Going out without your mobile and not being connected for several hours is unthinkable for many people. Users are terrified of losing their smartphone, the bars without coverage where they cannot connect or run out of data in the middle of a major event. And is that the mobile phone is used for almost everything, from finding an address with Google Maps to waking up in the morning with the alarm.
Technological dependence is so strong that it has led to new habits such as phubbing (ignoring the person with you) or diseases such as nomophobia. This disorder, typical of developed countries, is nothing other than the fear of being without a smartphone. According to the online platform Desconecta, 77% of the population suffers from this novel ailment.
The fear that the smartphone suffers a mishap and the high economic cost of each device can cause many users to decide to take out insurance for mobile phones that covers the mishaps. With this policy you can protect from damage to the mobile such as the usual screen breakage to theft, it all depends on where you insure the terminal and the insurance coverage.
Common mobile insurance coverage
Although not all mobile phone insurance is the same, there are certain common coverages in this type of policy.
Damage
The main and most common insurance coverage for mobile phones or tablets is damage. This warranty covers the insured terminal in the event of damage caused by an external and accidental cause, such as the breaking of the display glass if the phone is dropped while using it. In this way, the company assumes the costs of repairing the damaged device: the cost of parts, labor, and shipping and delivery of the phone. In addition, some policies provide a replacement mobile phone for the duration of the mobile repair.
On the other hand, if the smartphone cannot be fixed or the repair costs are higher than its value, companies usually compensate the insured with a financial sum. Others even provide you with a telephone with the same or similar characteristics as the victim. However, the coverage for damages does not cover the aesthetic deterioration that the mobile phone may suffer, such as scratches on the screen due to carrying it in the same pocket as the keys.
Stole
Not all companies include theft coverage among their main guarantees. Some of them incorporate it as an option in the conditions of the policy. The purpose of this guarantee is to cover the loss due to theft of the insured smartphone. The way to compensate the insured may vary from one policy to another, since some pay financial compensation and others provide a mobile phone with the same characteristics or a similar price.Normally, the economic amount for which the insured is compensated is the market value of the property at the time the loss occurs. The market value corresponds to the sale price that the device would have at the time it was stolen.
Theft
Very few companies cover theft on their mobile phone insurance. It is important that robbery is different from robbery, since the first will always involve violence, while the second does not. For example, a robbery occurs when your bag is stolen in one go or you leave your mobile phone in a perfectly closed car and the window is broken. On the other hand, theft would be if you leave it leaning on the table in a restaurant and someone walks by and catches it taking advantage of the fact that you are clueless.
Fraudulent calls
Some mobile insurances that include theft and theft coverage also usually offer guarantees that cover fraudulent calls made with the terminal if it is stolen. Normally, they usually cover those that have taken place between 24 and 72 hours after the theft, the time it may take for the user to call the operator to block the line and report the device.
Free SIM duplicate
When your phone is stolen, your SIM card is also stolen, without which you will not be able to re-establish your mobile line with your operator. Therefore, after canceling the previous one, you must request a duplicate. This service has a price, which is not usually very high, if you have insurance, it may include in the theft coverage the reimbursement of the price of the card for theft of the terminal.
Risks excluded
Before contracting mobile phone or tablet insurance, it is advisable to know what coverage is excluded from the insurance conditions. For example, if your terminal breaks down and you do not take it to the manufacturer’s official workshop or if you manipulate its components and it suffers damage, the insurance will probably not cover the compensation.
On the other hand, theft or damage coverage may not apply if you move your mobile phone improperly. For example, if it is not carried in carry-on baggage when traveling by bus, train or plane and is not under direct surveillance, insurance may not cover it in case it is missing or damaged. Policies do not usually take care of the loss of information or data stored in the memory of the mobile phone.