3 out of 10 Teens Damaged Cell Phones in the Last 18 Months, Mainly at School

Back to school season will not only mean children will spend long hours out of touch with parents, but mom and dad will also have to worry about the possibility of costly damage to a child’s cell phone with all that extra playground activity. A back-to-school survey from Asurion, the global leader in technology protection services, shows that one-third of teens have damaged their phone by dropping it in the last 18 months, with most accidents happening at school. Since 68 percent of kids from the ages of 10 to 15 have cellphones, Asurion is reminding parents how important it is to protect a child’s cell phone as the school year begins.

More schools than ever are allowing students to use their own laptops, iPads, and cellphones in the classroom, making these devices all the more popular with students. According to Asurion’s back-to-school data, 61 percent of students report using their cell phones regularly, followed by their laptops (46 percent) and their tablets (40 percent). Since kids are so hard on their phones – it’s a no brainer to protect their back-to-school must-have gadgets.

“Throughout the school year, parents and their children stay connected through their mobile phones,” said Bettie Colombo, spokesperson for Asurion. “As kids stay busy and active at school and during their extracurricular activities, there is an increased risk that they will lose or damage their devices. Asurion provides peace of mind that if something happens to your child’s device, whether it’s lost, stolen or damaged, we’ll make sure you and your children are reconnected as soon as possible, while also saving families from the high retail cost of purchasing a phone.”

It’s not a question of if, but when your child’s phone will be damaged. 57 percent of parents reported their kids have lost or damaged a device in the last 18 months, with 51 percent having to replace at least two phones for their kids. These replacement costs can take a toll on your wallet if you’re left uninsured, with the retail price of a new smartphone averaging $476. Popular devices cost even more. For example, an iPhone 5 (with 64GB) cost $849.99 at full retail price.  With Asurion insurance, you could save over $500 per device even if you had to file a claim 12 months into your contract. Asurion protection is available through your wireless carrier and typically must be added within 30 days of purchasing your device.

In addition to protecting your active student’s device with insurance, Asurion offers these, and other, helpful tips to keep mobile phones safe throughout the school year:

• Use a good screen protector and invest in a good cover or case; it’s an easy and inexpensive way to prevent scratching, cracks and other external damage
• Plug the phone charger into a power surge protector
• Password-protect your phone; in the event it is lost or stolen, it will be your first line of defense against identity theft
• Install an anti-theft application on your child’s device to locate or lock it and wipe data
• Back up your child’s phone regularly to recover pictures, music and contacts quickly

Survey Methodology

Asurion partnered with SSI on survey results.  They are based on 5,000 respondents between the ages of 16 and 70 surveyed June 2013, who contribute to wireless phone purchasing decisions for their household. Margin of error +/- 1.4%.