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Travel Insurance Companies with Optional Gadget Cover
Travellers typically take several hundred pounds' worth of gadgets on holiday — smartphones, tablets, cameras, laptops and e-readers can easily add up to £1,500 or more. Most standard travel insurance policies cover electronic devices only as part of a general Baggage or Valuables section, with a per-item cap of £200 to £300 that won't stretch to a modern smartphone, let alone a laptop. If you want meaningful protection for your devices, you'll need a policy with a dedicated Gadget cover add-on.
What is Gadget Cover on Travel Insurance?
Gadget cover is an optional add-on to a travel insurance policy that provides dedicated protection for portable electronic devices against loss, theft and accidental damage while you're travelling. Standard baggage sections of travel insurance policies often either exclude gadgets entirely or apply very low per-item limits (typically £150 to £300) — insufficient for most smartphones, and nowhere near enough for a laptop or camera.
With a dedicated gadget add-on, you can get cover for individual items up to a stated limit (typically per-item limits of £500 to £1,500) and a total gadget cover limit per policy of £1,000 to £3,000. Most gadget add-ons also cover unauthorised call, text and data charges incurred after a device is stolen or lost — a protection that's not available under standard baggage cover.
What's typically covered:
- Accidental damage (including liquid damage in most cases)
- Theft (usually requiring a police report within 24 hours)
- Loss (not all policies — check if loss is covered as standard or is excluded)
- Malicious damage
- Unauthorised calls, texts and data usage following theft or loss
Common exclusions to watch for:
- Devices older than a specified age (commonly 12 months to 5 years — check the limit)
- Devices not purchased in the UK (Cedar Tree, for example, requires UK purchase within the last 12 months with a 12-month warranty — worth checking if your device was purchased abroad or is an older model)
- Devices left unattended (exact conditions vary — some policies cover unattended devices in locked accommodation)
- Cosmetic damage that doesn't affect function (scratches, dents)
- Data loss or software
- Wear and tear or mechanical breakdown (some exceptions for electrical breakdown outside manufacturer warranty)
Note that gadget cover limits are per policy not automatically per person on group policies. If you're travelling as a family with multiple devices, the total cover limit needs to reflect the combined value of everyone's gadgets, not just one person's.
Providers with Gadget Cover
The following providers (listed in alphabetical order) currently offer optional gadget cover as an add-on to their UK travel insurance policies. Cover limits and conditions vary — see individual policy documents for full details, and check NimbleFins reviews where linked for further information.
| Provider | Max Gadget Cover | Standard Gadget Included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admiral | £1,500 | Partial (£200–£400 via Valuables) | Gadget add-on only available on Gold and Platinum tiers, not base Admiral plan |
| Ageas | £3,000 | Partial (up to £750 standard) | Enhanced add-on boosts to up to £3,000; standard cover on base policy |
| AllClear | Varies | No | Optional add-on available on all policy types; check limits when quoting |
| Cedar Tree | £3,000 | Yes (up to £750 on direct plans) | Extension available at £1k/£2k/£3k levels; gadgets must be UK-purchased within 12 months |
| CoverForYou | £3,000 | No | Optional add-on; limit varies by geographic tier |
| Insure & Go | £2,000 | No | Optional add-on at £1k or £2k levels |
| Post Office | £2,000+ | Partial (limited) | Optional enhanced gadget cover add-on available |
| RAC | £3,000 | Yes (£500 as standard) | Enhanced cover boosts to £1k/£2k/£3k depending on base tier; per-person on family policies |
| Sainsbury's Bank | £3,000 | Yes (all tiers) | Standard cover included on Silver/Gold/Platinum; enhanced add-on boosts to up to £3k on Platinum |
| Staysure | £2,000 | Included on Signature tier | Add-on for Comprehensive policies; up to £2,000 per person; included as standard on Signature |
Note: this list is not exhaustive — other providers on the market also offer gadget cover. Use the quote form above to compare policies with gadget cover included.
