The majority of insurance claims for broken smartphone handsets are filed within the first three months of ownership, according to new research.
Over 2,500 mobile phone owners over the age of 18 in the UK took part in a survey carried out by MobileInsurance.co.uk, which showed that all participants had had a broken handset in the past two years.
The poll, prompted by an increase in the number of mobile insurance claims for smartphones under 4 months old, showed that 37 per cent of participants had broken their handset within the first three months of owning them.
It was also revealed that of those using handsets received as a Christmas gift (23 per cent), 51 per cent had broken, lost or had that smartphone stolen already.
“To see that more than half of handsets given as gifts at Christmas are already broken, or have already been lost or stolen, is a big shock indeed,” said Jason Brockman, Director at MobileInsurance.co.uk. “Most people are usually careful with their handsets in the initial weeks, wanting to keep their shiny new toy in tip top condition. After a little while though, phone owners tend to get careless.”
Only 9 per cent of all the people surveyed said their handset was insured at the time their smartphone had been stolen, lost or damaged, with the majority (65 per cent) believing they could insure their mobile device even after having owned them for a year.
“Most people assume you can insure a handset at any stage of owning it, but it’s difficult to find anyone willing to offer an insurance policy on a handset that’s over a year old. Get insurance out early, when you first get your phone, to ensure you’re covered in all scenarios and at all times. Don’t leave these things to chance!” advised Brockman.
Have you protected your smartphone with a mobile insurance policy? How long did you wait before deciding to insure your device? Let us know via the TrustedReviews Facebook and Twitter feeds or the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
