# Do you have an insurance plan on your cell phone? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479 "2013-10-28T20:01:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/1 "2013-10-28T20:01:33Z")
I’m getting ready to get a new cell phone, and probably switching carriers. I’ve always had insurance on my phones, but I’m not seeing the point. I’m paying $10 a month for something I never use. My current phone has a bust usb port, and even with insurance, it would still cost me another $100 to fix. I realize that as soon as I get a phone without insurance, a bird will pick it up and drop it in Lake Michigan, but I’d like to hear your opinions. Do you have insurance, and did you order it through your carrier or an outside party? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/2 "2013-10-28T20:09:32Z")
I’ve never had insurance. Didn’t see the point. And I’ve been lucky. In 16 years of cell phone ownership I’ve never had to replace one. However, accidents happen. But you could save that $10 a month to purchasing a new phone. If you don’t need to replace it, you could put that money towards an upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/3 "2013-10-28T20:25:10Z")
I get my phones at Best Buy and I get there Insurance? plan. it’s cheaper than AT&Ts and I don’t pay a thing for a replacement. I’ve only gotten it with more expensive phones, my previous Blackberry Torch and my current Note2. I think the Best plan doesn’t cover lost/stolen or dropped in water. I love though that I can just walk in, hand them my phone, they figure out what is wrong with it and either fix it or hand me a brand new one and transfer all my data for me. I don’t have to wait for a new (or more likely refurbished) phone to be mailed, find a service center, or mail anything back. I also keep my last phone as a backup just in case. It’s not so important now, but when I drove a lot for my job having a backup phone made life a whole lot easier. When I had cheaper phones and something went wrong I could walk into a store and buy a cheap pay as you go phone and swap out the sim cards, so I didn’t bother with insurance then. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/4 "2013-10-28T20:56:42Z")
I do, but only because I have to have a pretty robust phone for work applications. My employer will cover the cost of a new phone every 2 years, but if it is lost/stolen/damaged in the meantime I have to cover the cost. Without insurance that could run $600+. If the phone were just for my personal use I probably would not carry insurance because I would have less expensive options available to me. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/5 "2013-10-28T22:06:07Z")
I have a crappy phone, so I bought a crappy extended warranty to go with it. It’ll replace it with another phone of equal crappiness if something happens, and I only paid a one-time $10 fee. If I had one of the expensive phones, like an iPhone or a Galaxy S4, I think I’d carry insurance on it. I’d never be able to afford to replace it otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/6 "2013-10-28T22:27:54Z")
Nope. I’ve got enough in savings to cover a replacement. A brand new smartphone happens to cost about the same as the deductibles on my auto and renters insurance, which seems like the bare minimum spare cash you should have for an emergency. And really, while I could pay for a brand new replacement (which happens to be $700 for my shiny new Droid Maxx) I’d probably instead to buy a used or refurbished version of last years’ model for $200-$300. Don’t most insurance plans give you a refurb if that’s what they have? In other words, even the people who use their insurance end up paying a few hundred bucks for a refurbished older phone. As a rule of thumb, if you declined all electronics insurance and instead put the same amount of money into a savings account, you’ll soon have cash to buy yourself a brand new and latest generation gizmo when it breaks. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/7 "2013-10-28T22:31:40Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > As a rule of thumb, if you declined all electronics insurance and instead put the same amount of money into a savings account, you’ll soon have cash to buy yourself a brand new and latest generation gizmo when it breaks. Yeah, the general rule of thumb for insurance, warranties, etc. is never to buy it for something you could easily afford to replace. After all, if the company selling the insurance wasn’t collecting more money than they were paying out, they wouldn’t be in business. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/8 "2013-10-28T22:46:01Z")
I don’t take insurance. I could buy another phone the same as my current one on eBay for about $240, so at $10/month insurance I’d have to lose/break a phone every two years to break even. And of course I can get a new plan every two years anyway with a new plan and $200. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/9 "2013-10-28T23:17:52Z")
