More than a quarter of festival-goers will leave valuable gadgets in unattended tents, a Go.Compare survey finds

New research* from Go.Compare travel insurance has found that 23% of those heading to UK festivals this year will be going without any travel insurance for their gadgets. 

With Glastonbury, Reading and Green Man, to name but a few, all gearing up to put on great shows this year, Go.Compare set out to find out whether wellies, glitter and deely boppers were the only things people would take to a festival this year and whether festival-goers will be considering security or insurance when pitching up to party. 

The comparison website found that, of those attending a UK festival this year, 28% would take out travel insurance for the event, 24% have annual travel insurance that would already cover them for a festival, 13% haven’t even thought about travel insurance yet – while 23% have no intention of taking out travel insurance at all for the festival. 

The survey also found that people take on average three gadgets to a festival, and when asked of those staying in a tent where they would store them during the event, nearly a half (44%) said they would store their gadgets in the security lock ups on the festival site, more than a third (39%) would carry their devices with them, while more than a quarter (27%) would leave them unattended in their tent, and one in five people (22%) would hide their gadgets in their car on site. 

Ceri McMillan, Go.Compare travel insurance expert said: “We don’t want to be party poopers, as festivals are all about chilling out and having fun, but getting adequate travel insurance for a festival should be as important as packing the camp stove. 

“Many people don’t consider a holiday in the UK as something that is worthy of insuring, but it really is. Especially if you consider the ticket prices, with Glastonbury tickets coming in at more than £300 and Reading and Boardmasters nearly hitting the £300 mark, they aren’t cheap weekends away.

“Add to that the fact that many people take expensive gadgets along with that could easily be lost or stolen during the weekend, all goes to show that paying a few pounds for a UK travel policy is well worth it.”

Ceri added: “One thing to consider carefully though is that theft claims are likely to be declined if your gadgets were left unattended, for example if you left your iPad in your tent while you went out for the day. That’s why it’s important to think about how many gadgets and valuables you really need to take to a festival, or any weekend away in a tent for that matter.”

To help protect against light fingers while you’re at a festival, consider the following safety tips:

• Take all valuables with you when you leave your tent;
• However, don’t keep gadgets or valuables in outside pockets whilst in crowds, and it is probably safer to keep them in a bumbag or money belt rather than a backpack.
• If there are security lock ups available at your festival site, use them. 
• Be vigilant at night. Consider storing your gadgets and valuables at the bottom of your sleeping bag so pick pockets can’t get access. 
• Most festival sites are now cashless, so avoid taking large sums of cash with you. Most festivals also have cash machines if you do need sterling. 

For more information about covering personal possessions cover outside the home, visit https://www.gocompare.com/home-insurance/guide/personal-possessions-insurance/.

ENDS