Mobile workers beware – your tech might not be covered by your insurance

If you are part of the global league of professionals who work from a “virtual office”, be sure to tell your insurer how, where and when you use your electronic devices. Traditional office workers would normally depend on their office managers to take care of this type of admin, but if you are a one-man show working from home, you shouldn’t overlook this important part of your business.

Sam Wright, the founder and editor of the Tech Girl blog, for example, did something that many mobile workers fail to do when she made the leap into full-time content creation a year ago. She made sure that she had the right insurance cover in order to use her equipment to earn a living.

Her kit includes two laptops, a range of cameras, two smartphones, an external hard drive and a number of battery packs. “These are all necessary for me to create content, so losing them on my travels would be debilitating,” she says.

“I always make sure that I have adequate insurance on these items and specifically highlight with my insurance company that I travel with them and use them for work.”

Like many working South Africans, Wright doesn’t have a fixed office and she relies heavily on technology to do her work. A 2016 study by Regus reported that over 50% of South African workers are now out of the office for two and a half or more days a week. A third of respondents also reported that they work from different locations in the same city, while a quarter said that they work from other cities – so are remaining productive as they move from meeting to meeting.

“These statistics show that people are on the move, now more than ever before, and in order to do their work remotely, they have to take their technology with them wherever they go,” says Bradley Du Chenne, CEO of online comparison website Hippo.co.za.

Du Chenne points out that, as advancements in infrastructure and mobility surge ahead (5G networks are reportedly only a few years away in South Africa), telecommuting and working from home or shared workspaces is likely to become more prevalent.

“With so many people working outside of the traditional office space, it is vital that these mobile workers have the correct insurance in place,” he adds.

Du Chenne explains that there are three types of insurance that could affect your claims:

Household cover: your household policy, only covers damage or loss at your listed home address.

“If you travel away from home with these items, you will not be covered unless they are specified separately on your policy usually under the portable possessions or all risks sections of your policy,” Du Chenne explains. “If you run an office from your home, you need to disclose this to your insurer, as you may require business insurance.”

Portable items: If you use laptops, cameras, smartphones, iPads, voice recorders and so on for business use – which means that you derive an income from the work you do using these devices – you have to stipulate this to your insurer who can then, based on the type and frequency of business use, advise you on the best cover for your specific needs.

Du Chenne says a policy holder could either cover these devices as specified items on their household insurance policy, or the person may require business cover under ‘electronic equipment’.

Car insurance: Are you using your car for business purposes? Du Chenne explains that depending on how frequently you visit clients, partners or other professional contacts, you may require business insurance.

“In the world of insurance, there’s no such thing as too much information,” he says. “Tell your  insurer everything about how, where and when you use your technology, car and other equipment.” 

Du Chenne says you should update your insurer if you start utilising personal devices for professional purposes.

“To protect yourself against a rejected claim in a time of crisis, be sure that you’ve disclosed absolutely everything to your insurance provider,” Du Chenne concludes.

Ends.

SECOND CONTENT PIECE

The importance of protecting your tech gifts

Tech devices have become some of the most popular items to purchase as many companies now prepare to work remotely. However, these products are often bought without giving insurance a thought. But what if your tech device is stolen while working from home?

According to the Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey (GPSJS) 2018/19, released by Stats SA this October, there were roughly 1,2 million incidences of theft of personal property which affected 2,5% of citizens aged 16 or older. There were also around 580 000 cases of street robbery over the same period.

Bradley Du Chenne, CEO of online comparison website Hippo.co.za, says that it is important to ensure that your tech devices are covered when leaving your home, as this could save thousands in replacement costs should they be damaged or stolen.

Du Chenne explains that a home contents policy insures everything you keep in your home, so it would naturally cover that new state of the art TV or other high-tech items. “Unfortunately, what this may not cover is the tech devices that you take out of your home. So, should you take that new phone or iPad out and it gets damaged or stolen, you will not be insured unless the items is covered by specific insurance policies designed for these items or specified on your existing policy.”

Consumers also face an additional financial woe should this happen. Apart from the replacement costs, if you bought a device on a package deal with a cell phone contract provider for example, you will be liable to continue paying the monthly cost of the damaged or stolen item as well, which could add to financial pressure.

To avoid this from happening to you, Du Chenne points out that you should investigate whether there are any limits to your insurance policy. “If items like your cell phone leaves your home, it may not be insured under the household contents policy. So, it is important to check with your insurer. Some insurance companies offer separate insurance to make provision for theft and accidental damage outside of your home, such as an All Risk or Portable Possessions Insurance policy.”

These insurance products can be valuable to have to ensure the tech devices you carry with you on a daily basis are protected. “It is important to note that if you are out and about, the items will only be covered if they are stolen or damaged while in your possession. If your devices are left on your car seat while you are shopping for instance, your insurance provider will likely reject your claim. Either carry the items on you or lock them in the boot or cubbyhole when you leave your car,” Du Chenne says.

He advises consumers who have purchased tech products in-store without insurance, to check and compare insurance options online. “Since there is a variety of insurance products available for different kinds of cell phones, laptops and other tech devices, it is advisable to make an informed decision in the comfort of your own home, away from the sales rush experienced in-stores.”

“It is important to also make sure you understand the different types of insurance policies and what items are covered, as well as the period each item is covered for,” he adds.

In addition to insuring your devices, Du Chenne has the following tips to keep your tech gadgets safe:

• Don’t advertise your new tech product on social media. You never know who could be watching.
• Make security a priority in your home. Always check that your doors are locked and windows are closed when you’re out or go to bed at night.
• Always keep your receipts and take a photo of the serial numbers of your devices. You will need this in the event of a claim.
• Be discreet when discarding packaging. Those big boxes might draw unwanted attention.

Du Chenne urges consumers to act responsibly when purchasing pricey tech gadgets. “If you’re going to accept that irresistible offer, do yourself a favour and insure it.”

Ends.

ABOUT HIPPO.CO.ZA

Established in 2007, Hippo.co.za is South Africa’s leading comparison website that helps consumers save money by comparing a range of South African providers across financial products such as Car Insurance, Household Insurance, Life Insurance, Medical Aid and more. Hippo.co.za is free to use and saves consumers the time and hassle of shopping around for the best deal since the Hippo.co.za website instantly retrieves real-time quotes from the different providers using the latest Internet technology. You could save by using Hippo.co.za to compare before you buy or switch to a new provider.

Hippo.co.za makes money by simply charging its partners a fee when a customer chooses to find out more about their products. The results consumers see, and the order in which they are presented, are in no way influenced by the fee Hippo.co.za charges its partners or any other factors other than the price of the product being compared.

For more information, visit us on www.hippo.co.za, connect with Hippo.co.za on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/company/hippo-comparative-services-pty-ltd/, like us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/HippoSA, and follow us on Twitter, @Hippo_co_za, YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/user/hippocompare and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hippo.co.za/.

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