Where can I get a sturdy mobile phone?

Our mobile expert says...

You can buy ruggedised mobile phones that will survive just about anything; being run over, stood on or even taking a dip in the local pool. But as you probably know, most of these are designed with the basics and a big, tough casing in mind - even if it comes with mobile internet, it’s not likely it’ll be built for tweeting, surfing the web and stalking people on Facebook.

Really hardcore ruggedised mobile phones include those made by manufacturer Sonim. These specialised mobile phones boast some of the toughest models on the market - including the Sonim XP3300 Force, which holds a Guinness World Record for surviving a 25-metre drop and still working.

Durable mobile phones

But there are alternatives available and you don’t have to sacrifice features in exchange for a hard-wearing phone.

A good example is the Motorola DEFY+. It is water resistant, dust proof and comes with scratch resistant Gorilla Glass, and Motorola says it “can survive a sudden rain shower, a day on the beach, an all-night party”.

But it also comes with a 3.7in touchscreen and the latest 2.3 Android operating system, known as Gingerbread.

It has a 1GHz processor for faster web browsing, Flash video support so you can watch everything the internet has to offer and a 5Mp camera.

The DEFY+ will be available in the UK this month, but if you can’t wait you can still get the older DEFY model from free via your mobile provider.

Mobile phone insurance

The next best thing to a hard-wearing mobile phone is a good insurance policy. Mobile phone insurance isn’t for everyone - if you have an old phone or you've never lost or damaged a handset, you might be better off saving your cash instead.

But if you're accident prone, mobile phone insurance could save you some hefty replacement costs.

Just like any product, it pays to shop around. So look at other insurers rather than simply taking out a policy with your mobile provider.

For example, O2 mobile, charges £15 a month to insure an 8GB iPhone 3Gs, or an iPhone 4. You’ll also pay excess if you make a claim, costing from £50 on your first 3Gs claim or £100 to replace a 32GB iPhone 4 for the first time.

If you have to make another claim, this will rise to £125, and as much as £150 to replace a 32GB iPhone 4 for the third time.

Compare this to protectyourbubble.com and you can see just how much you could be wasting. Insurance starts from £5.99 a month for any iPhone - covering theft, water damage, breakdown and unauthorised calls - and you can add loss protection for an extra £1 a month.

Then, you'll pay an excess of £50 on any claims you make, rising to £75 if you lose your phone.

So just on upfront costs - including loss but without taking any excess fees into account - you could save almost £100 in a year, without leaving yourself unprotected.