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Mobile phone insurance
Mobile phone insurance
Written by
Tina Sendin
Edited by
Laura Crowden
Reviewed by
Adrian BennettCompare home and contents insurance the easy way
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How do I insure my mobile phone?
Long story short
Contents insurance with portable contents cover may protect your phone outside the home
Or you can look into mobile phone protection from manufacturers. Both can offer cover on the go, but terms and limits vary.
iPhone screen repairs can cost up to $799, depending on the model
Contents insurance with portable contents cover can help reduce the cost of accidental damage or loss.
You might want to consider specified cover for phones valued over policy limits
Unspecified cover is usually subject to exclusions and a per-item limit set by the insurer. Phones may need to be individually listed, so it’s worth checking with the insurer.
How do I insure my mobile phone?
You can insure your mobile phone through contents insurance with portable contents cover. Standard contents insurance will generally only insure your mobile phone against loss or damage inside your home. But as you’re likely taking your mobile everywhere with you, you’ll need an optional extra like portable contents or personal effects cover to cover your phone outside your home.
There are also other ways to insure your device, like getting travel insurance to protect it while travelling overseas, phone insurance from manufacturers or through complimentary mobile phone insurance from your credit card provider.
Contents insurance with portable contents cover
You can insure your mobile phone with contents insurance by adding portable contents cover as an optional extra.
Standard contents insurance cover takes care of your belongings while they’re inside your home, which works fine for things like your couch. But standard contents insurance won’t help you as soon as you take your mobile outside.
That’s where the add-on portable contents cover comes in. It’s an optional extra offered by many insurance companies as part of contents insurance policies and can help protect your phone when you take it out of home.
Travel insurance if you’re traveling
If you’re planning to take your mobile phone overseas, then portable contents cover may not be adequate – depending on your policy. Especially because contents insurance policies with portable contents cover may differ in the places they cover. For instance, some give protection within Australia or New Zealand only, while others could insure your mobile phone worldwide. Many policies also say how long they plan to cover your mobile phone (and other portable contents) overseas for – say up to 90 days.
If your portable contents insurance policy doesn’t quite cut it, say, if you’ll be jetting off around the world for longer than your policy allows, then travel insurance could be another option.
Mobile phone insurance from manufacturers
Mobile phone manufacturers like Apple and Samsung also offer insurance, such as AppleCare+ and Samsung Care+. Depending on the level of cover, they could provide protection from accidental damage and theft, while offering technical support, same-day repairs, fast-tracked replacements and multiple swaps or refreshes within a certain period.
Complimentary mobile phone insurance with credit card providers
Some credit cards offer free insurance for new phones if you pay for them with the card, though this isn’t very common.
Helpful tip
Be mindful that different insurers might have different ways of settling claims. Some might offer to replace a lost phone or repair a damaged one; others might provide a cash settlement to cover the loss. For this reason, it’s worth checking what kind of process the insurer has in place before you sign up with them – especially if you prefer one form of settlement to another!
Natasha Etschmann
Investor & Personal Finance Educator
What does add-on portable contents cover include?
Portable contents cover, also sometimes referred to as personal effects cover, is an optional extra on top of your standard home and contents insurance (or just contents insurance cover). It helps make sure valuable possessions like your mobile phone are protected against insured events like theft, accidental loss or damage – even when you’re outside your home.
Along with mobile phones, it can also cover items like clothes, bikes, jewellery and even things your bub uses, like prams and toys.
Theft and accidental loss
Personal effects (or portable contents) insurance policies cover accidental loss and could insure your mobile phone in the event of theft or attempted theft.
Our phones go everywhere with us, and sometimes even without us. Personal effects cover helps take care of you in that odd moment of panic when you realise your phone’s accidentally gone missing.
Accidental damage
Portable contents cover helps provide protection if your phone is accidentally damaged.
Your phone cops a lot – drops, spills and everything in between. Portable contents cover could help soften the blow if your phone gets accidental damage from an insured event outside the home.
