Insuring Your IPhone: Now There Are Rules

We're all increasingly connected, with smartphones and laptops and tablets. But what happens if your iPhone takes a dip in the toilet, or your laptop gets swiped as you're ordering a latte?

An extended warranty will protect you if there are product defects, and your renters or homeowners insurance will apply if the device is damaged or stolen, but you'll likely have to pay a steep deductible and run the risk your premiums will jump if you make a claim.

Another alternative is insurance for portable electronic devices, and the growing demand is prompting states to start regulating the industry. (See: "Is iPhone insurance worth it?”)

"The proliferation of cellphones and connectivity that everybody wants certainly gives rise to this market. It's a ready market," says Kathy Donovan, senior compliance counsel for insurance at Wolters Kluwer Financial Services.

The soaring demand for connectivity is borne out by figures from the Internet technology research firm comScore, which estimates that as of November there were 123 million smartphones in use in the United States. (See: "Nomophobia: Is your cellphone addiction covered?")

While you may only pay a couple of hundred bucks for an iPhone 5 with a two-year service contract, you're likely to pay several times that much for a replacement if you need one before the contract is up.

Ultimately, purchasing insurance for that iPhone could save you hundreds of dollars if something happens to the phone.

State governments requiring license to sell electronics insurance

Now state governments are trying to make sure consumers get what they pay for and understand what they pay for, and over the past three years about 40 states have started regulating the portable electronics insurance industry, Donovan says. The key points of the laws tend to be similar from state to state.

Colorado was one of several states where regulation of vendors of insurance for portable electronic devices went into effect this year. To sell such insurance, a vendor needs to obtain a limited license, which costs $71 for a company based in Colorado, or $112 if they're located in another state.

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