Gadget Insurance
What is Gadget insurance?
Gadget Insurance is a cost effective way to insure those everyday gadgets and electronic items that we never leave the house without! Many of us do not realise the value of items carried in our briefcase / handbag. It’s only when something goes wrong and we have to replace these products that we understand the true value, both personally and financially.
What type of gadgets does Protect your bubble UK insure?
We offer insurance on iPhones, smartphones, mobiles, laptops, iPads, iPods/MP3 players, game consoles, handheld games consoles, satellite navigation systems, cameras and camera lenses, camcorders, Bluetooth headsets, in-car computers, headphones and earphones.
If you have any other items which you would like to insure please email us at customerservices@protectyourbubble.com.
If you are starting a new gadget policy please remember that your item/items should be less than 12 months old. This also applies, if you are adding a new item to an existing policy, which was bought after 3rd May 2011.
What is covered under the policy?
- Theft
- Cracked screens
- Accidental damage
- Liquid damage
- Mechanical breakdown (outside of manufacturer's warranty)
- Loss cover (optional from an extra £1 a month - not available on TV's, Desktop Computers, or Laptops)
- Worldwide cover as standard
- For mobiles - unauthorised calls cover up to £100
What are the main exclusions and conditions on this policy?
Please refer to our summary of cover and terms and conditions for full details.
- You must be 18 years or older to purchase a policy.
- There is a 14 day exclusion period on all Protect your bubble policies, and any amendments to the policy in question, where we will not cover any claims which occur during this period.
- Your gadget must be purchased as new.
- Your gadget must be purchased from a UK registered VAT retailer in the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands.
- We will not pay for any loss or damage to gadgets that may happen if you leave them unattended outside your home – this means if they are not in your sight at all times and out of your arms length reach. For example if you are in a pub and leave your gadget on a table whilst you go and order drinks from the bar this would be classed as being left unattended.
Is there an age restriction on the items I can insure?
The item(s) must be less than 12 months old from the date it was purchased as new.
Am I covered if I bought my electronic item from an auction site?
No. We only cover electronic gadgets that are purchased, as new, from a VAT registered shop in the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Isles.
Please read our terms and conditions for more information.
Is there an excess fee and are there any costs involved?
Yes. There is an excess fee for all successful claims which must be paid before your claim can be approved. If you purchased your policy after 03/05/2011 and your policy is for a laptop, there is a £75 excess fee for each claim. If your claim is for a smartphone, iPad, tablet or iPhone the excess fee is £50. For all other items, there is an excess fee of £25.
Any loss claims will incur a further £25 excess fee. Any international claims are subject to a £75 excess fee.
All Accidental Damage claims made in the first 3 months from the policy start date incur an additional £25 excess charge.
If you pay your policy on a monthly basis, you are required to pay the remaining unpaid monthly payments before the claim can be agreed in full.
If you purchased your policy before 03/05/2011 and your policy number begins with a 4,5,6 or 7, then please refer to your terms and conditions or email us at customerservices@protectyourbubble.com.
Do I need to supply a receipt?
In the event of a claim you will need to provide receipts for all items you are claiming for.
This will need to show:
- The make and model of your gadget
- The date the gadget was purchased
- Your name (where possible)
- The IMEI number of the gadget
- That the gadget was purchased as new in the UK, Isle or the Channel islands from a VAT registered retailer
Protect your bubble useful tip:
Post a copy of your receipt (s) to Protect your bubble, PO Box 1033, Uxbridge, UB8 9PX.
Or take an electronic copy and email it to customerservices@protectyourbubble.com.
We will link it to your policy to speed up any future claims.
What documents will I receive when I purchase a policy?
We will send you a confirmation letter and a hard copy of your schedule of insurance in the post. This could take a up to 5 working days.
We no longer send printed version of your Terms and Conditions and Policy Summary as it helps us to be more environmentally friendly. Instead we send these documents by email and you should receive these within a couple of days of purchasing your policy. We recommend you save the email, so you can easily locate these documents in the future.
