The sustainable alternative for your electronics [Anzeige]

According to the EU, electronics are the fastest growing source of waste in the European Union. According to the results of a representative study by the insurer Wert Garantie, 376,748 t of electronic waste is generated every year in German households alone because defective devices are disposed of.

For over ten years now, the European Parliament has been campaigning to improve consumers’ right to repair. In March, there was a new proposal: Under the legal guarantee, sellers would be required to repair products rather than replace them if the repair is not more expensive than the replacement.

“The political declaration of intent to promote repairs is a step in the right direction,” says Value Guarantee board member Konrad Lehmann. “We are already going much further in the interests of our customers and the environment: we have defective devices repaired even if it would be cheaper for us to replace them!”

Wertguarantee is an insurer and has been committed to repairs with its device protection products for 60 years. Whether smartphone, television or washing machine, new or used technology – under the motto “Repair instead of throwing away”, value guarantee insurance products help to reduce electronic waste and promote the circular economy.

Which devices can you insure? What about used equipment?

The smartphone is the number one device insured under the Value Guarantee. This is immediately understandable for everyone, as these devices are quite expensive, are carried around a lot and are in constant use. So they can fall down at any time, which has happened to everyone, including you?

“Then comes the washing machine, because without it you quickly run into problems, for example in a household with children. Most people have already experienced a defect in a washing machine,” explains Konrad Lehmann. The television is still frequently and increasingly insured. But the fully automatic coffee machine is also at the forefront – due to frequently occurring defects caused by calcification.

In general, there is great growth in insured used devices – whether they have been used for a long time or purchased refurbished. A good and sustainable development. This means that defective devices, which you may still hold dear, do not have to be thrown away immediately. Used and refurbished devices can be insured for as little as 3 euros – depending on the respective purchase price.

What happens if your device is defective?

For example, if your devices are covered with the Value Guarantee complete protection, Value Guarantee will cover the repair costs in the event of damage! The list of possible damage is long: wear and tear, accident damage, water damage, drop or display damage, technical defects or even improper handling and much more.

Repair instead of throwing away! (Image: iStock | VladTeodor)

Value Guarantee has a network of around 5,000 qualified specialist dealers and workshops in Germany and Austria who repair quickly if the device allows it. You will also find a repair marketplace on the value guarantee website. This is open to anyone looking for a cheap provider. The site gives you the opportunity to quickly and easily find the right provider to repair your defective electrical appliance in your area from over 1,000 repair workshops nationwide.

“We only advise against repairs if the device repeatedly has defects or has excessive energy consumption due to its age,” explains the Value Guarantee board member. “Against the background of our sustainability development, it would be counterproductive to take a different path.”

The value giant awaits you at the IFA!

Since 2021, Wert Garantie has been running an international educational campaign to raise awareness of repairs and increase willingness to repair. Together with the internationally known object and performance artist HA Schult, Wert Garantie created the Wertgiant, a six-meter-high scrap sculpture, and sent it on tour to draw attention to the topic in various places and stimulate discussions.

The value giant (Image: Value Guarantee)

The value giant corresponds to the weight of electronic waste that is generated every 1.5 minutes in Germany and is intended to clarify the partly abstract figures from the study. The warning work of art for today’s throwaway mentality is part of the Sustainability Village at this year’s IFA.

For the first time, the world’s largest trade fair for consumer electronics and household appliances is dedicating its own hall (Hall 2.2) to the topic of sustainability. The value giant, the steel giant made of electronic scrap, is the unmissable center of the hall, stand 419. Come by, because it’s always worth taking a look at the giant.

Find out more about the value giant now