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Common gadget insurance questions

About Gadget Insurance

An overview 

  • Gadget insurance is a cost-effective way to insure the gadgets and electronic devices that form part of our everyday lives. It is only when something goes wrong that we truly understand their value, not only financially but personally, and the inconvenience that can be caused without them functioning smoothly.

    By purchasing gadget insurance you can mitigate the financial risk of your gadget becoming broken, lost or stolen, which may include not only the cost of the gadget itself but also any additional costs incurred - such as unauthorised usage, which may leave you with a large phone bill to pay, potentially running to £1000 or more.

  • In general, a gadget is an electronic device designed by the manufacturer to be portable generally with its own internal power source, which can be used in or away from the home. You can see the list of gadgets covered by Post Office policies below.

  • Protecting your gadget is quick and easy. Insurance can be purchased online with immediate cover, simply get a quote.

What’s covered?

  • For the purposes of this policy a gadget can be any one of the following items:

    Mobile phones, tablets , laptops and PCs (including custom built), digital cameras, PC monitors, MP3 players, games consoles, video cameras, camera lenses, Bluetooth headsets, satellite navigation devices, PDAs, e-readers, head/ear phones, smart watches, fitness trackers and VR headsets.

    If there are any other gadgets that you would like to insure that we don’t currently list, please contact us and we will see if we can assist.

  • We can insure gadget(s) that are:

    1. Purchased new or refurbished from a UK VAT registered company, or the equivalent tax registration if purchased overseas, and supplied with a proof of purchase

    2. Purchased second hand or gifted to you, provided that you have the proof of purchase (which corresponds to the point above) and a signed letter from the original owner confirming that you own the gadget(s). The signed letter must include the following details of your gadget(s):

    • either the IMEI or serial number (whichever is applicable)
    • the make and model
    • the sale price
    • confirmation that the gadget(s) were in full working order at the time of sale

    3. Registered and appear on your Schedule of Insurance

    4. No more than 36 months old at the time of purchasing insurance for your gadgets

  • Below is a summary of the different hazards that are covered under all Post Office Gadget Insurance policies:

    • Accidental Damage - We will repair or replace your gadget if it is damaged as the result of accidental damage, including screen or liquid damage, providing the gadget is returned to us
    • Breakdown - We will repair or replace your gadget if it suffers breakdown, providing the gadget is returned to us. Please note that this cover only applies if the breakdown occurs outside the manufacturer’s guarantee period and would have been covered by this
    • Malicious Damage - If your gadget is damaged through the intentional or deliberate actions of another party we will repair it. Where only part or parts of your gadget have been damaged, we will only replace that part or parts
    • Unauthorised Usage - If your gadget is lost or stolen, and the loss or theft is covered by your policy, we will refund the cost of unauthorised calls, messages and downloads made from it within 24 hours following the discovery that it was lost or stolen up to a maximum of £2500 (including VAT)
    • E-Wallet Protection - If your gadget is lost or stolen, and the loss or theft is covered by your policy, we will refund the cost of unauthorised transactions made from your credit/debit card via your gadget, within 24 hours following the discovery that it was lost or stolen, using an e-wallet facility (providing an e-wallet PIN has been set for all transactions), up to a maximum of £500 (including VAT)
    • Theft - If you suffer theft of your gadget we will replace it (in respect of a valid theft claim)
    • Loss - If you accidentally lose your gadget we will replace it (in respect of a valid loss claim)
    • Worldwide Cover - Cover is extended to include use of the gadget anywhere in the world, for up to a maximum of 45 days per trip, with unlimited trips
    • Accessories - In the event of a claim being agreed by us in respect of your gadget, we will replace any accessories damaged, stolen or lost at the same time as your gadget up to £150 (including VAT)

    All of the above are subject to the policy terms and conditions, and exclusions apply.

  • Once your manufacturer’s warranty expires, we will cover the breakdown of your gadget(s) as long as the breakdown would have been covered under this warranty. This does not include any wear and tear or cover for any part of your gadget(s) that would be considered a consumable, such as batteries.

    In the event of a breakdown claim you will be required to provide an independent breakdown report in support of your claim.

  • The main policy holder must be older than 18 years of age and a resident in the UK.

    The policy extends cover to immediate family, including your spouse, partner or parents or your children, brothers or sisters who permanently reside in the same household with you.

Other considerations

  • Each gadget must be less than 36 months old from the date it was purchased as new (this is the date on the original purchase receipt).

    Once you cover a gadget with us, you can continue to insure that gadget for as many years as you like by paying your premium each month or renewing your policy each year.

