Gadget Insurance

Compare cheap gadget insurance prices

Whether you’re a fan of Apple’s iPhone and iPad ranges, favour Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones and tablets, have forked out a load of cash for a Google Pixel or a Sony Xperia, or carry an HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia or Huawei smartphone or tablet everywhere you go, your mobile device will probably have made a decent dent in your wallet.

That’s why it is worth comparing gadget insurance quotes from specialist mobile phone insurance and tablet insurance providers.

That way if the worst does happen and your mobile device is lost, damaged or stolen, having the right mobile insurance in place will mean you don’t have to cough up an arm and a leg to repair or replace your device.

Laptops, Kindles, TVs, smart speakers…and drones

And of course it’s not just mobile phones and iPads you can protect with gadget cover – any expensive gadget you use at home or on the move can usually be covered by a specialist gadget policy, whether you use the device for work (a laptop, PC, or MacBook), or for pleasure (an LCD TV, an Echo smart speaker, a Kindle e-reader…even an aerial drone).

Do I need Gadget Insurance?

Taking out gadget insurance is always your choice, you can choose not to insure your laptop, tablet or other expensive gadgets, but this is strongly advised against.

Investing in a relatively cheap gadget insurance policy for a relatively expensive gadget could be a very wise move, because although our gadgets are high-tech they are usually rather fragile – from water damage to broken phone screens, and from corrupted firmware to cracked phone casings, there are many things that can go wrong, and most will be covered if you have the right gadget cover in place.

You may already have some degree of coverage for your coverage through other policies you may hold. For example these policies can include contents insurance  and travel insurance.

Importantly, if you insure your mobile phone, tablet or other gadget many specialist insurance companies will also be willing to cover loss or theft – useful to know, considering just how valuable many devices are.

Ultimately the decision over whether or not you should take out gadget insurance on your devices is down to you. The key factors you will need to consider when making this decision include, the price of the gadgets you wish to insure as well as the excess of potentially claiming through a contents policy. If it is not worth making a claim through your contents insurance for a lower value gadget due to a high excess, then taking out a gadget insurance policy may be the best option for you.

What gadgets can I insure against loss, theft or damage?

No matter what kind of TV, tablet, laptop, smartphone or other gadget you own, chances are you can find reasonably priced gadget cover to insure it against accidental damage, criminal damage, loss or theft.

As an example, many specialist gadget insurance providers can provide:

• Mobile Phone Insurance
• Blackberry Insurance
• Bluetooth Headset Insurance
• Camera Insurance
• Camera Lens Insurance
• Drone Insurance
• eReader Insurance
• Apple Watch Insurance
• Amazon Echo Insurance
• Games Console Insurance
• Gaming PC Insurance
• Headphones Insurance
• iPad Insurance
• iPhone Insurance
• Samsung Insurance
• iPod Insurance
• MP3 Player Insurance
• Kindle Insurance
• Laptop Insurance
• MacBook Insurance
• MacBook Air Insurance
• MacBook Pro Insurance
• Mobile Phone Insurance
• Nintendo Switch Insurance
• PDA Insurance
• PS4 Insurance
• PS4 Controller Insurance
• PS5 Insurance
• TV Insurance
• Sat Nav Insurance
• Smart Speaker Insurance
• Smart Watch insurance
• Digital Camera Insurance
• Video Camera Insurance
• Virtual Reality Headset Insurance

Basically, if it’s a gadget, you bought it new and it was relatively expensive then you can probably find a gadget cover for it.

What type of incidents will be covered by my Gadget Insurance?

There are different types of gadget cover on offer from a wide range of specialist insurance companies, so it would be a wise move to shop around and compare gadget insurance quotes.

Generally speaking, though, a typical gadget insurance policy might cover:

• Accidental damage

• Malicious damage

• Water damage (including dropping your smartphone down the toilet)

• Theft

• Loss

• Worldwide Cover

How to get cheaper gadget insurance

If you’ve made the decision to insure your gadgets there are a number of ways you can get cheaper gadget cover. You should:

Compare gadget insurance quotes

As with most insurance products, when it comes to insuring your smartphone, tablet or laptop it pays to shop around and compare a range of quotes.

Some insurance companies may charge a higher premium if your gadget cover includes loss or theft protection, while others may offer a lower premium but include a higher excess on the policy.

The key is to decide what level of cover, excess and optional extras best suit your individual needs, and then compare insurance providers to find one that meets those requirements at the cheapest price.

