Accidental Damage

[Jollity]

Yet another thread in which I try to mine your grey matter for tender nuggets of knowledge on laptops. I am trying to decide whether it is worth going for an accidental damage policy.

 

Scenario: we have 20 laptops, they will be used by students of ages 9 to 11 and carried up and down a flight of stairs. What is your estimate how many are likely to suffer minor\serious accidental damage within 3 years?

 

Do you tend to get accidental damage policies on laptops?

[AWicher]

I would say students should not be moving the equipment, if it has to be carried up stairs then the laptop trolly... should be moved.

[elsiegee40]

From what @Jollity has said previously, the nature and age of the building is such that it would be impossible to avoid carrying the laptops between floors.

[FN-GM]

I would say students should not be moving the equipment, if it has to be carried up stairs then the laptop trolly... should be moved.

 

I think you will struggle with pulling a laptop trolley up a flight of stairs

@Jollity what are you trying to achieve from the policy?

[Millgate]

Depends on the cost. I know HP o a warranty that includes accidental damage and it's not much more than the standard warranty

[elsiegee40]

Depends on the cost. I know HP o a warranty that includes accidental damage and it's not much more than the standard warranty

 

What are the terms on that @Millgate? Are they sensible in a school scenario, or so tight you'd never manage to claim successfully?

[FN-GM]

What are the terms on that @Millgate? Are they sensible in a school scenario, or so tight you'd never manage to claim successfully?

 

i have made claims in a school with the Dell accidental cover, never a problem. One needed to be done the day they arrived, (an accident with coffee in the office). Also someone on her got one when a member of staff ran over there own laptop.

[Fazza]

I suppose it all depends on if you are expecting accidental damage or damage on purpose. I've seen laptops where the speakers have been gouged out with a pen, damage yes, accidental? Unlikely.

 

You'll have to read the terms and conditions very closely and I would recommend you ask the company involved what is and isn't included in the policy.

[Jollity]

I think you will struggle with pulling a laptop trolley up a flight of stairs

@Jollity what are you trying to achieve from the policy?

There are two classrooms in the building each on its own floor. There is no elevator or similar between floors, and as you say, we could not haul the trolley up and down stairs. We could not afford to have a suite of laptops for each floor.

 

The only way I can think of that does not involve one class of children carrying the laptops up and down stairs is to insist the teachers swap classroom every time they want to use laptops. I think that would massively reduce the usefulness of the laptops.

[Jollity]

I suppose it all depends on if you are expecting accidental damage or damage on purpose. I've seen laptops where the speakers have been gouged out with a pen, damage yes, accidental? Unlikely.

I think relative to the school population at large, the rate of malicious damage is likely to be low. The children are relatively well under control. We plan to assign the same laptop to a child in the class each lesson, so if damage occurs there are only a couple of children likely to have caused it. We might even be able to bill parents.

 

It is more drops and spills I am worried about, and I just do not have a handle on how likely these are.

[Michael]

There's a simple solution to this I recommend in all schools. Pop down to your local supermarket and buy some re-usable bags (the ones made from material, not plastic) for about £1 each.

 

You tell the kids they can fit 2 or 3 per bag (depending on the size of notebook). This makes them easier to carry and they have one hand free for opening doors or for going up/down stairs. The amount of accidents are practically zero.

[Millgate]

What are the terms on that @Millgate? Are they sensible in a school scenario, or so tight you'd never manage to claim successfully?

 

HPs definition is:

 

"Accidental damage is defined as physical damage to a product caused by or resulting from a sudden and

unforeseen incident, provided such damage occurs in the course of regular use. Covered perils include

non‑intentional liquid spills in or on the unit, drops, falls, and electrical surge, as well as damaged or broken liquid

crystal displays (LCDs) and broken parts. Additional details and exclusions pertaining to the accidental damage

protection service feature are detailed in the ‘Service limitations’ section."

 

Hope this helps

[Jollity]

There's a simple solution to this I recommend in all schools. Pop down to your local supermarket and buy some re-usable bags (the ones made from material, not plastic) for about £1 each.