What should I do if I replace my insured item or want to include more items on my policy?
If YOU HAVE PURCHASED YOUR POLICY AFTER 03/05/2011
(your policy number will begin with DGI):
IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED YOUR POLICY BEFORE 03/05/2011
(your policy begins with a 4,5,6 or 7):
You can also post a copy of your receipt to:
602 Cumberland House,
80 Scrubs Lane,
London,
NW10 6RF.
Who is the policy Underwritten by?
Gadget insurance is arranged by Protect your bubble, underwritten by Assurant General Insurance Limited, and administered on their behalf by Assurant Services Ireland Limited. Assurant General Insurance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
How can I cancel my policy?
IF YOU HAVE PURCHASED YOUR POLICY AFTER 03/05/2011
- Cancellations must be in writing. We do require one month notice. You can email customerservices@protectyourbubble.com quoting your policy reference.
- For cancellations within the first 14 days of policy purchase, you will receive a full refund. Please For cancellations after the 14 days, please be aware that we charge an administration fee of £10. If you selected to pay annually a pro rata refund will be given – see Terms and Conditions for full details.
IFYOU HAVE PURCHASED YOUR POLICY BEFORE 03/05/2011
I cannot find the answer to my question. What next?
Travel Insurance
Am I covered if I am pregnant?
Yes, cover under your policy is provided for unforeseen events. In particular, cover is provided under Section 2 for unforeseen bodily injury or illness. Pregnancy and Childbirth are not considered to be either an illness or injury. For the avoidance of doubt, please note that cover is ONLY given under Sections 2, 4, 5 and 6 of the policy wording for claims arising from Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth. Please make sure you read the definition of Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth given in your policy wording under the Meaning of Words.
Most sections of the policy carry an Excess. This is the first amount of any claim that you will have to pay. The amount may vary depending on the level of cover you have chosen. It is applicable per person per section. The Excess will be reduced to NIL if you have used a EHIC (Formally E111) to reduce your medical expenses bill or paid the Excess Waiver premium. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can be used to cover any necessary medical treatment due to either an accident or illness within the European Economic Area (EEA). The EHIC entitles the holder to state-provided medical treatment within the country they are visiting and the service provided will be the same as received by a person covered by the country's 'insured' medical scheme.
The EHIC is the replacement for the E111. As of 1 January 2006, E111s are not valid.
How to Apply for the EHIC:
• At the Post Office® - Takes 21 Days - You can collect an application form and post it yourself or you can use the Post Office® Check & Send service, where they will check the application form and post the form off for you. This service offers the convenience, ease and reassurance that the form is completed correctly and the charge is £2 per application form. Your application should be processed within 21 days.
• By Telephone - Takes 10 Days - You can telephone the NHSBSA EHIC Application Line on 0845 606 2030. Your application should be processed within 10 days.
• Online - Takes 7 Days - You can use the NHSBSA website which can be found at
https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do to apply yourself or you can use the Portcreek EHIC Review and Forward service on this website. This service means that you will have the reassurance that all of your details have been checked by us for common mistakes made during applications and that we will contact you directly should we believe there will be any problems with your application which could delay its processing. Your application will then be submitted to the NHSBSA by Portcreek on your behalf. The charge is £9.95 per application. Your application should be processed within 7 days.
What is a Pre-existing Medical Condition?
- Any past or current Medical Condition that has given rise to symptoms or for which any form of treatment or prescribed medication, medical consultation, investigation or follow up/check-up has been required or received during the 2 years prior to the commencement of cover under the policy and/or prior to any Trip and
- any cardiovascular or circulatory condition (e.g. heart condition, hypertension, blood clots, raised cholesterol, stroke, aneurysm) that has occurred at any time prior to the commencement of cover under the policy and/or prior to any Trip.
