One of the most important things you need to do as a parent is make sure your child is properly insured while they are away at school.

In this blog post, we will discuss the different types of insurance coverage that are available and what you should consider before your child leaves for college.

Do college students need insurance?

There are a few different types of insurance that your college student may need:

Health insurance

This is one of the most important types of insurance for your child to have while they are away at school. If they are not covered by your health insurance plan, you may need to purchase their own health insurance policy.

Dental and vision insurance

These types of policies are not always required, but they can be very helpful if your child needs to see a dentist or optometrist while they are away at school.

Renter’s insurance

If your child is living in a dorm or off-campus apartment, renter’s insurance is a good idea. This type of insurance will protect your child’s belongings in case of theft or damage.

Auto insurance

If your child is bringing a car to college, they will need to have auto insurance. You may be able to add them to your existing policy, or they may need to purchase their own policy.

Costs and Coverage

There are a few things you should consider when you are looking at insurance policies for your college student:

• The cost of the policy: Make sure you compare the costs of different policies before you make a decision. You want to make sure you are getting the best value for your money.

• The coverage: Make sure the policy you choose covers everything that your child needs. You don’t want to be stuck with a bill for something that isn’t covered by the policy.

• The deductibles: Higher deductibles usually mean lower premiums, but make sure you can afford the deducible if you need to use the policy.

Do you have a “Just in Case” plan in place?

If your college student gets hurt, do you have a plan? Are they covered by your insurance? Do you have a way to reach people?

Despite the ubiquity of of cell phones, it can be quite difficult to reach people in an emergency.

• Do you know the name and contact information of a roommate or friends?
• Do you have contact details for their parents?
• Have you provided your contact information to roommates and friends?

The bottom line is that things happen, and it’s important to have a plan in place in case something happens to your college student.

Things to consider other than insurance

Now that we’ve gone over some basics of insurance for your college student, let’s talk about some other things you should keep in mind when they leave for school.

One of the most important things you can do as a parent is stay involved in their life while they are away at school.

It can be tempting to give them their space and let them experience college on their own, but it’s important to stay in touch and be there for them if they need you.

Do I Need a Lawyer?

Another thing to keep in mind is that college is a time when students are exploring their independence.

They may experiment with things that they haven’t tried before. That’s entirely normal. It’s part of the college experience.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy on you as the parent. In fact, it may be one of the hardest challenges you’ve faced thus far as a parent.

Just make sure you talk to them about making safe choices and staying safe while they are away from home.

Finally, don’t forget to have some fun!

College can be a great time for both parents and students. Enjoy this time in your life and make some great memories.

Have you thought about COVID?

What happens if your college student contracts COVID? Will the University or College take care of them?

What happens with their coursework and tests? Who will bring them food or medicine?

These are all valid concerns and it’s important to have a plan in place in case your college student contracts COVID while they are away at school.

The best thing you can do is talk to your child about what they should do if they get sick and make sure they have a list of emergency contacts that they can call if they need help.

You should also make sure that you know the policies of the University or College in regards to COVID.

Each school has different guidelines, so it’s important to be aware of what those are before your child goes off to school.

With a little planning and preparation, you can send your college student off to school with the peace of mind knowing that they are covered in case of an emergency.

Do your research, talk to your child about their plans, and make sure you have a plan in place so that everyone knows what to do if something happens.

You probably don’t have as much access to your child’s records as you may think

As a parent, you probably no longer have access to your child’s medical records if they’ve reached the “age of majority.” That’s 18 years old.

That can be a problem if you need to get information about their health or if they need to see a doctor while they are away at school.

It can be a tremendous problem if your child needs a prescription refilled in short order.

Talk to your child and their doctor(s) before they leave for school and make sure that they have all of the necessary information.

You can also ask the doctor to send copies of any important medical records to you so that you have them in case of an emergency.

Your child may need to execute something called a Medical Authorization and Release Form to do that.

You should also make sure that your child has a list of emergency contacts that they can call if they need help.

These should be people who can help them with anything they need, whether it’s a ride to the doctor or a place to stay if they get sick.

Making sure that you have all of the necessary information before your child leaves for school will help you be prepared in case of an emergency.

Wait, I pay the bills. Do you mean I don’t get to see their grades?

As a parent, you might be used to getting report cards and seeing how your child is doing in school.

That’s not the case in college.

Your child is now considered an adult, which means that their records are protected by privacy laws one of which is called FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

That means that you won’t be able to see their grades or get information about their coursework unless they give you permission.

You can talk to your child about how they want to handle sharing information with you.

Some students prefer to keep their grades private, while others are okay with sharing them with you on a regular basis.

The important thing is to communicate with your child.

What is FERPA?

FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This act protects the privacy of student educational records.

Under this act, colleges and universities must have written permission from the student in order to release any information from their educational records.

That includes grades, transcripts, financial aid information, and more.

As a parent, you might not be able to get access to this information unless your child gives you permission.

It’s important to talk to your child about what they are comfortable sharing with you before they go off to school.

You should also familiarize yourself with your school’s FERPA policy so that you know what information is protected and what isn’t.

Sending your child off to college is a big step.

There are a lot of things to think about, and insurance is one of them.

Make sure you do your research and talk to your child about their plans so that you can be prepared in case of an emergency.

OBX Accident Lawyer – Danny Glover Jr

If you or a loved one are hurt in a car accident, trucking wreck, motorcycle accident, etc., give Outer Banks Lawyers Danny Glover Jr. a ring.

