If i report my phone stolen what happens verizon

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I recently had to travel due to some office work and lost my phone in the middle of the journey.

This was extremely inconvenient since I could not retrace my steps to find exactly where I had lost it. 

Fortunately, I had my phone insured through Verizon Asurion. So, I did not worry about someone accessing it and going through personal details and messages.

I managed to lock my phone remotely and erase the data as soon as possible. 

However, it took me a lot of time to complete the procedures I had to follow after losing my phone.

I had to scour the Internet to search for solutions to various issues that I faced while following the various steps. 

I decided to compile all the information in an article so that you can have an easier time getting your mobile services reactivated if you ever lose your phone. 

Most Verizon Insurance plans cover loss/theft of a phone. To activate insurance for a lost phone, file a claim on the Asurion website, lock the phone, have data services suspended, and make sure to replace the phone within the 30-day suspension period. 

In this article, I have talked about the various Verizon insurance plans, the immediate steps to take when you lose your phone, how to file a claim, and the steps to lock your phone and erase your data. 

Verizon, with its insurance partner Asurion, provides five tiers of insurance coverage.

The tiers include Verizon Protect, Total Mobile Protection, Total Equipment Coverage, Wireless Phone Protection, and Extended Warranty. 

The first three tiers offer protection for manufacturing defects, accidental damage, loss, and theft.

Verizon offers Verizon Protect at a monthly premium of $14-$17, Total Mobile Protection for $12-$15/month, and Total Equipment Coverage for $7-$11/month. 

These tiers do not cover defects/damage from usual wear and tear, misuse, neglect, alteration, phones with removed labels or obscure serial numbers, and damage due to immersion in food or water.

Wireless Phone Protection covers accidental damage, loss, and theft, but not manufacturing defects. It is available at $3-$7/month. 

Extended Warranty covers manufacturing defects, but it does not cover accidental damage and damage due to loss and theft. It is available for $5/month. 

What to Do When You Lose Your Verizon Phone

In case you have lost your Verizon phone, there are certain steps you must take to protect your data and privacy, as well as prevent anyone else from using the phone. 

You need to: 

• Lock your phone remotely: Most device protector apps provide you an option to lock your phone remotely. You can also add your contact details to the lock screen.
• Erase Data: You can use your device protector app to erase the data on your phone to prevent it from misuse.
• Call Verizon: Request Verizon to terminate your services to protect your data.
• File a police report: You should also file a police report. 

To find your phone, it must have certain features enabled or turned on. The phone must be on, signed in to a Google account, connected to an Internet connection, visible on Google Play, and have the location and ‘Find my device’ turned on. 

How to File For Verizon Stolen Phone Insurance

You can file a Verizon insurance claim on the Asurion website. You can also do that via the ‘My Verizon’ app. 

To do this via the app, you have to:

• Navigate to the menu in the left-top corner.
• Select ‘Devices’.
• Scroll to the name of the stolen, lost, or damaged device and click on ‘Manage device’.
• Tap on ‘Lost, Stolen or Damaged device? Start a claim’.
• Enter the requested information and follow the on-screen prompts. 

You can check the status of your insurance claim on the Asurion website. 

If you do not have insurance coverage, you will need to acquire a new device or contact Verizon to try and acquire an older device as a replacement for your lost phone. 

You can also go through this detailed guide to help you with Filing a Verizon insurance claim.

Verizon Asurion

Asurion is a leading warranty and insurance provider in the US for electronic gadgets, like mobile phones, tablets, laptops, etc.

It has partnered with several wireless carriers (including Verizon) to help its customers. 

In case of a lost, stolen, or damaged phone, Verizon Asurion provides a fast replacement of your device.

The time taken depends on the insurance scheme you have chosen. 

Verizon Protect and Mobile Secure provide delivery of a new phone on the same day of the claim.

Total Equipment Coverage and Wireless Phone Protection provide delivery within two days. 

You can also Cancel Verizon phone insurance easily.

Paying Off a Stolen Phone

If you have insured your Verizon phone and it gets lost or stolen, you will receive a replacement device from Verizon.

But you do not need to pay additionally for that device. You just have to fulfill the terms of your ‘Verizon Device Payment Agreement’.

