Life is uncertain and unpredictable. No one knows what next moment holds. Anything is possible, so we should always try our best stay prepared before any uncertainty. This highlights the need of different types of insurances in our life. The growing need for insurance has shown why types of insurance policy are important.
There are many types of insurances like, health insurance, life insurance, auto insurance, long term disability coverage, property insurance, fire insurance, pet insurance, mortgage insurance, travel insurance, smart phone insurance and many more.
The main purpose of this article is to highlight the significance of smart phone insurance. There are many things in your life which requires insurance coverage; phones are also one of them. Life has become so busy that we forget so many things. Every day so many people forget and lost their phones here and there.
Whenever someone lost their phone, we often hear this line “Can you please call on my phone?” The most common places where people forgets their phones includes restaurants, coffee shops, changing room, malls, subways, taxi and sometimes street benches as well.
Phones often slip from handbags; fall down from back pocket, left on cash counters or sometimes it gets stolen. When the phone is lost, at first instinct we can’t determine whether it is lost naturally or someone stole it intentionally.
There are multiple phone insurance companies all around the world e.g., Asurion, Verizon, Loveit Coverit, Row, Gadget Cover, Trusted Insurance, Insurance2Go, Cover Cloud etc.
Mostly, smart phone insurance plans are popular in USA and Europe side. However, these plan also getting attention in Asian countries as well.
Competition among mobile brands is growing rapidity. Nowadays, it is a marketer’s trick to attract customers from their insurance policies. Phone insurance is necessary due to several reasons. Companies offer different insurance policies to its customers.
Companies offers insurance plans in case of cracked phone screen & physical damage, mechanical failure & manufacturer defect, lost & theft protection, water damage, local repairs etc. These insurance deals help to recover the mobile phones or even in some cases company’s offers repay in form of money.
This article will let you understand
- What to do when mobile phone is lost or stole
- How to claim insurance of lost or stolen phone
If you have ever lost your mobile or anyone in your circle lost their phone or their phone got stolen, here are some important points to follow in order claim insurance.
Track your Phone
Tracking mobile using phone applications is the first and easiest way to find out where mobile could has been lost. In case it is stolen still this method is very helpful in tracking the phone location.
| Apple Phone Tracking | Android Phone Tracking |
| Login to iClound.com/find or you can use “Find My app” on other apple device | Go on “Google Play Protect” or visit android.com/find and track the device. |
| Click “Find iPhone” and after selecting device locate the device on map | If phone is lost somewhere near and it is connected with internet then click “Sound On” to locate phone. |
| In stolen case: Select “Mark as lost” this will lock the device with passcode. | If unable to locate the phone then the next option is to click “Lock” or “Erase” this will protect your personal data |
Block Sim Card
If you are unable to find your phone, the second thing a person should do is to block the sim card. It is done by informing your network provider about the incident. This is necessary to do, because someone may misuse your number in any illegal activity.
Network provider can also block IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. It is a unique number of 15 to 17 digits which is the identification cade of your phone. When the network company blocks IMEI number, it means the stolen mobile phone is no longer useful for the thief anymore. Once the IMEI umber is blocked, phone would not be able to work with any other connection as well and thief cannot make any calls or SMS.
Report to Nearest Police Station
After reporting to your network provider, it is important to report about the lost/stolen phone to the police, that your mobile is missing. The more immediately you report, there are more chances of phone recovery. There are two main benefits of reporting:
- The police station will provide you with crime number which will help you in claiming your insurance.
- This reporting will save the person from any charges, if his/her phone is used for any unauthorized calls, illegal or terrorist activity.
General Procedure of Phone Insurance Claim
To make insurance claim, a person can make online claim by visiting relevant official website of insurance company, by reporting on their helpline number or by physically visiting the insurance franchise.
Your claim is stronger when you report about your lost/stolen device to your insurer within 24 to 48 hours. Reporting about the incident late will make your case weak.
What to provide in the Claiming Process
- Give detailed information about the incident. Your insurer may need at what time, date place your mobile was lost or stolen.
- Provide the phone model number, the year it was purchased, proof of purchase, network name, from how long you are using this phone and some pictures of your phone.
- Provide your insurance company with crime number given by the police authorities and IMEI number of your device. This makes your insurance case more authentic. This crime number is beneficial in claiming the financial loss of your device.
You may also need to fill out some paper work which includes some documents in order to track your claim. Some companies also give claim ID to its customers through which they can check claim status online.
The recovery time may vary from companies to companies. Mostly, companies take around 48 hours to 7 days in this recovery procedure or in some cases it may take several weeks.
But, before financial refund or replacing your phone, the insurance companies always make sure whether the respective insurance claim is valid or not?
After reviewing your claim insurer makes sure they satisfy their customers in best possible way.
Due to these insurance claims a person may get new mobile phone or sometimes they get financial payback. Getting the mobile phone back is not a guarantee, but getting financial recovery is still positive thing.
Hence, smart phones are the essential part of our lives. Every person’s personal & official data is kept on these phones. To protect and replace phones in case of damage, loss and theft, it is recommended to take different insurance plans. As, mobile phone insurances are as important as any other insurance policy.
Filza Taj has completed her MPhil in Human Resource from Kinnaird College. She loves sharing her knowledge and subject expertise with others. Crafting words that bring the most value to the readers stay her utmost priority. she loves writing about different niche.
Henna says
Really helpful article and well-written. I’m glad that I was able to come across this reading!
Aidah Khan says
Very informative, thank you sharing this!!