I’ve dedicated my professional career to helping people on the Outer Banks – Danny Glover Jr., OBX Attorney

Our law firm helps with legal matters such as:

• Car Accidents
• Semi Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents and Injuries
• Wrongful Death Lawsuits and Claims

• What is my case worth?
• How will I find out how much my settlement will be?
• Can I ask for my damages?
• How are damages calculated for a wreck in NC?

You are entitled to compensation for all losses attributed to the wreck. That may include medical expenses, lost wages, and money damages – Danny Glover

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Currituck County car wreck case, it makes sense to talk to a lawyer. Experienced accident attorneys can help you understand how to recover:

• Lost Wages
• Medical Bills
• Accident Expenses
• Personal Property Recovery
• Compensation for Permanent Injuries
• Restitution for Scarring and Disfigurement

It can be tough to answer “How much is my car wreck case worth” because I don’t know how the wreck happened.

The first thing experienced lawyers do is gather information.

I don’t know if you share in any part of the fault. I don’t know how much your medical bills are.

I don’t know what your injuries are. I don’t know what your recovery time is going to be.

I don’t know how much your lost income is. Were you left with scarring?

Will this cause permanent injury or damage to any part of your body?

I have to know all of those things before we can ever begin discussing what your case might be worth.

Once you have a chance to meet with a NC wreck attorney you will better understand how to properly file for a claim. Sometimes litigation is necessary for an auto accident. . .but most often matters are settled prior to reaching trial in court.

At the Glover Law Firm, we like to sit down with you. We want to understand your case, what is important to you, and give you advice on what we think is the best way to move forward.

That involves collecting evidence, reviewing accident reports from the scene, consulting with police officers, witnesses, and preparing a demand package for the insurance carrier.

Many if not most NC wreck cases in Currituck County are settled without having to go to court. That may include going through mediation or arbitration in North Carolina.

There really is no such thing as an accident. Wrecks are caused because someone wasn’t doing the right thing – Danny Glover

Then of course we have to look at what part of the state you’re in because some counties give higher verdicts than other counties and we have to look at what insurance company you’re dealing with.

LEARN MORE: NO SUCH THING AS AN ACCIDENT

Some companies can be more reasonable at times.

Other insurance companies are never reasonable and are going to low-ball you and fight you tooth and nail until the end.

Call Now for Free Consultation (252)-299-5300

It is important to understand the various types of automobile insurance coverages so that you can purchase the appropriate types and amounts of coverage needed to fully protect you and your family in the event of an vehicle accident. This article will focus on the types of automobile insurance coverages related to physical injuries, not property damage.

LIABILITY COVERAGE: If you cause a wreck and injure others, then you owe those whom you injured compensation for their harms and losses, such as medical expenses, lost wages, permanent injury, physical pain and mental suffering, scarring, etc.

Automobile liability coverage pays that money for you. Before this coverage gets paid to someone else, either your insurance company must acknowledge that you caused the wreck, or you must have been determined at-fault in court.

Insurance Law issues can be pretty complicated. We’re her to help answer your questions – Danny Glover

The minimum required liability coverage amount for most automobiles in North Carolina is referred to as “minimum limits”: $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident. However, with medical costs being as high as they are, the minimum $30,000 liability policy is often insufficient to fully protect you if you seriously injure someone else.

In the event that you have insufficient liability coverage amounts to fully compensate those that you injured, then you would owe the remainder personally.

Therefore, I recommend that you purchase a minimum of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident. This would mean that if you cause a wreck and injure other(s), then you have $100,000 of coverage to pay to any one person and $300,000 total to pay to everyone injured a wreck, in the event that more than one person is injured.

SEE MORE: How to use insurance when injured in a car wreck

MEDICAL PAYMENTS COVERAGE: This is a voluntary, no-fault coverage that benefits you by paying money to you if you incur medical bills related to a wreck, regardless of who caused the wreck.

Typically, you can purchase $1,000, $2,000, $5,000 or $10,000 worth of “med. pay.” coverage.

SEE MORE: North Carolina Motor Vehicle Liability Policy Law 2017

Once you incur medical expenses and present those bills to your automobile insurance company, then your automobile insurance company writes you a check for the full amount of the original bill, or up to the amount of your “med. pay.” coverage limits, whichever is less.

SEE MORE: 4 Ways Your Automobile Insurance Can Increase

Practically, this money comes in handy if you are in a wreck and have to pay 1) health insurance co-pays or deductibles, 2) ve

hicle repairs, 3) a new vehicle down payment, and/or 4) ordinary bills if you are out-of-work due to injuries.

UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE: This is perhaps the most important, and usually cheapest, coverage that you should purchase. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage protects you by paying you for your harms and losses if someone else caused the wreck and injured you but that person did not have any automobile insurance, i.e., uninsured.

Underinsured motorist coverage applies if that other person did not have enough automobile insurance to fully compensate you, i.e., underinsured. UM/UIM coverage can be purchased up to $1,000,000.00, typically for just a few hundred dollars per year. UM/UIM coverage not only protects you, but it also protects any relative who was residing with you on the date of the wreck, regardless of what vehicle he/she was in when injured, whether owned by you or not, whether covered under your automobile policy or not, and even if he/she was injured by a vehicle while riding a bike or while walking.

As you can see, this is very important coverage to protect you and your family.

Danny Glover, Jr.
Glover Law Firm
406 S. Griffin St., Suite B
Elizabeth City, N.C. 27909
252-299-5300
danny@dannygloverlawfirm.com