[tetMitshisk]

Generally seeking advice...

What I'm mainly after is some kind of mobile phone insurance.
As I recently got a new phone, at first I had my phone provider and such try and convince me to give them a load of money for phone insurance but my scapegoat was that my bank account covered it (and that always shut them up).

The truth is though, my bank doesn't cover it as I don't have that kind of account.
I'm with Natwest and just have a current account, e-ISA and credit card. Natwest offer a 'silver account' for £8 a month that gives you...

Phone insurance up to £750
Travel insurance
Extra security
Some free music downloads and film rentals each month
(full list here)

So for £8 it's not too bad, I don't really want to spend much more on that. The ideal thing is the phone insurance but the travel insurance is pretty good too. As for the free downloads - I doubt I'll use them.

Does anyone else have such an account? Are they worth doing? Are there strings attached? I'm looking to see if you can downgrade back to a normal account simply but it doesn't say. (In case I move back to Japan, I don't want to be stuck paying for this every month).

Any advice / suggestions?

[CIAFreeAgent]

Yeah, I was thinking about it with LloydsTSB as they will cover my phone and give European travel insurance and AA breakdown cover for £10 a month. But a) I'm not going on holiday to Europe, b) I don't drive and c) £10 a month seems a bit absurd for just phone insurance on a £300 phone.

However, read the small print on the insurance first; see what they will and won't cover and read reviews online about any possible difficulties with actually claiming and whether they're quick with paying out/new item and whether they try and blame you and not pay out. Generally, take insurance/protection with a grain of salt.

[Yinekol]

Yeah, I was thinking about it with LloydsTSB as they will cover my phone and give European travel insurance and AA breakdown cover for £10 a month. But a) I'm not going on holiday to Europe, b) I don't drive and c) £10 a month seems a bit absurd for just phone insurance on a £300 phone.

However, read the small print on the insurance first; see what they will and won't cover and read reviews online about any possible difficulties with actually claiming and whether they're quick with paying out/new item and whether they try and blame you and not pay out. Generally, take insurance/protection with a grain of salt.

I think the Gold plan with Natwest has break-down cover and host of other benefits for £12 a month but I already have RAC breakdown cover (somehow).
The Travel insurance seems quite good, and it includes winter sports too (which is when most accidents happen).
I thought of adding my gf on to my account because she'd get her phone covered and have travel insurance too but then I thought ... no.

[PhilipBartew]

I think the Gold plan with Natwest has break-down cover and host of other benefits for £12 a month but I already have RAC breakdown cover (somehow).
The Travel insurance seems quite good, and it includes winter sports too (which is when most accidents happen).
I thought of adding my gf on to my account because she'd get her phone covered and have travel insurance too but then I thought ... no.

Yeah, it can be worthwhile as you can simplify everything. If you can save money by cancelling contracts with RAC, current phone insurance, and take at least 1 holiday to Europe a year, it's good value. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother unless insurance covers accidental damage - the kind you do when smashed in the pub.

[interbaoui]

Yeah, I was thinking about it with LloydsTSB as they will cover my phone and give European travel insurance and AA breakdown cover for £10 a month. But a) I'm not going on holiday to Europe, b) I don't drive and c) £10 a month seems a bit absurd for just phone insurance on a £300 phone.

However, read the small print on the insurance first; see what they will and won't cover and read reviews online about any possible difficulties with actually claiming and whether they're quick with paying out/new item and whether they try and blame you and not pay out. Generally, take insurance/protection with a grain of salt.

I've got the LloydsTSB platinum account and the insurances and service are ****ing useless, they're provided by a company called lifestyle services group.

• I had a roof malfunction on my Focus CC ( it got stuck half open ) I phoned and asked for a recovery, it was 3 hours before I got a call from a AA guy asking whereabouts I was. I went apeshit at him and he told me that he'd just received the callout 40 minutes prior and that it was LSG who had not passed it on.
• I made a claim for my Galaxy s2, filled all the paperwork out and sent it off, a week later they advised me they had no s2's in stock and offered me a HTC sensation. I refused this and said I'd rather wait for s2's to come into stock, another 7 days past and I had a phone call saying as they were getting no stock they'd give me a cash settlement and they'd let me know on a value. a couple of days later I had a offer.......£300 I phoned them and asked how they came to this figure as their policy states an equal spec or better phone ( recon or new ), they advised me that the value was an average figure from amazon market place of new/recon phones. I told the advisor that this was a load of crap as the average value for new/recons was around £380 and what they quoted me was for second hand good condition. Needless to say I refused this and had a phone call a few days later offering a revised payment of £380 that would be paid into my account within 5 days. While not amazingly happy with this I was atleast satisfied, Only problem was 8 days later the money was still not in my bank account. I've since been in contact with them again and been advised that the advisor " forgot " to action the payment and as such they've promised me an extra £50 for my troubles. It's been nearly a week again and I'm still waiting...........

As the main reason I got this account was for the worldwide travel insurance I'm wondering how good it is on the basis that 2 of the other services I've used on the account are total pants.

