Computer Insurance

Computer insurance is fairly broad in its scope nowadays. It covers everything from desktop PCs, to apple macs, laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and even server computers.

Most policies will insure your computer for accidental damage, but check the policy wording just in case as this is an essential component – particularly if you own a laptop and often take it away from home. Holidays in particular put electronic equipment at increased risk; sun, sea, sand and/or snow all pose obvious dangers!

There are a number of companies that now specialise in providing insurance for computer equipment, which means your policy will be relevant, and hopefully tailored to your needs. That said, the price won’t necessarily be better than that offered by the more general insurance providers so consider all options.

Look out for the following in the small print:

Water insurance: Essential but not always included, oddly. Water spillage is one of the most common causes of damage – so make sure it’s covered by your computer insurance. If it’s not included as standard you can either pay extra, in most cases, or shop elsewhere.

Payment methods: If your priority is how you pay, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a company that accepts monthly, quarterly, or annually payments, depending on your preference.

Claims service and customer support: The crisis element when computers break down is often because you’re working to a tight deadline – so you need repair or replacement to happen as soon as possible.

Excess: The excess charged by some computer insurance companies strays into the unreasonable and could feel really unfair if ever you make a claim. Weigh up the minimum excess charge against the value of your computer and the rest of the policy – many companies are more realistic about their charges in any case.

Consider adding other items to the insurance for your computer equipment. For example, PDAs, external hard drives, photographic equipment, and mp3 players can often be included in the final quote – killing a few birds with one stone.

If your computer is second hand, refurbished, or bought from an online auction website such as ebay; it could be trickier to find budget insurance. Sometimes proof of shop-purchase for a brand new computer is required in order to qualify.