Best Phone Insurance of 2026: We Compared 9 Plans by Contract, Complaints and Price

What is the best phone insurance for each case?

The best phone insurance is the one that covers what is most likely to happen to you, at a price you can keep paying. Based on what each plan’s contract said on October 12, 2026, these are our picks for each case. The stars show each company’s Trustpilot rating, not a rating of ours.

• 
  Best for a phone you already ownAkko phone planInsurer: not clearly named by Akko4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Akko (777 reviews, October 2026)

  • Covers a lost phone
  • Any working phone
  • Up to 30 days of waiting

  It is the only plan here that accepts any working phone, new or used, and still covers a lost phone, once a year. It pays the shop or pays you, and it works worldwide. Akko does not clearly name the company that backs its payments, and theft claims need your Google location history.

• 
  Best carrier planVerizon Mobile ProtectInsurer: Liberty Insurance Underwriters4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Asurion, which handles Verizon and AT and T claims (October 2026)

  • No limit on claims
  • $0 screen repair
  • Deductible up to $279

  Among the three big carriers, Verizon’s plan has no limit on the number of claims, repairs eligible screens for $0 and is insured by the company with the lowest NAIC complaint index on this list, 0.13. You need a Verizon postpaid line, and replacements are often refurbished.

• 
  Best for theft coverage on any phoneWorth Ave. Group cell phone insuranceInsurer: Allmerica Financial Benefit Insurance Company4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Worth Ave. Group (October 2026)

  • Insurance policy
  • Worldwide
  • No lost phone coverage

  An insurance policy for any phone you own, bought at any time, with no limit on claims and coverage worldwide. Theft is covered, but a lost phone is not. Progressive sells this same product.

• 
  Best for a new iPhoneAppleCare+ with Theft and LossInsurer: New Hampshire Insurance Company (AIG)1.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Apple as a whole, not only AppleCare (October 2026)

  • Theft and loss
  • $29 screen repair
  • Only within 60 days of purchase

  Covers theft and loss up to twice a year, with a $149 deductible, and screen repairs for $29. Its insurer, New Hampshire Insurance Company, has a NAIC complaint index of 0.61, below the national average of 1.00. Find My must be on for a theft or loss claim.

• 
  Best for a new GalaxySamsung Care+ with Theft and LossInsurer: Technology Insurance Company1.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Samsung Care+ (193 reviews, October 2026)

  • $0 screen repair
  • 3 theft or loss claims a year
  • Theft and loss only in the US and Canada

  Screen repairs cost nothing, and you get up to three theft or loss claims a year with no waiting period. Knox Guard must be turned on, and the Trustpilot rating of Samsung Care+ is low, at 1.2 out of 5.

AT and T, T-Mobile, Allstate and GEICO are in the full comparison below. Each has a rule that weighed against it in these cases: replacement deductibles up to $400 at AT and T, theft or loss deductibles up to $449 and an insurer with a high complaint index at T-Mobile, and no theft or loss coverage at Allstate or GEICO.

• For travel outside the USCover incidents abroadLimited to North America

  Some plans that cover you abroad still process the claim in the US, and the carriers ship replacements only to US addresses. AppleCare+ can ship a theft or loss replacement to 20 countries. Allstate reimburses repairs made during a trip, but it does not cover theft or loss anywhere.

If you are still deciding whether you need phone insurance at all, our guide is phone insurance worth it? does that math. And before you buy any plan, check whether a credit card you already use covers your phone, as explained further down this page.

Phone insurance compared: what each plan covers

The table sums up what each phone insurance plan promises in its contract, checked against the terms and official pages on October 12, 2026. Deductibles, how each plan pays and the other rules are in the plan sheets below. We did not request any quote that asks for personal data.

The company in parentheses is the insurer that pays theft and loss claims, not the carrier or brand that sells the plan. For Allstate and GEICO, which sell service contracts, it is the insurer that backs the contract. You can look up an insurer’s complaint record on the NAIC consumer information page.

Verizon Mobile Protect

4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Asurion, which handles Verizon and AT and T claims (October 2026)

Only for Verizon postpaid lines, within 30 days of activating or upgrading a phone, or in the open enrollment window that runs until November 1, 2026. $16 or $19 a month for one phone. A phone handed over to a scammer is excluded. Fee of up to $300 if the old phone is not returned.

Insurer: Liberty Insurance Underwriters. Source: brochure and policy of March 2025.

