What is reasonable care?? RBS Mobile Insurance

Kerrvin

Hello,
Im hoping someone can clarify or has experience as to what 'reasonable care to prevent theft, loss or damage' means.
I had a phone stolen at a festival on Friday. It was in my pocket, fell out and someone picked it up and left with it within the 2 minutes of me realising. Was I not taking reasonable care???
Also, my friend lost hers while riding her horse, it fell out of her pocket somewhere. Was she not taking reasonable care?! We both have RBS Silver accounts.
Many Thanks

Lifeforms

Reasonable care is refered to looking after and preventing theft/loss of the item in question.
So leaving it on a table in a pub is a no-no. As is leaving it in the car body, and not either locked away in the dashboard cubby/drawer, or locking in the boot. Having it unsecured in a pocket is probably not reasonable care, nor is having it in a pocket when you go horse riding.

If it fell out, by nature you're not taking reasonable care to keep ahold and prevent theft or loss.

NFH

I agree. I choose clothes which my wallet and phone cannot fall out of. When I need to wear clothes with loose baggy pockets, I tend to keep one hand in my pocket and subconsciously check that everything is still there, particularly after standing up or sitting down. I believe that I take reasonable care.

MrsPBikerChick

Reasonable care is just that - taking reasonable steps to prevent something happening, in this case loss/theft/damage to an item. Keeping something like a mobile phone in a locked safe is way beyond what would be considered reasonable but keeping it in an open pocket, especially in an environment where you might have been jumping about or getting jostled, is not reasonable. Sorry! Get a jacket with zippy pockets

Lifeforms

Majority of phone or gadget, or in fact particular item policies will state about cars and keeping it in a separate boot, or locked dashboard/whatever they're called sections is the only way they'll consider paying out.

Oh and your car will probably also need to show signs of break in as well. If you left it unlocked and they open the door, no chance, as well as if they presumably open it with a hanger, or similar too. So if you do ever need to claim on them under that particular way make sure there's damage on the doors/windows that you note/photo.

The other thing is usually you have a very short window in contacting your mobile provider to get the sim blocked/phone blocked, I see RBS is 24hrs, and they use that as part of their terms and conditions of coverage too.

You have to really go through them with a comb and make sure you're aware so you're not caught out in seemingly silly ways on claiming. Some even say you needed to show signs of being in danger when being robbed as in some nice chap wearing a teddy bear onesie asks your for your phone, sure! here you go etc.