• How to keep your phone protected

    How to keep your phone protected

    This article was published on 28 January 2021. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

    Mobile phones and smartphones are an essential part of our lives. They provide precious contact with family when away from home, keep you up-to-date on all the latest news (and gossip) and allow you to keep on top of your finances without having to go to a bank branch. But, as a consequence of our phone’s being with us at all times, it means there’s more chance it can get damaged. Having to repair or replace a phone can be expensive, so we’ve put together some handy tips for keeping your phone and personal information stored on your phone safe:

    Protect your phone

    1. Invest in a screen protector and case
      The more technology they put on our phones the bigger they seem to get. Which means there’s also a bigger chance of scratching your screen or damaging the phone. An affordable way to help prevent this is to invest in a screen protector and case.
      A sturdy phone case will not only improve your grip on the phone (making it more difficult to slip through your hands), it will help protect your phone from damage and scratches if you do end up dropping it.
      Screen protectors are also a good purchase as they help preserve your phone’s touchscreen sensitivity.
    2. Keep your phone dry
      Whilst phones are more resilient to a little water than ever before it doesn’t mean you should be taking it for a dip anytime soon. You should still take precautions to protect your phone from water damage. If it’s raining or snowing heavily make sure you keep your phone securely in a bag or inside pocket of your coat. Better yet – a waterproof or water resistant case is another way to keep the water away.
    3. Protect your phone from extreme temperatures
      Your mobile can be a sensitive creature and can have trouble if it becomes too hot or too cold. Exposing your phone to the extremes in temperatures can harm internal workings like the battery and can lead to data loss or needing a new phone altogether.
      The best way to avoid temperature damage is to treat your phone like you would yourself. You wouldn’t go outside on a cold, winter day without your coat, hat and gloves on – so make sure you keep your mobile wrapped up and warm in a bag or your inside pocket. Similarly you wouldn’t stay in the baking sun without sun cream – so keep your phone in the shade and out of the heat.
      If your mobile does overheat or freeze it’s important you allow it to get back to a normal temperature gradually. Don’t blast a hair dryer on your cold phone for example, as this can cause condensation to build up inside your device which can then cause water damage. The best thing to do is to allow your phone time to adjust gradually back to room temperature.

    Protect your personal information stored on your phone

    1. Downloading apps safely
      Dangerous malware often get its way onto your phone via illegitimate apps downloaded from third-party app stores. So it is always best to use the official app stores when getting a new app – that’s the App Store for iOS users, Google Play for Android phones or any other official app store you clearly recognise.
      It might also be worthwhile investing in a mobile security app. They are designed to keep your phone clear of malware and to stop you becoming victim to phishing scams. There are even apps designed to help you identify your phone’s location and to block unauthorised access to your personal data if it gets stolen.
    2. Be cautious when using public Wi-Fi
      It might seem like a no-brainer to use available Wi-Fi when you’re out and about to save on wasting your data. Unfortunately these free networks can be open invites for hackers to steal your personal information including your logins, passwords and financial information. So it’s always best to stay off your online bank account or from using your debit or credit card if you do use public Wi-Fi. If you’ve got no choice but to, it’s best to just use your data instead – it’s the safe option!
    3. Keep things private
      We’ve already talked about the importance of getting a screen protector to ensure your screen is scratch free, but they can also be perfect to keep your details private too. Privacy screen protectors are designed to keep your screen black to prying eyes trying to look over your shoulder. They have side-view filters so only you can see your screen, perfect if you have to access your online banking out in public (using a secure Wi-Fi connection of course!).

    Kit & Personal Possessions Insurance

    While you can do everything in your power to keep your phone damage free, accidents will still happen. So it’s always smart to have your phone insured just in case. Forces Mutual Kit & Personal Possessions Insurance covers your mobile for accidental loss or damage, as well as your service issued kit and accommodation. Find out more about Kit & Personal Possessions Insurance here

    Kit & Personal Possessions Insurance is provided by Ageas Insurance Limited.

    PMGI Limited, trading as Forces Mutual is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Services Register No. 114942. Registered in England & Wales No.1073408. Registered office: Brookfield Court, Selby Road, Leeds, LS25 1NB. For your security, all telephone calls are recorded and may be monitored.

    Tereza Macegova

  • Transfer to Royal London completes

    Transfer to Royal London completes

    This article was published on 1 October 2020. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

    Following regulatory approval, we are delighted to announce that we have today completed the transfer of the Police Mutual group of companies to The Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited (Royal London).

    As you are aware, Forces Mutual is part of the Police Mutual group of companies which have transferred to Royal London.

    The transfer was approved by the Prudential Regulation Authority on the basis that it is satisfied that it is in the interests of members, taking into account any concerns raised during the member and customer representation period.

    Here is a short welcome video from Jerry Toher, Chief Executive of the Consumer Division at Royal London:

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=vhMsLCqGgmQ%3Frel%3D0
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=vhMsLCqGgmQ%3Fsi%3DyctG5Hn3M82hYd1k

    Why has Police Mutual and Forces Mutual transferred to Royal London?

    Becoming part of Royal London provides a sustainable future for the Police Mutual group of companies as part of a larger, stronger business and preserves what our customers value most about Forces Mutual.

    Our mutuality is an important part of who we are.

    Like us, Royal London is a non-shareholder organisation, founded on strong ethics and values, where profits are reinvested to create financial and social returns for members, customers and the wider community.

    The transfer to Royal London provides a strong financial base for our business, along with a broader business mix and wider range of products for our customers.

    Royal London is committed to the Forces Mutual and Police Mutual brands.

    Why is this positive news?

    Today’s news will enable us to continue to serve, and improve the financial wellbeing of, our customers in the Military family for the long-term.

    Partnering with the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company provides the opportunity to create better customer offerings and allows improvements to service and propositions, as well as providing wider support for the Military family.

    What does this mean for products?

    As a reminder, the terms of existing products do not change. There will be no change to the contractual benefits for any policyholders as a result of the transfer.

    Naturally, over time and in the future, products and services will evolve and change to meet market needs.

    Tereza Macegova

  • Proposal for Police Mutual to become part of Royal London

    Proposal for Police Mutual to become part of Royal London

    This article was published on 30 April 2020. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

    As you are aware, Forces Mutual is part of the Police Mutual group of companies. Police Mutual is proud of its long heritage serving the Police family and is ready to take the next vital step in its journey.

    That next step is a proposal that the Police Mutual group of companies become part of The Royal London Mutual Insurance Society Limited (Royal London), the UK’s largest mutual life insurance, pensions and investment company. Royal London is a strong mutual organisation that has committed to our goal of improving the financial wellbeing of the Military and Police families.

    Policies unchanged
    The terms and conditions of your policies will not change as a result of the proposal.

    Better offerings
    The proposal would make us part of a larger, stronger business that has a broader business mix and offers a wider range of products. This partnering with the UK’s largest mutual insurer gives the opportunity to create better customer offerings and allow improvements to service and propositions and wider support for the Military and Police families.

    Next steps
    We will write to our members and customers with more information in mid-June, following a vote on the proposal by our network of Police Mutual member representatives in all the Police forces across the country.

    Tereza Macegova