Database Info

To Get Insurance or Not

Just curious, on how many people got insurance for thier phone.
I come from the school of; If "it" doesn't have moving parts no point in getting insurance. Feel free to chime in.

Accidentally voted "I've got insurance, thank goodness and it came in handy. where actually I'd like to vote "No insurance"

I have and its save my ass "loads" of times, The only hadset Ive not used the insurance for is my Touch Pro.

If it is really a $125 deductible as indicated in the other thread, then there's really no point. Phones depreciate so fast you could simply save the $$ yourself and purchase a phone IF you ever need to. I haven't needed to claim an insurance claim in 12 years. If I had paid for the insurance all that time I'd be out over $700 and still have to pay the deductible if I needed to make a claim.

never insure something you can afford to replace yourself

There is an alternative - read below:
I would purchase one for at most a year through the carrier. The deductables have really gotten high to justify anything over a year. Had the coverage years ago on a Nokia and you forget its on the bill! At the time there were deductables around 25 dollars - so people used the coverage to get a new phone every 8 months or whenever a better phone came out. Cost the insur cos a ton so they starting jacking the rates and restrictions.
Alternative:
I just bought a SquareTrade for two years for something like 35.00 with a coupon. Bought a brand new zero hour phone through Ebay (Best Buy Outlet) and qualified for a two year warranty. Has a zero deductable and basically will cover everything except for physical damage and theft. Basically they have a couple of warranties - one that covers damage but you have to purchase the phone I think from a nonEbay source. There is a deductable and it doesn't cover theft. With SquareTrade they will REFUND the purchase price if anything goes wrong that they can't fix. So if the keyboard craps out or there is a motherboard problem its covered. The only catch is you have to purchase the plan I think within 30 days of purchase.
Something goes wrong you send it in (they'll send a mailer and deduct postage) - if its worth a repair they'll fix it otherwise they credit your Paypal account within a couple of days after receiving it. From experience they do pay out - had a Razr that went bad after about a year (flex ribbon) and a TYTN I (motherboard, bad GSM errors). They paid out in full for both - no hassles. They will more than likely look for the water damage seal for activation - SO its not a good idea to crack open the phone and break the seal unless you have a source for replacment seals - they are available if you look.

Is insurance worth buying?

I'm wondering if it's worth buying insurance for this phone (or any phone for that matter). SquareTrade is supposed to be good...

In my opinion no, u got a warranty for a year anyways... just treat your phone with upmost care always have a case, if ur gonna go drinking DONT BRING IT WITH YOU haha

I would say YES, unless can guarantee that you will "treat your phone with upmost care always have a case, [and] if ur gonna go drinking DONT BRING IT WITH YOU" ...and of course no one ever steals it and you'll never accidentally drop it.

Lets talk about worth... $5 or $6 a month... versus you losing your phone, it getting stolen, you getting shoved into the pool with it in your pocket, etc etc etc...
Would you rather pay $5/6 a month and then $129 to replace the phone, or $499 to replace it?

JWhipple said:
Lets talk about worth... $5 or $6 a month... versus you losing your phone, it getting stolen, you getting shoved into the pool with it in your pocket, etc etc etc...
Would you rather pay $5/6 a month and then $129 to replace the phone, or $499 to replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless of course that SquareTrade service is as good as it claims... I'd take that over 2 years with a $50 deductible on accidentals instead of the T-Mo insurance I'm paying for.

It's 2 years of coverage for $51.99.
"WHAT IS COVERED:
Mechanical and electrical failures that occur during normal use of your item. Your item is covered for up to the full purchase price of your item (tax and shipping are excluded).
Some examples of covered issues include computer hard drive failures, iPod batteries that stop charging, cell phone keypads that get stuck, and digital camera sensor failures."
SquareTrade Inc. information.

xzxxzx said:
It's 2 years of coverage for $51.99.
"WHAT IS COVERED:
Mechanical and electrical failures that occur during normal use of your item. Your item is covered for up to the full purchase price of your item (tax and shipping are excluded).
Some examples of covered issues include computer hard drive failures, iPod batteries that stop charging, cell phone keypads that get stuck, and digital camera sensor failures."
SquareTrade Inc. information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's EXTENDED warranty, not insurance.... insurance is when a phone gets lost or stolen.

funkadesi said:
That's EXTENDED warranty, not insurance.... insurance is when a phone gets lost or stolen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whoops my bad. I kept seeing the squaretrade insurance pop up

i pay tmobile for my insurance. small price to pay for them just incase moments. i bought my phone outright so it was my best option. without it, i might be a little nicer to my phone. but with insurance lol, i just use it.

