WIth all the iPhone snatchings... REPLACEMENT ADVICE?

I'm sorry for your friend, but I don't understand why she would expect Apple to cut her a break on a new phone in this situation.

I wonder if her renter's or homeowner's insurance would cover this.

Does she not have insurance through her carrier? They are usually the ones to replace a phone in case of theft, not the phone maker itself. If she didn't get insurance for this it should be suggested in the future with such a costly phone.

Your friend is barking up the wrong tree here, as its the phone service provider that provides the discount subsidy (ATT, Verizon) not Apple, regardless of whether or not she bought the phone at the Apple store or at the mobile store. Anyone walking into Apple and buying the phone off the shelf pays full retail. If she bought it for $299 or $199, its because she signed a 2 year contract with a service provider, who subsidized the phone and provided the equipment discount. Any chance of getting a discounted phone will come from them, though its very unlikely. On a side note, ATT will be offering insurance on iphones soon.

Phone insurance is around $5 per month. You need to show a police report, if making a claim, whether it's been lost or stolen.

Premium for mobile phone insurance coverage should cost about $4 to $5 per month. If you have a homeowners policy which is an all-risks home contents insurance policy (READ THE POLICY OR ASK THE AGENT/BROKER), separate cell phone insurance is not be necessary since the phone would be covered by the home contents policy. You can get a quote for cell phone insurance on line. Type in mobile phone insurance and see what pops up.

Domino said:

Premium for mobile phone insurance coverage should cost about $4 to $5 per month. If you have a homeowners policy which is an all-risks home contents insurance policy (READ THE POLICY OR ASK THE AGENT/BROKER), separate cell phone insurance is not be necessary since the phone would be covered by the home contents policy. You can get a quote for cell phone insurance on line. Type in mobile phone insurance and see what pops up.

If homeowners doesn't cover theft or loss outside of the home, ask about umbrella policies.

I don't know about AT&T but Verizon absolutely offers insurance plans covering loss and theft for iphones as well as the other smartphones. It can cost $14.50 a month for this for the iPhone and for $15.50 a month you can remotely wipe your phone and enact a GPS locator to try and find your stolen phone. It costs less for the other smartphones, and it may in fact be only $9.99 for the lesser one, but it certainly is not more than $15.00 a month for the iPhone.

-I happened to be looking this up day before yesterday. It seems criminal, frankly, that ATT doesn't have an iPhone insurance plan. But if you manage to get someone to refund (credit card, homeowner's insurance which seems unlikely because she was an out of town visitor?) you will need a police report.

T-mobile offers insurance for their Android phones via Asurion, $7.99 a month for insurance and warranty (rates are cheaper if you just want one or the other). Deductibles and claim limits vary with brand/model.

I believe you don't have to go through your carrier, so you can sign up your iPhone directly with them.

Definitely worth getting some kind of insurance though, because who hasn't dropped their phone?! (I did within a week of getting my Android, thankfully only the back panel popped off and there was no damage.)

Asurion's iPhone coverage is $144/year with a $199 deductible for an iPhone 4.

Over the course of the two-year contract, you'll be out almost $300 -- $500 if you actually need a replacement.

My old-school Nokia (I was using a non-smart phone till very recently) had a little indent on the side where one could attach a lanyard, which was really useful when you're taking photos, since there's a safety if the phone slips out of your hands. Would have also prevented someone from easily snatching the phone from you.

I've not seen this on any of the smart phones. Or maybe it's an Asian thing? (I had bought my last phone in Asia, since phones are unlocked there)

You can definitely get a variety of aftermarket lanyards for iPhones and most modern smartphones. Check Amazon.

WhyFi said:

Best Solution - Windows Phone 7.

Heh heh heh.

All jokes aside though, I still miss my Treo 650.

What do you like about WP7? I've heard good things, but the lack of app support (not to mention cut and paste) is somewhat daunting.