As the school term begins in South Australia, RAA Insurance urges parents to ensure their children’s laptops, tablets, and other technology items are adequately insured.
Data from RAA Insurance revealed that 37% of its contents insurance policyholders do not have accidental damage cover. This lack of coverage could leave children’s devices unprotected if they are damaged or stolen while at school.
Annually, the insurer processes more than 7,000 claims related to accidental damage.
Jess Lyons, head of claims at RAA Insurance, emphasised the importance of checking tech coverage as students return to school.
“Parents spend a lot of money on laptops, tablets, and phones for their kids’ schooling and may not be certain if their insurance policy covers these items if they’re lost, stolen, or damaged while at school,” she said.
She advised parents to contact their insurers to determine if their home and contents insurance extends to children’s valuables outside the home, including during commutes to and from school.
“A quick phone call to your insurer could give you that peace of mind to know you won’t be significantly out of pocket if something goes wrong,” she said. “If you want to check whether school items are covered, you can ask your insurer if your policy already covers them or if you need to take out optional cover such as accidental damage.”
Still focusing on students’ return to school, the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia (RAA) has highlighted the increased risk of pedestrian accidents during school pick-up times.
State data from 2018 to 2022 shows 263 child pedestrian injuries or fatalities, with 124 of these incidents occurring during school pick-up and drop-off times. The peak period for these incidents is between 3pm and 4pm, with additional high-risk times from 8am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm.
The RAA also reported 44 road fatalities and 434 serious injuries in South Australia during the first half of 2024.
“Young people walking to school are our most vulnerable road users, and it’s concerning to see 124 children have been injured or have lost their lives at school pick-up or drop-off times between 2018 and 2022,” said Matt Vertudaches, a senior traffic engineer at RAA.
