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£3bn holiday tech bonanza for thieves

Emma Lunn
Written By:
Emma Lunn
Posted:
Updated:
15/08/2019

Almost a third of Brits take tech products worth £750 with them on holiday but 60 per cent don’t have gadget insurance.

Holiday destinations offer a £3.4bn haul for opportunist thieves looking to steal tech products and gadgets, according to Protect Your Bubble.

A poll of holidaymakers by the specialist insurer found that almost a third (31 per cent) of British holidaymakers take gadgets worth at least £750 away with them while 15 per cent pack tech worth at least £1,000.

Almost one in 10 adults (9 per cent) polled said they’d had a mobile stolen while on a summer holiday in the past three years. A fifth of those said that they actually caught the thief in the act, and almost a quarter (22 per cent) said they managed to recover the phone. One third (32 per cent) revealed the culprit used the phone and they ended up receiving a larger than normal phone bill when they landed home.

More than three quarters (77 per cent) of respondents who were asked about the gadgets they take on their summer holiday, said they always have a smartphone. More than a third (35 per cent) pack a tablet in their suitcase, and a fifth (19 per cent) can’t do without their laptop. One in seven (15 per cent) health-conscious holidaymakers take a Fitbit or other wearable device on vacation, and 9 per cent take a GoPro with them.

One in five (19 per cent) adults polled said they’ve lost or damaged a phone while on a summer holiday in the past three years, and with 60 per cent admitting they don’t have phone or gadget insurance, that’s a costly slip-up.

James Brown, director of gadget insurance provider Protect Your Bubble.com, said: “Going on holiday to relax and recharge the batteries clearly doesn’t mean taking a break from technology. In a social-media, internet hungry world that demands to be connected 24-7, it’s impossible to imagine not having our smartphone next to us by the pool or on the beach.

“It’s hardly surprising that holiday resorts are a magnet for opportunist thieves on the hunt for unattended phones, tablets and laptops, and with people distracted by screaming kids or taking the opportunity to sunbathe, they’re an easy target.

“For peace of mind, getting insurance for theft, loss and accidental damage means that – should you fall victim to theft, lose your phone or drop a gadget in the pool – you won’t have to fork out hundreds of pounds for a replacement.”