Phone insurance costs roughly $7 to $26 a month from the providers we checked, and the monthly price is only half of what you pay. Every plan also charges a fee each time you claim. For an iPhone, AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss is $12.99 to $14.99 a month on current models, with a $29 fee for a cracked screen and $149 for a lost or stolen phone. Verizon’s plan costs more per month and covers the same kinds of event.
Every figure below is from the provider’s own site, read on October 8, 2026.
The plans side by side
| Plan | Monthly price | Cracked screen | Loss or theft | Claim limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss | From $10.99. $12.99 for iPhone 17 | $29 | $149 | Unlimited damage repairs. Two theft or loss claims a year |
| Samsung Care+ with Theft and Loss | $10 or $15 for the Galaxy S26 series | $0 | $99 to $199 | Unlimited damage repairs. Three theft or loss claims in 12 months |
| Verizon Mobile Protect | $19 for one line | $0 on select phones | Not stated on the plan page | Unlimited |
| T-Mobile Protection 360 | $7 to $26, by device | By device | By device | Unlimited for damage |
AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss
Apple prices it per model. On the day we read the store pages it was $12.99 a month or $129.99 a year for iPhone 17, and $14.99 a month or $149.99 a year for iPhone Air and iPhone 18 Pro. Apple’s overview page gives the lowest tier as “from $10.99/mo. or $109.99/yr”.
The fees, from Apple’s fees page: “$29 for screen and back glass damage; $99 for other accidental damage; $149 for theft and loss”. A separate fee applies to each repair or replacement.
What it covers: “Unlimited repairs for accidents like drops and spills”, and “Theft and loss coverage for up to 2 claims every 12 months”. A battery that holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity is replaced at no extra fee.
If you own several Apple devices, Apple also sells AppleCare One, which covers “up to three products starting at $19.99/mo”.
Samsung Care+
Samsung has two versions. The one with Theft and Loss costs “$10 or $15 per month depending on the model” for the Galaxy S26 series, and Samsung says the price depends on the phone’s retail price. Its price tables for other models are published as images, so we could not read them.
With Theft and Loss, cracked screen and back glass repairs are $0. Without it, they are $29. A lost or stolen phone carries a deductible of “$99 - $199” depending on the device, and there is a “maximum of three” such claims in any 12 months.
Two conditions to know. You get the standard price only by enrolling at purchase “or within 60 days”. And Samsung requires Knox Guard on the Theft and Loss plans: “If you are not enrolled in Knox Guard at the time you experience a Theft or Loss your claim may be rejected”.
Verizon Mobile Protect
Verizon’s plan is “$19/mo for one line” for most devices, or “$68/mo for 4-20 lines”. It advertises an unlimited number of claims, “$0 deductible cracked glass repairs” on select smartphones, and a damage deductible of at most $99.
The fee for a lost or stolen phone depends on the device, and Verizon’s plan page does not print it. Ask for it before you enroll, because that is the claim that costs the most.
You have to join soon after getting the phone: “within 30 days” of activating it. A phone you bring yourself must be “fully functioning, without damage”.
T-Mobile Protection 360
T-Mobile gives a range, not a price: “The monthly cost for Protection 360 can range from $7 to $26 (+ applicable tax) per device, depending on your device type.” The fee per claim “is based on your device model and type of claim”.
It covers unlimited repair and replacement claims for accidental damage and for mechanical or electrical failure. T-Mobile’s page does not list the price or the fees by device, so get both for your exact phone before you decide.
AT&T Protect Advantage
We could not read AT&T’s current prices. The terms we could open are dated March 31, 2023, and we will not present 2023 prices as today’s. Those terms set a limit of three claims in any 12 months and deductibles that rise with the value of the phone. AT&T publishes the deductible for a given device at phoneclaim.com/att.
Is carrier insurance or AppleCare+ the better buy?
For an iPhone, compare three numbers. AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss on an iPhone 17 is $12.99 a month. Verizon Mobile Protect is $19. Over two years that is $312 against $456, before any claim.
Verizon’s plan advertises unlimited claims, where Apple allows two theft or loss claims a year, and it includes 24/7 tech support. If neither matters to you, the maker’s plan costs less.
For a family the sum changes. Verizon’s $68 covers 4 to 20 lines. Four iPhone 17s on AppleCare+ would be $51.96, and Apple’s family plan for all a household’s devices is $49.99 a month.
Do you need phone insurance at all?
Work it out from the fees. Two years of AppleCare+ on an iPhone 17 is about $312. A lost phone then costs another $149. If you have never broken or lost a phone, that is money for a risk you may not carry. If you have, the screen fee alone, $29 against the price of an out-of-warranty repair, is the argument for it.
One rule to plan around. Cover is easiest to buy at the start. Samsung gives its standard price only within 60 days of purchase, and Verizon requires you to enroll within 30 days of activating the phone.