What are the different types of UK mobile phone insurance?

Different policies are available for different types of UK Mobile phones for example IPhones, PDA's or Smart-phones are not always included in standard UK mobile phone insurance policies and may need to be insured separately, due to the increased costs to insurers to replace these.

Mobile phone insurance policies are made up of a combination of different cover options, a basic policy may include two or three cover options whereas a policy described as 'full cover' may include six or more cover options.

The table below outlines the most common types of mobile insurance cover options available in the marketplace:

Name of cover	Description	Things to be aware of...
Theft	If the phone is stolen the insurer will replace it.	Insurers' definitions of theft vary, some make a distinction between 'attended' and 'unattended' theft, i.e. if you leave your phone on a table in a restaurant and it gets stolen some insurers may not cover this. If your phone gets stolen from your car or home most insurers will require proof of forced entry before accepting a theft claim. Even if your car is broken into you may still not be covered if your phone wasn't secured out of sight in a locked compartment or glove box.
Accidental damage	Repair or replacement costs will be covered in the event your phone is accidentally damaged.	This doesn't usually cover cosmetic damage or damage caused by neglect.
Malicious damage	Repair or replacement costs will be covered in the event your phone is maliciously damaged by someone else.	This doesn't usually cover cosmetic damage or damage caused deliberately by you.
Loss	If you lose your phone the insurer will replace it.	This may not cover the loss of electrical equipment or accessories attached to your phone. Loss from a place where the public has easy, unrestricted access may also not be covered.
Water and/or fire damage	Repair or replacement costs will be covered in the event your phone is damaged by fire or water.	This may include damage by other liquids as well.
Fraudulent or unauthorised calls	The cost of calls made after it was stolen or lost will be covered.	Check the time frame this applies to - some insurers cover you from the time your phone is lost/stolen to the time it is reported to the insurer and police as long as you report it missing within 24 hrs. But some insurers only cover fraudulent or unauthorised made calls after the phone is reported missing.
Overseas / Worldwide Cover	Covers your phone for the insurance options you've selected while you are overseas	Check insurers' time limits for the overseas cover you may be limited to be away for a certain number of days.
Mechanical breakdown	The costs of an electrical or mechanical breakdown that occurs outside the manufacturer's warranty period are covered.	Some phone networks combine their phone insurance and warranties into one policy.
Accessories	Phone accessories such as chargers, software, memory cards, hands-free headsets and batteries can be covered up to a value ranging from £25 to £300 and upwards.	Check what's covered as some insurers exclude bluetooth equipment and non factory standard software.
Multiple phone cover	More than one phone can be insured under the policy, sometimes as many as four.	Check for restrictions.
Specified users cover	You can insure for a specified number of users on one phone.	There may be an age restriction for the authorised users.

Some insurers provide cover for handsets only, while others cover both the handset and SIM card - always check what type of policy you're getting.

Each cover option usually has a financial limit attached to it - ranging for example, from £25 to £300 for accessories cover, and £150 to £1,000 and upwards for phone replacement cover.

In addition to the monthly or annual premiums payable, an excess will also apply and is payable in the event of a claim. Different excess amounts can apply to different cover options within your mobile insurance policy, for example, a higher excess may apply to the loss cover option than the theft cover option. Likewise, the excess fee for a theft in the UK could be £25 but could increase to £75 if the theft occurs overseas.

Think about which cover options are going to be important to you in relation to the type of phone you want to insure and your lifestyle, this will help you determine which type of insurance will be best for you.

Download the Mobile Phone Insurance PDF Guide here - see our other free PDF guides here

Guide Contents

What is mobile insurance cover?
Does everyone need insurance for mobile phones?
What are the different types of UK mobile phone insurance?
Where to buy mobile phone insurance
Apply for mobile phone insurance?
Mobile phone insurance information - FAQ
More mobile phone insurance help

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