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Choosing the best smartphone insurance plan, warranty program or best cell phone insurance plan can leave your head spinning. But now that smartphones retail for over $600, you don’t want to be caught without a plan in the middle of a contract if you break or lose your iPhone or Android handset. So after 30+ hours of research, the best of the best is AKKO. It’s comprehensive, covers your laptop and camera gear (and more), and replaces your device with a brand new one.
That in mind, most mobile phones come with at least a limited warranty – but these plans often don’t cover drops or loss, much like a 3rd party phone insurance can. Moreover, you may not have the option to purchase an additional protection program after a certain amount of time expires. An insurance plan essentially enhances or extends your phone’s warranty, and could also protect you in the case that it is stolen or you misplace it. You can also read about the best cell phone plans to find out which is best for you.
Some important things to consider:
Many smartphone protection plans are available through Asurion, a third-party insurance company that offers coverage on various phones through each specific participating cell phone carrier: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Boost Mobile, Clear, Clear Wire, Metro PCS, nTelos, Time Warner Cable and Virgin Mobile. (You cannot buy an Asurion program on its own without a provider.) Though they all use Asurion, each cell carrier has a different name for their protection plan, so it’s not possible to distill Asurion’s features into a single list. Additionally, some carriers also combine Asurion’s protection plans with their own extended warranty programs. Some credit card companies also offer phone insurance. To learn more, check out our credit cards with cell phone insurance guide.
Before purchasing, be sure to check the specific benefits of your provider’s Asurion plan. This can be especially confusing.
For example, Verizon’s Extended Limited Warranty does not cover liquid damage or batteries, but these areas are covered under Asurion’s wireless phone protection, which is part of Verizon’s Total Equipment Coverage package. (If you choose Verizon’s Extended Warranty but not the Total Equipment Coverage, be sure to familiarize yourself with the differences.)
For many consumers, price is the most important factor in choosing a warranty program – but keep in mind that most plans include a deductible, the amount of money you have to pay if you lose your handset. A cheaper monthly fee likely means a higher deductible. Also be aware that varying state laws can result in variations of plan terms and conditions.
Here are the 5 best smartphone insurance and warranty programs we’ve found:
iPhone plans click here. (Most iPhone repairs can be completed at an Apple Store if you so choose, or at another repair provider.)
Android and other smartphones plans click here.
AKKO, while a new entrance into the smartphone and device insurance space, is perhaps the most simple and comprehensive. Their phone insurance plans range from $6 – $12/month so that you always have the most affordable deductibles, which range from only $29 to $99 based on the phone and claim. Even for theft, the deductible is still only a maximum of $99 for any phone! Putting it less than half the cost of the deductibles most other companies charge such as Asurion or AppleCare+ Loss and Theft.
In addition to their affordable and flexible phone protection plans, they also offer their one-of-a-kind AKKO Plan, the perfect solution for those with multiple devices and gadgets in need of protection. Their AKKO Plan is $15/month ($12/month if a student) with discounts if you pay annually, and while that may be a bit more expensive than paying just $6 – 12/month to only protect a phone, you get a TON more coverage.
In our opinion, an AKKO Plan is the last protection plan you’ll ever need to buy because it protects not just your iPhone (be sure to check out their page on how to switch from AppleCare to Akko) their ar or Android phone, but also your other electronics like laptops, tablets, headphones, smartwatches, camera gear, audio equipment, and so much more at no extra cost. The deductibles for phones are the same on an AKKO Plan, ranging from $29 – 99. For your other devices and items, like tablets and laptops, the deductible is always the exact same cost keeping things simple and affordable; $99 for adults and $49 for students for any damages or theft.
In the event of a claim, you also won’t ever be given a used iPhone or Android phone as a replacement. You’ll get the money equal to the replacement value of any of your devices when they are unrepairable or stolen and can do whatever you’d like with the cash. Even buy a NEW or upgraded replacement.
View Plans
Read Full Review: Akko Phone Insurance Plan
iPhone plans click here. iPhone repairs can be completed at an Apple Store if you so choose.
SquareTrade has a lower base price than many other plans, but a somewhat higher deductible ($99). Loss and theft are not covered, but water immersion is. Note: Through Costco, you can get an even better SquareTrade plan with a lower based price and lower deductible, provided of course you buy the product in their warehouse.
