Student Gadget Insurance

We think students are being short-changed by the insurance industry. Most student contents insurance policies don't cover the possessions students care about the most - your laptops, mobile phones, and tablets.

We think this isn't good enough, and that insurance companies should be doing a better job of recognising the way students live and work now. If you agree, why not join the group and use the collective buying power you share with other students to demand a better deal?

If you want to learn more about student insurance in general, have a look at our complete guide.

Get a student discount on gadget insurance

Already we've used students' collective buying power to agree a 22% discount on gadget insurance with i-Digital. By joining the group, you'll be able to get cheaper insurance for your mobile, laptop, tablet, mp3 player, and any other gadgets you own.

Why buy student gadget insurance?

For many years, insurance companies have offered student contents insurance to give students financial protection in the event of theft from student rooms, or fires and floods in the building. However, this type of insurance doesn't provide cover for items that you take out of your room. That means it won't help (say) if your phone gets damaged on a night out, or if your laptop is stolen when you're walking between lectures. You'll need specialist student gadget insurance to avoid costly repairs or replacements, and the annoyance of being weeks without a phone or your coursework.

What does student gadget insurance cover?

Student gadget insurance usually covers accidental damage (for example, a cracked screen), loss or theft of a device, mechanical breakdown, and malicious damage (that is, where someone deliberately damages your device). Some policies may also cover fraudulent use of your device (for example, if someone took your phone and used it to make expensive overseas calls, or to access large amounts of data), as well as the costs of replacing files you've downloaded and stored. It goes without saying that you should always check the policy documents when buying student gadget insurance to make sure you understand exactly what is and isn't covered.

How much does student gadget insurance cost?

The costs of gadget insurance varies based on a number of factors, including where in the country you are studying, what type of student accommodation you live in, and what type of devices you own. But to give you an indication, we've compared the costs of three providers for a student living on campus in the Midlands, wanting to insure 3 gadgets with £500 of cover per gadget:

• i-Digital: £7.73 per month
• Protect Your Bubble: £7.88 per month
• Endsleigh Insurance: £8.99 per month

What to look for in student gadget insurance policies

It's always worth taking a deep breath and reading the small print of any insurance policy. Some particular things to bear in mind if you are considering buying gadget insurance from i-Digital include:

• The gadget must have been bought in the UK
• You need proof of purchase for the gadget if you want to make a claim
• Gadgets bought in online auctions (eg on eBay) are not covered
• The gadgets need to be less than 3 years old - or less than 1 year old in the case of a laptop

Who can join this group?

At the moment, we are focusing recruitment for this group on students at University College London (UCL), and the University of Leeds. However, current and prospective students at other universities are very welcome to join too. If you're a Student Union officer and would like to explore working with us, please use the forum for this group to get in touch.

By Sam Gilbert