Phone insurance: what the policies actually pay for
The short answer
Most policies carry an excess of fifty to a hundred and fifty euro per claim, and claiming usually raises what you pay next. For a screen or a battery the repair is frequently cheaper than the excess, so it is worth comparing the two numbers before you call anybody.
Compare the excess against the repair first
This is the whole of the advice and most people skip it. A policy with a hundred euro excess on a repair that costs less than that is a policy you should not be claiming on.
Get the repair quote first. It is free here, it takes ten minutes, and it turns the insurance question into arithmetic rather than a guess.
Then factor in what a claim does to the policy. Many raise the premium or the excess afterwards, and some limit the number of claims in a period. A claim you did not need to make can cost you twice.
- Screen repairs are very often below a typical excess
- Battery replacements almost always are
- Loss, theft and total liquid failure are where insurance genuinely earns its keep
- Two claims in a year is where premiums usually move sharply
Where the cover usually comes from
A dedicated phone policy, sold with the handset or separately. Usually the most comprehensive and the most expensive.
A current account or credit card benefit. Many Irish current accounts include gadget cover and a large number of people holding one do not know. Worth checking before buying a separate policy.
Home insurance, which sometimes covers personal possessions away from the home as an add-on. The excess is usually higher and a claim can affect a much more important policy, which is worth thinking about before using it for a screen.
And the retailer or network plan, which is often not insurance at all but an extended warranty covering faults rather than damage. Those are different things and the distinction matters.
What is almost never covered
That fourth one catches people constantly. A phone left on a bus is lost, not stolen, and a good number of policies cover only the latter.
- Wear and tear, including a battery that has simply aged
- Cosmetic damage that does not stop the phone working
- A device that was already damaged when the policy started
- Loss, on many policies, as distinct from theft. Read that clause specifically
- Theft without a Garda report reference
- Damage caused by a repair somebody else did badly
If you are claiming
- Report a theft to the Gardai firstYou will need the reference and most policies require it within a set number of days.
- Get the IMEIFrom the box or your network account if the phone is gone.
- Get a written quote or reportWe can provide one for the damage, describing the fault and the cost, which is what most insurers ask for.
- Check whether they require an approved repairerSome do. If so, ask which, and ask what grade of part that repairer uses.
- Keep everythingDates, references, and every message. A clear timeline resolves most disputes.
Common questions.
For loss, theft and total failure, often. For screens and batteries, frequently not, because the excess is commonly higher than the repair. Get the repair quote first; it is free and it turns the question into arithmetic.
On many policies, yes, and some raise the excess or limit claims in a period. A claim you did not need to make can cost you twice.
Yes. We can provide a written description of the damage and the cost, which is what most insurers ask for.
It is real cover and the terms are usually narrower, with a higher excess and tighter conditions. Worth reading before you buy a separate policy, and worth knowing you have.
Almost never. That is wear and tear rather than damage, and it is excluded from essentially every policy. It is also one of the cheapest repairs there is.
Where this leads.
Something actually broken? Bring it in.
Free diagnostic, a firm price before any work, and a 360-day warranty on every completed repair.
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