Insurer asking for laptop password

Marvel1

No chance I would be giving my password.

Sandtree

bigjimfeet said:

Oh, and it’s not home insurance, it’s gadget insurance through Switched On Insurance, which I signed up for when I broke my phone and discovered my partner hadn’t bothered to renew our contents insurance…. And the reviews of Switched On Insurance (which I should have read more thoroughly when I signed up!) are also making me a bit wary of giving away passwords and expecting them to be fair when honouring the claim….

Then thats why they will be concerned... no prior insurance and a claim shortly after inception. So as per last post they want to ensure the order of events is bought insurance -> had accident rather than had accident -> bought insurance

Never heard of the company but they are Gib based outfit operating with delegated authority from the underwriter which personally wouldn't be my first choice in principle but the lighter touch regulatory regime in Gib normally comes through as lower premiums.

bigjimfeet

Sandtree said:

bigjimfeet said:

Oh, and it’s not home insurance, it’s gadget insurance through Switched On Insurance, which I signed up for when I broke my phone and discovered my partner hadn’t bothered to renew our contents insurance…. And the reviews of Switched On Insurance (which I should have read more thoroughly when I signed up!) are also making me a bit wary of giving away passwords and expecting them to be fair when honouring the claim….

Then thats why they will be concerned... no prior insurance and a claim shortly after inception. So as per last post they want to ensure the order of events is bought insurance -> had accident rather than had accident -> bought insurance

Yeah I totally get that and have no problem with it. It’s the giving away access to confidential info, and being told not to erase any data, that is setting off alarm bells.

bigjimfeet

Marvel1 said:

No chance I would be giving my password.

Haha well that was my initial reaction. But what’s the alternative?

Sandtree

bigjimfeet said:

Sandtree said:

bigjimfeet said:

Oh, and it’s not home insurance, it’s gadget insurance through Switched On Insurance, which I signed up for when I broke my phone and discovered my partner hadn’t bothered to renew our contents insurance…. And the reviews of Switched On Insurance (which I should have read more thoroughly when I signed up!) are also making me a bit wary of giving away passwords and expecting them to be fair when honouring the claim….

Then thats why they will be concerned... no prior insurance and a claim shortly after inception. So as per last post they want to ensure the order of events is bought insurance -> had accident rather than had accident -> bought insurance

Yeah I totally get that and have no problem with it. It’s the giving away access to confidential info, and being told not to erase any data, that is setting off alarm bells.

Hence looking at ways around the problem and suggesting looking at system files, application files etc which may have been updated in those two months. These can be viewed by a guest user that would have no access to anything stored under your user (ie passwords, Documents, Photos, !!!!!! browser history etc - assuming you keep them in the default place)

bigjimfeet

Sandtree

Hence looking at ways around the problem and suggesting looking at system files, application files etc which may have been updated in those two months. These can be viewed by a guest user that would have no access to anything stored under your user (ie passwords, Documents, Photos, !!!!!! browser history etc - assuming you keep them in the default place)

Thanks buddy, will suggest this to them. I’d always assumed setting up a new guest user account would then make the laptop “new” to that user, if that makes sense.

Sandtree

bigjimfeet said:

Sandtree

Hence looking at ways around the problem and suggesting looking at system files, application files etc which may have been updated in those two months. These can be viewed by a guest user that would have no access to anything stored under your user (ie passwords, Documents, Photos, !!!!!! browser history etc - assuming you keep them in the default place)

Thanks buddy, will suggest this to them. I’d always assumed setting up a new guest user account would then make the laptop “new” to that user, if that makes sense.

With MacOS you dont need to set up a specific "guest user account" but can simply enable the option... when you get to the log in screen a new Guest icon is there, it does a fresh user when its clicked (no password required) and deletes everything when the user is logged off/computer powered down.

The personalised elements will be "new" to that user but applications, system files are shared across users... if you have 10 users on your laptop you dont have 10 instances of Photoshop installed, you have one instance plus config/user setting files under each user account. 

Annemos

Sandtree said: Never heard of the company but they are Gib based outfit operating with delegated authority from the underwriter which personally wouldn't be my first choice in principle but the lighter touch regulatory regime in Gib normally comes through as lower premiums.

Good afternoon Sandtree. Out of interest, would you have the same thoughts about Staysure for example? The Travel Insurance Provider that covers older people and people with health conditions. 

Their website says the following, I noticed recently: 

Staysure is a trading name of TICORP Limited. Staysure Travel Insurance is arranged by TICORP Limited which is registered in Gibraltar company number 111526. Registered office: First Floor, Grand Ocean Plaza, Ocean Village, Gibraltar. TICORP Limited is licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission number FSC1238B and trades into the UK on a freedom of services basis, FCA FRN 663617.

Thank you. 

Sandtree

Annemos said:

Sandtree said: Never heard of the company but they are Gib based outfit operating with delegated authority from the underwriter which personally wouldn't be my first choice in principle but the lighter touch regulatory regime in Gib normally comes through as lower premiums.

Good afternoon Sandtree. Out of interest, would you have the same thoughts about Staysure for example? The Travel Insurance Provider that covers older people and people with health conditions. 

Their website says the following, I noticed recently: 

Staysure is a trading name of TICORP Limited. Staysure Travel Insurance is arranged by TICORP Limited which is registered in Gibraltar company number 111526. Registered office: First Floor, Grand Ocean Plaza, Ocean Village, Gibraltar. TICORP Limited is licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission number FSC1238B and trades into the UK on a freedom of services basis, FCA FRN 663617.

Thank you. 

I'd have concerns of any organisation based in Gib for consumer insurance, similarly Bermuda, Bahamas and a host of other former british colonies for reinsurance  but its a balancing act between the risks and the lower premiums it allows. 

For me it depends on how much saving I'm achieving from using them and the issues if they fold. So Car insurance I;d be more careful about than gadget insurance... I cannot think of any UK based car insurer thats folded (not considering MGAs) in recent history and yet there have been a few Gib ones, most notably MCE just last month (though bigger on the Motorbike side than car)

Annemos

I think the Staysure one is underwritten by a large and very solvent German insurer. So I do not have any concerns about the Underwriter actually folding. 

But does the fact that the people you would be dealing with are a company that is based in Gibraltar and might fold, still make you have worries from that particular perspective. (Insolvency.) 

Thanks for you help on this one.