What does your account say online? If it already says you are eligible, then it doesn't matter where the phone is, say you forgot it, lost or stolen, gave it to a family member, or even sold it. As long as you still have that account and don't make any changes, I'd say you are safe. One person here said he sold his iPhone a month ago on ebay and his account still says eligible. And people say, even ATT has a video saying it's perfectly okay to give the phone away as a hand me down.