Dedicated Gadget Insurance Can Save You Money

Did you know that the average person carries about £851 worth of hand held gadgets with them every day? Having dedicated gadget insurance can save you money by offering various types of protection against theft, loss, breakdown and accidental damage.According to the Zurich Insurance survey that revealed the statistic mentioned above, the average Londoner carries even more gadgets on a daily basis – worth £1034.Insurance cover is available for nearly every common type of electronic gadget including mobile phones, PDAs, iPods, laptops, PCs and GPS devices. Look for an affordable insurance policy that protects the common gadgets and electronics that you carry with you every day.Theft of electronic gadgets has been on the rise, and every year well millions are lost, stolen, damaged or simply break down. In one year alone, more than 1 million gadgets are lost or damaged by simply dropping them in the toilet or in one’s drink, or by accidentally including then in the laundry wash!An average insurance premium for one electronic item is £5.88 a month, and you can currently cover three items from £9.99, and five items for around £14.99. Not much of an expense for the peace of mind that you will have knowing that your gadgets are protected. Note that in many cases household insurance does not cover personal belongings away from home, or the policy will charge a high excess for such coverage. In most cases, even with the extra coverage the household insurance will not cover breakdown. According to estimates, about £5bn of items are unprotected in this way.The better insurance policies protect against theft including incidents where items are left unattended in secure vehicles or secure premises. The policy covers all mobile phones and PDAs against loss, and offers extended warranties on all items except laptops. The policy also includes accidental damage coverage, international coverage, free mobile phone contact backup, and a 48-hr phone replacement guarantee.The policy, however, does not cover unattended items except when left in secure vehicles. There is also an excess charge of £75 for any claim relating to laptop insurance, £50 for all iPhone claims, and £25 for any other claim. International claims have a £75 excess fee.If your gadget breaks down, good insurers will repair or replace the item in a speedy fashion (laptops not included). The company will first determine whether the item is best repaired, and if not it will replace the gadget instead. All gadgets will either be repaired or replaced in case of accidental damage with some exceptions, e.g., deliberate damage of the item.Theft coverage requires that the stolen item be reported to the police, and in the case of mobile phones, the theft must also be reported to the provider, within a specified time period. The mobile service provider will stop the service and blacklist the phone. Once this is accomplished, you could have a replacement phone to you within 48 hours.You can usually conduct the whole claim process over the phone or online, and you do not have to complete a written claim form. Once all the information is received, the claim is processed within 48 hours.Finally, alternative payment plans are often available. For example, with some insurers if you pay monthly then you get one month free insurance, and two free months for annual payments.