    So even if you are currently insured with another provider, or are at the point of your annual renewal with them, as long as the device is less than 36 months old when you first register the device on the policy you can cover it on a Post Office Gadget Insurance policy.

  • To insure a gadget we must be satisfied that we know the age of the gadget and understand its history. This means that we require:

    1. Original purchase receipt confirming that the gadget was purchased new or refurbished from a UK VAT registered company, or the equivalent tax if purchased overseas. The proof of purchase must contain:

    • either the IMEI or serial number (whichever is applicable)
    • the make and model
    • the sale price

    AND

    2. A signed letter from the original owner of the gadget(s) confirming that you now own the gadget(s). This letter must include the following details of your gadget(s):

    • either the IMEI or serial number (whichever is applicable)
    • the make and model
    • the sale price
    • confirmation that the gadget(s) were in full working order at the time of sale
  • Unfortunately this is not possible. Our policies and the pages on this website are intended for use by UK residents only and comply with appropriate UK legislation and regulation.

  • Below is a summary of the main differences between the different policy types. Please note this is a summary only and it is your responsibility to read the full policy terms and conditions to ensure the policy you select meets your individual needs.

    Personal covers your gadgets for use by you or your family of any age, inside and outside the home in the UK and overseas, up to 45 days per trip with unlimited trips. Normally best value when insuring 1-2 gadgets. The maximum age of any gadget allowed at the time you purchase the insurance is 36 months.

    Family bundle is normally the best value when covering multiple gadgets (up to 10). This policy allows you to cover all your family’s gadgets under one policy with the ability to easily add/remove devices online with no change in premium. This policy covers your gadgets anywhere in the UK or overseas, up to 45 days per trip with unlimited trips. The maximum age of any gadget allowed at the time you register the device on your policy is 36 months.

    Please see the relevant policy wording booklet for full details of all excesses.

Premiums and payments

Discounts and how to pay

  • We offer a bundle policy which can be more cost efficient when insuring a number of devices within the same household.

  • If you choose to purchase a policy and pay annually rather than monthly you will receive 12 months cover for a discounted price, which is automatically applied at the time of quoting.

  • You can choose to pay for your insurance by paying either an annual payment, which will include a discount, or a monthly payment on a rolling contract.

    Direct debit payments will be collected by Taurus Insurance. The name Taurus Insurance will appear on your bank statement when the payment is taken.

    Card payments and all other types of payment will be collected by Taurus Insurance Services Ltd. The name Taurus Insurance Services Ltd may appear on your credit or debit card statement.

Paying by direct debit

  • When you accept to purchase an insurance policy via www.postofficegadget.co.uk and choose the direct debit payment option, you are required to complete a direct debit instruction either online or manually by downloading and printing our Direct Debit Mandate form. The direct debit instruction to your bank authorises Taurus Insurance to take these payment(s) on our behalf. All direct debits are backed by the Direct Debit Guarantee. Taurus Insurance will send you confirmation of your direct debit payment(s) schedule in by email once  it is set-up.

  • A direct debit is an instruction from a customer to their bank or building society authorising an organisation to collect varying amounts from their account, as long as the customer has been given advance notice of the collection amounts and dates. In accepting insurance from Post Office, you have agreed that we send your personal and bank details to the insurance administrators to enable us to arrange for your gadget to be insured from the moment your insurance has been accepted.

    In order to set up a direct debit, the organisation you wish to pay will ask you to complete a direct debit instruction. You will need to provide your name and address, name and address of your bank/building society (where applicable), your bank/building society account number and your branch sort code. You should ensure that all the details are correct.

    The organisation will update their payment records and forward the instruction on to your bank/building society. The instruction to them gives the organisation authority to collect varying agreed amounts from your account on dates agreed with you.

    The organisation will give you advance notice of a collection of dates and amounts. Check these details are correct. Should you wish to query any of the details, contact the organisation straight away. There is nothing further you need to do apart from ensure you have sufficient funds in your account.

  • Unfortunately you are unable to change the date of the direct debit collection from your bank account. The date is set and agreed with your bank and we then confirm the set-up of your direct debit instruction and future payment schedule.

  • If you have a business bank account, or an account where you require two signatories to authorise payment, you will need to download our manual Direct Debit Mandate. Print and complete this form- ensuring you clearly write your quote reference number on the form - and return to the address detailed on the form: Taurus Insurance, Suite 2209-2217, Eurotowers, Europort Road, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA.

    If you do not write your quote reference on the form, or if you do not send the form in within 14 days of the quote date, the quote will be invalid and this may delay covering your devices. Your gadgets will not be covered until your direct debit instruction is received by Taurus Insurance and you have been advised by us by letter or email that your policy has been set up. Alternatively, if you need immediate cover, you may choose to pay by using another bank account or credit or debit card.

