Back to School and Insurance: What Ontario Families and Students Should Know

Updated October 2026

Back-to-school season brings plenty of changes for Ontario families.

For younger children, it may mean new routines, extracurricular activities and school supplies. For teenagers, it may involve learning to drive or using the family vehicle more frequently.

For students heading to college or university, the changes can be much greater.

Moving into a student residence, renting an apartment, sharing a house with roommates or taking a vehicle to school can all create new insurance considerations.

While families are busy arranging tuition payments, textbooks, furniture and moving plans, insurance is something that can easily be overlooked.

At L.D. Dermody Insurance Brokers, we encourage parents and students to review their insurance arrangements before the school year begins.

Here are some important questions to consider.

1. Are Your Child's Belongings Covered While Away at School?

Many parents assume that their homeowners insurance automatically covers everything their child takes to college or university.

In some circumstances, a parent's homeowners policy may extend limited personal property coverage to a dependent student temporarily living away from home while attending school.

However, this protection is not automatic under every policy.

Coverage may depend on:

Whether the student qualifies as an insured under the policy.
The student's age and dependency status.
Whether the student is attending school full-time.
Whether the student's permanent residence remains the family home.
Where the student is living.
The policy's limits, conditions and exclusions.

Some insurers provide specific coverage for students temporarily residing away from home, while others have different requirements or limitations.

Before your child moves, ask your insurance broker whether their belongings will be covered under your existing policy.

2. What About Students Living in Residence?

Students living in college or university residences often bring valuable personal belongings with them.

These may include:

Laptop computers.
Tablets and smartphones.
Televisions.
Clothing.
Bicycles.
Musical instruments.
Sports equipment.
Furniture and other personal property.

The combined replacement cost can be surprisingly high.

If a fire, theft or other insured loss occurs, the student may face substantial expenses.

A parent's home insurance policy may provide some protection, subject to the insurer's student coverage provisions.

However, limits and deductibles can apply.

For example, if a laptop is stolen, the amount recoverable may depend on the policy's coverage, deductible and any applicable limitations.

Do not assume that the university or college will insure a student's personal belongings.

Student residences generally have their own rules and responsibilities, and the institution's property insurance should not be relied upon to replace a student's possessions.

3. Does a Student Renting an Apartment Need Tenant Insurance?

Students renting an apartment or house off campus should seriously consider tenant insurance.

Some landlords require tenants to carry insurance as a condition of the lease.

Even when it is not required, tenant insurance can provide valuable protection.

A typical tenant insurance policy may include three important components.

Personal Property Coverage

This can protect a student's belongings against certain insured losses, such as fire or theft.

Depending on the policy, coverage may extend to belongings kept at the rented premises and, in some circumstances, temporarily elsewhere.

Personal Liability Coverage

Personal liability insurance can provide protection if the student is held legally responsible for certain bodily injury or property damage claims.

For example, if a student's negligence causes a fire that damages the rented property or neighbouring units, a liability claim could result.

Whether the policy responds depends on the circumstances and coverage wording.

Additional Living Expenses

If an insured loss makes the rented accommodation unfit to live in, tenant insurance may help cover certain additional living expenses while repairs are completed.

This coverage is subject to the policy's conditions and limits.

Doesn't the Landlord's Insurance Cover Everything?

No.

A landlord's insurance generally protects the landlord's interests, such as the building.

It does not normally replace the tenant's personal belongings or provide the tenant with personal liability insurance.

This is one of the most common misunderstandings about renting.

4. What if the Student Shares a House With Roommates?

Sharing accommodation is common among college and university students.

However, roommates should not assume they are all insured under one tenant insurance policy.

A policy arranged in one student's name may not automatically insure the belongings or liability of unrelated roommates.

Depending on the insurer, separate policies may be required or other arrangements may be available.

Each student should confirm how their own belongings and liability exposures are insured.

It is also important to understand who is named on the lease and whether the insurance arrangements reflect the occupancy of the property.

For example, if four students share a rented house, one student's tenant insurance policy should not automatically be assumed to protect all four occupants.

