By Esther Shaw
If you’re planning to pack a tent, waterproof and wellies and head to one of Britain’s many outdoor festivals this summer, leafing through your home insurance policy documents may be the last thing on your mind.
But if you’re heading off to see your favourite bands perform al fresco, you need to check your paperwork to ensure your possessions are properly protected.
Tents are easy pickings
As well as festival essentials such as toilet paper, torches and sun-block, there’s a good chance your rucksack will be bulging with all manner of gadgets such as iPods, cameras and mobile phones.
Add to this cash, credit cards, tents and sleeping gear and this could mount up to hundreds of pounds’ worth of valuables.
Crime is a risk at any major event, and both packed crowds and unattended tents present an extremely attractive hunting ground for opportunistic pickpockets and thieves. There is also a heightened risk of belongings being accidentally dropped, misplaced or damaged.
Check your cover
Before setting off, check your home contents policy to check what cover you currently have in place. Generally speaking, standard home contents insurance will not cover loss of belongings away from home.
Bolt-on personal possessions cover
If you don’t already have adequate home contents insurance cover, you will need to take out personal possessions insurance. This cover can usually be tagged on for a small additional cost – and is a price worth paying for the peace of mind it provides.
If you don’t already have adequate you will need to take out personal possessions insurance. This cover can usually be tagged on for a small additional cost – and is a price worth paying for the peace of mind it provides.
For example, any items that are lost at a festival – say a mobile phone falling out of a jacket pocket – could be covered under personal possession cover away from the home, often up to a specified single item limit -most insurers usually have an upper claims limit of £1,000 or £1,500 unless you specifically ask to be covered for more. Nonetheless, with any policy, you should read the terms and conditions to ensure you fully understand any restrictions or provisos in the small print.
Lock your tent
Bear in mind, however, that if items are stolen from a tent which does not have a lockable entrance, they may not be covered by insurance. This is because it is up to you to take every reasonable precaution to prevent loss or damage, to your belongings, as an insurer will generally not consider it “reasonable” to leave possessions on show in an unsecured tent.
Guard your gear
As well as padlocking your tent, there are several other steps you can take to cut the risk of having goods lost or stolen. Where possible, you should try to leave valuable items such as jewellery and iPods at home, and only bring essentials.
Avoid leaving belongings unattended, and take older and less desirable equipment that is worth less and more disposable. If you do take valuables, find out if there are property lock-ups on the site that you can make use of.
Take care of your cash
Only take enough money for the duration of the festival and withdraw smaller sums from the on-site ATMs on a regular basis so you are not carrying around large wads of cash.
Clear your wallet of unnecessary loyalty and credit cards, separate cash from cards, and report any lost or stolen belongings to the police as soon as you can, as you will need a crime number to make a claim from your insurer.
By thinking about basic security measures you can ensure you’re not advertising yourself as an easy target – leaving you free to get on with enjoying the music!
