Develop Bugs

T-Mobile insurance. Is it worth it?

I wanted to start this thread as sort of an informative type of thread. I know there will be other people wondering the same thing. I haven't had t-mobile in years and only dealt with sprint Asurion insurance.
I have been offered t-mobile insurance and I'm not really sure if it would be worth getting it. There were three options given and I wanted to get some insight from some customers that have gone through the insurance in the past. I am leaning towards the middle one that I think was 4.79.
Is this a good insurance to have or should I get the higher priced one that extends the warranty to two years?
Are there any issues over the phone when trying to get a replacement due to software or hardware issues?
How are the refurbs that are sent as replacement?
Here are the two options
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/addons...umHandsetProtection&tp=Svc_Sub_EqpmntProtnOvw
or
http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/and...g1#coveragePop

I went with Squaretrade instead of Tmobile because of the deductible
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

mziol said:
I went with Squaretrade instead of Tmobile because of the deductible
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
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Can you give some insight on what squaretrade is offering vs t-mobile?

mziol said:
I went with Squaretrade instead of Tmobile because of the deductible
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
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I went squaretrade too, with coupon code it was only $90 and covers 2 years and by then I will be on a completely diff phone anyway..

if they cover screen replacement or water damage, it's a decent protection, if you are ... accident prone like me
i used to take those insurance, when i was in school and couldn't afford a new device very often.
once i started getting better jobs, i stopped taking those, as i was switching from phone to phone before i can even crack the old phone

post moved to OP

AllGamer said:
if they cover screen replacement or water damage, it's a decent protection, if you are ... accident prone like me
i used to take those insurance, when i was in school and couldn't afford a new device very often.
once i started getting better jobs, i stopped taking those, as i was switching from phone to phone before i can even crack the old phone
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Yeah that's kinda where I'm at with it. I am very careful with my phones and usually go through phones pretty quick. I will feel much better about it once I get a case. I always feel like I'm going to drop this thing. I don't know if it's the weight or the slender build.

i just use the tmobil insurance u brick or wreck ur phone u take it into tmobil they replace it with a new one or refurbished one!

have you looked at the Best Buy insurance?
they are pretty fair and fool prof and it's affordable but the rates varies from phone to phone, so you might want to check in store

AllGamer said:
have you looked at the Best Buy insurance?
they are pretty fair and fool prof and it's affordable but the rates varies from phone to phone, so you might want to check in store
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Click to collapse
I got my phone through wirefly so I don't know if Bestbuy would warranty a purchase that wasn't at their store.
I did notice that squaretrade doesn't cover loss or theft so that wouldn't be an option.
I am leaning toward the PHP insurance option through T-mobile. Anybody here ever had any issues with that particular type of insurance?

Jjday7 said:
I got my phone through wirefly so I don't know if Bestbuy would warranty a purchase that wasn't at their store.
I did notice that squaretrade doesn't cover loss or theft so that wouldn't be an option.
I am leaning toward the PHP insurance option through T-mobile. Anybody here ever had any issues with that particular type of insurance?
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Click to collapse
Thats the thing i dont like the no loss of theft. but that deductible is killer. i wonder if there is a way to sweet talk them. and i do understand its a deterrent to prevent people from breaking there phone to get the updated hardware as they make revisions or lie and say they lost the phone so they can get a dev phone.

I had cell phone insiranve since it was 1.99 it just a fall. Back they send it ecpress overnght and u pay lile 130 dedu.(smart phone) it worth it
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA App

Baaed on the answers, I'm thinking that going the insurance route is the best option. This phone feels fragile so I'm going to cover my butt. I think the 4.79 insurance will do. Plus I can cancel at any time which makes It a better deal. I lobe this phone but I know from past experiences that I will probably keep it less than a year.

