Securing and Insuring Your Phone

Theft or damage to your phone is unfortunately common and can be costly if uninsured. This page provides information about phone insurance, tips on securing your phone, and steps to take if it is lost or stolen.

Contents and Phone Insurance

You can choose between contents insurance and phone insurance to protect your device against damage or theft. Each covers different circumstances and aspects. Below are the key differences:

Scope of Coverage

• Contents Insurance: Covers your belongings, including your phone, against risks like water damage, fire, and theft. However, coverage for phone damage or theft is often limited. There is usually a higher deductible, and coverage may not extend beyond your home.
• Phone Insurance: Specifically designed for phones, offering coverage for damage, technical issues, and theft. Phone insurance is more comprehensive than contents insurance and allows adjustments to deductibles or additional coverage options.

Costs

• Contents Insurance: Costs depend on the value of your belongings, location, and selected coverage.
• Phone Insurance: Premiums vary depending on the phone model and chosen coverage but can be relatively high compared to the phone’s value.

Necessity

• Contents Insurance: Common among homeowners and renters to protect multiple belongings.
• Phone Insurance: Mainly chosen by individuals who rely heavily on their phones.

You can purchase both insurances separately or add phone insurance to your contents policy, depending on your needs and the value of your phone.

Cyber Insurance

Standard contents insurance does not typically cover cybercrime. However, cyber insurance is available from providers such as Allianz, AIG, Chubb, and Hiscox. Coverage may include:

• Costs for handling data breaches, including notifying affected individuals.
• Ransom payments for cyber extortion.
• Recovery costs for lost data and software.
• Identity fraud-related expenses.

Securing Your Phone

With the rising risk of data breaches, securing your phone is essential. Follow these steps to enhance your phone’s security:

• Install an antivirus app.
• Lock your phone and apps with a passcode.
• Enable two-step authentication.
• Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
• Download apps only from official stores like the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
• Keep your software updated.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi and unknown Bluetooth connections.
• Do not click on suspicious links or download unknown attachments.
• Use messaging apps with end-to-end encryption to secure your data.

Lost or Stolen Phone

If your phone is lost or stolen, you can take action to recover it or protect your data. Follow these steps for both Android and Apple devices:

Lost Phone

• For Android: Ensure you are logged into your Google account with “Find My Device” enabled. This allows you to track your phone’s location, make it ring (even if silent), and remotely lock or erase data.
• For Apple: Log in with your Apple ID and enable “Find My iPhone.” You can track the device, play a sound to locate it, and remotely lock or erase it if needed.

Stolen Phone

• For Android: Use the “Secure Device” feature in “Find My Device” to lock the phone, leave a message for the finder or thief, or erase all data remotely.
• For Apple: Activate “Lost Mode” in “Find My iPhone” to lock your device remotely. You can also erase all data when the device connects to Wi-Fi.

Additional Steps

• If “Find My Device” or “Find My iPhone” was not enabled, change your passwords and remove the phone from your list of trusted devices.
• Report the loss to the police and provide them with your phone’s serial number.
• Contact your provider if your phone was insured.