Gadget insurance for devices purchased in USA

CoolGeek123

Hi, I have bought many gadgets from USA and was wondering if UK insurers would provide a gadget insurance for devices bought from USA?
Does anyone know if US purchased devices can be insured in UK under gadget insurance?

user1977

I'm not sure why the place you bought it matters from an insurance point of view? Have you found policies which have relevant conditions?

Emmia

The insurance would need to cover more, as presumably any warranties couldn't be used if the devices broke as you don't live in the US. 

I was in an Apple shop a while ago, where the staff were refusing to deal with an American customer's broken /faulty iPhone, essentially on the basis the device wasn't purchased in the UK.

DullGreyGuy

Did you buy them in person and bring them back or mail order from the US?

The only thing is they may ask for evidence that proper UK taxes were paid on import and you haven't smuggled them into the country illegally not declaring them. 

mexican_dave

Surely "gadget insurance" is what it says it is, unless there are clauses in the policy wording that exclude item(s) purchased in a foreign country or some other "get out" clause then I cannot see a problem.

user1977

DullGreyGuy said:

The only thing is they may ask for evidence that proper UK taxes were paid on import and you haven't smuggled them into the country illegally not declaring them. 

Why would the insurers be interested in whether you've paid your tax?

DullGreyGuy

user1977 said:

DullGreyGuy said:

The only thing is they may ask for evidence that proper UK taxes were paid on import and you haven't smuggled them into the country illegally not declaring them. 

Why would the insurers be interested in whether you've paid your tax?

There are two arguments...

1) they are effectively proceeds of crime (ie tax avoidance) and you cannot insure against the benefits of illegal activity. Similarly if you had stolen a TV and then someone steals it from your home you cannot claim on your insurance. 

Our local has an ex-senior officer from the Met who says the statistic that 1 phone is stolen every 6 minutes in London is complete rubbish. The number is actually much higher as it doesn't factor in the stolen phones that are then stolen from their thief and so aren't reported.

2) If proper taxes haven't been paid then settlement should be reduced to reflect the unpaid taxes

mexican_dave

Ah, good technical point!