Your smartphone is more than just your phone. It’s your music player, diary, camera, debit card and so much more, all in one.
That’s a huge convenience, but it also means if you lose your phone or it’s stolen, then you’re without your main communication device – and perhaps at risk of bank or identity fraud.
That’s why it’s probably best to buy a phone insurance plan to cover your phone for accidental damage, loss, or theft.
If insured, you can get a quick replacement for a phone affected by any of those things – whether it’s a smashed screen, dropped in the sea, pinched from the pub – but not all insurance policies cover all eventualities.
In the UK, you can take out an insurance plan on a new phone very easily, but it’s also possible to buy cover for a phone or multiple devices at any time.
Phone insurance with UK mobile operators
Many UK mobile operators offer in-house insurance, providing convenience as the cost can be bundled with your monthly bill. Here are the leading options:
- EE – The price of coverage depends on the phone contract, the level of cover, and the make and model of the phones. Damage-only plans are be cheaper than full protection (damage, loss, and theft). Insurance must be purchased with a new contract or an upgrade.
- O2 – There are three tiers of coverage: damage, full and ultimate. Pricing is dependant on your contract information and will be laid out in your welcome letter.
- Three – You can buy damage or full cover but must do so within 28 days of purchase.
- Vodafone – Damage-only plans start at £3 per month, with comprehensive plans (covering theft and loss) ranging up to £18 per month. Your device must be less than 37 months old. Your monthly cost will vary based on your device and which level of cover you choose.
Manufacturer coverage
iPhone insurance with AppleCare
Apple doesn’t call it insurance, but that’s what AppleCare+ is.
If you buy a new iPhone direct from Apple (or some, select third party retailers) you can choose to also purchase AppleCare at the same time (or within 60 days of the iPhone purchase).
Prices for AppleCare+ start from £3.49 per month or £69 for two years, but more expensive phones and devices will cost more to insure. This covers unlimited repairs for accidental damage, repairs that use Apple parts, express replacement service, and 24/7 access to AppleCare experts online.
If you’ve bought your iPhone from Apple, we recommend AppleCare because it’s just so easy to get a quick repair at any Apple Store in the country. The insurance is linked to your Apple ID too, so you don’t need proof of purchase when you attend an appointment at the store (it’s best to book at the Genius Bar before turning up).
Samsung phone insurance
Samsung offers similar insurance packages to Apple at similar prices with Samsung Care Plus, with one advantage and one disadvantage: you can take out insurance on your phone within six months of purchase, which is a generous window, but none of the plans cover loss – only accidental damage and/or theft.
Best phone insurance providers in the UK
For those who prefer independent gadget insurance, you can get quotes via Go Compare Mobile Phone and Gadget Insurance.
This is a good option as most phone and gadgets insurance providers won’t provide a one-size-fits-all cost any more. Instead, you’ll need to input your phone type, its age and other details to get a quote. Go Compare, however, will let you compare a number of quotes very quickly.
How to choose a phone insurance
Different kinds of phone insurance
The first thing to decide when it comes to phone insurance is the level of protection you want. A few factors affect the price of insurance, starting with the assumed market value of the device you are insuring. Most insurance providers will have specific plans for particularly popular devices like iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones.
A lot of policies cover damage like liquid damage and theft but be wary that most packages won’t cover loss, and some of the cheapest packages will even leave out theft entirely and you’ll only be covered for accidental damage. So be sure to check the fine print because sometimes a low price means you won’t be covered for everything.
You can also consider add-ons to a basic phone insurance package like worldwide cover, or cover for the cost of unauthorised calls, texts, or downloads if someone else has your phone.
Nowadays with cool tech like Apple Pay and Android Pay, there’s also the risk that if stolen your phone could be used for contactless transactions, so look out for e-wallet cover.
Price and risk
Some phone insurance deals can look like a great deal when advertising a monthly direct debit price. Often, these single digit monthly plans have a larger excess cost if you make a claim.
Other plans can have excess costs of more than £100. You have to consider the balance you want to strike between peace of mind and then the likelihood of making a claim; if you think you will then make sure you’re happy with the excess costs before you sign up.
Consider multi-device policies
If you’re looking to insure more than one device (say you want to cover all of your family’s phones) then quite a few providers sell multi-device packages.
You might already have insurance
If you aren’t worried about theft or accidental damage (although most people should be!) don’t forget that the majority of smartphone manufacturers cover device faults for 12 months. iPhones certainly have this guarantee (when bought new) so double check.
It’s also possible that your phone will be covered by your existing home insurance, or under an insurance policy that comes with your bank account, so make sure to double-check both of those before you commit to spending more money on a new policy.
Check the terms and conditions
Always check the terms and conditions and small print before taking out a policy – this is because it depends on your personal situation or preferences.
For example, your phone might only be covered from car theft if the car is locked and phone in the glove box.
Some insurers also don’t protect smartphones unless they are six months old or newer. All these little things could add up to an insurance headache, so make sure you check the fine print.
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Author: Artur Tomala, Mobile Writer, Tech Advisor
Artur is a Mobile Writer at Tech Advisor, where he covers a range of smartphone, tablet and smartwatch-related topics. He has been working in the tech industry since 2021, including time spent leading a team focused on mobile news, reviews and product rankings. As an ambassador for the productivity app Notion, he runs training workshops and creates advanced templates to help people stay organised and productive.