Why Laptop Insurance Should Be On Your New Laptop Checklist

When you’re planning out what you need to do when you’ve purchased your new laptop, there’s a few things that spring immediately to mind. Load your favourite apps, select and load your preferred browser, transfer data files including music and photos from your old laptop, make sure it’s got anti-virus…yeah there’s a good chance most of these and many more  are on your checklist.  Does insurance figure on your checklist?  Not thought about it?  Well I’m going to give you some good reasons why you should.

Even the more budget conscious consumer will probably have laid out several hundred dollars for a new laptop, if it’s a top of the range, high spec device, this would result in an even heftier hit to the bank balance, so it’s not an item you would be wanting to pay out for again in the event it became damaged or stolen.  How do you protect yourself if anything unfortunate was to happen to your new laptop, well, that’s easy, the answer is laptop insurance cover from £2.49 per month.

Don’t be tempted to buy the in-store insurance plan.  Though this might seem the easy option, it’s unlikely to be the best deal available.  The key is to shop around to make sure you get the best deal for you.  By shopping around you can make sure you are getting the right level of protection at the best value premium.

Another consideration before you start is whether you might need cover for any other gadget you have.  If you are insuring more than one item, insurance providers often offer a substantial discount so you can save a lot of money by insuring together rather than under separate policies.

So it’s time to get started.  You will find there is a lot of competition with many providers offering an assortment of different plans.  Some of the cheaper options might seem good value, but you will need to check whether there are any exclusions that mean you are not getting full protection.  For example, check that the policy includes ALL accidental cover, for example, some exclude water damage.  Most of us use our laptops in areas where they are susceptible to water damage from spilled drinks and this is a common cause of malfunction on laptops, particularly keyboards.

Also think about getting some recommendations from friends, relatives and colleagues or you could even check out some discussion forums on the internet that cover laptops and insurance.

Once you have a shortlist of plans, compare to see which offer the best protection that meets your needs at the best price available.  Watch out for any special offers or additional services that might make a plan more attractive, for example 48 hour guaranteed replacement, free month of cover, and worldwide cover.

Though having insurance helps provide peace of mind that you are covered in the event of an unfortunate incident, you should remain security conscious when it comes to protecting your laptop and the data stored on it.

– If you regularly use your laptop away from your home, consider buying a lock for your laptop.  There are a number of these very affordable locks are available, allowing you to lock your laptop to a solid object.

– Lock your laptop in a filing cabinet or locked drawer when you leave for the day or are going off site.  In the car, do not leave in view on car seats, instead lock it out of view in the trunk.

– When travelling, keep your laptop with you.  Avoid putting your laptop bag in luggage compartments where you might easily forget it at the end of the journey.

– Where possible, password protect documents or files that might contain sensitive or confidential data.  If your laptop is also used for work purposes, your company may insist on or offer to encrypt the hard drive in order to protect data.

– Back up important files in case the laptop is stolen.

– Do not save passwords on your laptop and log out of any accounts you have opened before you close down your laptop.  Failure to do so means it is easier for a thief to log on to your accounts and steal your identity.