First Year Student Living In Halls?
While teenagers may be the most fanatical smartphone users, a new study by ofcom indicates that recent technology is making a considerable impact on the way we all live. According to Ofcom, with as many as a quarter of all adults now owning a smartphone (27 percent) and almost half of teenagers (47 percent)*; greater accessibility to the internet, prolific use of social networking sites and a greater propensity to take personal phone calls and texts at all times throughout the day, are changing the way we interact with each other and changing the way we behave at work, in public and at home.
Many of the people who were surveyed indicated that they have their smartphone switched on 24hours a day and are likely to use it whatever they might be doing. With rapid growth in sales of smartphones, tablets, sat navs and eBook readers, in recent years, clearly there is a growing dependence on digital technology and these gadgets are more and more seen as necessary rather than just accessories. 16-24 year olds said they would miss their mobile phone most; followed by the internet, followed by TV. As people’s main access to the internet is often through their smartphone, the loss or theft of a phone can create a genuine obstacle. Though the monetary cost of these valuable items is high across the board; for the age group most dependent on these technologies, teenagers and young adults, replacing smartphones and other gadgets is particularly difficult. The students and young professionals that have on average the highest value of gadgets and are therefore the most targeted and most likely people to become a victim of crime; are increasingly turning to specialist gadget insurance to help manage such expenses.
Michael Masterson from Cover 4 Insurance, a specialist provider of smartphone, laptop and other gadgets insurance said: ‘Since the launch of the IPhone and other main smartphone providers, we’ve seen a fast increase in the number of people insuring their gadgets. Whereas before, if you lost your mobile you only had to pay for a new handset, with all the downloads people now pay for, a replacement can set you back hundreds of pounds. Nowadays people can’t last without their phone at all; our gadget insurance makes sure our customers have a new model quickly, if their old one is lost or stolen, and at a price they can afford’.
There are a number of insurance providers that can offer great deals and from just £5.12 per month, can provide cover that is a real help to victims of crime. Companies like Cover 4 Mobile Phones, offer benefits that home insurance policies might not. If you travel a lot, or like the people surveyed in the Ofcom report, like to take your phone everywhere; individual gadget insurance can cover you worldwide and against accidental damage, accidental loss, theft, breakdown and download cover.