Please Note - If you are cruising around Australia you need to select Pacific.
With Regions, variances can apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East.
You are not required to enter stop-over countries if your stop-over is less than 48 hours.
Own an iPhone, smartphone, or other mobile phone? These days, mobile phones aren't optional travel accessories - they're essential tools for getting around, discovering new attractions, and contacting family back home. Not sure about the mobile phone coverage with your travel insurance? We're here to help.
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies include coverage for luggage and personal effects, including mobile phones, and the coverage tends to be capped to around $750-$1500 per item whether you have the latest iPhone, a trusty Android smartphone, or are still using your flip phone from 2006. These benefits cover theft, damage, and loss of mobile phones in a range of circumstances.
Given that they are both fragile and expensive gadgets, many insurers have exclusions for when they will cover mobile phones. Many don't cover for electronics failures (consider requesting a non-faulty replacement from your manufacturer), while others exclude cover for cracked screens or water damage. Generally speaking, there are no insurers who cover mobile phones if you check them into your luggage on an airline - so keeping it with on the plane can be a good idea.
Insurer | Underwriter | Limit | Conditions | Buy Now |
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Certain underwriters at Lloyd's | $1,000 | ![]() |
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Chubb Insurance Australia Limited | $1,500 (international Ultimate plan) | ![]() |
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Auto and General | $3,000 | ![]() |
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Certain underwriters at Lloyd's | $750 | ![]() |
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Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd | $1,000 | ![]() |
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Mitsui Sumitomo | $3,000 | ![]() |
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Allianz Australia Insurance Limited |
$1,000 | ![]() |
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Certain underwriters at Lloyd's | $1,000 | ![]() |
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Mitsui Sumitomo | $3,000 | ![]() |
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Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company | $500 | ![]() |
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Allianz Australia Insurance Limited |
$1,000 | ![]() |
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Certain underwriters at Lloyd's | $1,000 | ![]() |
Spent some significant money on your iPhone or other smartphone? It's important to be aware of how depreciation affects your claim. Unless your travel insurance policy says that it is an old-for-new or replacement value policy (these are very rare), your insurer will apply depreciation. This is a reduction in the value of the item of 2% or so per month you've owned the item. So if you're claiming for a two-year-old phone, you might only get back half what you paid for it, less any excess.
If you want to avoid depreciation, you may wish to consider looking for an insurer who offers high-value item coverage. For a small additional premium, you can list items on your certificate of insurance which insures them up to their value and means depreciation does not apply. The total value of listed items is capped per the policy terms.
Some insurance companies will not cover a mobile phone, or device with phone capabilities like a tablet, if you are unable to supply the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity). You can typically find this on your original box, or on your original receipt when you purchased your phone or put it on contract. Contact your telecom provider for assistance.
It’s happened to all of us - an ill-fated fall has cracked our phone screen, or it’s been waterlogged in a bathtub or toilet. While the iPhone XS promises to be indestructible, very few phones can withstand a hard knock or splash. Many insurers restrict cover for phone screen cracks and damages - so make sure you do your research when shopping for insurance.
Failing to keep a close watch on your mobile phone may also invalidate your cover. Leaving your mobile behind in a taxi, hotel room, aeroplane or in an unlocked car, for instance, wouldn’t be covered by most insurance policies given the phone was left unattended in a public place.
Most insurers do not cover for damages or loss for items that were checked into the cargo hold of any transport carrier. So make sure you have your phone in your hand luggage.
Most policies will maintain that it is your responsibility to report theft or loss to the relevant authority (and your travel insurance provider) within 24 hours.
Without a receipt to prove that you own your mobile phone and when you purchased it or signed it up to a handset contract, you're unlikely to have a successful claim.
If you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when your smartphone went missing, your claim may not be paid out.
Claiming on your travel insurance for a stolen, lost or damaged mobile phone doesn't have to be difficult. Check your insurer's general exclusions and luggage and personal effects benefit sections, and then get your documentation together. You'll generally need:
Yes, many travel insurance policies cover for stolen, lost, or damaged mobile phones. However, many exclude electronics failure, water damage, or cracked screens, while some policies don't cover them at all. See our mobile coverage table for more information, and your insurer's policy documents.
You may be able to claim a lost phone on travel insurance, depending on your policy and the circumstances through which it was lost. Check out our luggage and personal effects benefits page to understand some of the different situations it would and wouldn't be covered, or click to learn more about claiming on your travel insurance.
Some policies do cover water damage to your phone, provided that you weren't being reckless with it, while other brands will specifically exclude any claims related to water damage of phones. Compare the prices of different travel insurance policies, and check the PDS before you buy if that's what you're looking for coverage for.
Yes, some brands cover cracked screens, while other travel cover brands specifically exclude it from their coverage. Check the policy exclusions on your insurance provider to be sure whether you can claim.
Yes, travel insurance generally covers for stolen mobile phones. You will generally have to have a police report filed within 24 hours of the theft, and you can't have left it behind or unattended in a public place. Learn more about coverage for stolen luggage and personal effects.
With a research and journalism background, and certified in Tier 2 General Insurance General Advice, Crystal is passionate about investigating customers’ tricky travel questions and helping them find the answers they’re looking for. A writer and filmmaker whose favourite trips have been to film festivals in Cuba and South Korea, and campervanning around the USA, she loves getting to know new people and seeing a glimpse of the world through their eyes.
Need some help? Use the search box below to find answers to all those tricky questions. We’ve got heaps of travel insurance tips to help you get the best policy for your upcoming holiday!
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