6 summer car insurance tips for college students

College students who own a car should have their own car insurance policy and be removed from yours," says Gusner. "A lot of insurance companies will ask you to prove that the student has her own car insurance, so you should provide that if they ask

Gusner says that the owners of the car must buy their own auto insurance policy.

"Some companies offer a discount if the student buys a policy from the same company as her parents," says Gusner.

Your student should let the auto insurance company know about his plan to use the car in different locations, because insurance requirements vary by state.

"It may be easier to go with a big national insurance company in this case because they can easily add what you need to your policy," says Gusner. "A regional or local insurance company might not be able to offer coverage in both locations."

Gusner says you need to keep this student covered on your car insurance policy year-round, but you should let the insurance company know where the car will be garaged.

"Contact your car insurance company when your student goes to school and when they come back," says Gusner. "The location change could make a difference in your premium, either up or down, especially if the college is in a city and the student lives in a suburb or vice-versa."

If you don't let the car insurance company know about the location change, you run the risk of a denied insurance claim.

Some insurance companies will let you take your student off the policy during the school year and then add her back on for part of the year," says Gusner. "It depends on the insurance company, but some limit this according to how far away the college is. For instance, if the school is 100 miles or less from home, the insurance company may insist that your student stay on the policy because of the likelihood that she'll come home for weekends.