Type of Replacement: You will be given a new or refurbished product of equal features and functionality, or a cash settlement or a Gift Card reflecting the replacement cost of a new item of equal features and functionality up to the Coverage Amount.
Replacement Time: No guarantee of time. Submit claims online or by phone; if your phone can’t be fixed with troubleshooting, you’ll be directed to an authorized service center or given a free shipping label. Though they do say that they’ll fix it the day it arrives and overnight the phone back to you.
Cancellation Policy: You may cancel any time. Within the 30 days, you will receive a full refund; If you cancel after 30 days, you will receive a pro-rata refund based on the time remaining on your service agreement. You may also want to read about the best unlocked phone.
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View Android Plans
Read Full Review: Squaretrade Cell Phone Insurance
Protect Your Bubble does not cover loss and theft (updated March 2016) – and it can also be purchased within 12-35 months of buying your smartphone, as long as the phone is still under warranty (most plans only give you 30 days). You can also get money off when you add an additional plan if you want to buy one for a family member. The biggest drawback of the plan is its $150 deductible for iPhones. Update: iPhone deductibles are now $50)
Type of Replacement: You will get a replacement of like kind and quality, but claimed devices may be repaired or replaced with new or refurbished equipment or a different model than the original equipment.
Replacement Time: PYB will ship your replacement device to you for next day delivery if your claim is approved by 8:00 pm.
Cancellation Policy: You have the right to cancel your coverage at any time without penalty and receive a refund of any applicable unearned premium. Also, check out the best SIM cards for USA.
Read Full Review: Protect Your Bubble Phone Insurance
Since the Apple Care program is only available for the iPhone, other smartphone users can ignore this section. Keep in mind that even without Apple Care, you’ll get one year of hardware repair coverage through Apple’s limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary support (but you can’t decide to buy Apple Care after your one-year limited warranty has ended). One of the biggest drawbacks of the Apple Care program is that it does not cover loss or theft.
Type of Replacement: A phone that is new or equivalent to new in both performance and reliability
Replacement Time: For fastest service, bring your iPhone in to the Genius Bar at an Apple Store. Mail-in service is also available.
Cancellation Policy: You can cancel at any time for any reason. If you cancel within 30 days, you will receive a full refund less the value of any service provided. After 30 days, you will receive a pro rata refund less a cancellation fee of $25 or 10% of the pro-rata amount, whichever is less. Learn about the best smartphone.
View AppleCare+
Read Full Review: AppleCare Phone Insurance
Geek Squad smartphone protection plan is offered through Best Buy, but is also available for smartphones purchased at other stores, provided that the products have been purchased within the last 30 days, are covered under a current manufacturer’s warranty, and are in new and working order. What makes this plan stand out is its convenient in-home service and its lack of deductible and cancellation fee. However, loss and theft are not covered.
Geek Squad’s Standard Plan extends your manufacturer warranty, but doesn’t cover much on its own; we recommend purchasing the Accidental Damage from Handling Coverage (ADH) plan for the best protection (you can compare the plans here).
Type of Replacement: You will be given a new or refurbished product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance.
Replacement Time: You can schedule in-home service by phone or Internet 24-7.
Cancellation Policy: You may cancel at any time; you will receive a pro-rata refund of the price you paid for the Plan based on the percentage of the Plan’s unexpired term, less the cost of any service provided. If you cancel within 30 days, a full refund is given. You might also want to read up on the best smartphone plan.
View Insurance Plans
Read Full Review: Geek Squad Phone Protection Plan
Update: Mobile Rhino has shut down and is no longer in business.
Mobile Rhino can be purchased at any time. Unlike Apple Care, Mobile Rhino covers loss and theft, and can be renewed year after year – but Mobile Rhino’s price and deductible are a bit high. Still, we’re rating Mobile Rhino’s plan #1 because it covers loss and theft. With most plans, you’ll be completely out of luck if you lose your phone – and that doesn’t seem worth a monthly fee.
