(Verizon customer) If I lost my cell phone but have phone insurance..?

Long story short my boyfriend had phone insurance and had water damage on his phone and they somehow scammed him and now won't let him buy another phone for the insurance price so I was thinking.. What would happen if I went into verizon and told them that my cell phone had gotten stolen and get another phone for the 50 dollar price and then just give him my old one.. would that work or when they find out the phone was stolen do they figure out the serial number and make sure that the phone can't be activated on another account?!? Normally I wouldn't do something like this but if their going to be rude to him I have no problem getting a free phone.