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handset insurance in uk

T

themitch

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 20, 2008
34
0
Hi

I have a 16gb iphone which i have unlocked/activated/jailbroken in the uk. Unlike my previous handsets which I have acquired through normal upgrades with my network, this purchase was obviously done independently, and as such I have no option to insure with my network.

I was just wondering what other people have done about insuring their iphone handsets against theft, damage, etc.? What insurance companies would you recommend? Do they exclude iphones that are not legitimately on the O2 network?

Thanks
M
 
Insuring with the network is always a complete rip-off. To be honest unless its covered under your home insurance I wouldn't bother and just insure it yourself (i.e. by keeping enough money in your account to buy another).
 
Isn't that the point of insurance - that you don't need to keep £330 in your bank account to replace the hadnset in case of theft or damage, and that spending £75-£85 (£7ish per month) for a year's insurance is better value?
 
My iPhone has been added to my contents insurance for a grand total of £7.50 for the year.

Worth checking out as it can be a hell of a lot cheaper than getting insurance from the phone companies.
 
xUKHCx said:
My iPhone has been added to my contents insurance for a grand total of £7.50 for the year.

Worth checking out as it can be a hell of a lot cheaper than getting insurance from the phone companies.
Click to expand...

Now that is a reasonable deal, and is probably worthwhile.

themitch said:
Isn't that the point of insurance - that you don't need to keep £330 in your bank account to replace the hadnset in case of theft or damage, and that spending £75-£85 (£7ish per month) for a year's insurance is better value?
Click to expand...

No, because the chances of losing it or it being stolen in a year is considerably less than 24% (£80/£330). The difference with house insurance is that if it all goes wrong you could be hundreds of thousands of pounds out of pocket, which very few people can reasonably afford, the same applies to travel insurance.

If you put £7 a month in a savings account then you'll be able to afford a new phone if it gets taken, and otherwise you'll have a lot of money.
 
Hudzilla said:
I maybe being thick, but how do you come to this conclusion?, and what do you mean all goes wrong?
Click to expand...

Your house burns down, and then is structurally unsound so has to be completely rebuilt. You'll also need accommodation while it is done.

On travel insurance say you needed a triple heart bypass in a relatively poor country and needed to be helicoptered from somewhere remote to the nearest major city (or even another country) so it could be carried out.
 
No, because the chances of losing it or it being stolen in a year is considerably less than 24% (£80/£330). The difference with house insurance is that if it all goes wrong you could be hundreds of thousands of pounds out of pocket, which very few people can reasonably afford, the same applies to travel insurance.
Click to expand...

I would have to not lose, damage or be the victim of theft for 4 years (4 x 80 = £320) before the insurance becomes a waste of money. In the meantime, during those 4 years, if anything does happen to my phone then surely I'm in pocket.

I agree it's a trade off ... some people take out 3rd party/fire/theft motor insurance whereas other people take out fully comprehensive ... it's a matter of personal choice, i guess.

I was just asking people who have insured their phone, who they used and what their observations were given the fact that we're not exactly 'legitimate' owners of iPhones (not that they're stolen, just that we have circumvented the expected activation route, etc).
 
Eraserhead said:
Your house burns down, and then is structurally unsound so has to be completely rebuilt. You'll also need accommodation while it is done.

On travel insurance say you needed a triple heart bypass in a relatively poor country and needed to be helicoptered from somewhere remote to the nearest major city (or even another country) so it could be carried out.
Click to expand...

I thought we were talking about insuring your iPhone on your house insurance? Not your house burning down, or having a heart attack.
 
do it through your bank u can usually get a fab deal thorugh bank - im paying £10 a month n i get travel insurance and tonne of other stuff inc mobile phne insurance .
 
Hudzilla said:
I thought we were talking about insuring your iPhone on your house insurance? Not your house burning down, or having a heart attack.
Click to expand...