Insurance is a money pit
Guys insurance for a phone is a money pit I will show you.
I am very delicate with my phones like I know many of you are. I buy a case and screen guard and I have dropped one phone. So I dont buy insurance. Tmo insurance is 5.99/mo and the average length people keep the phone is about a 1yr some maybe 2yrs.
If you make a claim you have to pay a deductible which is usually around 125-150
so 5.99*12months= $71.88+$150=$221.88
If you have insurance for 2yrs: $5.99*24monts+$150=$293.76
Plus Tmo knows that less than 80% the people that get insurance will never use it, thats why they offer it cause they make money on it.
Now what if I self insur and pay myself 5.99 a month and save for a deductible. I can buy the same phone or a better one on craigslist or ebay. Therefore I dont buy insurance on any phone anymore cause we never used it we always bought phones off craigslist or ebay cheaper than our deductible. Just a little FYI

personally i have had insurance on my phones for 4 years, i have never had to use it(broke a G1 but since they couldn't get me a G1 i upgraded) yeah in the long run you might be paying a little more but i always compare it to car insurance. yeah i don't like paying an extra $150 a month for insurance on my car, but if i decide i don't want insurance and then i wreck the car i'm out a car(and in my state my license). or i can keep the insurance, pay the money, pay the deductible, and play it safe. in the end it's your choice but unless the phone is glued to your hand, and you live in the desert, then something could happen and end up costing you the price of the phone.
on the craigslist point: you don't always know where the phone you are buying off CL has been so there is no guarantee that you aren't buying a stolen device, i would rather pay retail for a phone that i know isn't stolen and comes with the box and everything in it, and the phone is in perfect condition

Well does anyone have any experience with square trade cause i was considering doing this as well

if you have access to the latest issue of Business Week (cover says Be Evil), there's an article talking about the company Asurion, who is the backer of cellular insurance for all of the big wireless companies around the world. chances are if you have the insurance, the replacement you get will be a refurb/used, which can usually be had for cheaper price. don't expect to be compensated with a brand new phone of equal value if yours goes bad.

Asurion?

Anyone here suggest having it from T-Mobile?
It's $7.99 a month...
Is it worth it? I don't get my phone stolen or lost... I always take care of my phones..
Input before bashing!

it's completely user preference.
Ask yourself this when trying to decide: "is $ worth it to me in the event that something unfortunate happens to my phone? Do I want to spend $$$ to buy a new one if the problem is not covered by the original warranty?"
Some people have horror stories in dealing with asurion others no problem at all... And remember, the plan does not specify that you'll get a brand new, unused phone, just a comparable phone....so you could end up with a refurbished phone after you're deductible...and who knows if it was ever fixed in the first place!
For me personally, I go with the middle tier insurance (4.79/month+130ded) for the first year because chances are that if I start having problems after that, I'm just gonna go in and get new phone and renew my contract at that point.

I got it but that's b/c i work for t-mobile and I've heard so many unfortunate stories
I take care of my phone as well but it's technology...anything can happen

Have a look at SquareTrade. Way cheaper and covers damages. If they can't fix it, they'll pay you the price you paid for the device. They charage a $124 fee for 2 years of coverage, zero deductible.
Search around online, you probably can find a coupon code to help you get 20-30% off the regular price SquareTrade would charge you for coverage.
Asurion's deductible alone is about as much or more than Squaretrade, plus you'd have to pay Asurion $8/month on top of that.
SquareTrade's protection is also transferable if you sell/give the device to someone else. (Sure to help your resale value on Ebay . )
But ultimately, if you don't have a history of damaging devices, you could save more by simply not buying insurance you don't need. The device does have a 1 year manufacturer's warranty. And there are many cell phone repair shops these days that don't charge much.
So it's up to you. Good thing is that you have plenty of options to choose from.

Asurion is NOT good insurance! You pay a monthly fee of around $8 and then a $100 (or $150 not sure which) deductible to actually get the phone replaced and they CAN still send you a refurbished phone as a replacement. So you pay for the phone twice and still may get a used POS! Don't waste your money. The standard warranty is a year with just about the same coverage (you just can't be at fault for any damages to get fixed).

I haven't checked out squaretrade yet, but imo a comprehensive insurance is a must. No matter how well u take care of ur phone accidents can happen and so can theft. To my knowledge, warranty only covers manufacturing defects, not incidental damage/theft.

