Which insurance covers a phone?
It depends where you were and what happened. Common places to look:
| Cover | When it usually helps | Things to check |
|---|---|---|
| Home contents | Damage at home: a storm, a flood, a fire | Phones may only be covered inside the home |
| Accidental damage (an add-on to contents) | A cracked screen or a drop at home | Some policies exclude screens unless this is added |
| Portable contents or valuables (an add-on) | Damage or loss away from home | Per-item limits, an excess, and limits on time overseas |
| Phone insurance from a bank, telco or retailer | Cracks, drops and liquid, wherever you are | The excess, and how many claims a year |
| Travel insurance | Damage or theft overseas | You may need a repair report and the phone's IMEI |
| Business insurance | A work phone | Whether tools and equipment include phones |
A manufacturing fault isn't an insurance matter: that's the maker's warranty and your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
Your policy's Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) has the final word. Look for "portable contents", "accidental damage", "electronic equipment" and the excess.
What will the insurer ask for?
Every insurer is different, but expect to need:
- Your claim number, from lodging the claim with the insurer first.
- Photos of the damage, taken before anything is fixed or thrown away.
- Proof of purchase or ownership: the receipt, a bank statement, or the phone's box.
- The IMEI or serial number: on the box, in Settings → General → About (iPhone) or Settings → About phone (Android), or by dialling *#06#.
- A repairer's report or quote: what's damaged, whether it can be fixed, and what it costs.
- A police report number if the phone was stolen: in Queensland, report it to Policelink online or on 131 444.
- The excess, which you pay either to the insurer or toward the repair.
What's in our damage report?
When you ask for a damage report, we check the phone and put in writing what we found, typically:
- the phone's make, model and IMEI or serial number, and the date we checked it;
- what's damaged: the screen, back glass, frame, camera, charging port, battery, or signs of liquid;
- what likely caused it, as far as the damage shows (an impact, liquid, a swollen battery), and where we can't tell, we say so;
- whether it can be repaired, and the cost to repair, or that it isn't economical to repair and why.
We report what we find, honestly; the insurer makes the decision on your claim.
What's a service report?
If we repair the phone, a service report records the work: what was wrong, which parts we replaced, the date, and the warranty. It's handy if your insurer reimburses you after the repair, if you're claiming a work phone, or just for your own records when you sell the phone later.
How do I make the claim go smoothly?
- Lodge the claim first and ask your insurer exactly what they need from a repairer.
- Don't throw the phone away, even if it's dead: the insurer may want it assessed or returned.
- Don't try a home repair first. An opened phone makes the damage harder to assess.
- Back up what you can if it still works: insurance replaces the phone, not your photos. If it won't work, a repair may get it going long enough to move your data: ask at the free check.
- After a storm or a flood, photograph everything, including the phone, before cleaning up. Here's how to get ready for storm season.
- Got wet? Turn it off and don't charge it. Here's what to do in the first hour.
What if a claim is slow or knocked back?
The General Insurance Code of Practice sets timeframes most insurers have signed up to. Once an insurer has all the information it needs, it should generally decide your claim within 10 business days, and keep you updated at least every 20 business days while it's assessing. If you disagree with the decision, make a complaint to the insurer first. If that doesn't resolve it, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) handles insurance disputes, free of charge for consumers.
Sources
- QBE: Portable contents insurance
- RACV: Home contents insurance
- Australia Post Insurance: Insurance for mobile phones and portable devices
- Fast Cover: If my phone breaks overseas, am I covered?
- Financial Rights Legal Centre: Insurance claim delay
- Queensland Law Handbook: General Insurance Code of Practice
- Queensland Police: Report stolen property
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