2U boast that a key benefit of their insurance is that they cover loss. Indeed they do. If you lose your phone and you have this 2U insurance they will cover you. You pay an excess of £50.

Why is the 2U policy rated so highly?
The 2U mobile phone insurance policy is a little more expensive than some others. But to be fair, it is a VERY good policy. They claim it is a "*cover-all*" policy that covers more than any other policy. Again, in fairness, it does. This is echoed by the

:-17/07/2004- Article by Julie Starr

"An alternative is to find an insurer that offers standalone mobile policies. An internet search will invariably throw up 2u.co.uk,(we are an affiliate) which covers mobile phones, including those with cameras, for £5.88 a month - cheaper than some mobile companies. The policy covers all the bases: theft, loss, water damage, rogue calls and accidental damage."


It is not outstanding in any one single area (apart from maybe a very good loss policy), so much as it does cover most elements that make up a good, protective phone insurance policy.
They cover up to £1000 for any one claim.

Water Damage
Yes, 2U cover you against water damage - something you'll appreciate when you drop your phone down the loo!

Theft
Of course, you're covered for theft. Theft claims have an excess of £25

Loss
2U cover against loss, and this is one of their key selling points. They have an excess of £50 on loss claims. If you lose your phone, its better to get something rather than nothing.

Fraudulent Calls
2U cover you for fraudulent calls that someone wracks up after they have stolen your phone, up to £100 (on top of the £400 they cover for the main claim). A key bonus here is that they expressly DO cover between when the phone is stolen, and when you report it stolen, so long as you report it to the Police within 24 hours. This is something a lot of other insurance companies do not do - they will claim they cover for fraudulent calls, but in the small print, will only cover calls made AFTER the phone has been reported stolen, ie AFTER the phone has been blocked by the network provider, when no call CAN be made!
So this is a good benefit with the 2U policy - they actually DO cover for fraudulent calls.

International Cover
From the 2U terms & Conditions - "This insurance only covers a mobile phone bought and used in the UK, the Isle of Man and The Channel Islands. Cover is extended to include use of the mobile phone anywhere in the world up to a maximum of 60 days in total, in any single 12 month period. Theft must be reported to the local police within 24 hours, and reported to the Service Provider within 12 hours, of discovery of the loss. If the mobile phone is damaged any repairs must be carried out in the UK by repairers approved by us. You must pay the first £75 of any claim for any theft, loss or damage under this extension."
... Which is better than most policies, which either don't offer international cover, or charge through the roof each month for it.

Extended Warrantee
2U cover you for general breakdown of the phone. Nothing special here - it should be in any worthwhile policy.

Accidental Damage
They will pay repair costs if your mobile phone is damaged as the result of an accident. If it cannot be repaired or if they decide it is not economical to repair (ie totally broken), they will replace it.


You can read the full 2U Mobile Phone Insurance Terms & Conditions  Mobile Phone Insurance Terms & Conditions

Other key factor to consider
 

  1. The cost of the policy - At £5.88 it is slightly more than some other policies, but most others do not cover loss. If you want to be as fully covered as possible, this is one of the best policies available.

     
  2. The underwriting company - The company behind 2U, Mobile Phone World Ltd, has been established for over 10 years, and the underwriters, National Insurance and Guarantee Corporation Ltd, are a massive multi-national company, with a turnover of hundreds of millions.

     
  3. The speed of the claims procedure - They promise to deal with every claim within 48 hours.

     
  4. Any no-claims bonuses? They give free batteries after 1 year, and a free upgrade after 2 years. To be honest, you will probably get a free upgrade from your network provider after 1 year, so this is nothing special. However, as an example, T-Mobile now have a policy of only giving free upgrades to customers who's average monthly spend is over £30.

     
  5. Different payment methods? They have online ordering, both by card, then setting up subsequent payments by Direct Debit, or they have the option to pay by Direct Debit only (cover is then delayed for 2-4 weeks until the Direct Debit is set up). They do not currently have phone ordering.

     
  6. Monthly or annual installments? They used to offer annual instalments, but now only offer monthly instalment payments.

     
  7. Excess Payable? £25 on all claims, except loss claims which have a £50 excess.

     

Summary.
2U.co.uk and its affiliates have a very respectable insurance policy. It has proved its worth, as it is selling VERY rapidly. They offer a very effective *cover-all* (their words) policy, at good value for money.