To be entitled to cover under this insurance you and all persons named on this policy, on whose behalf you have permission to apply for this insurance, must understand and agree to the following:
No claim arising directly or indirectly from a Pre-existing Medical Condition affecting you will be covered unless:
- all your pre-existing medical conditions appear within the waived conditions list, or
- you have declared your pre-existing medical conditions through online medical screening, have been accepted and you have paid the appropriate additional policy.
If you need to amend your medical screening, you must contact our customer advisors team on 01293 655592 or 0843 658 0204.
Cover for Pre-Existing Medical conditions is not available to customers visiting from price comparison sites.
What are the Terms and Conditions?
It is important that you read the policy carefully and agree to all the Terms and Conditions to make sure that the cover provided is suitable for you. The Terms and Conditions are on the right hand side of this page.
What does Winter Sports cover?
Provided you have paid the Winter Sports extension, you are covered for: ski equipment, piste closure, avalanche cover, ski hire, ski pack costs up to the limits shown on the schedule of benefits.
Activities covered are:
Big foot skiing
Cat skiing
Cross country skiing/Nordic skiing
Glacier skiing
Ice hockey
Mono skiing
Off piste skiing or snow-boarding (within local ski patrol guidelines)
Skidooing
Skiing
Sledging
Snowblading/skiboarding
Snowboarding
Snow mobiling
Tobogganing
The following Winter Sports are not covered under any circumstances:
Heli boarding
Heli skiing
Ice speedway
Luging/bobsleighing
Ski acrobatics
Ski jumping
Ski racing
Ski stunting
What do I do if I need medical assistance when travelling?
You must contact the assistance company as soon as possible. You must obtain their prior authorisation before incurring any expenses over £500, except in the case of an emergency. In case of emergency, if you are physically prevented from contacting them immediately, you or someone designated by you must contact them within 48 hours.
For assistance outside U.K. dial: 00 44 (0) 843 658 0343 or 00 44 (0) 1293 655842
Quote your scheme reference:13Q42 (single trip policy), 13Q43 (annual trip policy)
Can we travel independently on our Couple/Family travel insurance policy?
Everyone can travel independently, however, children must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult.
How often can I travel on an Annual Multi Trip policy?
The policy lasts for the complete 12 months, and you can take as many trips/holidays as you wish during the year. Any individual trip or holiday must not last longer than 21 days. If a trip is for a longer period you will need to purchase a Single Trip policy for that particular trip. Winter Sports cover, for a maximum of 17 days in aggregate for the whole year and Business Cover and Golf Cover, for a maximum of 21 days in total for the whole year, are available at an additional premium. Please contact Protect your bubble on 0800 091 3762.
What is the difference between Economy, Standard, Premier and Premier Plus cover?
Premier Plus cover offers wider coverage & higher sums insured than Economy, Standard and Premier with lower Excesses.
How is my policy delivered?
Your policy can be emailed directly to your email address shortly after being issued, please note that some internet providers filter our automated e-mails as SPAM so please check your SPAM/junk folder if the e-mail has not been received. Alternatively your documents can be delivered by post.
Do you offer cover for over 54 year olds?
No, If you are aged 54 or over please contact Protect your bubble on 0844 482 1053 and you may be able to obtain a quote on an alternative policy.
Do you cover non-UK residents?
You need to live in the UK (Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man) and have not spent more than 6 months abroad in the year prior to purchasing the policy. If you are outside this limit then please contact Protect your bubble on 0800 091 3762.
Can I go scuba diving when travelling?
Scuba diving between 30 – 50 metres can be added to your policy upon payment of an additional premium, please refer to Table C, Special Sports & Activities.
What policies do you offer?
Single Trip policies up to 31 days in duration:
Annual Multi Trip policies with maximum trip duration of 21 days.
Optional covers for Winter Sports, Golf and Business Travel
Economy, Standard and Premier levels of cover.