Consider a higher excess

Opting for a higher excess can reduce the monthly or annual cost of your gadget cover, since you will be covering a larger portion of the cost if something does happen to your mobile device or other gadget.

Consider taking out multi-gadget insurance

Most adults in the UK now own multiple mobile devices, so if you’re insuring one smartphone or laptop it might make sense to take out a multi gadget insurance policy that covers multiple devices.

Many insurance providers offer significant discounts on multi-gadget insurance, and some will also allow family members to insure all their smartphones and tablets under a single policy, which can also save you money in the long run.

Still have questions about how or why to insure your gadget? There is a very good chance they are ‘covered’ below.

Will my gadget insurance cover me if I lose my phone?

Some specialist gadget insurance companies will insure the loss of a tablet, mobile phone, Kindle or laptop as standard, while most others will allow you to add it to your policy as an optional extra.

Before you sign on the dotted line it would be a wise move to compare gadget insurance policies and go with the one that offers the best cover at the cheapest price.

I have contents insurance – will this cover my gadgets?

Possibly, but it depends on your specific insurance policy.

For instance, many home insurance providers will insure your TV as standard, and some might also include PlayStation insurance, Nintendo insurance, Nintendo Switch insurance, PS5 insurance, PS4 insurance, PS4 controller insurance or Xbox One insurance too.

It's possible some standard policies might even cover custom PC insurance or gaming PC insurance in addition to the more typical desktop PC insurance and PC monitor insurance, but if you do own a high-end gaming PC or custom-build computer it's possible those gadgets might be worth more than your contents insurance policy's 'single item limit'.

It's also important to bear in mind that some contents insurance and home insurance policies will only cover your gadgets while they're in your home, so your laptop, Nintendo Switch, mobile smartphone, MacBook or Kindle might not be covered if something happens to your gadget while you’re out and about. That's just one of the reasons why you might want to consider looking into a standalone gadget insurance policy.

The best plan of action is to review what is included and excluded from your current home insurance policy, and then decide if you need to also take out specialist gadget cover.

But remember, you cannot claim for the same loss, theft or damage on two different insurance policies, so there's no point taking out separate Nintendo Switch insurance cover, for instance, if you know that's already covered by your home insurance.

Will my gadget be repaired or replaced if something goes wrong?

If your mobile phone, computer or tablet is damaged and there is a good chance it can be repaired (for example, if it simply has a smashed screen), then your gadget cover may mean the device will be repaired rather than replaced.

On the other hand, if the damage is too severe, or if your device is lost or stolen and your policy covers that, then the insurance provider will likely arrange for you to receive a replacement device.

However, it would be worth double checking whether your individual policy will cover your device new-for-old, meaning you would receive a brand new device in the closest currently-available model.

Can I insure a second hand mobile phone, tablet or laptop?

Most insurance providers will only be willing to insure mobile phones and other electronic gadgets that you purchased new. This is because second hand devices carry a much higher risk of suffering a technical fault, so it isn’t in the insurance company’s interests to insure this type of device.

The one exception is if the mobile device or other gadget you bought had been reconditioned by the manufacturer immediately prior to you purchasing it. In those cases, some insurance providers might be willing to insure your device, albeit at a lower value than a brand new gadget.

It is worth pointing out, though, that if you did buy a second hand device you might be able to include it on your home insurance.

I've been advised that if I'm looking for mobile phone insurance Lloyds offers the cheapest policies, is this true?

Not necessarily. As with every insurance provider, Lloyds uses a wide range of risk factors when they're calculating their gadget insurance premiums, and every provider doesn't weight those risk variables in the same way. 

In practice, this means that some policyholders might find that Lloyds does offer them the cheapest gadget insurance policies, while other people might find that NatWest mobile phone insurance or Barclays mobile phone insurance is actually the cheaper option for their particular risk profiles.

HP laptop insurance: UK policies apparently cover me even if I'm overseas, or so I've been told. Is this true?

If you live overseas then it's unlikely a UK laptop insurance will cover you. In fact, you probably won't even qualify for this type of insurance policy in the first place, because you usually have to be a UK resident to take out a policy here.

However, if you're only going overseas on holiday and you plan to take your HP laptop with you while you're travelling then many standalone laptop insurance policies will cover this. Just double check your policy's terms and conditions to confirm if cover is included while you're abroad, and also take note of restrictions are imposed while you're travelling.

Is Currys laptop insurance the best option for my laptop?

Although Currys offers 'Care and Repair' and 'Instant Replacement' policies, these are akin to extended warranties rather than standalone gadget insurance, and as such they won't cover you against the risk of accidental damage, loss or theft.