How to find the best mobile phone insurance
To make sure you’re getting the best type of phone insurance policy, consider whether the following features are essential to you:
- Excess — The amount you will have to pay if you make a claim. Although most of the insurers in the table above have similar excesses, there's still a big difference between £25 and £75, especially if you're getting cover for a cheaper phone.
- Worldwide cover — Some insurers won’t cover your phone if something happens while you’re abroad. Others that do offer overseas cover will only give you a limited time (typically between 90 and 180 days) in which it applies before it’s no longer valid. If you’re travelling a lot with your phone, look for unlimited worldwide cover.
- Theft and loss as standard — While policies almost always include damage, cover for theft and loss isn’t guaranteed. Some insurers only add cover for theft and loss for an additional charge or as part of their premium policies. Look for policies that include both, so you’re not caught out.
- Liquid damage — One of the most common reasons for claims on phone insurance policies is water damage. Make sure your policy includes damage caused by liquids so you’ll be covered if you drop your phone in a puddle or accidentally take it for a swim on holiday.
- Cover for unauthorised use — If your phone is stolen, thieves may be able to make calls, use data and even use things like your eWallet without your permission. If you have a limited data plan, for example, these charges may build up very quickly. Some insurers will reimburse charges up to a specific limit.
Common exclusions of mobile phone insurance
Mobile phone insurers have come under fire recently for exclusions that many people assume would be covered under a normal policy.
Make sure you read the small print of any policy documents to avoid getting caught out. Here are some common exclusions and qualifications:
- Theft – While you may think that ‘theft cover’ would protect your phone from all situations, some insurers specify that your mobile must be taken by force. So if it’s stolen from your back pocket while you’re at a concert, for example, you might not be covered.
- Reasonable care — Some companies may refuse your claim if you didn’t take ‘reasonable care’ of your gadget for a claim of loss or theft. This might translate to leaving your phone on a train or in a coffee shop. Always check the small print of any policy to check what’s covered under ‘loss’.
- Your phone's age — Insurers sometimes won’t insure phones over six months or a year old. Insurance2Go, for example, will only insure phones that are less than six months old.
- Proof of purchase – Insurers need proof of purchase (usually in the form of a receipt) before insuring your phone. This means that second-hand phones are unlikely to be covered, and you’ll find it hard to get cover if you’ve lost your receipt.
- Delayed police report — Some insurers specify that you must tell the police if your phone is lost or stolen within a short time frame. This is usually 24 hours, but it can sometimes be as little as 12 hours.
- Water damage – While some insurers include water damage as part of accidental damage, some don’t, so if you’re prone to dropping your phone in puddles, be sure to check the small print.
Phone insurance from your network provider: is it worth it?
Cover from your network provider is easy to get, as long as you apply for it within a short time of buying your phone. Many providers will offer it to you when you're in the shop or on the phone with them.
There are some advantages and disadvantages when it comes to getting insurance with your network provider:
- Pro: Faster replacements — One major plus about this kind of mobile phone insurance is the speed at which a damaged, lost or stolen phone gets replaced – almost all of the providers we looked at said they’d replace the mobile within 24 hours or the next working day.
- Con: Higher premiums — However, the speed of replacement comes at a cost. Insurance from your network provider is often more expensive than from other companies.
Ultimately, the ‘right’ choice depends on your priorities. If the thought of being without a phone for more than a few hours is stressful, you may want to consider insurance from your network provider. But if you’d rather trade off a longer wait for cheaper premiums, you’re usually better off with a third-party insurer.
Does home insurance cover mobile phones?
Home insurance policies sometimes include mobile phones as part of your contents cover, which means your phone could already be covered for theft or fire at home. Your insurance may also cover your mobile for accidental damage while it’s in your house too.
However, it’s important to note that your home insurance policy won’t cover your phone while it’s out and about unless you take out additional personal possessions cover (or if you already have it).
This probably won’t add too much to your premiums. However, the excess might be higher than with a specialist mobile phone insurance policy, and you may lose any hard-earned no-claims discount if you make a claim.
