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Mobile Phone Insurance Statistics in the UK

Mobile phones are part of everyday life in the UK. They’re used for communication, banking, work, travel and entertainment, and they’re rarely out of reach. However, official data and industry research shows that loss, theft and accidental damage remain common. Below are key UK statistics relating to mobile phone theft and damage.

How Many Phones Are Stolen in the UK?

According to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there are an estimated 325,000 mobile phone thefts per year in England and Wales.

With 525,600 minutes in a year, that equates to:

Approximately 1 mobile phone stolen every 1.6 minutes
(Commonly rounded to 1 every 2 minutes)Source:
Office for National Statistics (ONS) – Mobile phone theft per annum
https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/transparencyandgovernance/freedomofinformationfoi/mobilephonetheftintheukperannum

How Common Is Screen Damage?

Research from Mintel found that:

24% of UK smartphone owners have cracked or damaged their phone screen within a two-year period
(Nearly 1 in 4 users)

Cracked screens remain one of the most common forms of accidental damage reported by smartphone owners.Source:
Mintel Press Centre – “Smashing times: 24% of UK smartphone owners have broken their screen in the past two years”
https://www.mintel.com/press-centre/smashing-times-24-of-uk-smartphone-owners-have-broken-their-screen-in-the-past-two-years/

Why Do People Avoid Repairs?

Cost remains one of the biggest barriers to repairing damaged phones.

Research from SquareTrade found that:

61% of smartphone owners continue using damaged phones because repair costs are too high

This means many users delay repairs, even when devices are cracked or partially functional.Source:
SquareTrade Press Release – “13 million Brits have had smartphone damage in the past year”
https://www.squaretrade.com/press-release/13-million-brits-have-had-smartphone-damage-past-year/​

A Note on the Data

The statistics above are drawn from publicly available research and press releases from recognised organisations. Figures may change over time as new data becomes available.

This page is provided for informational purposes and may be referenced by our partners when quoting UK mobile phone loss and damage statistics.

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