However, you have only one month after losing your phone to acquire a new one and connect it to your line, or find your old device and have services restarted before you lose the number. 

If you go past those thirty days, you will have to pay off your ‘Early Termination Fee’ as well as the ‘Device Payment Agreement’.

Hence, it’s crucial that you find your lost phone or acquire a replacement within a 30-day period. 

Locking a Stolen Phone

To lock a stolen phone (Android or Apple), you need to access the locate my phone apps. 

On Android, you can do this via the ‘Find My Device’ app, which you can run on another Android phone or tablet. 

For Android, the steps to take to find a lost phone are: 

• Open ‘Google Find My Device’ on your browser and log in to your Google account.
• Click on the ‘Lost phone’ option at the top of your screen.
• The lost phone will receive a notification.
• You will receive info about the location of the phone on the map. 

In addition to this, you can also: 

• Play Sound: This option rings your phone for five minutes continuously.
• Secure Device: It will lock your phone with a password or PIN.
• Erase Device: This will delete all data on the phone. 

For Apple, you can use the ‘Find My’ and ‘Find My iPhone’ tools to locate a missing iPhone by following these steps: 

• Locate your Device: If the device is on and active, this option will display its live location. If not, you will receive the last known location of the phone.
• Play Sound: This option rings the phone for over 5 minutes, even if the phone is on silent mode.
• Use Lost Mode: This option sends a confirmation email to your iPhone. You can create a message for the phone that says it is lost and provide your contact information.
• Activation Lock: It turns on automatically when you access the ‘Find My’ app and prevents your phone from being used. 

Will Verizon Bill Your Phone if It is Stolen?

If your phone is lost or stolen, you must contact Verizon and suspend your line. When you suspend a line, your phone will not be able to call, text, or access mobile data on the Verizon network. 

So, they won’t charge you anything except the monthly subscription charges. 

However, service suspension does not mean that the phone will be inaccessible to anyone who has it, especially if it does not have a screen lock. If the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network, it can be used without a hassle. 

Remember, if there are unauthorized charges on your phone when your account is suspended, Verizon will start an investigation into the matter.

You won’t be held responsible for those charges until the investigation is complete. 

Maximum Number of Times You Can Report a Stolen Phone

There is no limit on the number of times you can report a stolen or lost phone to Verizon, but you cannot suspend the phone service multiple times on Verizon. 

In fact, Verizon only allows for one suspension per line every twelve months.

Thus, it would be valuable to try and be careful about losing your phone. 

Can You Keep Your Old Number After Your Phone is Lost or Stolen?

If you lose your phone and suspend your services, you need to reactivate them within 30 days if you want to keep the same number. 

Whatever steps you take, whether you replace your old phone with a new one, find/repair your old device, or acquire a used phone from Verizon via Asurion, you will need to activate that phone within 30 days to retain your phone number. 

Contact Verizon Support

The activation of your insurance plan, locking your old phone and phone service, as well as the possible acquisition of a new device, can be complicated to do at first. 

Hence, it might be valuable to contact Verizon Customer Support when you feel confused or unsure about any particular step. Verizon has a team of experts ready to help you with any problem. 

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately, if you lose/damage your phone, Verizon does not extend your monthly credits and other promotions.

You lose all of that even if you report your device stolen, lost, or damaged and have your account suspended for 30 days. 

That means if you have an offer that provides you service for two months and you take six weeks to find or replace your phone, that offer will only be valid for the remaining two weeks. 

It is crucial to get your Verizon phone back in working order soon.

Hence, you should not delay the process of finding your old phone or acquiring a new one and getting it activated. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What will Verizon do if you lose your phone?

If you lose your phone, but it is insured via Verizon Asurion, they will help you find and replace it or set up and activate a new one. 

Does insurance cover a lost phone?

Depending on your insurance plan, you will receive different cover if you ever lose your phone. 

What should I do when my Verizon phone is stolen?

If your Verizon phone is stolen, you should lock your phone via the ‘Locate my phone’ app, contact Verizon to suspend your monthly service, and file a police complaint. 

What does Verizon do when your phone is stolen?

What happens to a phone when you report it lost or stolen?

Can Verizon wipe a stolen phone?

Can a stolen Verizon phone be activated?