In this guide we rank the 9 best mobile phone insurance companies, review the top providers and help you work out the cover you might need or if you already have it.
- Row.co.uk Mobile Phone & Gadget Insurance (Loss Cover)
- Gadget Cover Mobile Phone Insurance
- Trusted InsurancesGadget Insurance Ultimate Cover
- Better Buy Insurance Mobile Phone Insurance
- Switched On Insurance Gadget Insurance Ultimate Cover
- Insurance2Go Full Cover Mobile Phone Insurance
- Loveit Coverit Premium
- CoverCloud Elite
- DebenhamsMobile & Gadget Insurance Ultimate Cover
There are other highly rated insurance policies that you can only access if you buy a phone from the company or have a bank account with them.
For example, Carphone Warehouse offers cover through Geek Squad Mobile and Mobiles.co.uk provides insurance to its customers through Phonecare. Barclays offers account holders phone and gadget insurance through its Tech Pack policy.
New handsets such as the iPhone X and Pixel 2 can cost around £1,000 so it's important to make sure you have the right cover levels, whatever policy you go for.
Looking for gadget insurance in particular? Check out our guide to the best gadget insurance policies.
Hiccup Insurance and So-Sure Insurance used to be on our list of the best mobile phone insurance but are no longer rated by Defaqto, which caused them to drop out of our list in Aril 2018.
In this article:
- Top 9 Mobile Phone Insurance
- Mobile Phone Insurance Comparison Table
- Mobile Phone Insurance Reviews
- Insurance2Go mobile phone insurance review
- Gadget Cover mobile phone insurance review
- Gadget Buddy mobile phone insurance review
- Switched On mobile phone insurance review
- Barclays mobile phone insurance review
- Natwest mobile phone insurance review
- Nationwide mobile phone insurance review
- i-Digital mobile phone insurance review
- Halifax mobile phone insurance review
- Geek Squad mobile phone insurance review
- Cover from your network provider – is it worth it?
- Are you already covered under your home insurance?
- Are you already covered by your bank account?
- Common Exclusions - don't get caught out
- Insuring specific mobile phone models
- ‘Can I get mobile phone cover if…’
We chose our Top 9 mobile phone insurance providers based on their ratings by an independent financial services review site, as well as their customer reviews from sites like Review Centre and Trust Pilot. We also took into accounts any awards the companies have won.
Best Mobile Phone Insurance Comparison Table
In the table below we compare the features of some of the best mobile phone insurance companies, including theft and loss cover, as well as their levels of excess. All of the policies in our top 11 mobile insurance list include accidental damage cover.
It's important to consider the excess, this is the amount you will have pay if you make a claim. Although most of the insurers in the table below have similar excesses, there's still a big difference between £25 and £75, especially if you're getting cover for a cheaper phone.
| Phone insurance company | ||||
| Row.co.uk | £40 for gadges worth up to £200; £75 for gadgets worth over £200; additional £30 for loss and theft | |||
| Gadget Cover | £50 to £75 depending on price of gadget | |||
| Trusted Insurances | £25, £50 or £75 depending on device and claim | |||
| Insurance2Go | £75 | |||
| Switched On Insurance | £25, £50 or £75 depending on device and claim | |||
| Loveit Coverit | £40 to £120 depending on device and claim | |||
| CoverCloud | Your choice: £50, £75 or £100. Goes up after second claim | |||
| Debenhams | £25, £50 or £75 depending on device and claim |
Mobile Phone Insurance Reviews
Insurance2Go mobile phone insurance review
Insurance2Go offers two tiers of cover: Standard and Full - the information in our table is based on Insurance2Go's Full cover. Insurance2Go will cover accidental damage, loss and theft in the Full cover. Unauthorised use is included for up to £1,000 in the Full policy. IPhones have to be covered on a separate iPhone policy.
You can get a quote from Insurance2Go here. They offer a discount when you buy a yearly rather than a monthly policy.
Insurance2Go's mobile phone insurance is rated 5 Stars by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'an excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits'. On customer review site Trustpilot, Insurance2Go currently has a 8.6/10 rating for its mobile phone insurance, based on over 3,000 reviews.
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 and unauthorised use, with loss cover as an additional extra.
You can get a quote from Gadget Cover here.
Gadget Cover's prices vary depending on the model and value of your mobile phone.
Gadget Cover mobile phone insurance is rated 5 Stars by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'an excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits'. On customer review site Trustpilot, Gadget Cover has a 5.1/10 rating for its mobile phone insurance, based on hundreds of reviews.
You can get a quote from Gadget Cover here.
SwitchedOn mobile phone insurance review
Switched On mobile phone insurance offers cover against accidental damage, breakdown and malicious damage, theft, loss and unauthorised use included as standard on their Ultimate Cover.
You can get a quote from Switched On here.
Switched On mobile phone insurance is rated 5 Stars by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'an excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits'. It has a score of 4 out of 5 on Feefo based on over 80 reviews in the past year.
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 as standard. Silver includes cover against theft as standard and Gold, Gadget Buddy's most comprehensive policy, includes cover against both theft and loss as standard.
You can get a quote from Gadget Buddy here.
Gadget Buddy's Gold mobile phone insurance is rated 4 Star by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'a product with a good level of features and benefits'.
You can get a quote from Gadget Buddy here.
Barclays Tech Pack mobile phone insurance review
Barclays Tech Pack is available as an add-on to a Barclays bank account and is administered by the Lifestyle Services Group Limited. For £9.50 a month (previously £7.50), 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.