AT and T Protect Advantage

4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Asurion, which handles Verizon and AT and T claims (October 2026)

Only for AT and T customers, within 30 days of activation or upgrade, or in an open enrollment period. $16, $19 or $25 a month, or $50 for up to 4 devices ($55 from November 17, 2026). Fee of up to $850 if the old phone is not returned.

Insurer: Continental Casualty Company (CNA). Source: terms since October 20, 2025.

Akko phone plan

4.6 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Akko (777 reviews, October 2026)

Accepts any phone, new or used, if it works and has no damage. Waiting period of up to 30 days, and no limit on the number of claims. $4.99 to $14.99 a month. Akko says it is not an insurer: its contract names a reimbursement policy from Victoria Corporate Limited, and its website names Elite Risk Insurance Solutions.

Insurer: not clearly named by Akko. Source: plan terms and conditions.

Worth Ave. Group cell phone insurance

4.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Worth Ave. Group (October 2026)

An insurance policy for a phone that is new, renewed or one you have had for a while, bought at any time, with any carrier. No limit on the number of claims. Progressive refers customers to this same product, with plans from $8 a month, according to Progressive.

Insurer: Allmerica Financial Benefit Insurance Company. Source: policy booklet.

T-Mobile Protection 360

4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Assurant, which handles T-Mobile claims (October 2026)

Only for T-Mobile customers. A phone you bring, or enroll after buying, must pass an inspection and goes into Tier 5: $19 a month and a $224 theft or loss deductible. Monthly price from $7 to $26. A phone handed over to a scammer is excluded.

Insurer: American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida. Source: brochure of March 2026.

Allstate Phone Protection Plus

4.1 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Allstate Protection Plans, formerly SquareTrade (October 2026)

A service contract, not insurance. Any working phone of any age, with any carrier. $12.99 a month for one phone or $24.99 for up to 4. Up to 4 claims on the single phone plan. We read the standard terms from 2019; the phone plan’s own terms are sent by email after purchase.

Insurer: Allstate Insurance Company, which backs the service contract. Source: phone plan FAQ and standard terms.

GEICO Mobile Device Protection

4.0 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Warranty Life, which handles GEICO plan claims (October 2026)

Sold by GEICO through Warranty Life, as a service contract. $10 a month. Up to 2 repairs every 12 months. The contract has a 60-day waiting period, waived if you register the phone in the app and it passes a test; the GEICO page says 30 days. In some states another insurer backs the contract.

Insurer: Lyndon Southern Insurance Company, which backs the service contract. Source: service contract of March 2026.

AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss

1.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Apple as a whole, not only AppleCare (October 2026)

Only for an iPhone bought new from Apple or an authorized reseller, within 60 days of purchase. For an iPhone you already own, AppleCare One ($19.99 a month for up to 3 devices) accepts devices up to 4 years old after a check. A phone you hand over to someone who tricked you is not covered.

Insurer: New Hampshire Insurance Company (AIG). Source: program summary and disclosure of September 2026.

Samsung Care+ with Theft and Loss

1.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot, the rating of Samsung Care+ (193 reviews, October 2026)

Theft and loss coverage needs enrollment within 60 days of buying the phone. The plan sold between 61 and 365 days after purchase is, by its own document, repair only, which the sales page does not make clear. No waiting period. $8 to $18 a month.

Insurer: Technology Insurance Company. Source: terms since August 22, 2026.

Which phone insurance covers theft and a lost phone?

AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, Samsung Care+ with Theft and Loss and the Verizon, AT and T and T-Mobile plans cover both theft and a lost phone. Akko covers theft, and a lost phone once a year. Worth Ave. Group covers theft but not loss. Allstate and GEICO cover neither, and credit card benefits do not cover a lost phone.

None of the phone insurance contracts we read treats a phone taken by force differently from one taken from a pocket without the owner noticing: both count as theft. The line that matters in the US is between theft and loss. Theft is when someone takes the phone. Loss, which contracts also call “mysterious disappearance”, is when the phone is gone and you don’t know how. A plan that covers only theft can refuse the claim when you can’t say the phone was stolen.

