On the move? Consider getting portable possessions insurance

Have you ever tried to leave the house without taking a bag or satchel of some kind with you? You'll find that it's next to impossible. Even the most well-organised person won't get far without their car keys and wallet with them — not to mention other essentials like your cellphone, vape, water bottle and charger. If you're a parent you can add random toys and snacks to this list and if you travel for work, you probably have items that aren't easily replaced (like your ID and passport) with you.

While home insurance covers your belongings while you're at home and car insurance can cover the contents in your car in transit, they don't protect you in between these two places — in other words, while you're out and about in public. 

Keep reading to find out why portable possessions insurance from Budget Insurance is a must for every busy South African.

What are portable possessions?

Portable possessions include anything you can take with you when you are outside your home or office. They can be divided into two categories — the type that may not have a high financial value but you keep on you out of necessity; and specific high-value items like an electronic vape pen or jewellery. You can cover the contents of your bag collectively to account for the former and insure individual items separately for the latter. 

You might think that this type of coverage is unnecessary, but it's a sad reality that in South Africa there are few places you can go where you are truly free from the threat of crime. 

Take, for example, your average shopping trip. You'll know the feeling all too well — it's month-end and you've just been paid. You visit the mall to collect a new bank card, find that perfect present for mom and stock up on groceries. Unfortunately, it will seem as if every other South African has the same idea, and it will be busy. It's here that you're likely to experience a crime — and often without you knowing it until it's too late. 

Increasingly, criminals are making busy public areas their playgrounds, taking advantage of the confined space, noisiness and high volumes of foot traffic to relieve unsuspecting people of their belongings. Often, by the time you've realised that the person 'randomly' bumping into you earlier now has your cellphone and wallet, they're long gone. 

While cancelling and reordering a debit card and RICAing a new SIM for a new phone will be tedious, having its cost covered will go a long way towards making the situation bearable.

What isn't covered by portable possessions insurance?

When considering portable possessions cover, it's worth noting that like all forms of insurance, it acts as a form of protection and not a substitute for common sense. Depending on your policy, your insurers will cover the cost of replacing most items, but not if the loss or damage is a result of negligence — for example, leaving your phone on your car seat while driving or walking away from your unattended purse to go to the bathroom. If you leave an item in clear view in your vehicle, instead of hidden away, and it’s stolen, you won’t be covered.

You also may need to insure items purchased for business or work use separately. Remember also that insurance won't pay for the natural wear and tear of any items over time.

Blake's entire world is her cellphone — and she spends hours glued to her screen, watching videos, chatting with friends and browsing social media. It means that her smart device is used more heavily than most, and has the odd scratch or worn button. Blake takes out portable possessions insurance, specifying the make and model of her phone in her cellphone insurance. When she has her handbag stolen, her handbag insurance coverage means she can replace her phone with an identical or a similar one, using its listed value as guidance.

Blake only has to wait a few days before a phone is back in her hands as if it hadn't been stolen in the first place. She understands that if she had over-inflated the phone's value, it could have rendered her entire policy void. She also knows that her phone won't be replaced with the latest make and model. Because she insured her bag's unspecified portable possessions collectively, she was able to replace all the other items she kept in her bag that were not financially valuable but made her life easier. This included a bag organiser, taser, cigarettes and more.

What is covered by portable possessions insurance?

To ensure you get adequate and fair personal possessions insurance coverage, insurers offer dedicated products covering high-value items like cameras, watches and jewellery. Here are a few items you could insure as stand-alone items: 

• Cameras, which can cover audiovisual equipment such as digital cameras or recorders as well as camera gear like tripods and lenses

• Jewellery items such as genuine precious metal or gemstone bracelets, rings, cufflinks and watches

• Communication devices such as laptops, tablets, iPads and smart watches

• Cellphones, including high-value accessories such as earbuds 

• Beauty and body products such as perfumes and makeup

When it comes to portable possessions cover, Budget Insurance can customise your coverage to keep you covered no matter where you go or what you take with you. You can cover particularly high-value items separately or collectively insure your handbag and its contents to a certain value if the individual contents aren't expensive but add up to a lot. 

Provided you are honest about what items you own and their value (and update this list as and when it changes) our expert brokers will be able to assist you — whether you need everyday portable possessions cover or coverage for a holiday or trip. 

Get portable possessions insurance from Budget Insurance today!

You rely on your portable possessions heavily and use them more often than you probably use items in your home or office. They deserve dedicated insurance coverage and you deserve the peace of mind that comes from it. Our expert brokers can also answer any questions you have and advise you on the best cellphone insurance for your needs or whether or not you need to increase your laptop insurance coverage. To find out what you can insure this way and what it might cost, contact Budget Insurance for a quote today.