Exchange Students and Homeowner’s Insurance Policies

The coverage in a homeowner’s insurance policy often lists certain exclusions that the host family may need to understand when hosting a foreign exchange student in the house. The policyholder may need to review the coverage or contact the insurance carrier for a better explanation, but the document may provide additional information about the coverage.

The homeowner’s life insurance policy exists for accidents, injuries and incidents within the home for anyone covered and guests. This generally includes family members, friends and those invited into the home. However, foreign exchange students may constitute a member of the family as well when he or she lives in the house through the hosting household. There are additional insurance policies in place with the exchange student as well to cover most medical emergencies and complications that may arise while the student is in the United States. However, if any issues with the coverage arise, the policyholder may need to contact the carrier.

The Policy Coverage

Most homeowner’s insurance policies extend to a student away from home. Others include relatives and friends that are in the house and experience an accident. If the family hosts an exchange student from another state or country, the insurance policy may encompass this person as well unless the policy itself states a specific exclusion. Coverage generally pays compensation for the incident to the home or person. This could include medical fees, reimbursement for what the person pays before the policy covers it and several other items. Personal liability in these matters is important and may provide for an accident in the home during the hosting period.

Personal Liability in the Coverage

When at home, there are several items that the homeowner’s insurance policy will cover. Even if the exchange student is not part of the family or considered as such by the coverage of the insurance, the policy generally covers personal liability claims with guests and other loved ones in the home. Accidental damage to property is part of this coverage, and if the exchange student does accidentally break or destroy something in the house, the personal liability will take care of that incident. The policy helps pay for the damage as much as the clauses explain in the paperwork. It is important to review them when inviting the exchange student to stay.

Personal Injury Coverage

While the exchange student normally possesses medical and other types of insurance when arriving at the house, he or she may also receive homeowner’s insurance personal injury coverage. The policy often covers certain incidents such as slips and falls, accidents and harm through defects of the house. It is important to review the section on personal injury, but the policyholder may need to add more coverage if the insurance carrier does not provide this as a default. Additionally, the homeowner may need to contact the carrier to explain that an exchange student will stay at the home for the duration of the school year.

Limits and Exclusions of Coverage

The specific limits of coverage for the homeowner’s policy generally change based on the carrier or state. Many are able to extend the coverage to encompass additional members of the family or for special circumstances such as an exchange student living in the home. For personal property, there is normally a certain percentage that the insurer will cover based on the policy itself. This includes any belongings that exist in the policy that are not inside or at the residence. This could lead to a smaller amount covered such as fifteen percent of the overall personal property guidelines. Then, the homeowner may only receive a portion of what the property is worth.

Exclusions often are different based on the insurance company. However, these could include more than a certain number of guests at the residence or various types of property such as paintings or expensive furnishings. In exclusions of coverage, the homeowner may need to purchase added items to extend the policy. This could include new members of the family, additions to the house and special circumstances. However, it is up to the policyholder to accomplish this before an incident occurs.