Price: Personal: $129, Business:$119, Education:$99 Deductible: $99 Coverage Length: 1 year Number of Replacements Allowed: 2 per year or $1000 worth of merchandise, whichever comes first Time to add the program: May be purchased at any time
Type of Replacement: You will be given a replacement the same model as your phone; equipment may be reconditioned.
Replacement Time: You will get a replacement in 24-28 hours; if your claim is submitted and approved by 2pm CST, you will receive your replacement by 2pm CST the next day.
Cancellation Policy: You may cancel at any time; any unearned premium will be refunded in accordance with law. If you like Verizon, check out the best Verizon smartphones.
RMG GROUP is a great company. Although they might be smaller than the companies on your list. I have never had an issue with them and really have nothing but a great experience. I recommend everyone use them. Super cheap and no deductible.
All the reviews I’ve read have fallen into two groups… People who never had a claim, but thought the value was amazing. And people who had a claim, never got helped, and in many cases got accused of fraud (including in RMGs poorly written responses on the review sites).
As far as I can tell RMG’s service is terrible and their responses on review sites make them look unprofessional.
I have not done business with them, but reading their aggressive and accusative responses toward unhappy customers tells me I shouldn’t.
PYB no longer offers protection plans in the US.
Why is Worth Ave Group missing from this list?
DO NOT BUY WITH ESURRANTY. This is a company you cannot trust. What ever you do, do not signup with company. Here is my horror story: Initial contact was made early August and was good with their employee Sean Hansen, and then it went downhill. I got the warranty and as my luck had it, I broke the screen on the phone. Sent it to them for repairs. Didn’t hear anything back. Sent them an email and was told that it would take 10 business days for Samsung to repair the phone. 10 Business Days later, after not getting any update, I contacted them and was told my phone was locked to Samsung and Google and they couldn’t replace the screen. Wait, since when does a phone need to be unlocked to replace a screen?
Especially since it’s factory reset per their instructions. I sent a heated email and he didn’t respond. Finally responded with a rude email telling me that if i was rude in my email again then he would not respond. Great customer service? NO! He then stated that my order to repair the device would be canceled and phone sent back. Now it’s been over 2 months and the company still has not sent the phone back, has not responded to any emails and has basically stolen a $1,200 phone.
Also the CEO Angelo has been accused of Scam and Fraud. Search the court records in FL. He also has numerous companies that have been opened and closed / bankrupted. Also info available on the SOS website for FL. DON’T TRUST THIS COMPANY.
Amir, thanks for the insight. Did you have any luck with BBB? Was the purchase made on the credit card? If they have your phone, can you claim it as stolen with a police department?
FYI, Rhino seems to have ceased operations after iPhone 5. It looks like you can still buy it through the App Store, but they don’t appear to have communicated or paid claims since early 2016, their “compare coverage” button links to an expired domain, and their “customer service” phone number isn’t in operation.
Seems to be fully operational as far as we can tell.
Rhino only covers iPhone 5 and older. Rhino is also not available in the U.S.
my bubble does not offer coverage in the US as of Aug 2016.
https://us.protectyourbubble.com/farewell.html
How was this article written in Nov ‘17, and 2 of the top 5 companies are not serving U.S. residents? Wasting peoples time here
Bob, we’ve done our best to keep this article up to date. That said, only 1 out of 5 are out of business; Mobile Rhino. I’ve now updated the charts and content to reflect this.
You need to update the deductible for Square Trade – just looked and it’s $149, not $99.
and a HUGE error on the Apple+ Care. I recently had my iPhone fall into a glass of iced coffee and after a big run-around with the Apple Tech Support, they told me that water damage was NOT included in any of their warranties
eSurranty is a total and complete fraudulent company. They take forever to respond to your claim. Then they ask you for $99 deposit for a barely working loaner phone to use while you send in your own phone. They give you the COMPLETE runaround, never replying to emails or messages. In the end, they steal your phone. They will not return my phone. I’ve returned their loaner (broke during the ‘repair’ period). Police called, USPS called, FTC called, BBB called, anyone and everyone you can think of. This is a company you do not want to deal with unless you love spending hours on end to get your property back. One device for me is one thing. but they’re doing this to 1000s of people every day, month, year. I’m standing up for those that don’t have the money to keep buying devices when criminal companies steal their stuff.
