Mobile phone insurance

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Do I need mobile phone insurance?

Many people are hugely reliant on their mobile phones for their day-to-day work and home lives. Mobile phone insurance can give you peace of mind that if things go wrong with your mobile device, you will have protection in place.

Mobile phone insurance policies can be useful if:

• You own a valuable smartphone that you cannot afford to replace.
• You are extremely reliant on your phone and would need an immediate replacement.
• You have a history of losing or breaking your phone.
• Your phone is at risk of theft.

It’s also important to remember that if your phone is damaged or stolen, your contract provider will still expect you to pay the remainder of your contract. Mobile phone insurance can help you replace the device, rather than having to pay for a new contract and phone, whilst still having to pay the contract remainder.

Are mobiles covered by home insurance?

Home contents insurance policies will sometimes cover your mobile phone; however, many standard contents insurance policies will not include mobile phone cover. If you already have or are considering taking out a home insurance policy, be sure to check whether your mobile phone is included within it. Often this will mean ensuring that your home insurance includes the following:

• Accidental damage cover – any accidents involving your phone will be covered. Without this cover you will only be able to claim for damage that occurs at home – for example, from a fire or a flood.
• Personal possessions cover – your phone is most likely to be damaged, lost or stolen when it is away from your home. Personal possessions cover, also known as all risks insurance, will make sure all items that regularly leave the home with you such as your phone, wallet or jewellery are covered.

Having your phone covered by a home insurance policy is often the easiest option and saves you the trouble of taking out a specialist mobile phone insurance policy. There are some limitations to contents insurance that you may want to think about though. If you make a claim for your phone on your contents insurance, then you’ll need to pay the agreed excess with your insurance provider. This excess will be based on all the items covered in the policy, not just your mobile phone, and you will have to pay the full excess just to have your phone covered. Claiming could also result in your contents insurance premium increasing when it is due for renewal.

What does mobile phone insurance cover?

Mobile insurance cover will vary greatly depending upon the insurer and product you choose. However, most policies will provide cover for loss, theft and accidental damage. There are various other features available for your insurance policy, including:

• Liquid damage – if your phone gets wet, mobile phone insurance will pay for the cost of repair or replacement.
• Multi-phone cover – cover available for multiple phones on the same policy.
• Phone accessories – cover for the replacement or repair of any accessories damaged, lost or stolen at the same time as your device.
• Overseas travel – cover for your phone when you travel abroad.
• Fraud – repayment of any costs incurred due to fraudulent activity on your mobile device.
• Mechanical breakdown – if your phone breaks outside of its warranty you will still be covered.

How much does mobile phone insurance cost?

The cost of mobile phone insurance varies depending on a number of factors. These include which insurer you choose, which product you choose, the model of phone/phones you are trying to insure, as well as whether the policy is paid annually or monthly. The average cost of insurance for popular phone models is shown in the table below:

Source: ProtectYourGadget.com.

How to Get a Quote for Mobile Phone Insurance

In order to get a quote, you will need to have some basic information ready:

• Details about your phone – its make, model and size.
• Your personal details - name, date of birth and address.
• Level of cover – the level of cover you want for your phone.
• Payment – are you going to pay annually or monthly?
• Excess – the amount you want to pay towards an insurance claim.

When looking for mobile phone insurance, the best way to find cheap policies is to compare deals. You can use our home insurance comparison tool to find deals with mobile phone cover that are right for you!