Rental Insurance

Rental Insurance: Protect Your Space, Protect Your Semester

Howard requires every student in University‑sponsored housing, on or off-campus, to hold at least $300,000 in renters‑liability coverage for the entire time they live in a University‑sponsored unit. No active policy, no keys. It’s quick, affordable, and the only way to safeguard your belongings, and your peace of mind.

What is Guarantors? Guarantors is not an insurance company. It is the University’s compliance verification platform — the system Howard uses to track and confirm that every student maintains valid rental insurance for the duration of their residence, in accordance with their license agreement. You may purchase a policy from any provider, but it must be registered and verified through Guarantors.

Why You Need Rental Insurance—And Why You’re Required To Get It

• Move‑in depends on proof of coverage.  No active policy = no room keys.
• Howard does not cover personal property.  Laptops, phones, clothes, instruments, textbooks, and other personal property items are not protected by the University.
• Campus life is unpredictable.  Theft, fire, smoke, burst pipes, sprinkler mishaps, even a friend’s accidental damage can upend a semester and a budget.

Keep Your Rental Insurance Active—No Exceptions

Do not cancel your policy. If coverage lapses at any point, you’ll incur a $25 per month non‑compliance fee that will be added to your BisonHub account. More importantly, you’ll have no protection for your belongings.

Your Rental Insurance Compliance Checklist

1. Identify your housing type (on ‑ or off ‑ campus).
2. Secure a $300,000 liability policy via the correct path, which policy must reference the specific full address of your housing facility and state the coverage start and end dates — your policy term must match your license agreement term. Your start date must be on or before your scheduled move‑in date. Your end date must be a concrete date (not “until cancelled” or open‑ended). On‑campus residents: coverage must extend through the second Sunday of May, per the Academic Calendar. Off‑campus residents: coverage must extend through July 25.
3. Connect your policy to The Guarantors.
4. Watch for your “Insurance Verified” email before move‑in.
5. Prior to move-in, you must receive compliance approval through Guarantors. Uploading your document to StarRez is required but is not sufficient — your move-in appointment will not be cleared until Guarantors approval is complete.

Quick-Reference Requirements

Your rental insurance policy must meet all of the following to be compliant:

• $300,000 minimum liability coverage
• Policy in the student’s full legal name
• School housing address listed on the policy — full street address and unit number
• Policy term must match your license agreement term — start date on or before move‑in, end date must be a concrete date (not “until cancelled”). On‑campus: through the second Sunday of May. Off‑campus: through July 25.
• Submitted to Guarantors using your Bison email
• You are not compliant until you receive a confirmation email from Guarantors

Frequently Asked Questions

Most compliance delays are caused by avoidable mistakes. Read through every question below before you submit anything — it takes five minutes and could save you weeks of back-and-forth.

What email should I use to create my Guarantors account?

Use only your Howard Bison email address when creating your Guarantors account. Using a personal email can interfere with account matching and compliance verification.

Do I have to buy insurance through Guarantors?

No. You may use any private renters-insurance policy that meets the University’s requirements. Guarantors is not itself the insurance requirement. It is the platform the University uses to manage insurance compliance verification. Students who do not want to search for a provider may also choose to purchase coverage through MSI on the Guarantors platform.

Note: The MSI policy through Guarantors includes $5,000 in personal property insurance coverage.

I already have my own insurance. Why do I still need Guarantors?

Because Guarantors is not the insurance company. It is the compliance verification service the University uses to confirm that students have the required coverage. Even if you already have your own policy, you must still complete the required compliance steps.

Whose name must be on the policy?

The policy must be in the student’s name. A policy in the name of a parent or guardian alone will not satisfy the requirement.

What if my parents have me covered under their homeowners insurance?

That can work only if the policy has been updated correctly and explicitly.

The policy must:

• list your school address, not your home address
• include the full street address and unit number
• show the school residence as an additional insured residence
• state explicitly that you are covered for $300,000 or more
• list the student’s name on the policy as a named insured or covered party

This is not automatic. The policyholder must contact the insurance company and have the policy updated so that the coverage at your school address is clearly documented. Until that updated policy is submitted, registered, and you receive a confirmation of compliance, you are not covered.

What address should be listed on the policy?

Your policy must show your school housing address, not your permanent home address.

Be sure it includes:

• the correct street address
• the correct unit number

An incomplete or incorrect address may delay or prevent compliance approval.

Does my dorm address really matter?

Yes. Your school residence address must be correct. Do not list your home address. Use your actual campus or school housing address, including the full unit number.

What coverage amount is required?

Your documentation must explicitly show $300,000 or more in the required coverage. If that amount is not clearly shown, the policy may not be accepted.

When am I actually considered covered?

You are not considered compliant simply because you began an application or believe you have coverage.

You are compliant only when:

1. your policy meets the requirements,
2. the required documents have been submitted or linked properly, and
3. you have received confirmation of compliance.

Until then, you should assume you are not yet compliant.

What happens if I forget to upload proof?

Your move-in appointment will be blocked until the required documentation is received.

What happens if I am non-compliant and get charged?

If you are charged for non-compliance and Howard has already had to purchase a policy on your behalf, that charge cannot be refunded. You can, however, stop future charges by obtaining your own qualifying policy and completing the compliance process going forward.

If Howard has already purchased a policy for me, can I still get my own?

Yes. You may still obtain your own policy and complete the compliance process so that additional charges do not continue going forward.

Can I switch insurers during the year?

Yes. You may switch insurers mid-year, but there must be no gap in coverage between the old policy ending and the new policy beginning. You must also immediately upload the new documents so your compliance record stays current.

What is the easiest way to avoid problems?

Before submitting anything, double-check all of the following:

• use only your Bison email
• make sure the policy is in the student’s name
• use your school address, not your home address
• include the full street address and unit number
• make sure the policy clearly shows $300,000 or more in required coverage
• submit your policy to Guarantors properly
• wait for your confirmation of compliance email

Ready? Get Covered Today.

Secure your policy, link it to Guarantors, and start the semester worry‑free. 

Howard University assumes no financial responsibility for student property. Compliance with the renters‑insurance requirement is a binding condition of your Housing Agreement.