It is vital to check your insurance contract to understand what your computer and, more importantly, laptop is covered for. Knowing the cover exclusions will help you take extra precautions and prevent being caught off guard by a denied claim due to a specific safety clause. You can also opt to increase/adapt cover to better suit your needs. Depending on your insurance service provider, these are some of the situations that may not cover you:
- Repairs Or Maintenance By Unauthorised Service Providers: Most insurance service providers are very strict about this clause and will not include just any repairs, and, the computer in its entirety, if repair work is done by any unauthorised individual – including the owner.
- Home Use Versus Business Use: Computers that are used for business use or to earn an income need to be listed as “business tools” or a similarly defined insurer term. Computers for personal use can be covered under standard home contents cover. Claims for a specific burglary type (home or business) will only include computers classified under the same cover type.
- Laptop Portable Cover: Laptops need to be covered as an “out-of-office” or portable item to be covered for theft outside of listed premises.
- In Plain Sight: Laptops that were left in plain sight, just inside a car window (i.e. not locked in the boot) or on a classroom table where it was in view of windows will not be covered as it is considered negligence by users. A laptop is only covered for a car break-in if it was inside a locked car boot (trunk) or was securely locked away and out of sight when it comes to a public space like a classroom.
- Alarm & Security Measures: If your insurance premium has been calculated taking into account a building’s alarm system or other security measures, failure to arm systems, or equipment not being in working order at the time a break-in took place, could void the cover on computer equipment stolen from the property.
- Malicious Damage, Abuse And Negligence: Many insurance policies have specific circumstances and behaviour that renders a claim invalid based on loss related to malicious damage, abuse or negligence.
Service Plus are authorised laptop insurance repair experts and approved by a wide range of brands as a certified and preferred service partner. When it comes to our brand partners, we’ve got your insurance needs covered.