UK Mobile Phone Insurance
UK Mobile Phone Insurance – insure your mobile phone against theft, accidental loss or damage, and breakdown, with affordable mobile phone insurance. Worldwide cover and 48 hour repair or replacement typically available.
Archive for the ‘Mobile Phone Insurance’ Category
Things to compare when buying phone insurance
There are a number of phone insurance providers on the market, and premiums typically differ depending on the provider. The level of cover provided may also differ between providers, so it may be worth looking around to find the most suitable insurer for your needs before you purchase a policy.
Basic cover
All insurance providers are different, but you may want to check that your cover has at least the basics. These may include:
- theft cover which provides cover for your phone if it is stolen;
- damage cover which provides cover for your phone if you damage it in an accident;
- breakdown cover which covers your phone in the situation where your phone breaks down outside of the manufacturer’s warranty period.
For all of these basic cover levels, you may want to check what you are and are not covered for in each situation. For example, there may be circumstances when you may not be covered for theft or damage such as if you are not taking proper care of your phone.
Other levels of cover
In addition to the above, there are a number of other types of cover that various providers may or may not offer. These include:
- the excess, which is the amount that you pay when you make a claim, and it may typically differ from provider to provider;
- loss of the phone, which some insurers may provide cover for, but this typically varies between insurance companies, so you may want to look around and find out which ones can offer cover;
- unauthorised calls, which provides cover when someone steals your phone and uses it to makes call.
Find the most suitable cover for you
Needs vary between phone owners, so it may be a good idea to look around to find the cover that is most suitable for your requirements, whatever cover you are looking for. Your phone is precious and you probably want to take care of it as much as possible, so it may be worth looking around for the most suitable level of phone insurance that is appropriate for your specific needs.
The key points around mobile phones insurance
Here are a few key thoughts relating to mobile phones insurance, that you may find useful:
- mobile phones insurance may form part of a larger insurance category of cover called gadget insurance – you may be able to obtain some interesting discounts if you purchase policies to cover several of your gadgets at the one time (e.g. mobile phone, PDA, camera and laptop etc);
- for the purposes of insurance, you may find that insurance providers do not consider things such as iphones and PDAs, to be mobile phones – they may have their own categories of cover;
- it is necessary to look carefully at the policy detail to be sure what cover is being provided, however, cover will typically protect you against things such as breakdowns outside of the manufacturer’s warranty period, accidental destruction, theft and (optionally) loss;
- some insurers may differentiate between theft and unattended theft – the latter being a situation where the mobile phone is stolen while not in your possession (some policies may not cover that at all though some may, providing you left the phone securely locked away at the time);
- mobile phones insurance typically may not cover breakdown and repair costs that arise during the manufacturer’s warranty period – they may regard that as being the responsibility of the manufacturer or original retailer (or both);
- some policies may not cover damage you cause while trying to somehow fix your phone or while fitting accessories to it – they may not see those situations as being a true definition of an accident;
- you may be fortunate enough to find a policy whereby the provider will undertake to replace your phone within 48 hours of your claim receiving final approval;
- if you do make a claim for theft or loss, the insurance may expect to see evidence that you reported the event to the police within 24 hours and that you obtained evidence that you had done so – that’s typically in the form of a police crime or lost property number;
- if you travel abroad, you may appreciate a policy that offers global rather than UK-only cover;
- some caution may be advisable before lending your phone to others, as the policy may only be valid if the phone was in your possession at the time an incident took place;
- typically, you may find that insurance sold on a stand-alone basis (i.e. not as part of your service provision contract) may offer broader based and more cost-attractive cover, as the providers may be specialists in the field;
- mobile phones insurance may save you a lot of money and equal amounts of inconvenience – it may be time to find out more.
Mobile phone insurance
Mobile phone insurance may not be essential but in some situations it may be highly desirable.
Your phone
Over the past 20 years, the mobile phone has evolved and changed to become an essential part of life for many people worldwide.
In business it would now be almost unthinkable for key people not to have a mobile with them when ‘out and about’. The days when it was acceptable for business people to be un-contactable while travelling are long gone.
Socially, they are also close to indispensable. It isn’t just teenagers chatting to each other either. Many parents now take for granted that they can contact their children if they’re out to find out where they are and ensure that all is well. The same is true for wider friends and family networks.
Complex functions
Mobile phones are now rarely just phones. Many contain cameras and have also merged with Internet and small computer technologies to produce the PDA and iPhone etc.
This means that they may well be at the absolute centre of your social and business planning and co-ordination.
Phones are vulnerable
Mobile phones are by definition small and typically valuable. They are also frequently taken everywhere we go.
The net result of this is that they are vulnerable to a number of risks including:
- theft;
- loss;
- accidental breakage;
- breakdown.
It’s a fair bet that if any of these things happens, you may be facing some serious expenditure.
Options for protecting your phone
If you are concerned about the above risks, you probably have two options:
- do nothing and hope you stay lucky – being prepared, of course, to pay a lot of money if your luck runs out;
- purchase mobile phone insurance.
Mobile phone insurance
Mobile phone insurance exists to help you cope with the financial effects of the loss of your mobile phone. Typically this insurance may be tailored to form part of a wider ‘gadget insurance’ policy designed to cover a range of devices including things such as cameras and laptops.
A policy of this type will typically cover a range of risks including theft, loss, breakdown and accidental destruction (the loss of iPhones may not be covered for loss on most policies).
They may also provide additional benefits such as:
- free data backups;
- cover for your travels worldwide;
- replacement of items within 48hours (though not necessarily new-for-old).
Conditions
All insurance carries conditions and these are outlines clearly in the policy and related documentation.
Typically iPhones cost a little more to insure and they may be subject to some special conditions. They will not usually be covered for loss.
Thinking about gadgets
Your mobile phone is probably just one of a number of gadgets that you now take for granted. Many of them are equally as vulnerable as your phone and may be in need of protection.
Thinking about mobile phone insurance in the context of your overall gadgets insurance needs may offer you options to save yet further money. You may be able to customise a policy to meet your exact needs across a range of your devices. Finding out more may be a smart move!