How Much Does Gadget Cover Add-On Cost?
The cost of adding gadget cover to a travel insurance policy depends on three factors: the cover limit you choose, whether it's a single-trip or annual multi-trip policy, and the underlying base policy. As a rough guide:
- Single-trip gadget add-on typically costs from around £5 to £20 for £1,000 of cover, rising to £15 to £25 for £2,000 and £20 to £30 for £3,000. As a reference, NimbleFins data puts the average cost of a gadget add-on for single-trip policies at around £13–15.
- Annual multi-trip gadget add-on costs more, typically running from around £10 to £25 for £1,000 of cover, £20 to £40 for £2,000 and £35 to £70 for £3,000, depending on the provider. Annual gadget add-ons typically cost 1.5x to 3x more than a single-trip add-on with the same cover limit, reflecting the multiple trips covered.
Prices vary significantly between providers and can change day to day — use the quote tool above to compare current prices with your specific trip details, and check whether adding gadget cover to a higher-tier base policy works out better value than a lower-tier base policy with the same add-on.
For reference, the average cost of optional gadget cover for travel insurance is covered in more detail in our dedicated article.
What to Look For When Choosing Gadget Cover
Cover Limit vs. Value of Your Devices
Before choosing a gadget cover level, add up the current replacement value of all the devices you plan to take on holiday. Remember, if you're on a family policy, the total cover limit must account for everyone's gadgets, not just your own. Don't underinsure — if your combined devices are worth £1,800 and you opt for £1,000 of cover, you'll be out of pocket on any total loss claim.
Per-Item Sub-Limits
The total gadget cover limit isn't the same as the limit per individual device. Most gadget add-ons also impose a per-item limit — the maximum that can be claimed for any single device. This is often £500 to £1,000 even on a policy with a £2,000 or £3,000 total gadget limit. Check the per-item limit carefully if your most valuable single item (a high-end smartphone or professional camera, for example) is worth more than this.
Whether the Gadget Limit is Tied to the Base Policy Tier
Some providers link the gadget cover level to the tier of the underlying base policy. With these providers you can only access the highest gadget cover limit (e.g., £3,000) by buying the provider's top-tier travel insurance plan. If you want the flexibility to buy any base policy tier and still choose your gadget cover level independently, look for providers that operate this way — Cedar Tree and CoverForYou allow you to combine any tier of base policy with any available gadget cover level, giving you more control over your overall cost.
Loss vs. Theft vs. Damage
Check exactly which events are covered. All gadget add-ons cover theft and accidental damage; not all cover outright loss (i.e., misplacing a device rather than having it stolen). If you have young children or tend to lose items, confirm that loss is explicitly covered.
Age Restrictions on Devices
Almost all gadget cover policies will not pay out on claims for devices over a certain age or that have depreciated significantly. The specific cut-off varies by provider — some impose a flat age limit (e.g., 12 months for Cedar Tree), while others apply depreciation to the claim value rather than refusing it outright. If you're planning to travel with an older device, check the policy wording before buying.
Should You Buy Gadget Cover or Standalone Gadget Insurance?
It's worth checking whether you already have some gadget cover elsewhere before adding it to your travel insurance:
- Home contents insurance with away-from-home cover will often cover gadgets while travelling, sometimes worldwide. Check the limits and whether you need a specific out-of-home extension.
- Your mobile network provider may offer device insurance as part of your contract or as an add-on.
- Bank account travel insurance (on packaged bank accounts) sometimes includes gadget protection — check what level and whether it covers all the devices you plan to take.
If existing cover is insufficient, a travel insurance gadget add-on is usually the most convenient option as it's already tied to your trip dates and geography. Standalone gadget insurance (year-round device insurance) can be cheaper per device for expensive items but requires separate management. To learn more, read our article on top tips for insuring your gadgets when you travel.