How to choose the right business mobile phone insurance
The effect that a damaged phone may have on your organization has increased dramatically as cell phones have progressed from simple communication tools to multifaceted wonder engines. In addition, as phones have advanced, the price of maintaining or replacing one has skyrocketed; the most recent models now cost over $1,000.
According to a recent Mintel poll, 24% more UK smartphone users had their screen damaged in the preceding two years, making broken phones shockingly prevalent. The chance of dropping your phone into water is greater, and because 57% of British use their phones when using the restroom, the percentage of phones shattered by being dropped into toilets is gradually rising.
However it happens, losing your business equipment might have major financial repercussions for your company. Breaking your private phone is annoying enough. A business telephone insurance plan is an excellent idea to protect against this danger, and you should consider it when selecting a mobile business network.
Here, we analyze the pricing, coverage provided, and any unique features of each of the three key UK networks’ business cellphone insurance plans (Vodafone, EE, and O2).
Vodafone business phone insurance
‘Business Damage and Breakdown Insurance’ and ‘Business Standard Insurance’ are Vodafone’s two entry-level business phone insurance plans. Below is a detailed breakdown of each of these:
- company Damage and Failure Insurance basically does whatever it says off the packet, protecting your company phones from damage and out-of-warranty failure, and costs £5 per device every month. You will receive a repaired or new phone in five days as normal (if you need it sooner, we can add the Vodafone Speedy service, which is covered below), and the excess price is £25 (£50 for all Apple devices). Both unlimited global coverage and authorized user coverage are supplied as usual. Additionally, there is £200 in accessory coverage, if the gadgets were also bought through Vodafone.
- Business Standard Insurance: This plan costs £9 per device per month and provides all the advantages mentioned above in addition to coverage for lost or stolen business phones. According to whether the phone has been dropped (in which scenario the usual five-day window is applicable) or lost/stolen (in the case you’ll receive a new device the following working day), the excess fee is £50 (including, for all devices). Again, you may add additional Vodafone Rapid service, which is covered below, if you need it sooner.
- Time is a constant reminder of the importance of business, according to Vodafone Rapid. With Vodafone Rapid, an offer that guarantees to bring you an alternative phone within thirty minutes of the complaint being approved, Vodafone has replied to this.
Rapid costs an additional £1 per device per month when added to any of the aforementioned plans, making Business Property and Breakdowns Insurance with Rapid £6 per device per month and Business Standard Insurance with Rapid £10 per device per month. Furthermore, Vodafone is so sure in this promise that they will reimburse you up to £40 for every hour that you wait for your new phone beyond the final hour of the shipment window.
There are a few restrictions in the Ts & Cs, but none are ridiculous. Vodafone only promises to try “to replace the handset with a like-for-like model” within four hours, albeit the new phone could not be the exact same model as your existing phone depending on availability. Your new phone can possibly be a reconditioned model.
Standard working hours for businesses apply to this service, therefore there is a cutoff time of 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and a cutoff time of 2 p.m. on Saturdays and qualifying weekends and holidays (the service isn’t offered on Sundays, the day after Christmas, Boxing Day, or New Year’s Day). Replacement devices may only be sent to UK addresses; they cannot be sent to outdoor sites like parks, festivals, or sporting events; also, some postcodes (mainly those in the Highlands and Islands) are ineligible. However, you can choose a different recipient for your new phone and have it delivered to any convenient location (other than your billing address). Finally, the Rapid service does not apply to tablets like the iPad.
You only have the right to make claims under any Vodafone business insurance policy three times every calendar year; after that, your coverage expires.
Conclusion: For entrepreneurs with small enterprises, Vodafone enterprise mobile phone protection is a wonderful alternative. The Rapid service is especially tempting to those who can’t go without their phones for too long. The ordinary plans are likewise competitively priced, thanks to the flat charge structure serving those insuring more expensive equipment particularly well.
