Protecting Mobile Possessions from Home: A Guide to Insuring On-the-Go Items
RACV Contents Insurance offers an optional add-on called Portable Items Cover, extending protection for your valuable belongings when they are lost, stolen, or accidentally damaged outside your home. This cover applies to items designed to be taken away from your insured address, such as handbags, wallets, laptops, cameras, musical instruments, spectacles, sunglasses, jewellery, clothing, bicycles, and mobility scooters.
The Portable Items Cover organises insured items into six distinct groups:
- Jewellery and watches (rings, bracelets, necklaces, medals, watches)
- Portable electronic devices (laptops, cameras, smartphones, smartwatches, fitness bands)
- Clothing and luggage (clothes, luggage, purses, baby capsules)
- Sporting and recreational items (bicycles, musical instruments, camping equipment)
- Glasses and medical items (sunglasses, prescription glasses, hearing aids)
- Mobility scooters
To include specific valuables under Portable Items Cover or increase their coverage, you can select this optional extra when purchasing or renewing your RACV Contents Insurance policy. The cover limits and sum insured for portable items will be separately listed on your Certificate of Insurance. For high-value items like expensive jewellery or electronic devices, you can generally request to increase the insured amount by specifying the item and paying an extra premium.
When adding portable items to a policy, the value covered (your sum insured) needs to be based on how much it would cost to replace the item/s at today's prices. If you take your items outside Australia or New Zealand, coverage is limited to $10,000 for all items. If you want coverage of an item for more than $10,000, you may be asked to provide a written valuation.
Portable Items Cover groups and sum insured are shown separately on the current Certificate of Insurance. You don't need to list individual items unless an item is worth more than $10,000. For items over $25,000, please have a valuation certificate or purchase receipt available.
Your Portable Items Cover can be increased at any time, provided you aren't in the process of making a claim for the item. You can take your portable items anywhere in Australia or New Zealand, and they will be covered for the insured amount under your Portable Items Cover.
Portable Items Cover also insures portable electronic devices such as laptops, cameras, mobile phones, smart watches, and fitness bands. For items over $10,000, please have a description for each item.
"Portable items" are defined as those contents items that are designed to leave the insured address with the policyholder or on them. Portable Items Cover does not cover any of the following: specified items, items left unattended in a vehicle, and items lost or damaged due to wear and tear or gradual deterioration.
In summary, Portable Items Cover is an optional extra that can be added to RACV Contents Insurance, providing coverage for a wide range of valuable portable items. After identifying what contents and the value of the items you would like covered, contact RACV to assist in updating the cover on your policy.
- To enhance the coverage of high-value personal-finance items like expensive jewellery or electronic devices during travel within Australia or New Zealand, you can either request an increase in the insured amount or provide a written valuation for each item over $10,000.
- Although RACV's Portable Items Cover offers protection for a variety of business and personal-finance items such as laptops, cameras, and smartphones, it does not cover specified items, items left unattended in a vehicle, or items lost or damaged due to wear and tear or gradual deterioration.
