Gadget Insurance: Do You Really Need It?

Gadget insurance is a cover designed to protect your electronic devices when life decides to throw you a curveball. Whether it’s your smartphone taking an unexpected dive into your morning coffee, your laptop suffering a fatal encounter with a flight of stairs, or a pickpocket making off with your tablet during a night out, our gadgets face daily risks that can leave us seriously out of pocket.

What is gadget insurance?

Gadget insurance gives you cover for the unexpected, from accidental damage and liquid damage to theft and loss, so you’re not left scrambling to replace expensive tech out of your own pocket.

What gadgets can I insure?

Most gadget insurance policies cover a wide range of devices, including:

• Smartphones (Apple iPhone, Samsung, and the lot)
• Laptops and tablets (including that iPad you can’t live without)
• Digital cameras and e-readers
• Smartwatches and fitness trackers
• Games consoles and headsets
• Sat navs and other portable tech

If it’s electronic, portable, and expensive to replace, there’s a good chance you can get it covered. With Lemonade, all of these devices are covered under a single contents policy, meaning you won’t need to take out separate laptop insurance, mobile phone insurance or tablet insurance for each device.

What does gadget insurance cover?

Most gadget insurance policies cover your devices against damage, theft and loss, though the details vary between providers. It’s always worth checking your policy documents carefully, as exclusions such as wear and tear or age restrictions on devices can catch you out.

Here’s what comprehensive gadget insurance cover typically includes:

What’s typically covered

Coverage	What it means
Theft	Protects your tech if it’s stolen, giving you peace of mind that you can replace items quickly
Accidental damage	Covers repairs for mishaps like cracked screens, provided the damage affects how the device works
Mechanical breakdown	If your gadget fails outside of its manufacturer’s warranty, your policy covers repairs or replacement
Unauthorised call cover	If your phone is stolen, this covers the cost of calls made by someone else (usually up to a set limit)
International cover	Protects your gadgets when you travel abroad, as long as you stay within approved territories and trips don’t exceed four consecutive weeks. Cover might not apply in destinations where the FCDO advises against travel

What isn’t covered by gadget insurance?

Most gadget insurance policies come with exclusions baked in, so it pays to read the small print before you commit. Here’s what to watch out for:

• Proof of purchase and police reference number: You must provide proof of purchase and a police reference number for stolen items
• Loss: Insurers don’t cover items left unattended or where the time and place of loss are unclear
• Theft from home or workplace: Insurers exclude theft from your home or workplace if the device wasn’t locked away
• Early claims: Some policies exclude claims made within the first 14 days of cover or policy changes
• Manufacturer warranty: Gadget cover excludes faults already covered by a manufacturer’s warranty
• Work gadgets: If you use your tech for work, you might not be automatically covered. It’s best to check with your insurer
• Age of your tech: Insurers often put restrictions on the age of your tech at the time you take out the policy. For example, you might not be able to insure a tablet if it’s more than six months old
• Second-hand tech: If you bought your gadget second-hand, you’re unlikely to be covered. Most policies require you to have purchased your gadget new

What are additional add-ons for your gadgets?

Lemonade goes a step further with optional add-ons that cover the situations a standard policy might miss:

• Theft and Loss add-on: Standard contents insurance only covers theft from inside your home. This add-on extends your protection to worldwide cover, so whether your phone goes missing at a coffee shop in London or on a beach in Ibiza (as long as you’re there for less than three months), you’re covered. Worth noting: this is not a replacement for travel insurance.
• Accidental damage to mobile devices add-on: One in five mobile phone users in the UK have cracked their screen, according to a YouGov poll. This add-on covers almost all forms of accidental damage, including cracked screens and liquid damage. Lemonade has partnered with BeValued, who collect your damaged device and repair it using original parts. If your device needs replacing, smartphones are swapped for a refurbished Grade A (mint condition) handset, and all other devices are replaced as new.
• High-value item cover: If any gadget is worth more than £2,000, adding high-value item cover ensures it’s fully protected. Pair this with the Theft and Loss and Accidental Damage add-ons for complete peace of mind on your most expensive tech.

