Am I screwed if I've no insurance?

bp1989

I've wanted an iPhone for nigh on three years and this month I can finally afford to buy one. I'll be getting a contract with Three.

My question is, if I don't buy insurance and someone steals/I lose my phone, am I, for want of a better word, screwed? I was told in the store that if something happened to my phone and I wasn't insured I'd still be locked into the contract and would have to pay the bill every consecutive month regardless.

Is this true? If so, what have the rest of you done to protect yourselves? The Carphone Warehouse quoted something like €13 for insurance every month, which to me seems extortionate. I'm getting the phone on the basis it's only €40 per month and on my pay as you go phone I buy at least €60 worth of credit in the same amount of time.

Nonoperational

Pretty much. Your still in contract. You'd have to just pick up a cheap old unlocked phone and use it. Personally don't think insurance is worth it, I always just take a chance. In about 10 years I only once destroyed a phone. Dropped it into a cup of tea the day I got it as an upgrade.

decies

I cancelled my insurance after the free trail was over, you dont need it,

grizzly

It's worth keeping in mind that an iPhone isn't as sturdy as other phones. I could bounce my old plastic Nokia off walls without a it even getting a scratch, but the first time a dropped my iPhone a couple of feet it shattered instantly. 13 does sound high, I'm paying 7 through O2.

soundsham

I spent €35 on a decent otterbox case
If you don't like the idea of a case ...... Be careful
I had to have one for work really
Haven't dropped it yet though which of course is the opposite of what would happen if I'd no case

bp1989

soundsham wrote: »

Haven't dropped it yet though which of course is the opposite of what would happen if I'd no case

Isn't that always the case?

Ok, so I could get a cheap unlocked phone if something did happen. But surely I'd need the same sim for that to work?

Quackles

They will give you a replacement sim if you need it, you'd just have to get a cheapy phone. I have insurance (through three, not carphone warehouse, it's cheaper).. I've never broken or lost a phone, and this is my second iphone. That said, my sister's 3GS was stolen within two weeks of getting it (uninsured). So it's a gamble!

jester77

I initially had insurance when I had my first phones about 15 years ago. After spending so much on them I quit. I've not yet regretted it and what I've saved would probably cover the price of a few phones at this stage. Just hold onto the phone you have as backup and if worse comes to worse & you can't afford a replacement iphone then at least you have the backup. Look into house insurance as well, you might be able to claim from that if you have the phone listed on the contents.

Sad Professor

Unless you are very clumsy or have a history of losing or getting your phone stolen, I don't think insurance is worth it either. Sure, if something happens to it, it will save you a fortune. But if it doesn't, it will cost you a fortune.

maximoose

grizzly wrote: »

It's worth keeping in mind that an iPhone isn't as sturdy as other phones. I could bounce my old plastic Nokia off walls without a it even getting a scratch, but the first time a dropped my iPhone a couple of feet it shattered instantly. 13 does sound high, I'm paying 7 through O2.

I'd have to disagree. Had a 3g which was dropped plenty of times from various high heights and not a scratch. My Iphone 4 I've dropped a couple of times and knocked it off a high bar table and not a problem.

OP, I've never had insurance...although I'm on prepray. I foolishly left my 3g in the back of a taxi and it was an awful feeling. Although I'd imagine even if I did have insurance on it, I'd have had a hard time trying to claim for loss anyway.

not worth it imo.

naasrd

Sad Professor wrote: »

Unless you are very clumsy or have a history of losing or getting your phone stolen, I don't think insurance is worth it either. Sure, if something happens to it, it will save you a fortune. But if it doesn't, it will cost you a fortune.

Same here. I don't get people who insure things, iPhones especially. Too much of a "glass half empty" approach to life for me.

Eire Go Brach

I pay €30 for my iPhone insurance. It's on my fbd house contents. For me it's worth it.
Ulster bank have an account you pay €10 which you get extra benefits. One being phone insurance. Although I don't know anyone using it.

I'd insure if I was you. If you can get a cheap option.

barryd09

decies wrote: »

I cancelled my insurance after the free trail was over, you dont need it,

i needed it.and like that i was just getting around to cancelling it when it was robbed off me while i was away.
now the whole insurance procedure wasnt a pleasant one but i would have been a million times more gutted had it not been covered.

MY advice for anyone with or planning to get an iphone is...

dont buy one without insurance if you cant afford to live without the phone or cant afford to go and spend €400+ on a 2nd hand one or €599 for a new sim free one.
personally,after having one for about 6months when it was stolen i could no way have gone back to just a standard phone,as much as i HATE insurance companies im glad i didnt cancel my insurance.

timeforachange

I'm going to buy an unlocked iphone direct from apple and insurance is a must for me after spending €600 on it! Can anyone reccommend the best way of going about getting insurance from it? I'm not sure if Apple have any organised? I like the idea that 3 is cheap and I am going to move to 3 and use their PAYG but since I'm not actually buying the phone for them would I be able to insure it with them??

120_Minutes

grizzly wrote: »

13 does sound high, I'm paying 7 through O2.

I'd check that. O2s iPhone insurance is 12.99, sounds like you're on the wrong policy and of you don't change they may not honour if you have to claim.

pansophelia

Hi,
I'm currently mourning the loss of an iPhone 4 I drowned 2 months in, and had not insured for a couple of reasons, one of them laziness. I'd never lost/broken/had stolen a phone before, which was another reason I didn't bother getting it insured. I'm currently searching for a second hand phone, which I'm going to try and get insured.