"We look forward to engaging with Universities and accommodation providers, as well as our existing clients in the Education and Housing sector."
- David Birch, David Birch, Managing Director, SME and Partnerships, at Gallagher
According to Gallagher, many students don’t take out insurance cover on a personal basis, so when items are stolen they often look to their accommodation provider to assist.
However, traditional landlord insurance doesn’t cover tenant belongings, only the property itself. As such, Gallagher has designed this product to be bought by universities and student accommodation providers so they can provide it to their student residents.
Gallagher’s Student Assist is available to students living on and off university campuses and protects possessions inside their accommodation, including laptops, tablets, TVs, and phones. Damage to fixtures and fittings are also covered, such as fitted kitchens and bathrooms, boilers, curtains and shelving units that have been damaged.
By offering cover to both the accommodation provider and student under one policy, Student Assist minimises the complexity of claim settlements. It also makes it easier for students to replace their most important items and reduce disruption to their studies.
Universities and accommodation providers can access cover and policy documents on a digital platform via their tablet, laptop or smartphone. The customer journey has been designed for digital natives, with the platform allowing students to make a claim and access on-demand support online.
According to the most recent annual Student Money Survey, 82% of students said that they were worried about their financial resilience. With this in mind, Student Assist gives students the option to insure their belongings when they’re away from their accommodation with cover starting at £1.99 p.m.
Wellbeing services are also offered as part of Student Assist, which has been designed to support mental, physical, and financial health as well as assist students during personal circumstances that could interfere with their studies. Students can access wellbeing tools, counselling and financial support if and when they need it.
Commenting on the launch, David Birch, managing director of SME and partnerships at Gallagher, said:
“We’re delighted to launch our new student proposition for universities and accommodation providers. As the needs and expectations of students continue to evolve, it’s important that the insurance sector finds ways to innovate.
"In response to this, Gallagher has developed Student Assist to make the process of getting insurance easier for both providers and students, with each step carefully considered to drive more value to customers.
“The cover has been designed to reflect the needs of today’s students, with a self-service portal to manage their policy in one place with on-demand support to help students with any queries they may have.”
