Today’s post on cellphone and personal electronics insurance as an important back to school consideration has been sponsored by Asurion. All thoughts, experiences and opinions are my own.
I got my first cell phone for Christmas 2000. I thought it was a huge extravagance but was thrilled at the convenience of it.
It took me another 10 years before I was ready to graduate to a phone that could handle email, and even longer until I embraced texting. Now, in mid 2013, I’ve got an expensive smart phone that can handle talk, text, email, web, photos, games and even blogging. And like most other people I know, my phone is always with me. I feel naked without it.
As much as we love our cell phones, my husband and I have been slow to get our kids their own phones – in fact, we just added our oldest daughter to our family cell phone plan at the beginning of the summer, just before she got a full time summer job…and her driver’s license. We wanted to avoid the typical teenage entitlement issues and wait til WE needed her to have a phone. Luckily, she and the other kids have been good sports about it.
We’re grateful for the added peace of mind, safety and convenience that her phone brings. We know that she can call us if she’s running late or is stuck somewhere with car troubles. But that little phone is a huge investment – and responsibility – for a teen to carry around in her pocket.
KitKat’s new cell phone only represents a tiny percentage of the personal electronics in our home, though. A quick tally counts 5 cell phones, 4 iPod Touches, 2 iPads, 2 Kindles, one netbook, one laptop, and 4 desk top computers. While not all of those electronics are heading to school each day, many of them are used for school work while they’re at home. And we’d be crippled without computers for work and studying.
As we begin the FIRST school year sending a child to school with a cell phone, we have many concerns – responsible use, theft, damage, loss. And I used to be nervous about the $79 calculators that they had to take to math class!
Back to School Electronics Stats
- Young adults, age 16-24, report using their cellphone more regularly than their laptop or tablet
- 61% report using their cell phones regularly
- 46% report using their laptops regularly
- 40% using their tablet regularly
- 57% of parents reported their kids have lost or damaged a cellphone.
- 32% of parents reported their kids have damaged a laptop
- 32% of teens have damaged their phone by dropping it in the past 18 months
- 38% of young adults report dropping their phone more than twice a week
- Teens, age 16-24, drop their phones more than any other age group (33%)
- 38% of parents have had to replace at least one cellphone for their kids in the past 18 months.
Stats source: Asurion
As if middle school and high school weren’t scary enough for parents, right?
Most teens heading back to school this fall are using at least one personal mobile device in class. Mobile protection provider Asurion focuses on two essentials to keep the family’s electronic devices running smoothly:
- Mobile protection provides cell phone users with rapid replacement coverage, device location and data management tools, along with ongoing live tech support to care for your privacy, productivity, socializing and even entertainment.
- Home-product protection (offered by NEW, Asurion’s sister company, through retailers) provides repair and replacement coverage for all things electronic, from appliances to treadmills, tablets to TVs, keeping your home and lifestyle in harmony.
The fact is, electronic devices at home are still in danger – of being dropped, lost, mis-used….you name it. With so many devices coming in and out of the home, at least Mom and Dad’s minds can be eased about ONE thing: that devices are safe no matter what life – and teenagers – bring to the table. Because let’s face it….where kids and teens are concerned, it’s not IF something is going to happen to a device, it’s WHEN.
Asurion insurance can protect from loss, out-of-warranty damage (did he drop his phone in the sink??) and theft. Replacement devices are sent out quickly – usually shipped overnight to arrive the next day – so you don’t have to worry about being without your phone (otherwise known as your lifeline!) for long. You also don’t need to worry about footing the bill for a $850 replacement iPhone. Ouch!
As we start off another school year, I’m glad that I can eliminate one worry from my list of mom anxieties, thanks to Asurion. Next worry on the list? College applications. Eek!
Question: How do you feel about your kids taking cell phones, iPods, laptops, etc to school?
Connect with Asurion:
- Get a Quote:https://www.asurion.com
- Follow Asurion on Twitter: @Asurion
- Like Asurion on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Asurion
- Asurion on Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/asurion/
- Asurion YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/AsurionProtect
This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and Asurion blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own. To read more on this topic, click here.
© 2013, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
we live by our phones, dont we? LOL
I think it’s a great idea to carry protection on cell phones and electronics devices – especially the devices that the kids use.
This is such a great idea – I know my electronics used to be covered on my home insurance but each year they seem to be taking out more and more of them :( x