Most cell phone carriers offer phone insurance to protect against damage, loss or component failure. With the high cost of iPhones and other brands of smartphones, this can seem like a good idea. However, the cost to cover your phone for replacement or repair can cost a $100 or more per year. Is this insurance worth the cost or would it be better to put that money away in case you need a repair?

Ten or more years ago, phone insurance was a good idea. If your cell phone stopped working or was damaged, you had no local options to get it fixed. Phone insurance was the only way to get your phone repaired or replaced without having to pay full retail on a new phone between upgrades. Times have changed. Now almost every mall has one or more cell phone repair places that can fix your cell phone on the spot. No sending your phone away or waiting on hold when you call to use your insurance. You can walk in to a repair shop and walk out in no time at all with a repaired phone.

Phone insurance has become almost obsolete. No one wants to switch over to an old phone for a week or longer while they wait for a new phone to come in the mail. There is also usually a deductible to pay on top of the monthly premium, so it can cost more than a local repair.

Skip the phone insurance and put that money in a piggy bank instead. If you do need a repair, you will have the money to get it fixed the same day. If you don’t, it will be money you can put toward your next upgrade when the time comes.

Posted on behalf of Cellairis