Samsung offers their own warranty plans for S8 and earlier phones. S8 phones can be covered by Samsung Premium Care. Earlier models can be covered by Samsung Protection Plus. Has anyone used these plans?
I have had a Galaxy 5 on s Sprint lease for 23 months with an Asurion TEP service plan. My USB charging port went bad and shortly after a system update went haywire forcing apps to close. I took the phone in and Sprint said they had to do a hard wired update in order to correct the software but they could do it because the worn out USB port and they couldn’t repair it. So I was forced to make a claim for a replacement. I did get a reconditioned Galaxy 5 the next day but after adding up the cost the Asurion TEP service plan looks like a huge RIP OFF. 23 months TEP @ $13 = $299 + $200 Asurion Deductible + $200 to get out of my Sprint lease = $699 and what I have is a reconditioned Galaxy 5. Not a wise investment when you can get a reconditioned phone on Amazon for $175.
Hey Jim, this is a great point. However, this is the rub with really any extended warranty in any market. I know that doesn’t take the sting out of your wallet, but perhaps it will slightly lessen the blow that we’re all in the same position as you. That being said, you did garner the peace of mind for 22 months that you had this warranty. Nevertheless, a refurbished phone shouldn’t cost you $200 IMHO.
I swear, all of these comments are just making me want to just not bother with a warranty. No one seems to work right. I’ve actually never had any issues with Asurion, and I often get bumped up to the next level phone for free because by the time I have issues, they don’t make my model anymore, but I’d have to buy the phone directly from the retailer from what I’ve gathered and I didn’t :-/
i’m with you. seems like the cost of the plan plus the deductible makes all plans not worth the expense.
Mobile Rhino does NOT cover any Android phones. You failed to mention this in your review.
No warranty needed, if you don’t have a stupid cell phone in the first place!
The land line at home works just fine. You can wait until you get home to tell Aunt Ethel about the kids’ T-ball practice and other earthshattering events! LOL!
Agreed! I got rid of my cell phone two years ago and have never really missed it.
Yeah, I’m sure it’s just like those darn computers.
Well, said. I ditched stupid cell phones and never looked back. One less thing to have to deal with.
Alrighty then, thanks for your opinion. BTW, why are you on this discussion in the first place? If all I had was a land line I’d be doing something useful with my time, not online trolling.
Good luck if you have a heart attack in the middle of nowhere. Or need to phone the missus about what she wanted from the grocery store, but can’t because there are no pay phones anywhere anymore. Or…
Go look at consumer affairs regarding Geek Squad. They are such garbage. The are a lot of horror stories and they are all so similar, but Geek Squad has done nothing to fix it. I came to this article to find an alternative to Geek Squad and they are #4? No faith in this article at all.
Geek Squad circa 2013 offered new phones not refurbs. no deductable and such… I’ve never had an issue with them but you get refurbs now and there are rather large deductables.
I agree I don’t know how they are #4 but then there isn’t a lot of companies doing this…
Asurion is absolutely the worst company to work with.
The article is not accurate for SquareTrade with respect to Costco plan pricing…I was just in Costco yesterday and they charged $119 for the 2-year plan.
That is because you are getting the club membership price. Sam’s Club, BJ’s, and Costco get a club membership price. Different from other people. It’s an added benefit.
Asurion is absolutely the worst company to work with. Horrible service representatives that misquote coverage and misdirect customers.
Highest deductible in the market. Awful!
Agree, $200 deductible cost me $200 at the apple store to fix it. Just silly!
Protect Your Bubble as of 4/17/16: We’re Sorry! Protect Your Bubble is not currently issuing new protection plan policies in the US. However, we are still offering support and assistance to all existing US protection plan customers.
Actually they are not offering support. My billing info was out of date as of a month ago and I can neither update it nor get answers.
There is a mistake on your article under “Protect Your Bubble.” Below you state they COVER LOSS AND THEFT, and toward the bottom under “What the Plan Covers”, it says they are not covered. Just a heads up, so not sure which is correct…
Protect Your Bubble covers loss and theft – and it can also be purchased within 12 months of buying your smartphone, as long as the phone is still under warranty (most plans only give you 30 days). You can also get money off when you add an additional plan if you want to buy one for a family member. The biggest drawback of the plan is its $150 deductible for iPhones.
