It should come as no surprise to anyone that mobile phone theft is on the rise. Without even considering statistics we can simply assess exactly what sort of devices people are carrying around with them these days. We’re not talking about a brick that you lift to your ear with difficulty, which can carry out a few simple tasks such as firing off text messages and making a phone call. We’re now dealing with pocket sized machines that can almost run our lives for us! We’re talking about something that fits in your palm, and packs as much power into it as your average home computer. Mobile phones of this era are incredible. You’re not just carrying a phone around with you. You’re probably holding on to a fantastic camera, a Wi-Fi enabled device which can connect to the internet in seconds, a portable calendar with a screen so sharp that it makes a £1000 flat screen TV look blurry! It’s no wonder thieves have targeted them!
Phones Aren’t Cheap!
Mobile phones cost a pretty penny. It’s easy to forget this, as many people get their phones free with not inexpensive long term contracts. However, if you’re unfortunate enough to lose or have your phone stolen, you will soon be reminded of just how costly they are. An iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S4 will cost you in the region of £500 to replace if you’re not protected.
How to Protect Your Phone
Of course, there are things you can do to minimise the likelihood of having your phone stolen. First of all, it’s sometimes purely about recognising how important it is to you, and understanding and respecting the fact that losing your phone is going to cost you. With this in your mind, you’re less likely to whip your phone out of your pocket as you walk home from a night out on the town, slightly the worse for wear, when you are ripe for the pickings from any would be thief of the night!
Secondly, you could invest in a killswitch app for your phone which makes it harder for any would be criminals to be able to use your phone once they have stolen it. Of course, this might not stop a criminal taking your phone in the first place, but if enough people took this action, then eventually mobile phones would be less of a target because it would be common knowledge that stealing a mobile phone rarely leads to being able to sell a fully functioning device on the black market at a later date.
Another way to help avoid theft of your mobile phone is to actually reign in the use of your phone to a degree. We have all become so reliant on our mobile phones, but do we really need it with us at all times? You should consider the places you are going and the situations you are likely to be in before you even decide whether or not you should be taking your phone with you. It seems like a hard line approach, but do you want to keep hold of your phone or not?
Get Insured!
It seems to us though, that there’s only really one thing you can do to make sure you have the protection you need when it comes to your phone, and that is investing in proper mobile phone insurance. If you are unfortunate enough to have your phone stolen, there’s unlikely to be a way to get your photos back, or any other data that is solely stored on the phone, but you can at least make sure you will be able to get your phone replaced if someone runs into the night with your precious device.
A quick glance at the Protect Your Bubble Mobile Insurance website will tell you just how easy it is to insure your phone, as well as how affordable. For just a few pounds a month you can actually start to relax when you have your phone on your person! You’ll really notice a difference if you have managed to insure your phone – you don’t have to worry about putting your phone down for a few seconds on a night out, and you won’t have to stand in a huddled corner making a secret phone call for fear of having someone swipe the device out of your hand anymore! Of course, it would still be a real pain for someone to take your phone from you, but with a good insurance policy you can expect the replacement of your phone to be a smooth and painless process.
So next time you see someone eyeing up your phone as you fish it out of your pocket, you might just consider getting some insurance, before it’s too late and your precious mobile phone is but a distant memory!
About the author:
Laura Ginn is a mobile phone afficionado like no other. When she’s not drooling over the latest handset, she’s probably downloading a new app!