I have it, but only because 1) I am careless and 2) I work in a school. Combined, that means I have a phone stolen every couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/10 "2013-10-28T23:44:04Z")
Save your $10 a month, and self insure. When 2 years go by and you lose your phone, you’ve got $240 to go towards the new one. If you don’t lose it. You’ve got $240 to spend on something else. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/11 "2013-10-29T00:09:43Z")
Another thing to keep in mind (that **lazybratsche** touched on) is that phone insurance plans often have deductibles of $50-150, on top of the monthly fee. Factor that in and it becomes way less of a bargain. ETA: The best insurance plan you can get for your phone is a quality case. That will also protect it from scratches and general wear and tear, which increases the price you can resell it for when/if you upgrade. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/12 "2013-10-29T00:12:01Z")
Never. However, I have talked to some people who are just naturally unlucky with technology who always get it. My coworker said his last device broke completely in half when he dropped it while crossing the street. If you a) are clumsy, and b) have more damage when accidents happen, insurance is probably a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/13 "2013-10-29T00:40:14Z")
I carry insurance on my smartphones. While it’s true that I could replace my phone for $200-300 on eBay, it is worth noting that those phones don’t carry a warranty and over 50% of the smartphones I’ve owned have had issues that required a warranty replacement. If I had deep pockets, there’s no way I’d opt for insurance. As it is, I can afford a $100 deductible in a pinch, but $200+ for a replacement is much tougher. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/14 "2013-10-29T00:47:12Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Save your $10 a month, and self insure. When 2 years go by and you lose your phone, you’ve got $240 to go towards the new one. If you don’t lose it. You’ve got $240 to spend on something else. On most US carriers, you can upgrade at a deep discount after two years. Insurance is there for the interim. I pay $7 monthly for insurance. If I self-insured and my phone was lost or stolen a year in, I have 84 dollars to put towards a replacement. Most decent smartphones in good shape are going to go for upwards of $200 on eBay and come without a warranty. Buying my current device new from my carrier without an upgrade is over $500. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/15 "2013-10-29T00:54:37Z")
Nope, never have. I’ll get the standard warranty that comes with it but anything more I think is a rip off. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/16 "2013-10-29T12:22:36Z")
I won’t buy insurance against any claim I can cover myself. It makes no sense. The insurance companies are making a profit so the expected loss is less than the premium. Of course, I have fire insurance since a fire could involve a loss I could not bear. No cell phone is that valuable. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/17 "2013-10-29T12:49:37Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I’m getting ready to get a new cell phone, and probably switching carriers. I’ve always had insurance on my phones, but I’m not seeing the point. I’m paying $10 a month for something I never use. My current phone has a bust usb port, and even with insurance, it would still cost me another $100 to fix. > > I realize that as soon as I get a phone without insurance, a bird will pick it up and drop it in Lake Michigan, but I’d like to hear your opinions. Do you have insurance, and did you order it through your carrier or an outside party? I don’t purchase phone insurance. As someone stated, the cost of the phone is less than my vehicle’s insurance deductible, so that keeps it in perspective. There is also the fact that phones depreciate in value, so unless I were to lose my phone closer to its release, a replacement down the line would be cheaper than the original purchase price, especially used. ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/18 "2013-10-29T12:53:25Z")
I used to. Then I lost mine, and found out that there was a $50 deductible, and they required me to fill out a police report in order to collect on a lost or stolen phone. I don’t have the time for that nonsense. I keep my old phone when I upgrade, so I would just reactivate that–or buy a refurbished phone for a couple hundred. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/19 "2013-10-29T12:59:42Z")
I pay for my kid’s phones. I have insurance on their phones. None on mine. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479/20 "2013-10-29T14:58:04Z")
No, my phone only cost $120. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-an-insurance-plan-on-your-cell-phone/672479.md?page=2)