Phone insurance or simply have it repaired?

The question always comes up at the same moment: when buying a device and insurance is offered. It cannot be answered in general terms, but with three considerations it can be answered fairly quickly for you personally.

Consideration 1: your actual risk

Be honest with yourself: how often have you dropped a phone in the last five years, and how often did something break as a result? Someone working on a building site, cycling a lot or with small children who like to hold the phone has a different risk from someone whose phone commutes between desk and jacket pocket. Anyone who has never broken anything so far usually pays more into an insurance policy than they ever get out.

Consideration 2: the small print

The price of the policy is only half the calculation. Watch for these points:

• Excess: what do you pay yourself per claim? With smaller repairs the excess can cancel out the benefit.
• Current value or replacement value: in a total loss, is the current value reimbursed or is an equivalent device provided?
• Exclusions: water damage, theft without signs of forced entry and loss are frequently not covered, or covered only to a limited extent.
• Number of claims: many policies cover only one or two claims per term.

Consideration 3: what the damage realistically costs

The most common damage is to the display and the battery, and both are predictable repairs. We have broken down what determines the display price in what a display replacement costs. Weigh the annual premium plus excess against such a repair. On inexpensive devices the insurance total over two years quickly exceeds the value of the phone, on expensive flagships the calculation looks different.

The middle way many people overlook

The most effective and cheapest protection is still mechanical: a case with a raised edge and tempered glass cost a fraction of an annual premium and prevent a large share of the typical damage in the first place. What matters here is set out in choosing a phone case. You will find suitable items under cases and tempered glass.

Who insurance pays off for

For people with a high everyday risk and an expensive device, and for anyone who does not want to suddenly find a larger sum if damage occurs. If that applies to you, you will find our offer under phone insurance. For everyone else the sober answer is: a case, glass and, if the worst happens, a repair are usually cheaper over the term.

Conclusion

Calculate with your own risk rather than with the average. Check the excess and the exclusions before you compare the premium with a repair. And in every case invest in a case and tempered glass first, that is the measure with the best ratio of cost to effect.