Games Console Insurance Guide

Imagine this. You've just taken delivery of the latest FIFA game. You and your flatmate are in the middle of the FA Cup Final when he scores, leaps up and knocks his beer all over your Xbox. The screen goes black. Panic you do not because you've been smart enough to get games console insurance for your favourite toy.

Games console insurance will save you some serious cash should your Xbox or PS4 break down or get damaged beyond repair. Most policies have a quick turnaround time for claims too, meaning you can be back racing through the streets of Los Santos and Blaine County in Grand Theft Auto V before you know it.

Things to consider before buying games console insurance

What does games console insurance cover?

Key policy features for a standard policy

A standard Protect Your Gadget policy will insure your games console for:

• Accidental damage
• Mechanical breakdown

What doesn’t games console insurance cover?

• Loss or theft due to carelessness
• Manufacturer defects or product recalls

Can I insure all my gadgets under one policy?

Protect Your Gadget offers a multi-gadget policy which could include your game consoles and all the other gadgets you own, likes Kindles, smartphones and iPads. You can insure up to 10 gadgets in our multi-device bundle.

Things to look out for when buying insurance

Excesses
An excess is the contribution you are asked to make towards a claim. You can have a choice of the amount of your excess - £150, £100 or £50 and there is an additional excess of £50 if a claim is made within the first 31 days of the policy starting. We always recommend you read the terms and conditions carefully, so you know what applies to you and your policy.

Is it preowned?
We insure gadgets that are purchased new or refurbished from a UK Vat registered company and that are up to 7 months old for a single gadget or no more than 36 months old when purchased with our bundles.

We can also insure your gadgets if they were purchased second hand or gifted to you, provided that you have the original proof of purchase and a signed letter from the original owner confirming that you own the gadget(s).

The signed letter must include the following details of your gadget(s):

• either the IMEI or serial number (whichever is applicable);
• the make and model;
• the sale price of the gadget (if purchased second hand);
• confirmation that the gadget(s) were in good condition and full working order at the time of sale.

Wear and tear:
Policies won't pay out for normal wear and tear, or cosmetic damage like scratches.

Virus damage:
If your system gets wiped out by a virus, you won't be able to claim to get the damage repaired, or for any other loss relating to the virus.

It's not all about insurance...

For most people the most valuable thing about their device is not the physical device itself but the data that's on it.

Protecting this needn't cost you any money at all.

Ensure that you frequently back up your music, files, photos, videos, contacts and other data. Consider cloud storage options for your data as well as physical backups such as home computers or hard disk drives.