    We strongly advise that you consider sending your supporting documentation by Royal Mail Recorded or Special Delivery as this provides a greater assurance that it reaches us in a safe and timely manner. However, if you chose to send your documentation by standard mail, the assurances can be reduced and the validation of your policy may be delayed.

Making a claim

Claiming on your policy

  • You can make a claim online 24/7 via our online claims portal.

    You must register your claim as soon as possible from discovery of the incident (or in the event of an incident occurring outside of the United Kingdom, as soon as possible on returning to the United Kingdom).

    Please read and follow our claim procedure to ensure your claim is processed with the minimum delay. Failure to observe these procedures may invalidate your claim.

    For theft, loss and malicious damage claims, you must notify the appropriate local police authority within 24 hours of discovering the incident and obtain a crime reference or lost property number and a copy of the police crime report. Should you be claiming for the theft or loss of your mobile device you must also contact your network provider within 24 hours of discovering the incident to place a call bar on the gadget.

  • We will assess your claim and aim to approve it within 2 working days of receiving all requested documentation.

  • That's fine. You can make a claim online via our online claims portal which is available 24/7. For details on how to make a claim please visit our make a claim page which includes details of our call centre opening hours should you require any further assistance.

  • We may ask you to provide one or more of the following to help us process your claim.

    Proof of ownership

    You must provide evidence to show that you own the gadget, such as:

    • original printed receipt or a similar electronic record that can be sent to the administrator or displayed in its original format, not handwritten, provided at the original point of sale
    • contract agreement from your network provider (applicable to devices with SIM cards)

    The document must include the make, model and IMEI (in respect of mobile phones) or serial number together with the date of purchase of the device and the business registration and taxation details.

    Proof of usage (gadgets with a SIM)

    You must request confirmation of dates of usage for the gadget from your network provider. The proof of usage document should include the device make and model, IMEI number and confirm the date when the device was first and last used on that network.

    Photographs of the damage

    Please provide photographs of your gadget (front, back and each side). These should be taken using another phone or camera. Please ensure that a front image is provided displaying the IMEI or serial number where possible. To display the IMEI dial *#06#. Please also provide an image of each side and the back of your device.

  • This is the amount you have to pay if you decide to make a claim on your policy. It’s a way of you accepting a small portion of the risk yourself.

    Post Office Gadget Insurance has worked with our insurer to offer a range of excesses so you can purchase the cover most suitable for your needs. You can select the amount of excess during the quoting process.

  • If your gadget is dropped, the cost of repairing the damage might be £1000. If you selected a policy with a £100 excess, you’d pay this amount and the insurer would pay the remaining amount.

  • The excess reduces every 30 days your gadget is on cover regardless of claims until it reaches the standard excess amount over 150 days, where it will remain for as long as your gadget remains on cover. Please see the relevant policy wording booklet for full details of all excesses.

Reporting a theft or loss

  • You should contact the police station local to where the incident happened. If the incident happens in another country then the police station local to where the incident happened in that country.

  • You need to report the theft and loss of any mobile phone, SIM-enabled tablet or PDA to your airtime provider and blacklist it within 48 hours of discovery. If you do not do this we will be unable to approve your claim.

What to do if... 

  • If your gadget was provided to you as part of a contract, and you part-paid or the cost of the gadget was free to you, you will be required to provide evidence of the original order and/or contract under which the gadget was supplied and the current retail price of the gadget from the internet or high street retailer.

    Evidence of this will be required in the event of claim and is required by us to prevent fraud and the receipt of stolen goods.

  • You should contact us so that we can update your policy. Please see the contact us page for details.

  • An auction site does not sell anything; they are a platform used to introduce buyers and sellers. This means that as they are not the seller of the gadget(s) and a receipt provided by the site is not sufficient to prove your ownership of the gadget(s).

    We are able to provide cover for items purchased from an online auction site, for example eBay, as long as you are able to either:

    If purchased from an individual

    Provide the original receipt they received when they purchased the gadget as new accompanied by a signed letter transferring the ownership of the gadget to you.

    If purchased from a business

    Provide a receipt for your item sent directly from the company. This must show your IMEI/serial number and the full company information, including their company and taxation registration details.

Other claims questions

  • Due to GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you cannot claim on behalf of another individual.

  • To check the status of your insurance claim, please visit our 24/7 online claims portal and select the 'Let's go' button next to 'Check status of a claim'.

  • Once your claim is approved, we will contact you to advise on where to send your device for repair. Our repair centre will then aim to repair your gadget within 72 business hours of receiving the gadget.

