It is impossible to ignore. Pokémon Go, a smartphone app that gets gamers off the couch and into the outdoors to virtually hunt Pokémon, has taken over the world. According to Rosalie L. Donlon of PropertyCasualty360.com, Pokémon Go has “become wildly popular, amassing more users than Twitter in just a few days.”
Upon opening the app, it warns you: “Remember to be alert at all times. Stay aware of your surroundings.” Even though there are plenty of benefits to the exploratory, get-up-and-go nature of the game, Pokémon Go is about to take over the insurance world due to unplanned consequences such as injuries, property damage, distracted users (driving or walking) and more.
If you decide you want to join in on the excitement and catch that Pikachu you always wanted, you’re going to need more than your smartphone. PropertyCasualty360.com says you may need these three insurance policies before you embark on your hunt:
1. Homeowners’ and Renters’ Insurance
First, consider the damage you may do to other people’s property. When you’re staring down at your phone in a hot pursuit for a Charizard, and you look up to find you’ve just trampled your neighbor’s flowerbed, you’ll be thankful you have homeowners’ or renters’ insurance, as most of these policies will cover damage YOU cause to others’ property/possessions. You’ll also be thankful if someone else gets injured climbing a tree in your yard (seen recently in the news) in search for a Squirtle and wants to sue.
Next, if you’re running out the door in search of a rare Pokémon, completely forget to lock your door, come home to an empty home and thieves ransacked the place, make sure you already have an itemized list to send to your insurance company.
2. Auto Insurance
No one ever thinks it could happen to them, but there have already been several instances of distracted players (by foot and auto) that have caused accidents while playing the game. Rosalie Donlon asks, “Hit while running down a Rotom? Depending on who’s at fault (and local statutes), you may be able to file a claim against the driver’s auto liability insurance policy.”
“Almost all states require that vehicle owners and drivers carry liability insurance to cover personal injuries to third parties,” says Donlon. “Or your own
uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage may pick up the tab if not.”
3. Identity Theft/Cyber Crime
Make sure to thank your homeowners’/renters’ insurance company again, because the personal data that Pokémon Go collects from your phone can absolutely be stolen, and that policy will most likely cover identity theft (if you don’t already have a stand-alone identity theft policy).
“Sure, the game’s called Pokémon Go, but it’s really your data that’s in play,” says Donlon.
This policy will reimburse you for the cost of reclaiming your identity, credit report fixes, and more.
If you already have these policies in place, God speed and stay out of trees!