Price: Starts $5.99/month Deductible: $75 for basic phones; $150 for smartphones; $150 for iPhones Coverage Length: 2 years Number of Replacements Allowed: 2 per year Time to add the program: Within 12 months of purchase, as long as the phone is still under warranty Note: We’ve read that there is conflicting info about this company’s fees. So be cautious and read the fine print as to what their deductibles are. They claim a $50 deductible for iPhone but $150 for Samsung smartphones.
What the Plan Covers
Loss: No Theft: No
I have had Protect your bubble for a little over a year now on a laptop, 3 cell phones, and my Kindle Fire. I dropped my Kindle and broke it and since they couldn’t replace it with a new one they sent me a check for $399 in a couple of days. But I received an email from this week saying all coverage in the US sends Sept. 30, 2016. I’m bummed.
SquareTrade is good. I once had an auto warranty through them, and on a device I had.
SquareTrade is the worst company ever. They USED to be good, but about 2 years or so ago, they stopped caring. I sent my device to them to get repaired for a minor issue (but warranty was ending and I had paid for it, so I figured why not), they decided they couldn’t fix it and instead of sending it back, scrapped it and then wouldn’t pay for an equivalent replacement, even though their contract says that that’s what they’ll do. I had to fight for a year to get them to do it. They are NOT worth the trouble.
I agree. They USED to be good. I’ve had them for close to 10 years with each of my new phones and never had a problem with claims service, until now (2017). They are just terrible. I think I will not get a warranty on any new phones from here on out and keep my old phone as a back-up in case I totally trash a new one. The deductibles on most plans are about the same as repairing a screen, which is what most of my claims have been anyway.
This is the absolute truth!! We have been with them since the beginning, they have the WORST care. Even their products are horrible. They sent us two stolen phones and two more that they never refurbished, so we had other peoples info!!
My Bubble does NOT cover theft. And the deductible is now $150 for androids. That’s a ridiculous deductible for not even covering theft.
Protect Your Bubble has a $50 deductible now. Guess they figured out $150 was unreasonable.
Loss and theft are not covered on protectmybubble.com according to their website and Rhino only covers iPhone’s at this time.
Asurion, used by AT&T and other cell phone providers is a FRAUD!!! Beware.
So true…terrible…ugh…..
agreed you can upgrade for the same price as the deductible!!!
Assurion is TOTAL CRAP
I am confused by reading all comments and article. Can someone point out one name which is the best now.
My one and a half year old smartphone suddenly went dead, for no apparent reason. I called Assurion and went through the voice activated claim system which said I had no claim since my phone wasn’t damaged, and there was no extended warranty coverage. I stayed on the line and a human came on. I explained things to her and she said, “Well you must have dropped it, right”. I’m sure I’ve dropped it previously I said. A new, (reconditioned I’m sure) phone arrived next day and was a newer model.
I will never use Asurion again. I did a claim for my daughters phone in December 2014. As soon as I did the claim my daughter informs me her phone is working. So I called them immediately to cancel and was told my claim has already been processed (mind you it was less than 5 minutes) and that I can refuse the package when it comes and everything will be taken care off. Well that was not the case. I saw on my January AT&T bill I was charged 99.00 so I called AT&T who transferred me to Asurion. They claimed they never received the phone back. Then I gave them the tracker number I had that said it was returned. Poof all of a sudden they found the phone. I was told I would receive my credit in 2 billing cycles. Which I think is ridiculous it didn’t take them two billing cycles to debit me. Well I currently looked at my bill and still have not been credited. Take to Asurion again which once again told me the phone wasn’t returned. I had to give them all the information again and once again poof they found all the information and saw where they started the process credit on Feb 9th. 2 1/2 weeks after I called them the first time. She was rude and told me I will probably not get my credit until May. So it takes them 6 months to pay me back what they had promised me I would not be charged.
Asurion is the pits. please get your own insiurance people!!!
which one is the best ??? I HATE asurion!!!
I would dispute the charge with my credit card company. If, or when, the money is truly refunded you can cancel the dispute.