EE business phone insurance
The two business cellphone insurance plans from EE, “Damage Cover” and “Full Cover,” are similar to those from Vodafone. The whole breakdown may be found below.
- Damage Cover – This coverage protects your business phone(s) from unintentional damage and recognized malfunctions for the first two years. The price varies depending on the value of the insured device(s), ranging from £4 per item per month for a budget cellphone like the Samsung A7, Huawei P8 Lite, or iPhone SE to £9 per item per month for an expensive handset like Samsung’s Galaxy S10. An upgraded new phone will be delivered to your location the next business day, and you are automatically given global coverage and the option to add authorized users. The amount of the extra payable ranges from £40 up to £120 contingent upon the phone in issue.
- All the advantages of Damage Cover are included in the Full Cover plan, which also includes coverage for loss and theft. Again, the price varies depending on the item(s) being covered; for example, a lower-spec gadget would cost £8 per month, while a premium phone might cost £12.5 per month. Excess payable is the same as Damage Cover in terms of range (£40 to £120), and replacement time (next-day distribution of a repaired model) is likewise the same.
The more devices you insure on EE, the more you might save thanks to the multiple smartphone discount that EE offers, which is effectively a bulk buying discount. Following is a breakdown:
- 10% off each covered device for 2 to 9 goods
- 15% off each covered gadget for 10 to 19 goods
- twenty or more insured goods 20% off for each covered device
- Need to Know: EE’s Damage Cover permits an infinite number of claims, whereas the Full Cover permits an unlimited number of damage claims but only two acceptable claims for lost or stolen property each rolling 12-month period. Customers who sign up for Pay Daily contracts and insurance for certain phones and are both new and upgrading are also qualified to get a free accessory package.
- Verdict: Larger firms that can fully benefit from the multiple-device discount may find EE’s corporate cellphone insurance plans to be very alluring. Due to its affordable pricing and quick service, EE additionally makes a fantastic choice for businesses looking to insure lower-priced phones. Businesses that insure more expensive equipment, however, will find better deals elsewhere.
O2 business phone insurance
O2 provides “Damage Cover” and “Full Cover” policies for its corporate mobile phone insurance, which is offered under the same conditions as its customer mobile phone insurance.
- Damage Cover – This coverage guards your phone against unintentional damage and technical issues that are over the warranty period. A basic model costs £3 per gadget per month, while a high-end smartphone costs £9 per item per month. The price varies based on the worth of the phone(s) to be insured. The excess can vary as well, with O2 using a dual-tier system that lets the claimant select whether they want a new phone delivered the very next day or after 3-5 days. Next-day excesses are usually between £25 and £90, while those for three to five days vary from £10 to £60. The policy additionally covers £300 of accessories bought from O2 that break on exactly the same day as the device and includes worldwide coverage as standard. Any customer with authorization on the account may also submit a claim.
- Full Cover – O2’s full cover extends the above-discussed damage cover policy’s safeguarding against loss and theft. Naturally, it also has higher premiums, ranging from £6 per item per month for a phone with less functionality to £15 per device/month for a model with cutting-edge technology. 3-5 day excesses run from £10 to £60, and next-day excesses range from £25 to £90 since excess fees are identical to damage cover fees.
- Need to Know: O2’s next-day replacement policy has several restrictions, although none are very uncommon. The service is not offered in Northern Ireland, however, or in certain postcodes in Scotland, the Highlands, Guernsey, the Isle of Humans, and the Scilly Isles, and the weekday cutoff time is 7 pm. Sundays as well as national holidays are also not included. Additionally, substitutes can come from reconditioned stock.
Verdict
O2’s corporate mobile phone insurance plans feature relatively affordable base premiums, making them a fantastic choice for organizations who wish to cover less expensive equipment. When filing a claim, you also have the option of selecting the excess amount to be paid and the delivery window. For small company owners, your choice is probably influenced by your financial position and operational requirements. The higher end of the spectrum, however, is where other suppliers excel.