Does contents insurance cover gadgets?

If you already have a home contents insurance policy, you’re not starting from scratch. Lemonade’s contents insurance covers electronic devices including smartphones, e-readers and laptops for what insurers call ‘named perils‘. Here’s a quick overview of what’s included:

Fire	Lightning	Smoke	Explosion	Collision by vehicles, aircraft, or falling objects
Burglary	Robbery	Vandalism	Civil Unrest	Water damage caused by accidental leaks from fixed water systems
Windstorm	Hail	Earthquake	Floodings

But a basic home contents insurance policy has its limits. What it doesn’t cover:

• Accidental damage, like dropping your phone down the stairs
• Theft outside your home
• Mechanical breakdown from normal wear and tear
• Liquid damage from your own clumsiness
• Loss or misplacement

That’s where Lemonade’s optional add-ons come in, filling the gaps that a standard home insurance policy leaves behind. The Theft and Loss add-on extends your theft cover beyond your front door, while the Accidental Damage to Mobile Devices add-on takes care of the everyday mishaps your basic policy won’t touch.

Do I need gadget insurance if I have a warranty?

Most gadgets come with a manufacturer’s warranty, typically for the first year. This covers things like defective parts, mechanical breakdown due to manufacturing faults, and software issues that aren’t your fault. Things like defective keyboards and hard drive failures would typically fall under this.

But here’s what a warranty won’t cover:

• Accidental damage, like a cracked screen from dropping your phone
• Liquid damage (spilt tea, anyone?)
• Theft or loss
• Wear and tear once the warranty expires

A warranty is great for genuine manufacturing faults, but it won’t help when you accidentally sit on your laptop or someone nicks your phone at the pub. That’s exactly the gap a good gadget insurance policy is designed to fill.

How much does gadget insurance cost?

Costs vary depending on what you’re covering, your chosen level of cover, your excess, and whether you want worldwide cover. As a rough guide:

Device	Approximate monthly cost
Mobile phone insurance	£5 to £15 per device
Multi-gadget insurance	£10 to £30 for several devices
Laptop insurance	£3 to £10 per device
Tablet insurance	£2 to £8 per device

Always get more than one insurance quote. Prices can vary significantly between insurance providers for near-identical cover, so shopping around is well worth the effort.

How do I make a gadget insurance claim?

When something goes wrong, here’s what the typical insurance claim process looks like:

1. Report the incident: For theft, call 999 if you’re in danger or 101 if it’s not an emergency. Get a crime reference number from the police before doing anything else, as you’ll need this when you file your claim.
2. Register lost items: If you’ve lost a gadget rather than had it stolen, register it on Report My Loss. You’ll receive a lost property reference number to share with your insurer when making a claim.
3. Contact your insurer: Most have 24/7 claims lines or online portals. Lemonade claims can be filed quickly and easily through the app.
4. Provide evidence: You’ll need proof of purchase, photos of any damage, and a police report for theft. Try to keep receipts for gadgets worth £250 or more, as this helps settle claims faster. If you don’t have a receipt, Lemonade’s team will work with you to confirm the item was yours.
5. Assessment: The insurer reviews your claim against your policy wording.
6. Settlement: Lemonade offers 100% replacement value with no deductions for age or wear. Your excess will be subtracted from any approved claim payout. When signing up, you’ll choose an excess between £100 and £500, the lower the excess, the higher your monthly premium.

Keep your policy documents somewhere handy and hold onto receipts for expensive gadgets. All UK insurance providers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), so you have consumer protections in place if a claim is handled unfairly.

The bottom line

Gadget insurance is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but for most people it’s well worth considering. If you own several expensive devices, live an active lifestyle, or simply can’t afford to replace your tech at the drop of a hat, having the right insurance policy in place makes good financial sense.

Whether it’s a cracked screen, an unexpected mechanical breakdown, or an unfortunate encounter with a pickpocket, the right gadget insurance cover means you can get back to your digital life without the financial headache. Sorted.

Gadget insurance FAQs