[chadnezzrr]

I've got the Natwest Advantage Gold account. It's £12.95 a month and I originally got it because O2 wanted £15 a month for mobile phone insurance. I've got that on my home insurance now, but I still benefit from the extended warranty and travel insurance.

I'm not sure if it's still worth having but I haven't found the time to work that out yet.

[PharmaDrMan]

The thing about insuring small items like phones or laptops is, that it is always better to cover the risk yourself with holding liquidity, here is why:

You pay for all the careless people making claims.

It is always a pain in the ass to deal with insurance companies for above reason.

[SHaEFU0i]

It is always a pain in the ass to deal with insurance companies for above reason.

I've made four or five claims in the last 10-15 years and never had a problem. A couple of times they have tried to dispute the claim but have always paid up in the end. A lot of people just accept their first offer and then moan that they didn't get what they should have.

[deermealec]

I've made four or five claims in the last 10-15 years and never had a problem. A couple of times they have tried to dispute the claim but have always paid up in the end. A lot of people just accept their first offer and then moan that they didn't get what they should have.

I think many people just spend weeks or months disputing claims that the insurers don't want to pay out/rescind insurance due to x clause or blame. Then when they finally win thank the gods and take it. Then moan

[fd8IIys2]

There's nothing wrong with a decent "standalone" phone insurance policy, some of the better ones will even get a replacement out to you within 24 hours.
The bundled free ones are lacking in my experience.

[goatteatromiag]

I've just got my HTC Desire fixed through my LLoyds TSB insurance, I have a Platinum card and think ti's £17 quid per month? covers travel insurance, two phones blah blah, and both me and the Missus... think it's a bargain overall and I've had two phone fixed now and also used the AA Cover twice... result. Strange that earlier someone poasted the Lloyds was rubbish, they've been awesome with me four times now!

[hoarrimilsora]

I've just got my HTC Desire fixed through my LLoyds TSB insurance, I have a Platinum card and think ti's £17 quid per month? covers travel insurance, two phones blah blah, and both me and the Missus... think it's a bargain overall and I've had two phone fixed now and also used the AA Cover twice... result. Strange that earlier someone poasted the Lloyds was rubbish, they've been awesome with me four times now!

They must just hate me.......

[gogoleanylinkfo]

When my bank was bought by a bigger bank last year (Wachovia to Wells Fargo), they politely informed me that I would no longer be receiving reward points for my business account. That's close to $7,000 a year I will no longer receive.

[myspacecoo]

When my bank was bought by a bigger bank last year (Wachovia to Wells Fargo), they politely informed me that I would no longer be receiving reward points for my business account. That's close to $7,000 a year I will no longer receive.

Have you checked out to see what other banks are offering for your business's business? As it's a healthy account, they're more likely to give you 'incentives' to change - if needed, you could keep a holding account in the current bank.
Then you can send them a 'polite' letter explaining why you're transferring your business.


BTW, how many of you guys have a full backup of what you've got on the 'phone and how often is it backed up? Seems the 'phone itself could be relatively minor compared to what was on it - and how many lock it to prevent others accessing what might be on it?

[katetomson]

If I go ahead and upgrade to silver is there anyway to go back to a regular account sometime in the future?
Also - will they give me a new card? (I hate having to update the details of my new card whenever mine expires, especially on places like paypal).

[Yessaniloas]

BTW, how many of you guys have a full backup of what you've got on the 'phone and how often is it backed up? Seems the 'phone itself could be relatively minor compared to what was on it - and how many lock it to prevent others accessing what might be on it?

I imagine most people on here have a smartphone which backs up ever time it's plugged in / synced.

[ceagstuntee]

If I go ahead and upgrade to silver is there anyway to go back to a regular account sometime in the future?
Also - will they give me a new card? (I hate having to update the details of my new card whenever mine expires, especially on places like paypal).

Yeah you can, I upgraded to silver account a few months ago for the lovefilm rentals and mobile cover.

You keep your existing card and account / sort number the same as before nothing really changes apart from benefits.

If you just pop into a branch at anytime they can "downgrade" your account back to a current plus which is what I assume you held before?

[Romarionsion]

Yeah you can, I upgraded to silver account a few months ago for the lovefilm rentals and mobile cover.

You keep your existing card and account / sort number the same as before nothing really changes apart from benefits.

If you just pop into a branch at anytime they can "downgrade" your account back to a current plus which is what I assume you held before?

Yeah, just a current account.
Thanks for the info - how are you finding the Silver account?

[KlaraNovikoffaZ]

Before assuming you can just switch your account back, check whether there's a minimum term contract for the "upgrade".

I can't see anything on the LTSB site, but the "£x for the first 2 months, £y thereafter" implies a contract.

[gogFloark]

Before assuming you can just switch your account back, check whether there's a minimum term contract for the "upgrade".

I can't see anything on the LTSB site, but the "£x for the first 2 months, £y thereafter" implies a contract.

I've trawled everywhere and compared my current account with Silver in my account and there's nothing that implies minimum term; it looks to be a rolling contract. I don't want to click Upgrade Now, assuming there will be the Terms and Conditions page, because there may not and it may just upgrade.

Anyway, Ginjarou is with Natwest so this is all moot with regards to him.