Should you bother with mobile phone insurance? Here’s how get cover from £4 per month
SNAPPING up the latest mobile phone is an expensive business.
It is rumoured that the new iPhone 8 will cost £1,000 when it is unveiled by Apple tomorrow.
Whether you lose it, break it or it gets nicked, it’s an awful lot of money to spend on a gadget without protecting yourself.
Here, The Sun Online has looked at whether insurance is necessary - and how to get the cheapest cover.
Do you need insurance?
This is the first question to ask yourself. If you’re a gadget fan and spend loads of dosh getting the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy then it could cost you hundreds of pounds to replace it.
If your phone isn’t very expensive then it might not be worth spending the extra money on insurance.
Another option is setting up a savings account and putting the money you’d spend on insurance in there each month as a safety net in case anything goes wrong.
Is your phone covered by home insurance?
Your phone might already be covered by home insurance. If it is check that it’s covered outside your home and make sure you have accidental damage cover.
You might have to pay extra for this but it could work out cheaper than paying a monthly fee.
MOBILE PHONE INSURANCE: NEED TO KNOW
BEFORE you sign up, consider these things.
- What does it cover? Read the T&C’s really carefully. Some policies have been slated for covering “water damage” but not “submersion”, so if you dropped your phone in a pint glass for example you might not be covered.
- How much excess will you pay? If you phone is worth £200 is a £100 excess worth it?
- Will it cover you for unauthorised calls? This is not essential but if your phone is stolen and the thieves run up a big bill then you could be left to pay it.
- Can you get cashback? Before you sign up to a policy check to see if you could earn money. The best websites TopCashback and Quidco have dozens of offers. But remember to do your research first.
Also, keep in mind that if you need to claim your excess may be higher - around £500.
If it is then it might not be worth using your home insurance to cover your phone, as you will need to pay this fee to claim and it doesn’t make sense to use it.
Is it worth getting a packaged bank account?
If you pay a monthly fee for your bank account then you might be able to use this to cover your phone.
These accounts usually include travel insurance, breakdown cover and mobile phone insurance.
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They are usually only worth paying for it you use all of those things. You’ll pay anything from £6 a month up to £15 per month.
Use a website like or to compare them.
Get insurance from your mobile phone network
This might not be the cheapest way of insuring your phone but it’s usually the quickest way to get a replacement or repair.
The cost insuring your phone through the network varies depending on what model you have and you’ll usually get charged more for the latest iPhone or Galaxy handset.
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You’ll need to sign up when you buy the phone or within 28 days of taking out a contract, so it’s only really applicable if you’re signing up to a new deal.
Get standalone insurance from just £3.99 a month
Some specialist gadget insurers such and offer cover from as little as £3.99 a month.
Before you sign up make sure that you read reviews about these firms, some have been slated before for rejecting claims.
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