At Phone Love, we hear all sorts of things from our guests. It’s the beauty of a bustling storefront – great stories. Besides the ones about how a phone or tablet broke is the story of not wanting to pay for it.

“I cracked my cell phone screen, but I don’t want to pay for phone repair because it’s expensive!”

If this sounds like you, you’re in luck! Here’s how can you get cell phone repair nearly free. Seriously, as little as $25. I’ve seen Starbucks orders that were more than $25

Cell Phone Repair Insurance Sucks

“I can’t make another insurance claim”.

This question is a close second at Phone Love. Insurance claims usually have huge deductibles, so we can’t blame you. And with insurance, instead of fixing your phone, you’ll probably get a refurbished one back. If you crack the screen on your brand new iPhone X, do you want a used phone back? Or do you want your brand new phone with a fixed screen?

We aren’t fans of carrier insurance. Monthly rates are $10-15, and the deductibles are $100-$250 every time you break your phone. If you have insurance for 10 months, you probably spent $350 to have your phone “fixed”….and I say “fixed” because the insurance carrier usually sends you a refurbished phone. Refurbished using cheap knock-off parts from China, and you’ll lucky if your replacement has all its parts.

Your phone didn’t have counterfeit parts or missing screws, so why should your replacement? Insurance premiums are going up, and deductibles are going down to push the service. We’re a huge fan of repair, but these repairs are done with the same cheap Chinese parts and sometimes fly-by-night “technicians.”

A tech came into our store today to buy the screwdriver that needed to repair an iPhone 7 that he didn’t have. During the course of the conversation we discovered that he isn’t registered with the Secretary of State as a business, doesn’t have a local business license, or even a drivers license!

Get Your Phone Fixed for Cheap!

But I digress…back to the meat – you NOT spending money to get your phone fixed. We want you to get your phone fixed and not pay a dime.

YES, I just said that. Get your phone fixed and not pay a dime… or maybe only a couple dollars. Most people tell us that “if it was $50, $80, or maybe $100 they’d totally get their phone fixed”….so do that!

How? Your credit card. There are 2 cards out there that cover $600 in phone repairs twice a year for a $25 processing fee.

This isn’t a credit card pitch, so we’re just going to stick to the coverage it offers for you and your devices.

There’s some fine print to each card and one basic qualifier: you must auto pay your phone bill with the credit card, and each line on your bill is covered up to 5 devices. So let’s dive in.

1. US Bank Platinum Visa Card:  

• $600 of coverage for damage and theft.
• $25 deductible,
• Two claims ($1,200) per 12-month period. 
• 4 phones are eligible for coverage.

The deductible is cheap, and if you have a family, coverage for 4 phones is great. But beware – coverage doesn’t start until the first of the month AFTER you pay your first bill.

2. Barclay Uber Card: 

• $600 of supplemental coverage against theft, damage, or losing your phone. Only applies after any other insurance you may have is used.
• Pay your phone bill with this card to be eligible. Any phone lines on that wireless account are covered starting the month after the phone bill was paid.
• 50$ deductible.
• 1% back.
• No limited on number of phones covered.

A $50 deductible is pretty steep, but cheaper than a phone repair. 1% back is a nice addition, but other credit cards are better for cash back. If you have a HUGE family, the no-limit on phones covered is a big plus. This is one of the only cards that will cover losing your phone.

3. Wells Fargo Visa:

• Pay your phone bill with this card to be eligible for cell phone repair coverage (auto-pay not required).
• $600 coverage twice per year – $1200 total.
• Damage & theft coverage, but phone loss isn’t included.
• $25 deductible
• Does not apply to business cards – personal only.

4. First National Bank of Omaha Absolute Rewards:

• $50 deductible.
• 5x reward points for business purchases, 2x for gas, and 1x for other purchases.
• 0% APR for 6 months
• $600 phone coverage, $1000 yearly cap, and no repair frequency limit.

This is the best card for cell phone repair benefits. It has a great list of rewards, and few cons, but it’s also not currently listed on FNBO’s site. It’s also fairly hard to get approved with FNBO, but if you get the chance, go for it.

5. Chase Ink Preferred Card:

• $600 cell phone repair deductible for theft and damage.
• Pay your cell phone bill with card to be eligible.
• Max of 3 claims in 12 months – $1800 of coverage per year.
• $100 deductible.
• $100 annual fee.

The deductible is steep, and there’s an annual fee, but the Chase card will cover up to $1800 of cell phone repairs in a year.

Phone Repair Doesn’t Have to be Expensive!

Look, your phone costs $500-1000. If it breaks, you’re gonna wish you could fix it for around 25 bucks.

We’ve done our best to gather ways for you to do just that. What you do next is up to you

Whether you’re in the market to get your phone fixed, or just want help figuring out how to use these credit cards for your phone repair, Phone Love’s here for you.