Usefully, Barclays 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 7 you'd pay the same each month as if you had a Samsung Galaxy. One of the best things about Barclays mobile phone insurance is that it will let you add up to four phones on one policy, with each phone worth up to £1,500.
Barclays mobile phone insurance is rated 5 Stars by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'an excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits'.
Natwest mobile phone insurance review
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 a maximum of two successful claims in any 12-month period unless you have a Black account, in which case this increases to four.
Natwest's mobile phone cover is underwritten by Aviva.
Natwest's mobile phone insurance is rated 4 Stars by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'a product with a good level of features and benefits'.
Nationwide mobile phone insurance review
Nationwide's 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 cover. 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.
Nationwide mobile phone insurance is rated 5 Stars by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'an excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits'. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any customer reviews.
i-Digital mobile phone insurance review
i-Digital offers three tiers of cover: Essential, Essential Plus, and Premier. i-Digital will cover mobile phones against theft, accidental damage and breakdown under all three tiers, with loss cover available under Essential Plus and Premier.
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 Premier mobile phone insurance is rated 4 Star by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'a product with a good level of features and benefits'.
Halifax mobile phone insurance review
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 7 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 quite a high excess for loss or theft of Apple iPhones - £100 compared to £30 for all other phones.
Halifax mobile phone insurance is rated 4 Star by independent review site Defaqto, making it 'a product with a good level of features and benefits'. Unfortunately, it doesn't have any customer reviews.
Geek Squad mobile phone insurance review
Carphone Warehouse's mobile phone insurance Geek Squad protects phones against loss, theft, breakdown and accidental damage.
It's one of the few, non-network provider insurers to offer next-day replacements.
Geek Squad mobile phone cover is underwritten by Aviva.
More mobile insurance reviews coming soon:
We plan to add reviews of insurance companies that have recently been added to our top 11 or have recently launched including Trusted Insurances, Debenhams, Row.co.uk, Hiccup, So-Sure and ZugarZnap.
Cover 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. And many providers will offer it to you when you're in the shop or on the phone with them.
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 day.
However, the speed of replacement comes at a cost because insurance from your network provider is often more expensive than from other companies.
So, it depends on your priorities. If the thought of being without a phone for more than a few hours is unimaginable, you may want to consider insurance from your network provider. But if you’d rather trade off a longer wait for cheaper premiums, have a look at our mobile phone insurance comparison.
Are you already covered under your home insurance?
Home insurance policies sometimes include mobile phones as part of your contents cover, which means that your phone could already be covered for theft from the home, or if there’s a fire. If you have accidental damage cover, your mobile may also be covered for accidental damage while it’s in your house, too.
However, it’s important to note that your phone won’t be covered 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, but be aware that 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 Top 10.
Are you already covered by your bank account?
Banks often throw in freebies as incentives for their premier, 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, Halifax’s Ultimate reward and Barclay’s Tech Pack.
You sometimes have to register your phone with your bank for it to be covered – Barclays insist on this, for example. Natwest says that the phone will be automatically covered, but that registering it will help with the claims process. Don't forget to register a new phone if you upgrade handsets.
This kind of insurance is, in a way, free – you don’t have to pay extra, and if you use it, it might make your current account better value. One major money-saving plus is that 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.
Another positive is that, as it is a complimentary extra of your bank account the insurance is a freebie, and the make or model of your phone will not affect the price.
So, while the price of specialist mobile phone insurance varies by the type of phone, with iPhones and more expensive phones costing more, with insurance from your bank account you’d pay the same whether you have an iPhone 7 or a Samsung Galaxy.
However, 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.
Common exclusions - don't get caught out!
Mobile phone insurers have come under fire recently for having sneaky exclusions that many people think would be covered under a normal policy.
Make sure you read the small print of any policy documents to avoid getting caught out. These 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 take a hard-line, and won’t insure phones over six months or a year old. Insurance2Go, for example, will only insure phones that are under six-months old
- Proof of purchase – Insurers will always need proof of purchase, in the form of a receipt or similar, before insuring your phone. This means that second-hand phones are unlikely to be covered, and you’ll definitely 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 certain time. This is usually 24 hours, but sometimes can 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 down the toilet, be sure to check the small print
You could also check out our article about the Insurance T&Cs you wish you'd seen for more information.
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?
We have groups for Nokia Lumia, HTC Desire HD, Samsung Galaxy Note and Samsung Galaxy.
By joining one of our groups for free, you’ll be coming together with other owners to secure a discount on your mobile phone insurance.
‘Can I get mobile phone cover if…?’
If you’re not sure whether you can get mobile phone insurance because of a specific situation, you might find it hard to get the answer from Google. Hopefully, we can answer some of your questions instead.
‘…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.
‘…I have multiple phones to insure?’
Yes - and insurers often provide discounts when you insure multiple phones. Switched On Insurance offers a 10% discount when you insure two or more gadgets, and i-Digital gives you 10% off when you insure two gadgets, and 40% off when you insure three.
‘…it’s for my business phone?'
Insurance2Go offers business insurance for mobile phones and laptops with its sister company Square Pound Limited, and 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.
‘…I bought my phone on eBay?'
This depends. Some insurers, such as Insurance2Go, refuse to provide cover for phones bought on eBay, but there are some that 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)'.
‘…I’m a student?’
Yes - mobile phone insurance, unlike other types of insurance, does not change 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.
