Do I Need Gadget Insurance And Home Contents Cover?

The array of devices the average person owns today can accrue to well over £2000. If you should happen to lose or damage any of your devices, are you covered by your home contents insurance or do you also need gadget insurance? 

Whilst most home contents insurance provides some cover for personal devices, there are generally limitations. Standard home contents insurance only gives you technology cover for mobile devices and gadgets that are damaged, lost or stolen in the home. 

Mobile and gadget insurance with Bettersafe is much more robust because they cover you for loss, theft, or damage outside the home as well. Some mobile phone insurance policies even act as travel insurance for mobiles and gadgets.

How Does Mobile & Gadget Insurance Give You Technology Cover? 

Mobile and gadget insurance give you accidental damage cover together with theft and loss anywhere in the world. Some policies also cover you for fraudulent use as standard i.e., calls made from your phone after it was stolen. 

At the very least you should expect a mobile phone and/or gadget insurance policy to cover you for:

• Accidental damage such as cracked screens
• Water damage (including liquids) 
• Theft
• Unauthorized use
• Worldwide cover 

Premium technology cover also includes loss.

What Mobile & Gadget Cover Do You Get On Home Contents Insurance?

Most home contents insurance will only cover your portable devices if they are stolen from the home or suffer any damage in the home. Technology accidental damage covers:

• Fire damage
• Smoke damage
• Theft and attempted theft
• Lightning and storm damage
• Flood damage
• Malicious damage
• Earthquakes and more

Before deciding whether you may need to consider taking out mobile and gadget insurance, check what your home contents insurance does and does not cover. 

Standard home contents insurance does not protect you from accidental damage such as spillages or cracked screens. 

The exception to this rule is if your home contents insurance policy includes 'Personal Belongings/Possession’ or 'All Risks’ cover. However, this is typically additional cover you would have to pay for on top of a standard home contents insurance policy.

Protect Your Gadgets Away From Home

The advantage that mobile and gadget insurance gives you over home contents insurance is that your portable devices are covered for loss or damage outside the home.

Given there is a higher chance of losing or damaging your valuable mobile devices when you are on the go, it makes sense to protect your gadgets outside of the home.

Some home insurance providers offer protection for mobile and gadgets abroad, but the cover is usually limited to short time periods. Most people will need to take out travel insurance when they go on holiday.

Is It Worth Claiming For Gadgets On Your Home Insurance?

As with any type of insurance, deciding whether you need mobile and gadget insurance rather than relying on home contents insurance boils down to your personal circumstances.

If you claim for a gadget on your content’s insurance, it affects your no claims bonus for the next three years. If the cost of repair or replacement is less than the amount you pay in uplifted premiums, you need to decide whether it’s worth claiming on your home insurance instead.

Mobile phone and gadget insurance with Bettersafe gives you more coverage for less cost.

For more information, contact us on +44 (0) 20 3740 4431 or email enquiries@bettersafe.com.