Check if your home insurance provider made it into our list of the best insurers.
Insuring specific mobile phone models
If you want insurance for your specific mobile phone model, why not check out one of our exclusive free groups to get a 10% discount?
iPhone insurance
iPhones are one of the most popular types of smartphone in the world, so there are plenty of insurers that will cover them.
iPhone insurance offers the same kind of cover you’ll get with generic mobile insurance policies. However, it’s tailored to the higher payouts, owing to the high cost of specialist Apple repairs. MoneySuperMarket estimates that a screen repair and replacement on an iPhone 11 Pro Max costs a staggering £326.44 and that battery replacements cost as much as £69 (true as of March 2022).
While you might get AppleCare insurance if you buy your iPhone through Apple or an associated retailer, this doesn’t offer the same level of cover that you’ll get with an independent provider. Standard AppleCare doesn’t cover theft, loss or accidental damage — instead, it just covers defects for a year.
Some insurers will cover iPhones in their standard mobile phone insurance policies, while others will have separate policies specifically for iPhone users. For example, Insurance2Go has a separate iPhone insurance policy; its standard mobile phone insurance does not cover iPhones. Be aware that some insurers do not cover Apple products at all.
Samsung Galaxy insurance
Samsung Care+ is a form of insurance Samsung offers Galaxy customers directly. While it does offer 24 months of cover for accidental damage claims, you’re limited to two claims per one-year policy, and you’re not covered for things like loss, theft or malicious damage.
Going to a third-party insurer instead means you can get more extensive cover.Loveit Coverit, for example, offers cover for both theft and loss as standard in its Mobile Insurance Full policies.
Mobile Phone Insurance Reviews
loveit coverit mobile phone insurance review
Loveit Coverit offers two tiers of cover: Essential and Premium.
Loveit Coverit's Premium policy covers accidental damage, liquid damage, loss and theft anywhere in the world. It includes unauthorised use for up to £10,000. loveit coverit will insure older devices as long as they are not older than three years (36 months). The policy includes a 12-month warranty on replacements, as well as unlimited claims and repairs.
AXA underwrites loveit coverit’s Premium mobile phone insurance. On customer review site TrustPilot, loveit coverit currently has a high rating of 4.8 out of 5 for its mobile phone insurance based on more than 2,700 reviews. 85% of customers described it as ‘Excellent’ (true as of March 2022).
You can get a quote from Loveit Coverit here.
Protect Your Bubble mobile phone insurance review
Protect Your Bubble has emerged as one of the UK’s foremost gadget insurance providers in recent years. Its comprehensive cover includes accidental damage, liquid damage and mechanical breakdown as standard. It also allows for two claims for theft per year and covers you for worldwide travel.
Protect Your Bubble scores 4.1 out of 5 on the user review website Trustpilot, based on more than 19,500 reviews. 75% of customers describe their experience as “Excellent” (accurate as of March 2022).
Get a policy from Protect Your Bubble today.
Insurance2Go mobile phone insurance review
Insurance2Go offers two tiers of cover: Standard and Full.
In its Full policy, Insurance2Go will cover:
- Accidental damage
- Loss
- Theft
- Unauthorised use (up to £1,000)
It offers a discount when you buy a yearly policy rather than monthly. Please note that iPhones have to be covered on a separate iPhone policy.
Insurance2Go's mobile phone insurance is rated 4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot based on more than 6,900 reviews. 71% of customers described Insurance2Go as “Excellent” (true as of March 2022).
Get a quote from Insurance2Go here.
Gadget Cover mobile phone insurance review
Gadget Cover is a small UK company offering insurance for phones, laptops and other gadgets. Its mobile phone insurance protects phones against:
- Theft
- Accidental damage
- Breakdown cover
- Unauthorised use
Loss cover is available as an additional extra.
Gadget Cover's prices vary depending on the model and value of your mobile phone.
Gadget Cover's mobile phone insurance is rated just under4.0 out of 5 on Trustpilot. Just over half (55%) of customers described their experience as “Excellent” in more than 1,300 reviews (true as of March 2022).
