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Mobile phone insurance will cover the cost of repairing or replacing your mobile phone if it gets lost or damaged. The range of scenarios you’ll be covered for will differ depending on your choice of insurance company. We’ve explained the range of situations that you can get cover for and those where you’ll have to foot the bill.
What's in this guide?
What does smartphone insurance cover?
You can expect insurance for mobile phones to cover the costs of repairing or replacing your device in the following circumstances.
- Accidental damage. You’ll be covered if you accidentally break the device.
- Liquid damage. If your device is damaged by contact with or immersion in water, your phone insurance can help cover the cost.
- Mechanical breakdown. If the device stops working properly through no fault of your own, you can make a claim.
- Loss/theft. If your device is lost or stolen and you haven’t been overly careless, your insurance will help cover the cost.
- Malicious damage. Your insurance will cover you if your device is deliberately broken by a third party.
- Unauthorised usage. If your device is stolen, your insurance should cover you for any charges racked up by the thief. This could include losses from the thief accessing your ewallet.
- Replacement accessories. Your insurance will often cover the cost of accessories damaged or lost at the same time as the device.
Some insurance policies will cover you for all of these situations in any foreign country. You may also be covered if any of these situations occur while your device is in the possession of your immediate family members.
In some cases, you may have to pay for additional cover to be protected in all of these scenarios. It’s always worth checking the small print of the policy to see what’s covered.
What won’t mobile phone insurance cover?
Few insurers will cover smartphones that are bought second-hand or from overseas. Most insurers won’t agree to cover devices that you’ve already owned for a certain amount of time (usually up to 12 months, but in some cases, up to 36 months).
You also won’t be covered for damages sustained before the policy began.
On top of that, here are some scenarios where you’re unlikely to be covered by mobile phone insurance;
- Minor chips and cracks. Most insurance policies will only cover you for damage that affects your ability to use the phone.
- Damage as a result of extreme carelessness. Most insurers will list potential examples of extremely careless scenarios in which a gadget will not be covered.
- Intentional damage. You won’t be covered for deliberate damage caused by you or a member of your immediate family.
- Claims where the gadget was left unattended. This will almost always count as being extremely careless.
- Claims where a proof of purchase cannot be provided. You will need to provide a receipt, proving you owned the smartphone.
- Loss/theft claims without a crime report. You’ll need to provide a crime reference number with your claim.
Do I need mobile phone insurance?
Modern smartphones are incredibly expensive to repair or replace. The most expensive devices cost over £1,000 to buy brand new.
In spite of that, most of us take these tiny gadgets outside every time we leave the house. We’re constantly carrying them in our hands, passing them to our friends, taking photographs or packing them in our handbags.
Yet these items are far from indestructible; one slip and you’ve got a cracked screen. To most of us, our phone is essential and would need to be replaced immediately, yet few people are happy to dip into their savings and splash out on a brand new replacement. Which is why mobile phone insurance is popular, especially for the accident-prone.
With that said, you should check that you don’t already have cover from an existing insurance policy, such as contents insurance or travel insurance.
Do I need mobile phone insurance if I’m still under warranty?
Most mobile phone warranties will cover your device for mechanical breakdowns. If you want to be covered for other scenarios on top of that, you’ll need to buy mobile phone insurance.
How long do I have to wait before getting a replacement phone?
The process for replacing a damaged or stolen phone can be somewhat lengthy with some insurance companies. Many insurers will inspect a damaged phone to see if its team can repair it, before agreeing to replace it. Some companies suggest this process could take up to seven days.
However, other insurance companies are able to guarantee a replacement phone within 24 hours after a claim has been accepted.
How much does mobile phone insurance cost?
The cost of mobile phone insurance in the UK depends on a few factors.
- Level of excess. Your excess can determine how much you pay for your mobile phone insurance. Some gadget insurance providers cap their excess at a flat rate and some charge more for a lower excess.
- Brand and model. In general, if your mobile device is top of the range and has a high market value, it will usually cost more to insure than an older model.
- Level of cover. Depending on which level of cover is right for you, you can expect to pay more for a higher cover limit.
- Monthly or annual payments. If you pay monthly, you usually incur interest on your monthly payments and will end up paying more in the long run.
How do I claim on my mobile phone insurance policy?
The claims process will differ depending on your insurance company. Some allow you to make a claim online; with others, you need to call the claims team.
In all cases, you’ll need to provide details of the device and the incident that led to the claim being made.
With loss/theft incidents, you’ll need to inform the police and your network provider before making a claim. With all damage claims, you’ll need to send your device to the insurer to see if it can be repaired.
Based on these details and the state of your device, the insurer will then make a decision about whether to repair or replace it.
The bottom line
If you’re not ready for the financial sting of repairing or replacing your smartphone, mobile phone insurance is worth considering – especially if you’re prone to accidents. But check to see if your home insurance already covers you. If it doesn’t, it’s worth comparing the price of adding the phone to the policy vs buying standalone cover.
You can compare cover and prices in our table of mobile phone insurance providers.
Compare mobile phone insurance providers
Frequently asked questions about mobile phone insurance
The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you.
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