Check your house insurance, mine is covered up to £700 for loss or damage, no excess to pay....

jdelforge5684 said:
I haven't checked out squaretrade yet, but imo a comprehensive insurance is a must. No matter how well u take care of ur phone accidents can happen and so can theft. To my knowledge, warranty only covers manufacturing defects, not incidental damage/theft.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would not say a "must". But worth considering if you have a history of issues. I used to buy it all the time, and after almost 10 years of never using it I stopped buying it and still was going just fine without it. I did get it on my Sensation though, because I got a very good deal from SquareTrade when I brought the Sensation through Ebay. The deal I got was <10% of what I paid for the Sensation, which is a price less than replacing it with a used one 2 years from now and less than I'd have to pay a repair shop to fix most any issue. So I'll get the insurance when I can get get a very cheap deal on it. Otherwise, I'll self insure, as in not buy it.
I'd certainly never use Asurion though. They got enough of my money in the past. In a year $8/month is $96 + $100(or higher) deductible = ~$200. So to pay about $200 or so for a refub of the same device is pretty terrible of a deal IMHO.
My old HD2 is the first device I've had that broke do to issues from drops over time, it's SIM slot broke after 16 months of ownership, that would have costs me about $225+ through Asurion, just to get a refub HD2 to replace it. I can get a nearly brand new HD2 for that price off Ebay tonight. But I didn't even want another HD2 16 months later, I wanted something new, so I sold the used broken HD2 on Ebay. The HD2 and it's SIM card with the Transformers movie fetched me almost $150 which went torwards Sensation accessories and more than paid for the SquareTrade coverage. I could have used that money to buy an HD2 in better condition if I desired, or paid less to get the broken HD2 repaired. But in no way does the math ever work for me to use Asurion ever again. If car insurance or home owners insurance were 50% of the price of the device new or 100% of replacement with a used version of the same, people would cry it was fraud.
kjt57 said:
Check your house insurance, mine is covered up to £700 for loss or damage, no excess to pay....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the vast majority in the USA, they won't cover a cell phone. And usually if they do, the deductible is as high as the price of the phone if not higher.

GET IT. I have it over 5yrs since I had my tmobile wing & even if you take care of it something could happen example my hd2 messed up when the electricity went out in my house the phone was connected to the tv and after that phone kept getting random boots. Just get it best investment you could do for your phone.

DEDUCTIBLE IS $130 for the Sensation according to Asurion website and literature.

I gladly pay $8 a month knowing that each year I can have my phone replaced twice. Lost, stolen, damaged no questions asked. Each time I have paid my $130 deductible I have received a brand new in box device. I have used it about 4 times now. They even send u a Sim card and it usually arrives the next day after u male the claim. But I will look into this other company u guys r talking about
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA Premium App

Your right $0 deductible for squaretrade but once Ur care plan is considered fulfilled you need to drop another x amount to cover you new device...
So to me that's the same as paying Asurions deductible.
Not to mention I paid a subsidized price for my sensation and if I was to buy another one I couldn't get it for that price again. So does that mean I'm screwed?
Coverage Amount For replacement payments:
You are covered up to the maximum value you paid for the item. Once we pay out that amount, your Care Plan is considered fulfilled. If you would like coverage on your new item, you need to purchase a new warranty for it.
For Repairs:
The Care Plan is good for multiple repairs, up to the maximum value of your item. Once the cost of repairs meets the full purchase price of the item, your Care Plan is considered fulfilled.
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA Premium App

Cell phone insurance.... Asurion.... Is it worth it?

Isn't there manufacturer device warranty? Typically carrier insurance doesn't offer anything more and you're paying monthly for it.... No?
Thanks
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Manufacturers warranty is for failure of the equipment.
Insurance would be purchased to cover you for other eventualities not covered by that, like losing it or breaking it accidentally or theft.

I got it and it did prove usefull.
$7 a month and $150 deductible.
I had my phone for nine months before I broke it.
$213 < $600
I had a friend who also had it, he lost his phone and they still replaced it.

So expensive!

You don't always have to buy specific phone insurance, some other insurances, travel, home contents etc also cover phones so a bit of homework could find a way to get covered for less money & have a policy that covers alot more.

thanks guys

I think it's worth it, though I have never had to use it with a smart phone, having that safety net is better. I know I would rather pay a $100-$150 deductible than $400+ for a phone

Insurance of choice?