What credit/debit cards do you accept?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, Maestro/Switch, Solo, Visa Electron, Delta and American Express.
We are only able to accept cheques for policies over the value of £100. The policy will be set up when the cheque has been cleared through our bank. Please contact Protect your bubble on 0800 091 3762.
What happens if my bag is stolen with all my travel documents and money whilst I am travelling?
You must report theft or losses to the police or relevant authority within 24 hours of the event and obtain a written report. These reports are the only proof that the loss/theft did actually occur. Without them Fortis cannot make any payment to you. If you leave luggage and personal items unattended in a public place then Fortis cannot be held responsible for any resultant claim. You should always take reasonable care to look after your property and treat it as if it were not insured. There is no cover for cash or valuables left in an unattended vehicle at any time, even if the vehicle is locked.
Yes, there is cover for glasses on our policies, they are included as valuables. However, the maximum amount that will be paid for sunglasses or prescription glasses of any kind is £150 for Economy & Standard, £200 for Premier.
When do I need to purchase my travel insurance?
At the time of booking your travel arrangements, check to make sure that you have cancellation cover in place for that particular trip.
If your travel arrangements change then you must call Protect your bubble immediately on 0800 091 3762. You must be able to provide the correct Period of Insurance on your documentation in the event of a claim.
What do I need to take on holiday with me?
Please ensure that you take a copy of your certificate of insurance and a copy of the full policy wording - these documents contain important numbers that you may require whilst travelling.
Am I covered for my golf equipment?
Yes, provided you have paid the additional premium for the golf cover extension. Up to a maximum benefit limit of £1000 on Standard and £1,500 on Premier and £2,000 on Premier Plus and is payable with claims for a single club or item of Golf equipment limited to a maximum benefit of £1,000.
Am I covered for cancellation?
If you have paid the appropriate premium, you are covered for cancellation of your holiday for the reasons stated in the policy wordings. You may be able to claim (subject to the policy terms and conditions) for any travel or accommodation costs that you have either already paid or are contracted to pay, that you cannot reclaim from the tour operator.
What is an Excess Waiver?
If your policy includes the Excess Waiver, you will not need to pay the excess on any claim. You can add the Excess Waiver on to your policy through the payment of the appropriate additional premium. Please contact Protect Your Bubble Insurefor.com on 0800 091 3762
What is an EHIC (formally E111)?
If you intend travelling to European Union (EU) countries, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, we would advise you to obtain a Form CM1 from your local main Post Office. On returning this duly completed to the main Post Office, you will be issued with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which will entitle you to certain free or reduced cost health arrangements in the EU, EEA or Switzerland. (Full details are given in the DSS Leaflet No. SA40).
NB: In the event that you have used the EHIC to effectively reduce the cost or your treatment or medicines; then you will not have to pay an Excess in relation to any medical related claims.
We can change your policy within 14 days of purchase, after this you will only be able to make administration changes such as departure / return dates, extend the policy to cover Special Sports & Activities or upgrade the benefit levels within the policy. Please contact Protect Your Bubble on 0800 091 3762.
Which Special Sports and Activities are covered at no additional premium (but without any Personal Accident and Personal Liability sections):
Camel riding
Catamaran sailing (if qualified)
Clay pigeon shooting
Dinghy sailing
Go karting (within organiser's guidelines)
Jet boating (no racing)
Jet skiing (no racing)
Paint balling (wearing eye protection)
Rifle range shooting
Sailing/ yachting inshore (recreational, crewing, no racing)
Shooting (within organiser's guidelines)
Small bore target shooting (within organiser's guidelines)
War games (wearing eye protection)
Yatching (if qualified)
Which Special Sports & Activities are covered with an additional premium?
