A College Student’s Guide to Connecticut Renters Insurance
A College Student’s Guide to Connecticut Renters Insurance
Although your days are often hectic and you constantly find yourself expending all your energy in late night study sessions, at the end of a long day the best feeling is coming home to a comfortable bed. Whether you decide to live in a dorm, on campus housing, or an apartment nearby; anything is better than your college’s library. When you leave the comforts of your parents’ home, it will be a noticeable transition to a different living arrangement. You will start to mentally construct a list of necessities such as amenities, parking, and proximity to campus. Whichever route you choose there will be expected and unexpected obstacles, so here is a brief guideline to choosing a college living arrangement to rent & setting up your Connecticut renters insurance policy.
There will be pros and cons that you need to consider prior to deciding to live in a dorm, on campus housing, or an apartment. Make a list of priorities and see which type of living arrangements meets most of your requirements.
Off campus apartment
- Location: You are able to choose your proximity to your college or university, however take into consideration your mode of transportation. Will you have your car or rely on public transportation or will you walk? If you do rely on public transportation consider living near the closest bus stop. Be realistic with your commute before you sign the lease. Many students would prefer to live walking distance to campus simple for the extra half-hour of sleep they will incur. You may also want to consider if you live close to a shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Since you will not have the convenience of an on campus dining halls, you may want to be nearby a grocery store if you are walking there. If you are an active student you may also want to live by a walking or bike trail. Also if you are employed, does the distance to your work matter?
- Limited choices: Many apartment communities and even landlords are hesitant to rent to students and some will not allow it at all.
- Noise: Some apartment communities near campus house a substantial amount of students, so the noise level may be louder than communities further away.
- Layout/Amenities: What amenities are necessities and what amenities are luxurious but desired? There are many apartments with a pool and a clubhouse, and some more costly apartment communities have a gym, sauna, yoga room, business center, and game room. Also consider your laundry preferences; do you need to have one inside your apartment or will community laundry rooms suffice? In Connecticut winters can get frigid; would you prefer a parking garage?
- Most if not all these elements vary depending on your budget. Many apartment communities allow you to have a co-signer, while some will not. Regardless, whoever signs the lease needs good credit history. Apart from the monthly rent consider utilities, gas, security deposit, and groceries.
Dorms:
- Social life: If you are a first year, moving away from home and friends may be a hard transition. However living in the dorms will encourage you to make friends and some universities even have designated halls such as engineering, foreign exchange, and honors. It is also really close to the library, bookstore, and student services. Since most first years do not opt to bring a vehicle, living in the dorms might be the best choice.
- Expenses: Although living in the dorms may seem costly it includes many conveniences that off campus apartments and on campus housing does not offer such as meal cards to the dining hall and internet access.
- Privacy: Many students decide to live off campus due to lack of privacy, communal bathrooms, and would just prefer to have their own space.
On-Campus Housing:
- Availability: Many universities reserve on-campus housing to upperclassmen.
- Living at an on-campus community integrates many elements of both off-campus apartments and the dorms. Due to the proximity to school you will have similar conveniences such as the library, bookstore, and student services. Most of these communities give you the choice of living with your preferred roommates and some will assign you one or two. Unlike a dormitory, on-campus housing allows you to cook in your own kitchen and you will either have your own bathroom or will have to share with one other person.
- On-Campus housings provides both convenience and privacy, however, it may be much more costly. Review your necessities and your budget to make the best possible decision for you.
The Byrnes Agency offers college students Renters insurance at very reasonable prices.We’ll be happy to sit with you and discuss your options when it comes to Renters insurance. We’ll go over limits and low-cost deductibles that can help save you money. Just give us a call, email, or fill out the form on this page.
http://www.petersons.com/college-search/campus-housing-college-decision.aspx