Student Housing Insurance Coverage Checklist
The coverages a student housing business may carry — core, prevalent, and situational — why each matters, and the gap most often missed.
Pull out your current policy and check the box next to any coverage you can confirm is already in place — anything unchecked is worth a quick conversation with your advisor. Coverage checklist for privately owned and managed student housing, including purpose-built communities, by-the-bed apartments, and student rental houses. Priorities reflect typical exposure for this class; confirm against the portfolio's actual properties and amenities.
Tick each coverage you can confirm you carry — anything left unticked is a good question for your next policy review.
| Have it? | Coverage | Why this business needs it | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial General Liability | Covers resident and guest injuries in common areas, amenities, and grounds — the core habitational liability exposure. | Core | |
| Assault & Battery / Negligent Security Coverage | Many habitational GL policies exclude or sublimit assault and battery. Negligent-security suits by residents assaulted on site are a leading severity claim for student housing. | Core | |
| Commercial Property | Covers buildings, furnishings in furnished units, and amenity improvements against fire, water, and weather. | Core | |
| Loss of Rents / Business Income | Leases follow the academic year, so a summer loss can idle a building for a full school year — the period of restoration and limit must reflect that. | Core | |
| Workers' Compensation | Required in most states with employees; maintenance and turnover crews face lifting, ladder, and tool injuries. | Core | |
| Umbrella / Excess Liability | Extends limits above GL and auto; assault and fire verdicts in student housing have reached eight figures. | Prevalent | |
| Equipment Breakdown | Covers HVAC, elevators, boilers, and pool equipment — breakdowns can make units uninhabitable during the semester. | Prevalent | |
| Fair Housing / Discrimination Liability | Covers leasing, advertising, accommodation, and assistance-animal claims, which are not bodily injury or property damage and fall outside GL. | Prevalent | |
| Cyber / Privacy Liability | Online leasing collects residents' and parent guarantors' Social Security numbers and financial data. | Prevalent | |
| Employment Practices Liability | Covers claims by leasing staff, maintenance crews, and resident assistants. | Prevalent | |
| Crime / Fidelity | Covers employee theft of rent, deposits, and application fees. | Prevalent | |
| Real Estate / Property Manager E&O | Needed when the applicant manages for third-party owners — covers errors in leasing, deposit handling, and management duties. | Situational | |
| Liquor / Host Liquor Liability | Needed when the property hosts or sponsors resident events where alcohol is served or permitted. | Situational | |
| Commercial Auto | Needed when the property operates a resident shuttle or owns maintenance vehicles. | Situational | |
| Flood | Standard property forms exclude flood; check zone and below-grade parking or amenity space. | Situational |
The coverage gap most often missed
The coverage gap that hurts student housing operators most is an assault and battery exclusion or sublimit on the general liability policy. Residents assaulted on site routinely sue the owner and manager for negligent security — inadequate access control, broken locks, or ignored trespass reports — and recent suits have named both the university and the private manager. A policy with an A&B exclusion can leave the defense and any verdict uninsured. Second, confirm loss-of-rents timing: because leases follow the academic calendar, a fire in July can wipe out a full year of rent, not just the months of repair.
Send us the checklist and we'll review your student housing coverage line by line, then market it across multiple carriers that compete for your account.
Related: Student Housing Insurance · Student Housing Supplemental (apply) · All coverage checklists
Frequently asked questions
What insurance does a student housing business need?
The core coverages for a student housing business are Commercial General Liability, Assault & Battery / Negligent Security Coverage, Commercial Property, Loss of Rents / Business Income, Workers' Compensation. This checklist also lists the prevalent and situational coverages worth considering, with a plain-English note on why each matters.
Is this checklist insurance advice?
No. It is a free educational tool to help you have a more informed conversation with a licensed professional. It affords no coverage and is not insurance, legal, or financial advice — only your actual policy language governs what is and isn't covered.
Can Cory Washington & Co. review my student housing coverage?
Yes. Share your checklist and we'll review your program line by line, market your account across multiple carriers, and explain the trade-offs in plain English. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
This checklist is a free educational tool from Cory Washington & Co. to help you review your own coverage and have a more informed conversation with a licensed insurance professional. It is general information only — not insurance, legal, or financial advice, and not a recommendation to buy, change, or cancel any policy. Coverage terms, availability, limits, and requirements vary by policy, carrier, and state, and only the language in your actual policy governs what is and isn’t covered. Checking or leaving blank any item above does not indicate that you are adequately insured or under-insured. Using this checklist does not create a client, agency, or fiduciary relationship. Always consult a licensed professional about your specific situation.