American football
Climbing up to 4000 meters
Dry slope skiing
Endurance tests
Fives
Football - American
High altitude trekking
Hiking / trekking / walking (above 4000 meters)
Hockey
Lacrosse
Langlauf
Organised safari with guns
Outdoor endurance events
Parascending - over land
Rugby
Sand dune surfing / skiing
Scuba diving between 30m - 50m (within organiser's guidelines)
Speed skating
Street Hockey (wearing pads and helmets)
Summer tobogganing
Trampolining
Trekking high altitude
White water canoeing (up to grade 4 only)
Which Special Sports and Activities are not covered under any circumstances?
Bouldering
Boxing
Canyoning
Cave tubing
Caving and Pot holing
Climbing over 4000 metres
Cycle Racing
Cyclo cross
Drag racing
Flying (except passengers in licensed passenger aircraft)
Free Mountaineering
Hang gliding
Harness racing
High diving (over 5 metres)
Hunting (Fox / drag)
Jousting
Judo
Karate
Kendo
Manual work
Martial Arts
Micro Lighting
Modern pentathlon
Motor Cycle racing
Motor racing
Motor rallying
Mountaineering (over 4000 metres)
Parachuting
Paragliding / parapenting
Pot Holing / Caving
Powerboat racing
Power Lifting
Professional Sports of any kind
Quad Biking
River bugging
Rock Climbing
Rodeo
Roller hockey
Shark diving (in cage)
Skydiving
Speed trail / time trail
Triathlon
Water ski jumping
Weight lifting
Wrestling
Pet Insurance
Can I change my cover level once I have taken a policy out?
Yes you can change the cover you have when your policy is due for renewal. Please contact us at the time and we will make the necessary changes to your policy.
Can I pay monthly by direct debit?
Yes. And at renewal your cover will continue unless you tell us otherwise. We don't charge any interest for paying your premiums monthly.
Can you cover my pet abroad, if so how long for?
You will be covered for 30 days with our Economy and Standard cover levels and 12 months with our Premier cover.
Do I have to pay anything when I claim?
You'll pay the amount shown on your schedule towards the veterinary treatment for each new illness or injury. If you have a dog, you'll also pay a £100 excess towards any claim for third party liability.
Do I have to pay the vet and you reimburse me?
In some circumstances we can arrange to pay the vet direct for the costs of your pet’s treatment. To arrange this please call us on 0844 871 1343
Do you charge interest on my Direct Debit payments?
We don't charge any interest for paying your premiums monthly.
Yes, there is no age maximum limit (Dogs that are 9 or more years old and cats that are 11 or more years old are excluded from the death by illness cover)
Do you have an age limit?
Pets must be at least 8 weeks old, there is no age maximum limit. (Dogs that are 9
or more years old and cats that are 11 or more years old are excluded from the death by illness cover)
Please call us on 0844 335 0324 and we'll send you a claim form. To make it easier for you we can pay the vet directly if they are set up for this. If the vet is unable to offer this facility or you've already paid the vet, we'll send you a cheque. Full instructions about how to claim will be provided in your welcome pack.
How do you calculate my quote?
Every quote is calculated individually, so you can be sure you'll get the most competitive price possible. We look at the breed of your pet, its age, sex and where you live when calculating the cost of the cover.
What animals do you insure?
We only insure cats and dogs on our pet insurance policy.
Will the policy cover more than one pet?
One policy will cover one pet only. However you can buy multiple policies and Protect your bubble will give a 5% discount for each additional pet you insure with us.
Can I claim as soon as I purchase the policy?
You can not claim on any accident, injury, illness or condition arising prior to or within the first 10 days of the inception date of the insurance. (This exclusion is not applicable to renewed policies.) After this period, subject to cover being in force and the premiums being paid to date, you can claim up to the policy limit of the cover selected, terms and conditions apply as per the policy wording.
I see the policy is underwritten by Zenith Insurance PLC, who are they?
Zenith Insurance Plc are authorised Insurers, registered in Gibraltar No 84085.
Registered Office: 846-848, Europort, Gibraltar
Zenith Insurance Plc are regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and subject to a limited regulation by the Financial Services Authority in respect of underwriting insurance business in the UK (FSA Register Number 211787).