Looking at the insurance options it seems to be between ATT, Samsung, and SquareTrade. For those who have insurace what did you pick and why?
from what I can see:
ATT:
Pros: Low Monthly ($8.99), Covers loss and theft, I believe you, I believe you are certain to get your original color?
Cons: Initial high deductible until it slides, not covered under the $89 screen repair
For ATT is it as simple as walking into a store, filing a claim, and walking out with a new one?
Samsung:
Pros: $99 deductible always, Someone comes to your house either same or next day I believe
Cons: High monthly payments ($11.99), Does not cover loss and theft, No guarantee of phone color
SquareTrade:
Pros: Low Monthly payments (I read someone said it was $7), Also read it was a low deductible like $70
Cons: Does not cover loss and theft. Too good to be true? Slow claims? I really dont know anything about this company so if someone has had experience with them it'd be helpful to know!

Guitarboarder28 said:
Looking at the insurance options it seems to be between ATT, Samsung, and SquareTrade. For those who have insurace what did you pick and why?
from what I can see:
ATT:
Pros: Low Monthly ($8.99), Covers loss and theft, I believe you, I believe you are certain to get your original color?
Cons: Initial high deductible until it slides, not covered under the $89 screen repair
For ATT is it as simple as walking into a store, filing a claim, and walking out with a new one?
Samsung:
Pros: $99 deductible always, Someone comes to your house either same or next day I believe
Cons: High monthly payments ($11.99), Does not cover loss and theft, No guarantee of phone color
SquareTrade:
Pros: Low Monthly payments (I read someone said it was $7), Also read it was a low deductible like $70
Cons: Does not cover loss and theft. Too good to be true? Slow claims? I really dont know anything about this company so if someone has had experience with them it'd be helpful to know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just my two cents and I never used the protection plan before, just had a few phones break during the warranty period. Looks like at&t closed their device service centers, so everything is done by phone and shipped to you. I've had appointments on evenings and sundays to replace dead phones that was nice. Here's a something I put together if I decide to. at&t has extended their enrollment for the protection plans until the end of June if you missed out.
I need to update my signature too, M9 was about die....

Silverexp said:
Just my two cents and I never used the protection plan before, just had a few phones break during the warranty period. Looks like at&t closed their device service centers, so everything is done by phone and shipped to you. I've had appointments on evenings and sundays to replace dead phones that was nice. Here's a something I put together if I decide to. at&t has extended their enrollment for the protection plans until the end of June if you missed out.
I need to update my signature too, M9 was about die....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea I ended up going with att. thats a good speadsheet though. thanks for the share!

I have used Square Trade for many years for all my family phones, laptops/PC's, even a Keurig machine. Have had to claim a couple of times and they are very reasonable & super fast. One family member's iPhone screen cracked, initiated a claim, took it to local Genius Bar (isn't that name just a hoot), and uploaded PDF copy of the receipt, had full reimbursement from Square Trade into my PayPal account in less than 24 hours. No problems using this service at all. If device can't be fixed, or if repair facility wants to replace rather than repair, Square Trade reimburses the full cost. Just have to look at which service level and desired deductible you want.
Sent from my SM-G955U using XDA Premium HD app

Subscribed. I'd love to hear more on this.
I have always purchased AppleCare+, Samsung Protection Plus or On-Guard by Assurant ect for my devices. I have enjoyed paying a one time fee and having coverage for 2 years and not being gouged with a reoccurring monthly fee. I've never had to make a claim but I feel great comfort in knowing I am covered.
I've never had carrier insurance such as AT&T's, mostly because I usually have several devices at any given time and swap my SIM often, and was told once ( most likely erroneously ) that once I swap my SIM into another phone the insurance is no longer valid for the original device.
Looking at what AT&T's insurance offers it seems outrageously expensive. I can't imagine anybody is actually paying for that. $229 deductible?!? Thats batshlt crazy!
I paid $129 for AppleCare+ for my iPhone 7 Plus. Deductible is only $29 for screen replacement and $99 for the entire device. Those are incredibly reasonable prices. My Note 5 was $129 with a $99 deductible.
When I purchased my Galaxy s8+ in store the AT&T sales associate was pushing the insurance really hard. I declined several times always planning on buying Samsung Protection Plus. I was pretty upset when I got home and saw that Samsung Protection Plus is not offered for the s8 and s8+. Instead we get Samsung Premium Care for $11.99 a month with no option to pay for the full 2 years. That means you are paying $306.03 I'm really not too happy about that.
I have several SuareTrade warranties. Have only had to make a claim once, on a 60" Plasma TV. They were super fast about accessing the situation remotely and ended up replacing it with a brand new, much nicer full array LED. I have to say I was pretty happy with how SquareTrade handled it. Maybe I'll give then a shot at my s8+. I'd rather do that than pay $306.03 to Samsung or a ridiculous $229 deductible with AT&T