Switched On mobile phone insurance review
Switched On's most comprehensive mobile phone insurance policy is Ultimate Cover. Ultimate Cover protects you from the following as standard:
- Accidental damage
- Mechanical breakdown
- Liquid damage
- Theft
- Loss
- £2,500 for unauthorised use
- 120 days of worldwide cover.
Switched On's mobile phone insurance is rated 4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot based on more than 2,200 reviews. 73% of customers described Switched On as “Excellent” (true as of March 2022).
You can get a quote from Switched On here.
O2 mobile phone insurance review
O2 Insure covers you for theft, loss and accidental damage. Its next-day exchange/replacement service means that they can replace your phone more quickly than third-party insurers. Alternatively, you can save money with a lower excess by choosing to wait for your phone to be repaired (3-5 days).
The policy will also cover up to £300 of damage to accessories that were purchased from O2 and damaged alongside your phone. Monthly premiums span from £3 to £15.
O2 mobile phone insurance was rated 1.3 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot with over 6,900 reviews. Overall, the phone provider has a rating of “Bad” with customers citing bad customer service (true as of March 2022).
Gadget Buddy mobile phone insurance review
Gadget Buddy mobile phone insurance offers cover against accidental damage, breakdown and unauthorised use but doesn't include theft and loss on its Bronze cover. Silver includes cover against theft as standard, and Gold (Gadget Buddy's most comprehensive policy) includes cover against theft and loss.
Gadget Buddy's Gold mobile phone insurance is rated 1.9 out of 5 on customer reviews site Trustpilot. However, this is based on just 12 reviews (true as of March 2022).
You can get a quote from Gadget Buddy here.
i-Digital mobile phone insurance review
i-Digital offers two tiers of cover: Essential Plus, and Premier. i-Digital will cover mobile phones against theft, accidental damage and breakdown under both tiers, but Essential Plus does not include Digital Download cover. Limits for gadgets and number of claims per year are higher on the Premier policy.
The maximum cover amount varies depending on the tier: Essential will only cover phones worth up to £500, so if your phone is more expensive than that you might want to get a more comprehensive cover; Essential Plus increases this to £850, and Premier offers the most at £1,000. Unauthorised use cover is only included under Premier cover and will cover fraudulent calls up to a limit of £1,000.
i-Digital is highly rated on customer review site Trustpilot, garnering a score of 4.8 out of 5, though this is only based on 37 reviews (true as of March 2022).
Bank accounts that include mobile phone insurance
Banks often throw in freebies as incentives for their paid bank accounts. Often, they include travel or mobile phone insurance, so if you have a paid-for current account, it’s worth checking whether you already have mobile phone insurance cover.
Some of the bank accounts that offer this are Natwest’s Select Silver account, Nationwide’s FlexPlus, and Halifax’s Ultimate reward (true as of March 2022).
You sometimes have to register your phone with your bank for it to be covered. Natwest says that while it will automatically cover your phone, registering it will help with the claims process. Don't forget to register a new phone if you upgrade handsets.
Advantages of phone insurance with your bank
- No extra cost — You don’t have to pay extra for phone insurance, and if you use it, it might make your current account better value for money.
- Multi-cover on shared accounts — If you have a joint account, it’s likely that two phones would be included in the price, potentially giving you a two-for-one discount.
- Same cover whatever the make — Because it’s a complimentary extra of your bank account, the insurance is a freebie, so the make or model of your phone will not affect the price. You’d pay the same whether you have an iPhone XS or a Samsung Galaxy.
Disadvantages of phone insurance with your bank
- Policy limitations — There are often some policy limitations that you probably wouldn’t find in specialist mobile phone insurance. For example, Natwest will only cover you for two successful claims in a 12 month period.
- Account fees — The accounts that include phone insurance often have fees; in Halifax’s case, £17 per month. If you don’t need the other benefits of the account, those charges could outweigh the cost you’d spend on independent mobile phone insurance.
