Top Mobile Phone Insurance FAQs

Taking out a mobile phone insurance policy shouldn’t be a challenging task. There’s a lot of things people want and need to know before committing to a premium, which is why we’ve compiled some of our top frequently asked questions regarding phone insurance.

How much is phone insurance?

Costs are a top FAQ when it comes to mobile phone insurance, but the answer can depend on many factors. A lot of people will take out insurance on their new device, due to it being an expensive handset that would cost a lot of money to repair or replace without insurance. Other people may choose to insure their entire family’s mobile phones under one multi-device policy for ease.

Typically, phone insurance costs can vary between policy providers. Some providers may throw in optional extras, like tech packs that can extend to tablets and laptops. There’s demand for bespoke policies that match what users are looking for, so it’s a case of which device you have and how well you want to protect it.

Should I get mobile phone insurance?

This comes down to personal preference. Unlike with mandatory car insurance, phone insurance is not a legal requirement. However, for most people it will be a case of weighing up the costs of repair and replacement without insurance. The chances are that people with the latest model of iPhone or Samsung, for example, won’t want to tempt fate and will likely insure their device.

What to do if I lose my phone

This can be devastating for some people, especially if they rely heavily on their mobile phone. A lot of people plan their entire week’s schedule by means of their phone – travel apps for the commute, meditation apps for unwinding, online shopping apps for groceries, weather apps to check the forecast, and even payment apps to save them taking out their cash and cards.

Here are some of our top tips for what to do if you lose your phone:

• Give it a call – if you’re lucky, you may have only misplaced your phone, so using another device to call it may locate it nearby. Maybe it fell out of your pocket down the back of the sofa? Did it fall under your car seat? This tip only works if you don’t have the ‘Do Not Disturb’ function switched on! Also, if you lost your phone out and about, somebody may have found it and (hopefully) will be waiting for a call so they can return it to you. Make sure you try and call your lost phone as soon as possible, because this becomes a lot harder once your battery runs flat.

• Lock it up – if you’ve stored sensitive information on your phone, it’s important that you try and lock it. Using Android Device Manager or Find My iPhone, you can log into your account and manually lock your phone from a remote location. Again, the sooner you do this after losing your phone the better, because it gives people less time to hack into your private information.

• Report the incident – sometimes it may be more likely that your phone is stolen, rather than lost. In this instance, report the incident as soon as you can. Police may have leads on other similar activity that could help them find the culprit and return your device to you. Alternatively, alerting them will give them information for any other similar reports that may come in after yours.

• Erase your information – when all else fails and you know deep down that your phone is gone for good, you may wish to erase all of your information from your lost device. You can do this in Android Device Manager and Find My iPhone, and it enables you to wipe pretty much all of the data on your phone, including texts, photos and apps. Even if you think your phone battery has died and it’s lost somewhere unknown, it’s best to mitigate the risk of somebody finding it, charging it up and accessing your information.

What does mobile phone insurance cover?

When buying an insurance policy, it’s important to have a clear understanding of everything that’s included in the premium. Typical mobile phone insurance policies cover the following and more:

• Cracked screen – these can be devastating, and all it takes is one clumsy move! Some cracked screens aren’t as bad as others – sometimes the crack only harms the outer edge of the screen, meaning the phone is still usable while you sort out repairs. In other cases, the entire screen can smash making it very difficult, if not impossible, to use your phone. In bad cases your phone can malfunction and end up calling people, sending indecipherable texts, and going into apps without you instructing it to do so. To find out more about cracked phone screens, see our article “Why Cracked Screens are More Expensive Than Your Device”.

• Loss – most mobile phone insurance policies cover the loss of your device, with a smooth and easy replacement service. Make sure you speak with your insurance company about the different services in regard to this.

• Theft – mobile phone insurance policies usually include a procedure to follow in the event of your phone being stolen. You’ll need to file a police report and take appropriate action, and in some cases your policy may offer you a replacement.

• Liquid damage – a common reason for insurance claims, as people can often accidentally drop their phones down the toilet, in the bath, into the sink, or even in puddles when they walk down the street. A proven way to try and undo the damage yourself is to put your phone in a bag of rice as soon as you can, as this helps drain the water out of the device.

Your mobile phone insurance FAQs answered

Hopefully the above FAQs have helped answer some of your burning mobile phone insurance questions. From the costs involved to what the policies can cover, there are so many things you need to know before taking out a new insurance policy. Make sure you speak to your insurance provider about any other queries you may have. For more information, see our mobile phone insurance page.

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