iPad, E Reader & Tablet Insurance Guide

iPad, Kindle, Microsoft Surface – the list of tablets goes on and on. But, whichever e-reader you have, they have one thing in common, we are very dependent on them. Everyone from grandparents to toddlers are now tablet savvy – which also means they get used a hell of a lot and get taken everywhere too. Anyone who has had the screen on their tablets damaged knows how difficult they are to use (after all who wants to swipe a cracked screen?) but Protect Your Gadget insurance can provide cover for those ‘Oh no, not again’ moments.

Things to consider before taking out tablet insurance

• Would you need a near immediate replacement for the tablet should you lose it?If you have a history of damaging and losing your tablet, insurance is definitely the right option for you.
• Is your tablet protected by your home contents insurance?You don't want to spend money unnecessarily if you already have your tablet(s) covered, so check out your home contents policy to find out if they are protected. If they are covered, they may not have sufficient cover outside the home or in the hands of younger family members. They probably won't be covered for mechanical breakdowns and malfunctions, either so if this is a concern, you'll want to consider getting alternative protection.
• When taking your tablet abroad, would you be covered by your travel insurance?Check the excess and how much it is insured for. How about children travelling alone on school trips? Is your travel insurance enough? Again, these are policy details you should check before deciding to take out gadget insurance.
• You may also be covered with inclusive insurance with a packaged bank account or certain credit cardsAgain, you might want to check this out before taking out stand-alone gadget insurance.

What does iPad/tablet insurance cover?

Liquid damage: for those times you accidentally get your Apple iPad wet (like when you were videoing the kids on the white-water rapids)

Overseas travel: where you go, your Apple iPad can go too.

Mechanical breakdown: if you get the dreaded Apple iPad black screen.

Accessories cover

Are there different levels of cover?

Yes. Depending on budget, you can choose between:

Protect: Accidental Damage, Mechanical Breakdown, £250 accessory cover, 60 days worldwide cover (per trip)

Protect Plus: Accidental Damage, Mechanical Breakdown, Theft, £250 Accessory cover, 90 days worldwide cover (per trip), Unauthorised usage (£2500), E-Wallet protection £500

Protect Premium: Accidental Damage, Mechanical Breakdown, Theft, Loss, £250 Accessory Cover, 120 Days worldwide cover (per trip), Unauthorised usage (£2500), E-Wallet Protection £500.

What isn’t covered:

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.

Things to consider when buying iPad/ tablet/ e-reader 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.