Cell phone insurance: Everything you need to know

Your phone is valuable, so you gotta take care of it. You’ve probably got a screen protector already, and a fun case – maybe with one of those socket thingies or a loop on it so you don’t lose your grip. But accidents happen, and there may come a day when something happens to your phone that all the rice in the world can’t fix. That’s when it pays (literally) to have cell phone insurance.

What is phone insurance? 

your phone needs to be repaired or replaced, cell phone insurance can cover some or all of the cost, saving you from having to pay the total out-of-pocket.  

For comparisons, and just because we love metaphors, imagine your phone is a car. Your screen protector and carrying case are the bumpers. So what if you accidentally backed into a light post while trying to exit your local grocer’s cramped parking lot? You probably wouldn’t be too worried about it. But if that light post fell onto your car, shattering all the windows and denting the frame? Well, some guy walking by would probably say “Hope you’ve got insurance” because he thinks he’s hilarious. And while that guy is the worst, he’s still right. Scuffing your screen by putting your phone in the same pocket as your keys isn’t going to render it unusable. But accidentally using your phone as a hammer because you weren’t paying attention and it was sitting right next to the toolbox? Hope you’ve got insurance. 

Is phone insurance worth it? 

Nowadays, we have our phones on us pretty much all the time. Whether keeping in touch with friends & fam, working on the go, or listening to music & podcasts all day, our phones rarely leave our hands. Heck, you’re probably reading this blog on your phone right now. And the more you handle your phone, the more likely you are to damage it. Don’t believe us? Well hold on tight to yours and check out these stats:* 

• 2 smartphone screens crack every second
• 95 MILLION cell phones are damaged by drops every year
• 100,000+ cell phones experience water damage EVERY DAY
• If you’ve broken one phone, you’re twice as likely to break one again

Hopefully you didn’t drop your phone (or do a spit take) reading these. Since your phone is likely your primary means of communication, entertainment, and who knows what else, it’s safe to say that insuring it is definitely worth it.

What does phone insurance cover? 

The exact details of what is covered by cell phone insurance varies by the insurance provider. Most cell phone insurance plans protect against accidental damage or any mechanical & electrical breakdowns. Stuff like:

• Cracked screen
• Liquid damage
• Unresponsive buttons or touchscreen
• Damaged or unresponsive charge port

And just like with car insurance (metaphor callback for the win), when your phone is damaged, you’ll have to file a claim. Then you’ll likely have to pay a service fee or deductible before the repairs can be done, but this should cost significantly less than if you were to pay for the repairs in full out-of-pocket.

What does phone insurance NOT cover? 

Again, this all depends on the specific cell phone insurance provider. However, some of the more common things that aren’t covered by phone insurance are: 

• Loss or theft (although this may be covered by your renters/homeowners insurance)
• Intentional damage (yep, fraud is illegal with phone insurance too)
• Normal wear & tear 
• Any mods made post-purchase (i.e. “jailbreaking” the phone)
• Pre-existing conditions (like if your screen was cracked before you got insurance)

How does cell phone insurance handle repairs? 

How the claim goes all depends on what the issue was to begin with. Some cell phone insurance providers may offer same day repairs, while others might need you to send your phone to their service center to be repaired and sent back to you. 

If the issue can’t be repaired, you may be given a new or refurbished phone as a replacement. If replacement isn’t an option, they may reimburse you for the cost of the phone, up to its original purchase price. And as you may have guessed, it all depends on the insurance provider. 

Are there other reasons to get cell phone insurance? 

It all really boils down to device protection, but if you need a little more convincing, consider these factors: 

• Does your phone have a higher price point?
  • The out-of-pocket cost to repair or replace such a valuable phone would likely be quite a bit more than the monthly cost of insurance plus the deductible.  
• Is it your kid’s phone?
  • Look, we don’t want to say kids are more likely to damage phones, but like…you get it. 
• Do you rely on this phone for work?
  • If your phone is crucial to your day-to-day business, having to repair or replace it out-of-pocket can not only be costly, but time-consuming. With insurance, you just file the claim and they get a working phone back in your hands ASAP.

Enjoy peace of mind with Phone Protection from Allstate

Whether you drop your phone down a flight of concrete stairs or into a bathtub – unintentionally, of course – an Allstate Protection Plan makes it easy to file a claim and get your phone repaired quickly (same-day in most areas). You can learn more about what’s included by checking out our Help Center article all about phone protection from Allstate. 

The best part? If you’re not a Mint Mobile subscriber yet, you can still bring your current phone to Mint and insure it. Just take a moment to see if your phone is compatible with our network.

*https://www.pcmag.com/news/two-smartphone-screens-crack-every-second-in-the-us