5. What About Expensive Electronics and Other Valuables?

Students frequently take expensive electronics and other personal belongings to school.

Some items may be subject to special policy limits or exclusions.

Examples can include:

High-value bicycles.
Jewellery.
Musical instruments.
Specialized computer equipment.
Cameras.
Collectibles.

Coverage for accidental damage, unexplained disappearance or theft away from the insured premises may also vary.

If your child owns particularly valuable items, discuss them with your broker before they leave for school.

Depending on the insurer, additional coverage or a separate policy may be appropriate.

It is also a good idea to maintain photographs, receipts or other records of valuable property.

These can be useful if a claim occurs.

6. Is Your Student Taking a Vehicle to School?

Automobile insurance is another important consideration when a student moves away.

Suppose your child is listed as a driver on the family automobile policy but will now be attending university several hours from home.

The insurance company should be advised of the change.

Relevant questions may include:

Will the student take a vehicle to school?
Where will the vehicle be kept?
Will the student use it regularly?
Will the student continue to drive vehicles at the family home?
How often will the student return home?
Has the student's principal residence changed?

Insurance companies use information about drivers, vehicle use and where vehicles are principally kept to determine eligibility and premiums.

A vehicle kept at a university or college during the school year should not automatically be insured as though it remains at the family home.

Failing to disclose the actual location and use of a vehicle can create insurance complications.

7. What if Your Child Goes Away to School Without a Car?

If a student moves away without taking a vehicle, there may be opportunities to review the automobile insurance arrangements.

Some insurers offer discounts or rating adjustments for eligible students who attend school away from home without regular access to an insured vehicle.

Eligibility requirements vary.

For example, an insurer may consider the distance between the school and the family home, whether the student has access to a vehicle and how frequently they return.

Other insurers may have different rules.

Do not assume that a student should simply be removed from the family automobile policy because they are away at school.

The student may still drive during holidays, weekends or summer breaks.

Ask your broker to review the available options and explain how the student should be listed.

8. What About Newly Licensed Teenagers?

Back-to-school season is also a good time to review automobile insurance when a teenager obtains a driver's licence.

In Ontario, drivers progress through the graduated licensing system, beginning with a G1 licence.

When a household member becomes licensed, the automobile insurer should be informed in accordance with its requirements.

The effect on premiums depends on factors such as:

The driver's licence class.
Driving experience.
Whether the driver is a principal or occasional operator.
Vehicles in the household.
Insurer rating rules.
Available discounts.

Some insurers offer discounts for approved driver training programs or eligible students.

The availability and requirements of these discounts vary.

For more information, see our article Why Is Insurance So Expensive for Young Drivers?

9. Can Your Child Drive a Roommate's Car?

Students sometimes borrow vehicles from friends or roommates.

However, borrowing a vehicle does not automatically mean every driver is covered in every circumstance.

Ontario automobile insurance policies contain provisions governing permitted drivers, vehicle use and other requirements.

Coverage can be affected by matters such as whether the driver has a valid licence, whether the owner has given permission, the driver's regular access to the vehicle and whether any applicable policy restrictions are breached.

If a student regularly drives a roommate's vehicle, the vehicle owner should discuss the arrangement with their insurance provider.

Similarly, if someone else regularly drives a vehicle insured under your family's policy, notify your broker.

It is better to clarify the arrangements in advance than to discover a problem following an accident.

10. What if Your Student Works or Runs a Small Business?

Many students earn income while attending school.

Some work part-time for employers, while others operate their own businesses.

Examples include:

Tutoring.
Photography.
Online retail sales.
Freelance design.
Computer repair.
Lawn maintenance.
Other personal or professional services.

A student's business activities may create exposures that are not covered by a parent's home insurance or a standard tenant insurance policy.

Business equipment, inventory and liability arising from commercial activities may require separate consideration.

If a student operates a business from home, residence or rented accommodation, discuss the activities with your broker.

For more information, see our article What Insurance Do Ontario Small Businesses Actually Need?

