Maryland Requires Cell Phone Insurance Terms

Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler announced an agreement with four wireless phone providers on disclosure of the costs of cell phone insurance.

Gansler said he wants to be sure consumers know what they are getting.

“While prior company materials contained all the terms of the police in the information provided to consumers, Attorney General Gansler strongly believed that Maryland consumers were not fully aware of the key terms,” the attorney general’s office said in a news release.

Consumers who buy the insurance pay a typical monthly premium of $4 or $5 and a deductible for a replacement if they lose their phone. The replacement may be a refurbished, rather than a new, phone.

Gansler said consumers might not buy the insurance if they understand the terms.

The carriers participating in the agreement to improve disclosure are AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless.

Also participating is Asurion Protection Services, which provides cell phone insurance protection.