Before you count on a theft or loss claim, check these rules:

• Tracking turned on: Apple requires Find My to be on when the phone goes missing and throughout the claim. Samsung requires Knox Guard. Akko asks you to share your Google location timeline and says Find My alone is not enough.
• Police report: Akko and Worth Ave. Group require you to report a theft to the police right away. Apple, Samsung, Verizon and AT and T may ask for a report or a case number.
• Phone left in a car: Akko and Worth Ave. Group cover it only if the car was locked and broken into.
• Phone handed over to a scammer: Apple, Samsung, Verizon and T-Mobile exclude a phone you give to someone yourself, even when that person tricked you. We did not find this exclusion in the AT and T certificate.

Whatever plan you have, tell your carrier right away so it can suspend the line. Our guide on how to lock a stolen phone shows the steps in order.

Does phone insurance pay cash or replace the phone?

Most phone insurance replaces the phone, and the replacement is often refurbished, which means a used phone that was repaired and resold. Akko pays money as a rule, and Worth Ave. Group and GEICO can pay cash in some cases:

• Akko: pays the repair shop, or pays you by PayPal or virtual card, based on the replacement cost minus the deductible.
• Worth Ave. Group: repairs, replaces or reimburses you, based on the cost of a refurbished or new phone of like kind and quality.
• GEICO: repairs at an authorized shop. If the phone can’t be repaired, you choose between a similar phone and its market value in cash.
• AppleCare+: replaces it with a new iPhone or one made with new and used genuine Apple parts. No cash, though the insurer may offer a gift card.
• Samsung Care+: a new or refurbished phone, or a comparable model if yours is not available.
• Verizon, AT and T and T-Mobile: repair, or a new or refurbished phone of like kind and quality, which can be a different brand, model or color. T-Mobile can also give an account credit or cash.
• Allstate: repair, replacement, cash or a gift card, as the company chooses.

Refurbished replacements are the most common complaint about carrier plans in the Reddit threads we read from 2024 on. Five T-Mobile customers describe replacements that arrived in poor condition, and two Verizon customers describe a worse or faulty phone, while others say a new phone arrived the next day. Carrier plans also charge a fee if you don’t send the old phone back: up to $300 at Verizon, up to $850 at AT and T and up to the value of the replacement at T-Mobile. Some customers say they were charged even after returning it, so hand it in at the post office counter and keep the receipt.

How much does phone insurance cost?

By the published prices, phone insurance in the US costs from $4.99 to $26 a month for one phone, depending on the phone and the plan. The deductible matters as much as the monthly price: the highest theft or loss deductibles reach $279 at Verizon, $400 at AT and T and $449 at T-Mobile.

Published prices, on October 12, 2026:

Carrier prices depend on the tier the carrier gives your phone, and the most expensive phones sit in the highest tiers. At T-Mobile, a phone you bring from another store goes into Tier 5: $19 a month and a $224 theft or loss deductible.

What customers say they pay: we read Reddit posts from 2024 on. Only a few of them say what the person pays and for which phone, almost always one that cost more than $1,000, so they give an idea, not a price list. Carrier plans come up at about $17 to $19 a month for an expensive phone, and AppleCare+ at $13 to $15. The replacement deductibles people report range from $99 to $500, depending on the carrier and the phone.

Does your credit card already cover your phone?

Some credit cards cover your phone at no extra cost when you pay your monthly phone bill with the card. It is a card benefit, not a separate plan, and its rules are tighter than those of phone insurance:

• it covers damage and theft, but not a lost phone;
• coverage starts the month after you pay the bill with the card;
• it is secondary coverage, so it pays only what other insurance does not;
• a theft needs a police report, usually within 48 hours;
• prepaid phone plans are usually left out.

Cards with cell phone protection, by each issuer’s terms on October 12, 2026:

On the American Express Platinum, a cracked screen is covered, and the replacement phone must be bought from a carrier’s store. Card benefits also change: Chase removed cell phone protection from the Freedom Flex on September 20, 2026, according to U.S. News, and the U.S. Bank Altitude Go page no longer lists it. Before you rely on a card, ask the issuer for its current Guide to Benefits. A limit of $600 may not cover an expensive phone, so a card works best as protection against a cracked screen or as a backup.

Which phone insurance companies get the fewest complaints?

Liberty Insurance Underwriters, Verizon’s insurer, has the lowest NAIC complaint index among the insurers on this list, and American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida, T-Mobile’s insurer, one of the highest. On Trustpilot, the companies that handle carrier claims, Asurion and Assurant, score well, while Apple and Samsung score low.

