Whether the fees are included or not can vary from school to school, so you need to ask the school. At some they area extra, some have a comprehensive fee.
I wish more schools ( BSs and Colleges ) accepted Amex. I’m a complete psycho when it comes to points. Hey- you’re going to pay it anyway - might as well get the points!
FWIW- I always paid for tuition insurance for the first year at every new school . After that, I waived it. Everyone I know waives it from the start, but I liked having an additional layer of comfort the first year just in case… so it was worth it to me. I have no idea what it costs now because the last time I purchased it was in 2012.
One thing that really helped us when we were paying tuition and expenses was when we could have a payment plan with the school–for a nominal sum (under $100), you could spread payments over 10 months instead of having a big lump sum each semester.
Our HS and U also let us charge tuition and expenses on a credit card with no “convenience fee,” which gave us some " cash back," which slightly reduced the sting of payments.
This was discussed more than once in parent meetings. I really don’t get what the issue is. It’s not like the schools can’t afford the AMEX service charge. Sheesh.
I think this is a good idea. Some schools require it. I’ve posted before that Choate is one of those schools:
We had to buy the insurance, so it didn’t matter whether or not you paid in full or in payments. So, we are paying in payments and auto charging our airline card so we can use the points to fly out to see DS 
@corrales90 Yes - borrowing against your 401K would be a bad idea. Borrowing for prep school at all is generally a bad idea. You should consult with a qualified financial planner to explore all your options. Generally speaking, if one has to borrow, you would want to first look at a home equity loan or refi, so that the interest is tax deductible.
On tuition insurance, you should read carefully which kinds of withdrawal are covered in your policy. Some exclude voluntary withdrawals or disciplinary action. Not that anyone expects to use it for that, but it’s best to be aware.
^Agree. The tuition insurance for our PDS even excludes medical reasons or death if associated with a pre-existing condition, rendering it useless for any child with a chronic condition that may warrant an insurance in the first place.
I once calculated that if I paid for S1 tuition R&B by making baby quilts, I’d have to make 300 of them a year!! Almost 6 a week! (I only pay 1/2, his dad pays the other half). Haha. My arthritis won’t allow it!
In the case of voluntary withdrawal ( Mom, I can’t stand it here ) or disciplinary/action ( complete nincompoop move) , may I suggest having your child sign a Promissory Note prior to the school year that commands them to fully reimburse you before their 30th birthday.
I’m kidding… sort of.
Oops. If tuition insurance is optional, and you have full faith and confidence that your child loves the school and can go the distance, I’d waive it . Back in my day, you always paid tuition in full upfront ( I believe my tuition was somewhere around 12K my final year- which makes me incredibly old ) and rolled the dice. There were no refunds- ever and my parents had to rely on instilling the Fear of God into all of us- which they did exceptionally well.
@PhotographerMom FearofGod and CometoJesus meetings are mainstay in our household! Lol