Go Compare found the average festival-goer takes three gadgets with them, yet four in 10 might be attending events without cover. The comparison site's survey showed one in six don’t have insurance, while one in 10 hadn’t even considered it for a music festival.
But failing to insure your devices could prove a costly mistake. So whether you're heading to Worthy Farm or another festival during the summer months, Which? outlines what insurance you need should things go wrong.
Do you need insurance for festivals?
There's a lot to think about when you attend a festival - from waterproofs and camping gear to planning how to get there and deciding which bands to watch first. So the idea of taking out insurance to protect your gadgets might end up low on the list of priorities for many revellers.
But as is often the case when attending a crowded event, accidents can and do happen. Whether that's dropping your phone in a muddy puddle or losing your wallet in the mosh pit. According to the Glastonbury Festival website, over 700 items were handed in to organisers during last year’s event, including 250 wallets or cardholders, 118 mobile phones and 38 cameras.
Festivals are also music to thieves' ears, with pickpockets often targeting people busy chatting to friends or dancing the night away. Glastonbury Festival also reports that the most common crime experienced is theft from tents, or theft of the tents themselves.
Insurance can protect you from mishaps like these that can sour your festival experience.
What cover options are there?
There is no such thing as 'festival insurance', but several types of insurance can provide adequate protection for your gadgets and gizmos while attending an event. The good news is, if you already have one or more of these products, you may already be covered.
Personal possessions cover
As most home insurance policies don’t automatically cover your belongings outside of the home, you’ll need to have additional cover in place to protect your belongings from loss, damage or theft.
Personal possessions insurance covers you for items you take with you and is normally sold as an add-on to contents insurance. You can buy it after taking out a policy at an extra cost, so don't worry if you forgot. This type of policy should cover everything from mobile phones and laptops to clothes and jewellery.
But watch out, because adding high value items could increase your contents insurance premiums when you come to renew. You should also double check the single-item limit. This is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out for an item, regardless of its value. So, for example, if the limit is £1,000 and your electronic device is worth £1,500, that’ll be the most you’d be able to claim.
It's also definitely worth comparing the excess you'd pay on a contents or personal possessions policy with what you'd pay by insuring it some other way - standalone gadget or mobile phone cover, for example. If your phone is worth £600 and the contents excess is £500, it may not be worth the cost of insuring.
Find out more:Gadget and mobile phone insurance
Standalone gadget insurance is another option if you only want to cover electronic equipment. There is also separate mobile phone insurance. It should cover you if you lose, damage or have your tech stolen while at a festival.
Make sure you read the small print first before you buy as every policy is different. Common types of cover also include the repairs or replacement of a device that breaks down and unauthorised calls made after your phone has been stolen. Some may even cover you when abroad in certain countries.
Travel insurance
While many people associate travel insurance with foreign holidays, it can provide a lot of the cover you need when attending a festival at home as well as abroad.
But as always, check the small print. Not all travel insurance policies include gadget or mobile phone cover. Even if they do, some won’t cover stays in tents.
Travel insurance pay-outs for valuables are also often low – as little as £200 for one item or £500 in total, according to data from Compare The Market. If you are traveling to a festival abroad and taking any pricey tech with you, it might be worth adding gadget cover to your existing travel insurance policy at an extra cost.
Find out more:What aren't you covered for?
As always, it's a good idea to read the small print for any caveats that might affect your ability to claim.
For example, claiming for theft is likely to be unsuccessful if you left the stolen item unattended or in a location that wasn't properly secured.
Worryingly, the Go Compare survey found 13% of people attending a festival will hide their valuable possessions in the car and 13% also admitted they will leave valuable tech unattended in their tents.
You also may not be covered for accidental loss if you’re not clear of the time or place you lost it. Plus some policies won’t accept a claim within the first 14 days, either of a policy starting, or within 14 days of a policy amendment.
To claim on your insurance, you must be able to provide proof of purchase. If your device is stolen, you need to report it as soon as possible and get a police reference number.
How to keep gadgets safe at a festival
To minimise the risk, think carefully about how many gadgets and valuables you take with you to the festival.
If you must bring your expensive laptop or phone with you, find out if there are any lockers at the event that you could store them while you're partying.
If you decide to carry them around, make sure they're out of sight: for example, avoid having your phone sticking out of your back pocket for everyone to see. Consider using a bum bag or money belt instead.
To avoid thieves creeping into your tent and stealing your valuables while you get some kip at night, try stuffing expensive possessions down in the bottom of your sleeping bag. If you are leaving gadgets in your car, make sure they are hidden in the boot or glove department.
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