Ah sorry, I've confused you. To sum up my post (#5)

a) As xUKHCx has shown it is possible to put your iPhone on your contents insurance for a reasonable fee, that is a lot lower than separate mobile phone insurance.

b) In general house contents/buildings insurance is worthwhile as the cost if you don't have it can be extremely high, whereas the cost for mobile phone insurance isn't worth it as the worst-case cost if you don't have it is essentially fixed and moderately low. (£300 isn't that much money if you can afford an iPhone, you need to save a certain amount for a rainy day anyway).

b) is just a comment about whether insurance is worth having generally.
 
sweetice2007 said:
do it through your bank u can usually get a fab deal thorugh bank - im paying £10 a month n i get travel insurance and tonne of other stuff inc mobile phne insurance .
Click to expand...

That sounds like what I have, Bank of Scotland Ultimate Reward account.
£10 a month includes phone, travel and identity theft insurance, RAC breakdown cover, and loads more... however...

They wouldn't isure my iPhone originally because I had it before they were on sale in the UK (they couldn't get me a replacement)
Then, when it was on sale in the UK, they couldn't put it on their system because the US IMEI numbers are formatted differently
NOW they won't insure my UK bought iPhone because it's been unlocked!

I asked how unlocking a phone makes it more likely to be stolen, or even accidentally damaged, and said that any problems I might have due to my unlocking it would be covered by the warranty (or not, since its unlocked...) and not the insurance anyway... but they just said no.

I've looked around for insurance everywhere, my house insurance is my last chance I think.
 
Eraserhead said:
Ah sorry, I've confused you. To sum up my post (#5)

a) As xUKHCx has shown it is possible to put your iPhone on your contents insurance for a reasonable fee, that is a lot lower than separate mobile phone insurance.

b) In general house contents/buildings insurance is worthwhile as the cost if you don't have it can be extremely high, whereas the cost for mobile phone insurance isn't worth it as the worst-case cost if you don't have it is essentially fixed and moderately low. (£300 isn't that much money if you can afford an iPhone, you need to save a certain amount for a rainy day anyway).

b) is just a comment about whether insurance is worth having generally.
Click to expand...


Ah ok, thanks for clearing that up :)
 
hi to the question about the halifax/bank of scotland ultimate rewards i just started that last month and have a unlocked iphone with t-mobile contract and when i phoned up to get it covered they asked me for the imei number and make and model of phone and network im on, i said apple iphone and was with t-mobile they said i would receive the insurance certificate in 15days, so i think its ok to cover it as its the phone thats covered not who its with. give them another phone.
 
bigcol1983 said:
hi to the question about the halifax/bank of scotland ultimate rewards i just started that last month and have a unlocked iphone with t-mobile contract and when i phoned up to get it covered they asked me for the imei number and make and model of phone and network im on, i said apple iphone and was with t-mobile they said i would receive the insurance certificate in 15days, so i think its ok to cover it as its the phone thats covered not who its with. give them another phone.
Click to expand...

Hmm thats a bit strange.

The last time I called and said I wanted to insure an iPhone, the first thing they asked was if it was from America, so they must have some notes on my file telling their operators to be suspicious of me!

I had my last phone insured with my URCA (still is actually) and I never got a certificate of insurance for that phone.

I have a friend who works at HBOS, so think I'll ask him to check their terms, and maybe I will give them another call and ask what the deal is.
 
yeh do, as i dont think they are bothered as its the phone with the imei number thats insured not the valid 02 contract, if u were getting insurance with 02 then yeh, i understand having the phone unlocked is not acceptable
 
just received insurance certificate from halifax ultimate rewards package stating on it im insured for iphone on t-mobile starting 17 april. brilliant
 
Does your insurance not have any excess on it? Most home contents insurance policies insist on an excess.
 
bigcol1983 said:
just received insurance certificate from halifax ultimate rewards package stating on it im insured for iphone on t-mobile starting 17 april. brilliant
Click to expand...

Weel I just got off the phone to the bank, as soon as I said I wanted to add my new phone and got through security, and gave them the IMEI number, they asked if it was an iPhone... I gave the details (including Vodafone as the carrier) and no problem... I'll get my certificate in a few days!

Hopefully they won't try to wash their hands of us if anything happens because their unlocked!
 
Are these additions to household insurance policies covering just the handset or unauthorised calls? - since the latter can easily come to more than the cost of the handset, particularly if some time elapses before the loss is discovered.
 
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