We used two sources because each shows a different part. The NAIC Complaint Information System counts closed, confirmed complaints reported by state insurance departments. Its complaint index compares an insurer’s share of complaints with its share of premiums, and the national average is always 1.00, so a lower number means fewer complaints for the insurer’s size. Trustpilot is the review site with the most reviews for these companies, on a scale of 1 to 5. We read both on October 12, 2026.

Why the numbers don’t match: the NAIC index covers every line an insurer sells, from homes to cars, and not only phone insurance. Most complaints against American Bankers, for example, come from homeowners and renters insurance. The NAIC has no index for phone insurance alone, so the third column counts complaints filed under inland marine, the line where phone coverage usually falls. The NAIC also leaves out service contracts, which is how Apple, Samsung and the carriers handle damage repairs, and it leaves out Akko, which is not an insurer. Trustpilot rates the company that handles the claim, which is often an administrator such as Asurion or Assurant and not the insurer. Asurion, Assurant and Worth Ave. Group invite their customers to leave reviews, while the Apple and Samsung pages rate the whole company and collect mostly complaints. GEICO’s plan is backed by other insurers in some states.

Neither source shows how many claims were paid without trouble, because people who complain are the ones who had a problem.

How many times can you file a phone insurance claim?

Most phone insurance limits theft and loss claims to a few every 12 months, while damage claims are often unlimited. The limits change from plan to plan:

• Verizon and AT and T: no limit on the number of claims, up to $3,000 per claim at Verizon and $3,500 at AT and T.
• T-Mobile: 5 theft or loss claims in any rolling 12 months; damage claims are unlimited.
• Samsung Care+: 3 theft or loss claims every 12 months, up to $2,500 each. When you reach the limit, the coverage ends.
• AppleCare+: 2 theft or loss claims every 12 months; damage claims are unlimited. AppleCare One allows 3 a year on the individual plan, shared by all devices.
• Akko: no limit on the number of claims, but only one lost phone every 12 months.
• Worth Ave. Group: no limit on the number of claims.
• Allstate: up to 4 claims on the single phone plan.
• GEICO: 2 repairs every 12 months.

Each plan also has a deadline to file: 60 days after the incident at Apple, Samsung and AT and T, 90 days at Verizon and T-Mobile, and 30 days at GEICO. Keep your phone’s IMEI number written down, because the claim asks for it. Our guide shows how to find your IMEI, even after the phone is gone.

Why some phone insurance plans are not in the comparison

Plans that not everyone can buy, or whose current terms we could not confirm, were left out of the table:

• Google Pixel Care+ with Loss and Theft: only for Pixel phones, within 60 days of purchase. The terms we found list devices up to the Pixel 10, so we could not confirm the terms for the Pixel 11. The Google Store lists it at $11 a month for the Pixel 11, with a $79 theft or loss deductible.
• Upsie: owned by Akko since 2024. It covers damage but not theft or loss, and a phone bought more than 30 days earlier waits 90 days before the first claim.
• ProtectCELL: sold only through authorized dealers, along with a phone or a service.
• Progressive: it refers customers to Worth Ave. Group, which is in the comparison.
• Visible and Mint Mobile: Visible Protect can only be bought with a new phone, and the Allstate plan Mint offers does not cover loss or theft.
• Homeowners or renters insurance: it can cover a stolen phone, usually with a higher deductible. Our guides to renters insurance and homeowners insurance explain how personal property coverage works.

How we made this comparison

This page has no affiliate links, and no company paid to appear on it. We followed the method in our editorial policy:

• Who is in: phone insurance plans that anyone in the US can buy without buying a phone from the seller, the manufacturer plans for their own phones and the plans of the three big carriers for their customers, each with public terms.
• Criteria before companies: theft, loss, damage, deductibles, waiting period, claim limits, how the plan pays, who can sign up, price and complaints. We chose them from the most common questions about phone insurance before reading any contract.
• Contracts: we read the terms, certificates and official pages of each plan on October 12, 2026. When a sales page and a contract say different things, we point out the difference and follow the contract.
• Complaints: NAIC data, explained in the complaints section, next to the Trustpilot rating of the company that handles claims.
• Reports and videos: Reddit posts and YouTube videos helped us find problems that repeat and build the range of prices people report. Videos with a partner link of one of these companies in the description were left out.
• No quotes with personal data: prices and deductibles come from what each company publishes.

Prices and terms change. Before you buy, read the version of the terms the company shows at checkout.

Brands and logos belong to each company. We use them only to identify each plan, and none of the companies reviewed or approved this page.

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