It’s always a good idea to review the relevant product disclosure statement of your policy so you have a clear understanding of its inclusions, limitations and exclusions. For example, a policy might not cover your phone for wear and tear or leaving it unattended in the pub. Or worse, if your phone screen shatters into smithereens it might not be covered.
What’s the difference between specified and unspecified cover for mobile phones?
The difference between specified and unspecified cover for mobile phone lies in how your insurer lists your device, and the maximum payout you could receive. Unspecified cover insures your mobile device under a general blanket cover along with other lower-value items in your home, and often comes with a maximum cap. Specified cover lists your mobile phone individually for its specified replacement value, often at an extra premium.
Unspecified (or unlisted) cover
Unspecified cover will cover you, up to a set limit, for things you haven’t listed on your insurance certificate. It will often cover items worth up to a sub-limit. If your mobile phone is worth less than the limit set by your insurer, then this kind of cover might suit and you might not have to specify it in your policy. Although it’s always worth checking your product disclosure statement as it will list the unspecified items it will (or won’t) cover.
Think of unspecified cover as a general blanket insurance f or most of your lower-value stuff.
Specified (or listed) cover
Specified cover involves you giving your insurance provider the details of the item and how much it’s worth, and usually paying an additional premium.
For specific items worth more than your insurer’s unspecified item limit or items excluded from unspecified cover that you want protected, you can look into getting specified cover.
Does portable contents insurance cover phone repairs?
Yes, portable contents insurance may cover phone repairs. Certain policies cover the repair of your phone if you dropped it or spilled coffee all over it. That said, it’s not always automatically included and may depend on the type of damage that needs repair. For instance, wear and tear or gradual deterioration (say, your phone’s battery going flat more frequently after years of using it) may be considered exclusions in some policies. You may want to check your policy for the specifics on your coverage.
Does portable contents cover include phone accessories?
Yes, some portable contents cover includes phone accessories that were purchased with the phone. Policies vary though, so it’s always worth checking with the insurer.
Whether insuring an iPhone or a Samsung (read: team Apple vs team Android), it’s worth making sure your insured sum is enough to replace anything that needs to be replaced, including your chargers and headphones.
How do I claim for my mobile phone on a contents insurance policy?
Whether you lodge an insurance claim online, on the phone or some other way, you’ll likely have to describe the circumstances that caused the loss or breakage. If you’re claiming for theft, they’ll likely require you to have reported it to the police and ask to see a copy of the police report.
Just like any other insurance product, the way you make a claim for your mobile phone will depend on your provider’s process. First, get all your ducks (or docs) in a row and prepare things like proof of ownership, proof of purchase and quotes for mobile phone repairs.
Your policy will also likely have an excess, which is a set amount you have to pay if you make a claim. Make sure you read the details of your policy so you know exactly how much you’ll be out of pocket if you do end up making a claim.
How much does insurance for a mobile phone cost?
The actual cost to insure your mobile phone will depend on which provider you decide to go with, how you’ve decided to insure your phone and what level of cover you choose.
If you’re leaning more towards insuring your phone as part of your contents insurance, you can compare a range of policies that have portable contents cover with us.
What else should I consider when insuring my mobile phone?
When you’re choosing insurance for your phone, it’s a good idea to look at the annual cost of your premiums and excess, weighing it against your lifestyle and circumstances (and yes, that includes how you’ll use your phone). It’s also important to keep any proof of ownership as insurers will typically need you to provide the original receipt or contract with your telco (at least if you purchased the mobile phone through them).
As always, check the details of your policy for exclusions and excesses. Even if your phone is still under warranty, your phone provider may not cover accidental damage, but contents insurance with portable contents add-on likely could.
Ready to give your phone a little extra love?
Your phone goes everywhere – and so it only makes sense that your insurance should, too.
If you’re thinking about getting your phone (and other valuables) insured under portable contents cover, we can help with that. At iSelect, you can find and compare a range of contents insurance options. Explore policies today.
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