Halifax mobile phone insurance
Halifax mobile phone insurance is available as a freebie as part of its Ultimate Reward Current Account. It offers cover for loss, theft, accidental damage and breakdown.
Like Barclays and Natwest, Halifax doesn't vary the price of its cover depending on the value of your phone - so if you had a top-of-the-range iPhone XS, you'd pay the same each month as if you had a Samsung Galaxy. It will also let you insure two phones under a joint account, potentially offering a two-for-one discount.
Halifax has a high excess of £100, payable on all successful claims (valid as of March 2022).
Natwest mobile phone insurance
Natwest's mobile phone insurance comes as a freebie with its Reward Silver, Platinum and Black current accounts. It offers worldwide cover for loss, theft and accidental damage.
Natwest will only allow one claim in any 12 months for Silver policyholders and a maximum of two successful claims in any 12 months for Platinum policyholders. If you have a joint account, this increases to four.
Aviva underwrites Natwest’s mobile phone insurance.
Nationwide mobile phone insurance
Nationwide's FlexPlus mobile phone insurance is available as a freebie as part of its FlexPlus account. It offers worldwide cover for loss, theft, accidental damage, breakdown and unauthorised use.
Like Barclays, insurance from Nationwide is administered by the Lifestyle Services Group Limited. Nationwide will only allow a maximum of four successful claims in any 12-month period.
Nationwide doesn't require you to register your phone to get insurance. It will also cover family members who live at the same address as you, and there is no limit on the number of phones you can register.
Barclays Tech Pack mobile phone insurance review
Barclays Tech Pack phone insurance is available as an add-on to a Barclays bank account and is administered by the Lifestyle Services Group Limited. For £14.50 a month (true as of March 2022 — previously £9.50).
Barclays Tech Pack covers gadgets worth up to £1,500 against loss, theft, breakdown and accidental damage. However, Barclays will only allow a maximum of four loss or theft claims in any 12-month period.
Mobile phone insurance FAQs
Not sure whether you can get mobile phone insurance because of a specific situation? Hopefully, we answer some of your questions below.
Can I get mobile phone insurance if it’s for my child?
The short answer is no, probably not. Most insurance companies have a minimum age limit of 16, sometimes 18. However, Gadget Cover says that parents are welcome to purchase the policy for their child and then transfer it to their child's name when they turn 18.
Can I get mobile phone insurance if I have multiple phones to insure?
Yes — and insurers often provide discounts when you insure multiple phones. Switched On Insurance offers a Family Gadget bundle that lets you save by insuring several devices on one policy, and i-Digital offers multi-gadget policies from as little as £4.66 a month (true as of March 2022).
Can I get mobile phone insurance if it’s for my business phone?
Yes, you can. There are many specialist business phone insurers. However, this kind of insurance is unlikely to offer anything that standard mobile phone insurance doesn't.
Vodafone's business insurance, for example, offers protection against loss, theft, damage, and unauthorised calls — all of which are covered by most mobile phone insurance policies. Where it stands out is in its provision of a 'courtesy phone' in case yours is lost, stolen or damaged and you need to stay connected.
Insurance2Go offers business insurance for mobile phones and laptops. It includes unlimited claims and a 20% multi-gadget discount (true as of March 2022).
Can I get mobile phone insurance if I bought my phone on eBay?
The answer is: it depends. Insurers likeInsurance2Go refuse to provide cover for phones bought on eBay, but some will. Gadget Cover, for example, will insure mobiles purchased from eBay 'as long as they are purchased new and have a valid Proof of Purchase that includes the make, model and serial number of the electronic equipment (in your name)'.
Can I get mobile phone insurance if I’m a student?
Yes. Unlike other types of insurance, mobile phone insurance does not change the price depending on your employment or student status. However, specialist student insurer Endsleigh offers gadget cover for students as well as its contents cover for student rooms and housing.
Protecting your other gadgets
Got a laptop, tablet or smartwatch you’d also like to cover? Check out our list of the best gadget cover providers.
