Summer time and the living is easy…

This is the time of year when everyone likes to get out and about and enjoy some rare sunshine.

It’s also a time when, sadly, our expensive gadgets can get stolen, lost or damaged as we take them with us to use in the sun.

Young people in particular can come unstuck – can you believe how many teenagers have mobile phones worth hundreds of pounds sticking out of their back pockets?

A customer recently asked me whether it was worth taking out specific insurance for gadgets like phones, tablets and laptops.

A whole market has grown up with providers offering quite attractive sounding insurance policies, particularly for expensive mobile phones, which these days can cost up to £1000 if you buy them outright.

I would always recommend insurance – I’m in the business after all. But before you go dashing to shell out £6, £7, £8 or more every month covering one phone, it’s worth having a look at the insurance you already have.

If you’ve got good home and contents insurance you might find you’re already covered. Many good policies will cover you for personal possessions while you are out and about and that can include gadgets like phones, tablets and laptops.

The customer I spoke to, it turned out, had a policy which covered him and his family for up to £5,000 worth of personal possessions while they were out and about against theft, loss or damage. The only fly in the ointment was the excess on the policy, which was £200. The insurer was willing to reduce that to £100 though, for a few pounds extra a month.

Even if your policy doesn’t cover you as well as it might, altering the details of an existing policy might still come in cheaper than taking out a new policy, including specialist gadget insurance.

As with all things insurance-related, it’s worth checking just what you are and aren’t covered for, particularly if you are tempted to take up one of those comparison website deals.

Getting the best home and contents insurance isn’t as straightforward as you might think and there are lots of things to take into consideration before you sign on the dotted line. How much property do you have in your home and what is it worth? How much would it cost to rebuild your home if it was destroyed or damaged by fire?

For a free, no obligation discussion on any insurance or mortgage issue, please give me a call on 07767 692653.