from all risks or perils. For instance liability for damage done by a dangerous dog breed might not be covered.
If you store some of your personal belongings at another location, they’ll be covered with the renter’s insurance, but you’ll need to purchase a little extra insurance. Additionally, your renter’s insurance will not cover your roommate’s belongings. While it will cover high-value items, it will only pay a certain amount if you don’t have additional coverage on these items.
They won’t offer coverage for damage from riots, floods, or earthquakes. If you live in an area common for floods or earthquakes, you can get a separate policy for these things. They will not cover damage from rodents, bed bugs, or similar pests.
Deductibles
The deductible you choose on your renter’s insurance will play a role in determining your premium. It’s also the amount you’re required to pay before Acuity will pay on a claim. Acuity renters insurance offers the choice of a $500 or a $1,000 deductible. If you have a $1,000 deductible and are making a $10,000 claim, you will pay the $1,000, and Acuity will pay the balance or $9,000.
Every renter’s insurance policy has a deductible. If you want to lower your premium, you can increase the deductible on your policy. The insurance companies recommend keeping your deductible at an amount you can afford to pay at the time of loss.
Claims
The claims process for Acuity renters insurance for college students is so simple, straightforward, and convenient, that the company has a 95 percent satisfaction rate with its customers. The claim process consists of four steps.
- Report the claim – You can contact the company online or by telephone.
- Claims adjustor – A claims adjustor or representative will contact you regarding the claim, usually within 24 hours of your reporting the claim.
- Review – The claims adjustor will review your claim to ensure they have all pertinent information.
- Finish – The claim will be completed and reimbursement is made based on your policy and its limitations.
Other Facts about Acuity Renters Insurance
Acuity has been given a rate of A+ by both Standard & Poor’s and A.M. Best. The Better Business Bureau has also given Acuity an A+ grade. Acuity insurance has ranked highly on the Best Homeowners Insurance Companies list due to its affordable rates and great coverage. Doing an Acuity renters insurance review is the best way to determine a company’s good and bad points, and all insurance companies have pros and cons.
Why You Need Renters Insurance
As much as we hate to think about losing our personal belongings being destroyed or lost, it can happen. The Insurance Information Institute reports that, as of 2014, more than 94 percent of homeowners carry homeowners insurance yet less than 40 percent of renters carry renters insurance. Renters’ insurance is every bit as important as homeowner’s insurance. Here are some important reasons why college students should consider getting renters insurance.
- Affordable – Renters insurance is very affordable, especially when you consider what you own and what it all covers.
- Protection – In the case of a covered loss, your personal belongings are protected and will be replaced. The rate of crime continues to increase every year, so students need to protect their personal belongings.
- Your Value – Your personal belongings are worth a lot more than you might realize.
- They’re Your Items – In case of a major loss, your landlord’s insurance will not cover your items. They only cover the building. They’re your items and your responsibility to protect them.
- Liability – Renters insurance will protect you from a lawsuit and pay for medical bills if someone is injured on your property. As much as we hate to think of being sued, it does happen more than we realize.
Get a quote for a renters insurance policy today!
Annie Johnson is a licensed insurance broker, specializing in auto, home and renters insurance products. She reviews insurance content on College Educated for accuracy and has a particular passion for making sure that college students and recent graduates have proper insurance coverage. Her latest passion includes researching all forms of business insurance, to ensure that recent college grads who look to entrepreneurship can have the right protection.