Protect your Bubble has terrible customer service. They slow roll your claim hoping you will wear out and not follow through to get the service you paid for. I will never use them again and warn others not to also.
Danielle, that’s too bad. At this point, have you heard anything further from the company? I’m glad to reach out if you’d like. Just hit me up at info email address, if that makes sense.
I wonder if anyone but the owner of esuranty likes that company and has had any experience with that company….?
Phone stolen. Paid 200 for replacement and original was two weeks old. Got refurbished junk wouldn’t work. They sent replacement in less than 24 hours and it was new model S8. Less battery but new. 7 months past and police release other phone from evidence to me. No restitution, your getting your property back now and it is considered old. Verizon allowed me to put mothers land line to it and set up with full knowledge of phone history. Assurion refused to release it for use and want it back. They didn’t catch thief, go to court twice, and back to receive phone from police. Ridiculous!!! If lost or stolen you can only get it delisted within 15 days. If found must send back…
Was going to opt into Best Buy’s policy, but am now wondering if I should due to all the reviews. I might go with Worth Ave. They seem to be rated well with BBB. I checked into Essuranty.com, and anyone who goes with them needs to be careful! They are rated C+ with numerous complaints! Unbelievable!
Do not use Geek Squad warranty. They completely changed their policies. It will take two weeks to receive your replacement. One of the replacements I received didn’t even work. In total I was out of a phone for 4 weeks, then I cancelled my plan because I was so upset. They have the worst customer service, and its strictly online or over the phone. DO NOT use geek squad.
It appears that Protect You Bubble no longer covers loss or theft…. was about to buy a plan when I caught that in the fine print!
FYI eSURRANTY.com covers loss and theft!
If you can get them to answer the phone.
Thank you for that helpful info!!!!!
You are the owner of the company and you know that your company is completely Fraudulent. You steal the phones people send you. Anyone can research the internet and see the reviews of people you have defrauded.
We stumbled over here different page and thought I might check things out. I like what I see so now i am following you. Look forward to checking out your web page repeatedly.
You didn’t mention that Rhino currently does not cover Windows Phones, Android Phones, or Blackberries. So, um, yeah… there’s that.
The Geek Squad replacement limit is wrong… Replacements are UNLIMITED and no questions asked.. I had it for my last two smartphones, both of which I had replaced several times because I couldn’t stop dropping them.
Geek Squad just changed their entire replacement plan….. there’s now a $100.00 deductible and the limit is two replacements for the life of the plan
Deductible is $145.
I just paid $150 deductible for water damage thru geek squad . . just spilled on it not immersed so I think there is a few details wrong there!!
The best insurance for your mobile device is esurranty.com They have the lowest price, the most coverage available and the coverage starts the day you sign up. Not 30 days later like the one’s listed here. Also they offer monthly payments for only $4.99 per month and it includes loss and theft coverage as well.
Do Not Use eSurranty. Total SCAM company. Have paid my premiums for 3 years and have just now filed my first claim. Angelo Maimone will not return my phone calls. He lies. He misrepresents. He is a smooth talking, unethical, liar. How he sleeps at night is beyond me. Someone needs to shut his company, eSurranty, down!!
FRAUDULENT COMPANY BEING PROMOTED BY THE CEO.
Please note that as September 1st 2013 Geek Squad changed their terms and conditions – You need to pay a deductible of $150 – that holds for the next 2 incidents. Here is the new text on pg 3.
“…You will pay a $49.99 service fee for each claim submitted under this Plan that is not covered under a manufacturer’s warranty on a feature phone and a $149.99 service fee for each claim submitted under this Plan that is not covered under a manufacturer’s warranty on a smartphone or iPhone. You are limited to 3 claim submissions after which our obligations under this Plan will be fulfilled in their entirety…”
Thank you for the heads up. Best buy would be the easiest option but $150 deductible is ridiculous
Just an update. Geeksquad [BestBuy] is now $10.99/mo and the ded for smartphones is $199
While this is informative, and a great comparison of plans, it should include ease of claim info. For example, Protect Your Bubble gets top reviews and 5 stars for ease of registration and payment but consistently gets 1 star ratings for claims resolution saying the insurance is WORTHLESS.
