LAPTOP AND PORTABLE DEVICES - READ YOUR INSURANCE POLICY!

Braveface

I've held a premium cost Home Contents insurance policy with a certain well known Manchester based insurer for over 20 years.  They USED to offer THE best cover and service level (I know because I used to work for them as an agent and advisor!) but no longer it seems!

Over New year my laptop got damaged.  It was in it's padded bag which fell from a desk on to a carpeted floor IN MY OFFICE AT HOME.  To my horror I now find that these people DO NOT COVER LAPTOPS OR PORTABLE DEVICES for accidental damage within the home!  How ridiculous is that?

Given that most people have at LEAST one and probably multiple portable devices especially if they are working from home!  In the 21ist century a laptop should NOT be considered a "Special addition" to a policy surely - Laptops and tablets are COMMONPLACE items essential for todays way of life and not really a luxury in the least!

I used to insure my House, Car and contents with them but no longer I'm afraid! I will never give them another penny!

People, read your contents policy carefully because SOME insurers love to use the loophole of "We don't offer advice" as a way of NOT telling you that you have inadequate cover for everyday items it seems!

Grey_Critic

The old Terms & Conditions - pages and pages of very, very small print that could be written in ancient Greek. None of us really understand them - actually it is more like we lose the will to live when we attempt to read them. I once had to proof read a set so I do know what I am talking about.

The real problem is - as in your case - we only find out that what we think is covered is not when we try to claim. I am more inclined to believe the Nigerian Prince when he offers to share his millions with me than an insurance salesman.

tehone

Braveface said:

(I know because I used to work for them as an agent and advisor!) 

Then you should have known better than the average person to read the policy documents carefully!

But yes I agree with your overall sentiment that nowadays that laptops etc are now commonplace devices - but there is a world of difference between a £100 Chromebook and a £2000 Macbook Pro - so one would expect to have to itemise higher value items - in the same way as for other high value items

GDB2222

I think that I would resent it if my insurance premiums were increased so as to include accidental damage cover on expensive items that I don’t own. I can see nothing wrong with unbundling this from the standard cover.

Ibrahim5

I don't really get the obsession with laptops and tablets. I have a cheapish phone which I replace when required and a desktop that doesn't have expensive repair bills. I don't see why my home insurance premiums should cover other people's laptops and tablets. If they want expensive items that can't easily be repaired they can insure them themselves.

JJ_Egan

How does your home insurance cover my expensive items ??

If your post is not nonsense then please supply me with details to claim on your policy .

Jenni_D

JJ_Egan said:

How does your home insurance cover my expensive items ??

If your post is not nonsense then please supply me with details to claim on your policy .

OK, I'll bite.

It is obvious that including coverage of expensive items as standard will likely lead to increased insurance premiums for everyone.  

Edit: I've assumed you've responded to the two posts immediately preceding yours. Apologies if you've meant something else.

MattMattMattUK

Braveface said:

I've held a premium cost Home Contents insurance policy with a certain well known Manchester based insurer for over 20 years.  They USED to offer THE best cover and service level (I know because I used to work for them as an agent and advisor!) but no longer it seems!

Over New year my laptop got damaged.  It was in it's padded bag which fell from a desk on to a carpeted floor IN MY OFFICE AT HOME.  To my horror I now find that these people DO NOT COVER LAPTOPS OR PORTABLE DEVICES for accidental damage within the home!  How ridiculous is that?

I don't see it as ridiculous, probably fairly sensible based on how careless some people are.

Braveface said:

Given that most people have at LEAST one and probably multiple portable devices especially if they are working from home!  In the 21ist century a laptop should NOT be considered a "Special addition" to a policy surely - Laptops and tablets are COMMONPLACE items essential for todays way of life and not really a luxury in the least!

Most people working from home will be using a work device, such a device would never be covered on the contents insurance. Some companies will self insure, others will take out a policy, but as it is their device, not the employees that is their choice. Insurance also has nothing to do with whether an item is commonplace or a luxury. 

Braveface said:

I used to insure my House, Car and contents with them but no longer I'm afraid! I will never give them another penny!

I doubt they care.

Braveface said:

People, read your contents policy carefully because SOME insurers love to use the loophole of "We don't offer advice" as a way of NOT telling you that you have inadequate cover for everyday items it seems!

I would never assume expensive items are covered on my insurance unless they were declared/itemised. They don't offer you advice, they do give you the policy details to read. There is almost always a section which asks you to detail specific high value items, and another section that mentions specific exclusions, the fact that you chose not to read these sections is not the insurers fault. 

Jenni_D

Braveface said:

To my horror I now find that these people DO NOT COVER LAPTOPS OR PORTABLE DEVICES for accidental damage within the home!  

My observation from this is ... are such devices covered AWAY from home in the policy? If yes then I agree that it is nonsense for them not to be also covered IN the home.

But I also agree that it is not sensible for high value items to be covered as standard in a contents insurance policy.

JJ_Egan

Jenni_D said:

JJ_Egan said:

How does your home insurance cover my expensive items ??

If your post is not nonsense then please supply me with details to claim on your policy .

OK, I'll bite.

It is obvious that including coverage of expensive items as standard will likely lead to increased insurance premiums for everyone.  

Edit: I've assumed you've responded to the two posts immediately preceding yours. Apologies if you've meant something else.

But does a standard home policy cover expensive items .

I always have to set an amount to cover .

Jenni_D

JJ_Egan said:

Jenni_D said:

JJ_Egan said:

How does your home insurance cover my expensive items ??

If your post is not nonsense then please supply me with details to claim on your policy .

OK, I'll bite.

It is obvious that including coverage of expensive items as standard will likely lead to increased insurance premiums for everyone.  

Edit: I've assumed you've responded to the two posts immediately preceding yours. Apologies if you've meant something else.

But does a standard home policy cover expensive items .

I always have to set an amount to cover .

We're saying the same thing then - the way you worded your previous post didn't make this clear.