As phones get more and more expensive, it seems logical that more and more people are purchasing insurance for peace of mind. Verizon seems to be aware of this, and it's upping the price of its Total Mobile Protection plan from $11 to $13 per month for phones starting very soon. However, the deductible for phone replacement is dropping by quite a bit to $89.

Whereas Total Mobile Protection previously cost $11/month for each smartphone, it'll cost $13/month starting January 25th for new customers and March 6th for existing ones. This price increase is probably due to the increasing cost of new smartphones to repair and to replace. An extra $2 per month won't break subscribers' wallets, but it's an extra $48 over two years, the length of time that a lot of people on carriers keep one phone for.

Additionally, the deductible for lost/broken phone replacements has been lowered to $89 for over 150 models. Verizon isn't clear on which phones exactly will fall under this $89 price, though the current deductible for flagships like the Galaxy Note8 and iPhone X is $199. Because of Verizon's wording, it's possible that the deductible for the priciest phones is still higher than $89, but I personally don't think that's likely. This is going into effect on January 25th.

UPDATE: 2018/01/08 9:02pm PST BY

Verizon reached out to clarify some things about the new pricing. Phones with deductibles previously at $199 (like the Note8 and iPhone X) have dropped to $149, while phones with deductibles previously at $149 or $99 have dropped to the $89 mentioned above.

Also worth noting is a new international aspect of Total Mobile Protection. If you're traveling overseas and lose/break your phone, you can get it replaced in many places, and the replacement will be delivered by a local courier. And if you crack your screen while you're out of the country, you'll be reimbursed.

The deductible for cracked screen repair is the same $29 that was adjusted back in October, and there are now 300 authorized repair locations and 170 cities in which a technician can meet you in the US (up from 296 and 152 since October 2017, respectively). If you're a Verizon customer who tends to drop your phone a lot and/or you don't like using cases and screen protectors, Total Mobile Protection might be worth a look, even with its new higher monthly rate.

Source: Verizon