 

You tell the kids they can fit 2 or 3 per bag (depending on the size of notebook). This makes them easier to carry and they have one hand free for opening doors or for going up/down stairs. The amount of accidents are practically zero.

Some of the staff here had had exactly the same idea, actually! I am delighted to hear it works in practice.

[kernewek-sam]

Scenario: we have 20 laptops, they will be used by students of ages 9 to 11 and carried up and down a flight of stairs. What is your estimate how many are likely to suffer minor\serious accidental damage within 3 years?

 

Drops and cracked screens can be common especially if another pupil pushes them in the corridor (Experience: BYOD scheme with 11 to 12 year olds). If you can afford it I'd go for a hard case, as we haven't had any light plastic damage or screen cracks on our loan netbooks yet. I realise you have laptops, but thats been our experience.

[maniac]

In my experience the cost of accidental damage policies often outweigh the cost of fixing the damage yourself over the life span of the machines. It does depend on the machines and availability of spare parts, and also you have to factor your time into the equation as well, but quite often they cost up to 50% of the machine value or more from what I've seen.

[gpe5732]

We have 1:1 and use accidental damage coverage since students handle the computers all day, every day. Get it, it's well worth the cost.

[Jollity]

An alternate angle on the question. If we did not have an accidental damage policy, how much does it typically cost to repair damage from falls or spills, say a cracked screen for example? How much damage needs to occur before it is more economic to write off a laptop than have the manufacturer fix it?

[SC92]

Also someone on her got one when a member of staff ran over there own laptop.

 

What the. Please tell me that is a joke?!

[localzuk]

There are two classrooms in the building each on its own floor. There is no elevator or similar between floors, and as you say, we could not haul the trolley up and down stairs. We could not afford to have a suite of laptops for each floor.

 

The only way I can think of that does not involve one class of children carrying the laptops up and down stairs is to insist the teachers swap classroom every time they want to use laptops. I think that would massively reduce the usefulness of the laptops.

 

Not a quick fix, but I'd be advising the school that they need to fix the 'no lift' issue, as it currently more than likely breaches the disability discrimination act.

 

On a more useful note, I'd say that accidental damage cover isn't worth it. I'd buy a couple of extra laptops, and a set of spare parts instead. That way, for the same money, you have 100% guarantee that some bureaucrat isn't going to argue with you and deny a fix.

[maniac]

Not a quick fix, but I'd be advising the school that they need to fix the 'no lift' issue, as it currently more than likely breaches the disability discrimination act.

 

There are certain exceptions to this if the building is not suitable to have a lift installed - both the upstairs sections of our existing buildings are excempt, as there is really no practical way of installing a lift into the 1970's buildings we have at the moment.

[Jollity]

There are certain exceptions to this if the building is not suitable to have a lift installed - both the upstairs sections of our existing buildings are excempt, as there is really no practical way of installing a lift into the 1970's buildings we have at the moment.

I am pretty sure we are among those exceptions. The building is listed I believe. I will mention it to our Health and Safety chap, but I would be very surprised if he had not thought of it.

[broc]

Medium sized secondary, we probably get around 5 laptops (mix of 12" & 15" models) dropped per term causing significant damage, out of 500 or so student laptops which are normally stored in trolleys. Repair costs vary, typically £50-£150 a time. I have given up trying to advise staff about 'safe' handling of laptops in their classrooms, now I just send the bills to their department heads.

[Jollity]

Medium sized secondary, we probably get around 5 laptops (mix of 12" & 15" models) dropped per term causing significant damage, out of 500 or so student laptops which are normally stored in trolleys. Repair costs vary, typically £50-£150 a time.

I love hard numbers. Many thanks. Though of course rates may differ - especially between primary and secondary.

[twin--turbo]

screens generaly under £50 from accupart, fitting 10-15 mins. Done about 40 of them in 18 months , 80% on staff laptops including most of the SLT!

 

Rob

[twin--turbo]

We have a mass of systems out for other reasons ( missing keys, Damaged track pads, bent bezels, etc ) which we have been given the go-ahead to repair.

 

Not had accident cover for 6-7 years as it did not stack up.

 

Rob