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Repair shop or insurance claim? How to decide

If your phone is insured, claiming is not always the best value. Compare the excess, the wait and the effect on future premiums with the cost of a repair.

1 min readBy the Wepairs team

A smartphone next to a credit card, seen from above

Gadget insurance, network insurance and some home contents policies cover phones. When your screen cracks, it is natural to think of claiming. Sometimes that is right, and sometimes a direct repair is cheaper and faster.

Compare the real costs

  • The excess you pay on a claim
  • Whether a claim affects your premium or no-claims history
  • How long you would be without the phone
  • Whether the insurer repairs, replaces with refurbished stock or pays out

When a repair often makes sense

  • The repair costs less than, or close to, the excess
  • You need the phone back the same day
  • You want to keep your own phone rather than receive a replacement
  • The damage is minor, like a battery or charging port

When a claim often makes sense

  • The phone is badly damaged, lost or stolen
  • The repair would cost much more than the excess
  • Several parts are damaged at once

Check your policy terms

Some policies have conditions about using independent repairers. Read your policy or ask your insurer before booking a repair if you might claim later. A free diagnostic gives you an exact repair price to compare against.

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