College tuition insurance: What it is and how to get it

The soaring cost of a college education entails a range of financial risks, including falling into debt to take on student loans. Yet families may underestimate another type of risk — that a student may unexpectedly have to leave school mid-semester due to unforeseen circumstances, leaving them at a loss for tuition paid — and without credits for the semester.

That's where tuition insurance can come in handy, ensuring that students and parents don't lose the potentially substantial sums of money they pour into college costs.

Here's what to know about tuition insurance.