11. What About Studying Outside Ontario?

Students attending school in another province or outside Canada may have different insurance considerations.

A parent's property insurance may provide some coverage for an eligible student temporarily living away from home, but the geographic scope and eligibility requirements should be confirmed.

Automobile insurance also requires careful review when a vehicle will be kept outside Ontario for an extended period.

For students studying abroad, additional considerations may include:

Travel medical insurance.
Emergency medical expenses.
Trip interruption.
Personal belongings.
Personal liability.
Local insurance requirements.

Provincial health coverage may not pay all medical expenses incurred outside Ontario or Canada.

Travel insurance should be reviewed carefully, including coverage limits, exclusions, eligibility requirements and any restrictions relating to pre-existing medical conditions.

Students should also check whether their educational institution provides or requires particular insurance coverage.

12. Does Your Insurance Cover a Student's Bicycle?

Bicycles are a common form of transportation on college and university campuses.

Unfortunately, bicycle theft is also a concern.

Some home and tenant insurance policies provide coverage for bicycles, subject to deductibles and policy limitations.

However, high-value bicycles may have special limits or require additional coverage.

For example, a student with an expensive electric bicycle should confirm how the insurer classifies and covers the vehicle.

Depending on its design and characteristics, an electric bicycle may be treated differently from a conventional bicycle.

Students should use secure locks, record serial numbers and retain purchase information.

13. What Happens if a Student Accidentally Causes Damage?

Accidents can happen in student accommodation.

For example:

A cooking accident causes a fire.
An overflowing bathtub damages the unit below.
A guest is injured in the rented premises.
A student accidentally damages another person's property.

Depending on the circumstances, a student could face a liability claim.

Personal liability insurance under a tenant or qualifying homeowners policy may provide protection against certain claims.

However, coverage depends on the wording, exclusions and circumstances of the incident.

This is one reason tenant insurance can be important even when a student owns relatively few belongings.

The potential financial consequences of a liability claim can be much greater than the value of the student's personal property.

14. Should Parents Remove a Student From Their Home Insurance?

Not automatically.

A child attending college or university may continue to qualify for certain coverage under a parent's homeowners policy.

However, eligibility depends on the insurer's definition of an insured person and the circumstances.

For example, the insurer may consider whether the student remains dependent, attends school full-time and ordinarily resides at the family home when not attending school.

A student who permanently moves out, establishes a separate household or no longer meets the policy's requirements may need their own insurance.

Rather than making assumptions, review the living arrangements with your broker.

15. An Insurance Checklist Before School Starts

Before your child heads to school, consider these questions:

Will they live in residence or rent accommodation off campus?
Are their belongings covered under your existing home insurance?
Would a separate tenant insurance policy be appropriate?
Do they have expensive electronics, bicycles or other valuables?
Will they share accommodation with roommates?
Are they taking a vehicle to school?
Will they continue driving family vehicles during visits home?
Have they recently obtained a driver's licence?
Are they operating a business while attending school?
Are they studying outside Ontario or Canada?

Not every question will apply to every family.

However, a short insurance review can help identify potential gaps before the school year begins.

Insurance Needs Change as Children Grow

As children move from elementary school to high school, college, university and eventually independent living, their insurance needs change.

A newly licensed teenager presents different considerations from a university student renting an apartment.

Likewise, a student who moves away without a vehicle may have different automobile insurance needs from one who takes a car to campus.

These changes can affect coverage, eligibility and premiums.

The important thing is to keep your insurance broker informed.

At L.D. Dermody Insurance Brokers, we can help Ontario families review their home, tenant and automobile insurance arrangements as students move into new stages of life.

If your child is moving away to school, renting accommodation or beginning to drive, contact L.D. Dermody Insurance Brokers. We would be pleased to help you review your insurance needs before the school year begins.

This article provides general insurance information for Ontario families and students as of October 2026. Insurance availability, eligibility, coverage, limits, deductibles and exclusions vary by insurer and policy. Confirm specific coverage and reporting requirements with your insurance broker or insurer.