3 Mobile Phone Insurance

3 are one of the newest mobile phone networks around, but they have still been trading for over 10 years and have made massive steps in establishing themselves as a major player in the market. Although they got off to stuttering steps, with many customers being dissatisfied with their service, they have since got their act together and are now providing services that compete with the major players in the game, such as O2 and Vodafone. As well as providing services like mobile phone contracts, they also provide 3 mobile phone insurance to all of their customers should they want it, but what does this service include and how good is it?

Unfortunately in this review of 3 mobile phone insurance it is necessary to start with a negative point about the service that they provide, because they may have failed to include one of the most important aspects of phone insurance – that of protection against theft. Their website states that phones are protected against loss and accidental damage, but makes no mention ( at the time this article was written)of theft. With mobile phone handsets being the subject of the vast majority of crime in the United Kingdom, surely this is a massive oversight on 3’s behalf? All of the other major insurers provide this cover so if you are concerned about theft, then 3 mobile phone insurance might not be the best choice for you. That being said, at least they cover damage and loss, so two out of three isn’t bad!

When it comes to the accidental damage element of 3 mobile phone insurance, there is one thing that makes it stand out from some of the other competitors – the fact that it includes water damage within the policy. Many other companies refuse to pay out for water damage but 3 do not, therefore meaning that they provide a better service in this area. This goes someway to making up for the fact that theft is not covered in 3 mobile phone insurance. So, dropping your phone in the bath need not be a massive issue should you have 3 mobile phone insurance!

When it comes to the price of cover, the cheapest 3 mobile phone insurance package comes in at £5 per month, which is pretty much on par with all of the other mobile phone operators, except for Orange, who are slightly more expensive. Harking back to the fact that theft may not be included, you actually pay the same amount for less coverage though, therefore meaning that the price is slightly on the steep side. In addition to this, more expensive mobiles, such as the iPhone and some BlackBerry sets, will have a higher monthly premium.

One thing to 3’s credit is the fact that setting up your 3 mobile phone insurance is very easy and can be done by any customer within 45 days of purchasing a contract with them. All you have to do is simply ring up their customer care team – something that can be done for free from your handset – and go through the simple set up process. Your 3 mobile phone insurance will be active from the moment that you hang up on the call.

Claiming is also easy as it simply involves ringing their customer service team and providing them with the details of your policy and your phone. For this reason it is prudent to keep policy details and phone details – such as the IMEI and serial number – in a safe place so that they can be accessed easily in emergencies. Although there are ways to confirm your policy without them, having them to hand will save a massive amount of time and stress – something that is important when you are already in a stressful situation.

As can be seen, 3 mobile phone insurance is one of the most basic on the market, however for customers it is definitely worth looking in to. Don’t forget to look around the other providers in the market as well though, as they could have some deals that both protect you more and also save you a few pennies in the process. Signing up with 3 mobile phone insurance without looking around is not the end of the world though – the contracts are short so you can always change in a few months anyway!