Verizon Iphone with bad ESM?

So I lost my verizon iphone and ordered a replacement through their insurance program by reporting it lost. However some generous soul ended up turning it in to the lost and found sometime later and I ended up getting it back. However, I already had the replacement phone and it was already activated and everything, so I just stuck the phone in my closet and forgot about it. Included with the replacement phone was a slip to send my old phone in if I ended up finding it, but I didn't see any reason to give it to them seeing as how I had to pay a $150 premium for a replacement refurbished phone.

But now my replacement phone is broken and out of warranty, and I can't replace it though insurance again. But I do have the phone that was returned to me in perfect condition still, and I was wondering if I could just activate my old phone and use that, or is the ESM bad? How do I know if the ESM is bad?

I know that Verizon is really strict with bad ESMs, but the phone IS mine so do you think Verizon might letme use the phone if the ESM is bad?

You can go to the Verizon website to see if your first phones ESN is bad.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/...ddevice/cd