Mobile Phone Stuff

This weekend I took my replacement phone back to the shop. I'd not used it at all, but I had found out that my phone was covered for loss on my bank account benefits. Luckily, the shop could do this for me, as I've got ages left on my original contract.

I bank with Lloyds TSB, and shortly before my honeymoon, I switched up to a Silver account, as this was the cheapest way of securing travel insurance for OH & myself... I had intended to cancel after my travels were over, but I hadn't quite got round to it.Good job!

I had thought my phone wouldn't be covered because I hadn't registered the details. Turns out registering speeds things up, but I'm still okay to make a claim. I'm just awaiting the final approval. Let's not count chickens...

That said, I've had brilliant help from the bank, my retailer (Phones4U), and my network provider (Orange), who have all given me excellent advice on claiming and securing data for the future.

So - passing on what I have learned this week.





Are You Insured?


You may not need to take out separate insurance. Check your house insurance or any benefits that come with your bank to see if you are covered. Your policy may specify restrictions on coverage or insist you register your phone details before allowing you to make a claim. If you do want to take out specialist insurance, make sure it really does specialise in the kind of things that you want covered. Some insurers won't cover loss, and will only cover theft if that theft involves threat to life or violence. So, if you feel yourself getting pickpocketed, and turn round only to see the perpetrator melt into the crowd, you may not be covered!

Some insurers insist on a crime number from the police - even if your mobile is merely lost! Talk about wasting police time...

You may find they don't insist if you have taken all necessary steps to restrict  the use of the phone - that's making sure the sim is cancelled with the network provider, and your phone blacklisted. You can doubly assure that your property can't be resold easily by registering your product details on www.immobilise.com. Good for other stuff too (laptops, bikes etc), not just mobiles! The phone can be registered retrospective of loss as well, so just make sure you make full use of your man drawer and keep hold of the box! Why? Because that's where you'll find your IEMI number - that's your phone's unique identifier, that is - not your screensaver of a sad-looking cat.

Back-up, Back-up, Say What You Gonna Do Now?

I lost the videos of OH swimming with dolphins because I didn't back them up. Technicaly, i backed up a few of the photos from our honeymoon because I posted them on Facebook.




So, my retailer recommended I just Dropbox everything whenever I get onto a secure, free at point of useWifi connection. Makes sense...

She also mentioned Skype, for free face to face conversations instead of expensive video calls, Viber - which lets you call and text for free internationally, and Whatsapp, which is a free cross-platform messaging app.

So that's my advice... and it was recycled, too.

I've done well to type all that, covered in glue as I am. I am becoming card-making queen. I have to go to a 50th birthday tomorrow, so have been making a card that says 'Fabulous' in large, friendly pink letters, with girly acoutrements made from foam and sparkle stickers. I made one for a wedding last week, too! I'm hoping the recipients like them as much as I liked making them.

I will have to do the weekend writeup another time, I'm afraid. Lots to say... but my eyes are drooping.