Zenith Insurance Plc is a member of the Association of British Insurers
Car Hire Insurance
Why do I need Car Hire Insurance and what is it?
When you hire a car in the UK, Europe or further a-field your car rental agreement will cover CDW (collision damage waiver), theft and third party liability. Should anything happen to the vehicle during your rental agreement you will be required to pay a portion of the costs to the car rental company (the excess). This can be as much as £2,000 with some car rental companies. This insurance is designed to cover this excess payment, as well as other items such as damage to tyres, windscreens and the under body of the car which are often the financial responsibility of the hirer and can be expensive!
Why should I buy from you and not the car rental company?
It is your choice if and where you decide to purchase a Hire Car Insurance policy. By purchasing a policy with Protect your bubble prior to departure you have time to review and understand the cover being provided (if you buy at the car rental desk you are unlikely to have time to read the terms and conditions of any additional waiver cover purchased). Our policy is in plain English, not translated from the local language. Our cover is much wider than most car rental companies and includes benefits for lost keys, lock out cover, personal accident, baggage, curtailment and drop-off charges. Protect your bubble’s Car Hire Excess Insurance could provide significant cost savings against the charges made by car rental companies.
What is covered under this policy?
This insurance insures the policyholder as Lead Driver on the car rental agreement plus any other persons eligible to buy this insurance if they are named on the certificate of insurance and car rental agreement for any physical loss or damage to the vehicle hired up to the excess shown in the car rental agreement including loss or damage to tyres, windscreen, under body of the vehicle and towing charges. In addition the policy also covers for each car rental agreement:
Are other people travelling with me insured?
Our policies cover the policy holder (who must be the person renting the car) plus any additional drivers declared on the car rental agreement.
What countries are included in Europe and Worldwide?
There are two territories: - 1. Europe - means all countries West of the Ural Mountains, British Isles, Ireland, islands in the Mediterranean, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Canary Islands, Madeira, Iceland and the Azores, except rentals within 150 kilometres of your home in your usual country of residence. 2. Worldwide - means any country In addition we offer worldwide including SLI. Supplementary Liability Insurance. (SLI) is top up third party insurance applicable to those territories where there is no or very low limits of third party liability insurance, for example, USA. SLI tops up any mandatory insurance to $1,000,000
What is SLI – When and why should I include this?
This allows you to top up your third party liability cover (third party liability covers you for any negligent act that causes damage to another persons property or bodily injury). It is supplementary Liability Insurance and provides 3rd party liability up to $1m and is required where there is no or very low limits of third party liability cover. In certain territories outside of the European Union third party liability insurance is not mandatory or the mandatory limits are inadequate. This includes countries such as the USA, Canada and New Zealand for example. Your car rental company may include adequate third party liability as part of your rental but you should ask them to confirm the amount of cover provided. If your car rental company does not provide adequate third party liability they will offer this when you pick-up your car. This means that there is likely to be a substantial additional cost to your car rental package. Protect your bubble’s SLI cover provides you with peace of mind by topping up the cover to $1,000,000.
An annual policy covers you for unlimited car rentals during the year up to 31 days per rental.
How does the insurance work?
Once you purchase the policy you do not need to buy any additional insurance from the car rental company. The car rental company will reserve the excess amount shown in the car rental agreement against your credit card to cover damage that you might incur during the rental. If you do damage the car the car rental company will assess the damage and provide you with a loss damage report and deduct the amount from your credit card. On your return home please contact AXA Assistance (their details are in the policy) to report the claim. Once you submit the claim form and documents required to prove the loss occurred it takes approximately 10 days to settle the claim. Our product administrators Questor Insurance are there to assist you once your claim is submitted and they have processes in place to ensure that claims are dealt with efficiently and within the agreed service level agreements.
See our policy wording for full procedures.
