An insurer warns consumers to take care of new iPhones as the long awaited ‘5’ is launched. Claims data from AXA home insurance suggests that in the four months following the launch of the iPhone 4, theft levels of iPhones shot up by 45 per cent. The insurance company says that it’s expecting a similar, if not a more extreme pattern with the iPhone 5.
The firm is warning consumers:
– be vigilant with new phones, keep them securely hidden when not in use such as in a bag or a zip up pocket
– don’t ‘flaunt’ the new phone in public – think about where you use it and whether it could be easily snatched
– hold on to all receipts/proof of purchase to validate any claim made
– check insurance details to make sure the phone is covered either through a separate policy or as part of a home insurance policy.
Christine Matthews from AXA says: “With the new iPhones expected to cost well over £500 and with huge demand for stock, they will provide very attractive pickings for thieves. We are prepared for an increase in claim volumes but would urge consumers to do what they can to protect their new phones.”
