Insurance Office

Students

Insurance ramifications for Homestay Families

Injury to student

From an insurance viewpoint, the main policy the homestay family should have is personal liability insurance on both their building and contents insurance polices, to protect the homestay family, if the student should be injured:-

• due to the fault of the landlord (who would generally also be the homestay family) such as tripping over a frayed carpet or a hole in the floor - this personal liability insurance aspect should be covered under the building insurance.
• as a result of the negligence of the occupier - an example would be a slippery floor because of a substance spilt on the floor by the homestay family. This personal liability insurance aspect should be covered under the contents policy.

If the injury is not due to the negligence of the homestay family (for example, due to the student's own carelessness, or fault of a third party) then the homestay family would not be liable to the student.

Damage to homestay house

It is not the University's prerogative to instruct homestay families to insure their building or their contents, but the University should not be held liable if the student should accidentally (or intentionally) damage the homestay family house (eg arson).

Insurance for student

It is also not necessary for homestay families to insure the students - if the student wants any form of insurance (other than health insurance, which is frequently compulsory for students from overseas), they should effect it themselves.

The homestay family's contents insurance policy would not cover the student's contents.

If the student has a car, all insurance requirements are the student's responsibility.