  • If your gadget is deemed beyond economical repair and will need to be replaced, we will endeavour to replace it with an identical, fully refurbished or new (where a refurbished item is not available) item. Should this not be possible we will replace it with a fully refurbished or new item of a comparable specification or the equivalent value.

    Please note: it may not always be possible to replace your gadget with the same colour or finish. Where this is not possible an alternative colour will be provided.

Practical points

Your policy documents

  • Your policy documents are instantly available for you to download once payment has been taken.

    A link to download your policy documentation will also be sent to you via the email address you provide us. Please note that some internet providers may accidentally filter our automated e-mails as spam, so please check your spam or junk folder if you have not received our email. You can also log in via the website and download your documents at any time. If you are having trouble accessing your documents and need help, please email us at gadget.sales@postofficegadget.co.uk and we will assist you.

  • Simply log into your account via the Post Office website or contact us and we will be able to send you a duplicate copy of your documents by email.

Renewing or ending your policy 

  • Yes, we will auto-renew your annual policy. You will be contacted at least 21 days before the renewal date of your policy and we will tell you about any changes to the premium or the policy terms and conditions.

    If you do not want to auto renew your policy, you just need to contact Post Office Gadget Insurance on the contact details provided in the renewal notice. If you do nothing then the renewal premium will be taken using the payment details provided at the time of the initial purchase. If your payment details have changed you will need to update your payment details before the renewal date to ensure your gadgets remain covered. Please contact us to do this.

  • Monthly policies: As per your Certificate of Insurance, if you have chosen a monthly policy, it will continue until you cancel your policy with us by written confirmation. Your Certificate of Insurance additionally states that your policy will end if we do not receive your premium payments. This does not affect your 14-day statutory right to cancel. Upon cancellation, cover will terminate at the end of the month for which you have paid your premium (subject to your 14-day statutory right to cancel).

    Annual policies: As per your Certificate of Insurance, if you have chosen an annual policy, your period of insurance is 12 months from the date of purchase or renewal. Upon cancellation, cover will terminate immediately and providing you have not made a claim you will receive a pro rata refund of the premium (subject to your 14-day statutory right to cancel). For any cancellations after 14 days of the insurance policy purchase date we will deduct an administration fee of £15.00 from your refund.

    Please note: If you do cancel your policy, your gadget will no longer be covered against any of the eventualities that your policy covers.

  • Within the first 14 days you may cancel your policy at any time without reason and receive a full refund, provided no claim has been made and you don’t intend to make a claim.

    After the cooling-off period, you can cancel cover at any time by contacting Post Office Gadget Insurance by telephone, email or post.

    If you pay your premium by monthly instalments, your policy will be cancelled at the next monthly anniversary of the date your policy commenced. There will be no refund of premium due.

    If you paid your insurance premium as a single upfront payment and providing no claim has been made under the policy, you will receive a proportionate refund of premium based on the unused period of cover under the policy, less a £15.00 administration fee. Policy cover will cease from the date we receive your cancellation instructions or from a later date at your request. If a claim has been made by you, we will cancel your cover but not refund any premium.

    You can email gadget.sales@postofficegadget.co.uk

    Or write to:

    Taurus Insurance Services Ltd
    Suite 2209-2217
    Eurotowers
    Europort Road
    Gibraltar
    GX11 1AA

    To satisfy our obligations under GDPR, a policy will only be considered as cancelled once we have verified the identity of the requester and confirmed either verbally or in writing that the cancellation request has been processed.

    Please note that if you do cancel your policy, your gadget will no longer be covered against any hazards that your policy covers.

Other questions

  • We welcome all queries and questions. Please see our contact us page for more details. We always aim to provide a great service, but if you have a complaint, details of how to contact our customer relations team can also be found on this page.

  • The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification) number of your mobile phone or smart phone handset is a unique identification code that is specific to your handset alone. It can be obtained by dialling *#06# or by checking under the battery of your handset.

Manage your account online

Log in online

You can perform loads of tasks online, like view your policy documents, update your details, change your cover and renew your policy

Make a claim

Submit your claim online

If you need to make a claim, the simplest way to do this is via the online portal

Contact us

By phone

To make a claim or discuss or amend your policy, call our customer support team: 0330 041 2875

Monday to Friday: 9am - 5:30pm 

Closed weekends and bank holidays

By post:

Write to us at: Taurus Insurance
Suite 2209-2217
Eurotowers
Europort Road
Gibraltar

By email:

Write to us at: gadget.sales@postofficegadget.co.uk

Call charges: calls to 03 numbers will cost no more than calling a standard geographic number starting with 01 or 02 from your fixed line or mobile and may be included in your call package dependent on your service provider. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training and compliance purposes.