NatWest mobile phone insurance

NatWest’s mobile phone insurance is a free perk with the bank’s Silver and Platinum Reward current accounts. We looked at what the cover includes and what the claims process involves.

What is NatWest?

NatWest Bank was formed in 1968 after the merger of National Provincial Bank and Westminster Bank. The bank was acquired by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group in March 2000 in a deal that was worth £21 billion.

NatWest’s mobile phone insurance policies are underwritten by Aviva.

What are the types of cover available?

Phone insurance with NatWest comes as a freebie with its Silver and Platinum bank accounts. Each type of account comes with its own cover limits, but both include worldwide cover for loss, theft, accidental damage or breakdown.

If you have a joint account, both account holders’ mobile phones are covered.

What are the cover limits?

NatWest’s mobile phone insurance includes cover for the following elements:

• Loss
• Theft
• Damage (including accidental)
• Cover available worldwide
• Breakdown (outside of manufacturer’s warranty)
• For Silver accounts – 1 approved claim during any 12 month period (1 each for joint accounts)
• For Platinum accounts – 2 approved claim during any 12 month period (2 each for joint accounts)
• Cover for accessories that are involved in the same incident as the handset, up to £250 per claim

Note that NatWest’s replacement phones are refurbished handsets in “as new” condition (using genuine manufacturer parts).

Claims process

To claim on your NatWest phone insurance policy, you need to log in to your online account with the bank’s membership services and go through the claims process there. You will need to register your phone’s details if you haven’t done so already.

Claims should be reported as soon as possible when theft, loss, damage or breakdown is discovered. To claim for theft, you will need to obtain a crime reference number from the police and let your network provider know as soon as possible.

There will be a £100 excess for each approved claim when your phone is replaced. For repair claims, a £50 excess for each approved claim will apply if you take your phone to a NatWest repair agent or the repair agent comes to your location to repair your phone. For Silver account holders, there will be a £100 excess when you mail your phone to NatWest to be repaired.

Managing your policy online

When you open a Silver, Platinum or Black current account with NatWest, you get access to the bank’s membership services. You need to register your mobile phone with the service, then you can manage your policy, view your documents and make a claim. You can also view and use the rewards you’ve collected.

How to contact NatWest

You can contact NatWest by filling in the contact form online.

To speak to the bank’s customer service team by phone, call the following numbers:
Silver account holders – 0345 601 5219
Platinum account holders – 0345 609 0453
Black account holders – 0345 601 7188
Student & Graduate account holders – 0345 600 8746

Lines open Monday to Friday 8am-8pm (except bank holidays) and 9am-5pm on Saturdays.

You can also write to the bank at the following address:
NatWest customer services team
Sentinel House
Airspeed Road
Portsmouth
P03 5RF

Customer reviews

On Trustpilot, NatWest as a bank has 1.4 out of 5 stars and a rating of “Bad”, based on more than 2,700 reviews.

On reviewcentre.com, NatWest’s phone insurance service has 2.5 out of 5 stars based on more than 120 reviews, with 41% of customers saying they would recommend the service.

Pros and cons

Verdict

If you already have a Silver or Platinum account with NatWest, then you get the bank’s phone insurance for free – happy days.

However, if you don’t have one of these accounts and you’re just looking for phone cover, you can get a much better deal elsewhere. NatWest only offers either one or two claims per year, depending on which account you have, which is not a lot.

You might decide this is worth your while if the other benefits on offer, like travel insurance and discounts, breakdown cover (Platinum account only) and cinema discounts are things you need or want.

Frequently asked questions

• How do I claim on my NatWest phone insurance?

  To claim on your NatWest policy, you need to log in to your online account with the bank’s membership services and go through the claims process there.

• How much does it cost?

  Phone insurance comes free with NatWest’s Silver and Platinum accounts.

  The Silver Reward account costs £10 per month and also includes European travel insurance, cinema discounts and a tastecard.

  The Platinum Reward account costs £20 per month and also includes worldwide travel insurance, travel discounts, free UK airport lounge passes, UK breakdown cover, cinema discounts and a tastecard.

• Do I have to have a NatWest bank account to get mobile phone insurance from NatWest?

  Yes, mobile phone insurance from NatWest is only available to customers who hold a Silver or Platinum current account with the bank.