Jjday7 said:
Baaed on the answers, I'm thinking that going the insurance route is the best option. This phone feels fragile so I'm going to cover my butt. I think the 4.79 insurance will do. Plus I can cancel at any time which makes It a better deal. I lobe this phone but I know from past experiences that I will probably keep it less than a year.
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i got it as well. i would rather pay a little extra so im not always worried about the phone. better to have it and not need then to need and not have. replace the phone once and its payed for its self.

ive had/have premium asurion insurance thru tmobile. they cover 3 phones in a 12 month period. i know because ive lost 4 phones already and was left with no choice but to buy the sgs2 lol.
the deductible is what kills you. for any smart phone whether its damaged, lost or stolen, you have to pay 130.00 PERIOD and that includes free overnight shipping. if you order your new phone monday morning you will have it by tuesday afternoon. theres no sweet talking or getting yourself out of that deductible EVER. if your a clutz like me the insurance is worth it. 130 beats 500 any day.
asurion covers stolen, lost, theft, water damage, etc. i guess they dont really care what your excuse is for whatever happened to your phone because your getting ass raped with a deductible. either way i WOULD recommend them. its a small price to pay and believe if you ever do lose your phone you will be more than thankful that you had insurance on it

They are both worth it. DO NOT go with tie protection plan. They never keep up their end. It's pointless and it's money down the drain. With T-Mobile insurance and warranty... you get a phone... you damage it... there is a deductible. If it's the phone itself, the warranty covers it. Better to pay the deductible then retail of the phone. The phones aren't getting cheaper. You have to think MSRP.
I've been selling phones for dealers and corp for 5+ years. Insurance is a double edged sword. Yes it costs more monthly, yes it adds up and yes there is a deductible. So it's a gamble. Is it worth it? Yes. Is it worth it if nothing goes wrong with the phone? No. But that's the gamble.
Warranty... Personally I'll pass. I don't keep phones past the first year. The phone is covered by manufacturer warranty and I believe the carrier will handle the swap for you. You're paying for the second year in contract for the warranty part... So you pay it the first year when it's covered anyway.
Insurance covers everything... then there is a deductible. Anything happens to the phone, you make a claim and get one the next day. Handled by Asurion.
If you add up the monthly charge for insurance alone + the deductible... you're looking at about $250. If nothing happens and you keep your phone, then you paid insurance for nothing. But that's just insurance... that's how insurance works. If you break it, lose it or get it wet within the first couple months... pay the deductible and get a new one... was insurance worth it? Yes.
Next year... let's say something happens... you've been paying on insurance, pay the deductible. Could you maybe have bought the phone from someone else and saved a little coin? Yes.
It's basically good to have insurance if something happens in the first few months. I recommend putting it on at first and maybe ween yourself off it. But some of you are like me...
Am I too cheap to pay for insurance? Yes.
Will I get insurance? Probably for the first couple months.
Do I have the phone for 6+ months? No.
If I don't have insurance, am I willing to drop $500+ on the latest phone? Sure. I guess I have to.

Jjday7 said:
I got my phone through wirefly so I don't know if Bestbuy would warranty a purchase that wasn't at their store.
I did notice that squaretrade doesn't cover loss or theft so that wouldn't be an option.
I am leaning toward the PHP insurance option through T-mobile. Anybody here ever had any issues with that particular type of insurance?
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Click to collapse
Hey, I got my daughter's Sidekick 4G through Wirefly and they offered some kind of insurance for like $70 up front or in monthly installments. And I do believe it covered accidents and theft. Check into it.

chrischoi said:
They are both worth it. DO NOT go with tie protection plan. They never keep up their end. It's pointless and it's money down the drain. With T-Mobile insurance and warranty... you get a phone... you damage it... there is a deductible. If it's the phone itself, the warranty covers it. Better to pay the deductible then retail of the phone. The phones aren't getting cheaper. You have to think MSRP.
I've been selling phones for dealers and corp for 5+ years. Insurance is a double edged sword. Yes it costs more monthly, yes it adds up and yes there is a deductible. So it's a gamble. Is it worth it? Yes. Is it worth it if nothing goes wrong with the phone? No. But that's the gamble.
Warranty... Personally I'll pass. I don't keep phones past the first year. The phone is covered by manufacturer warranty and I believe the carrier will handle the swap for you. You're paying for the second year in contract for the warranty part... So you pay it the first year when it's covered anyway.
Insurance covers everything... then there is a deductible. Anything happens to the phone, you make a claim and get one the next day. Handled by Asurion.
If you add up the monthly charge for insurance alone + the deductible... you're looking at about $250. If nothing happens and you keep your phone, then you paid insurance for nothing. But that's just insurance... that's how insurance works. If you break it, lose it or get it wet within the first couple months... pay the deductible and get a new one... was insurance worth it? Yes.
Next year... let's say something happens... you've been paying on insurance, pay the deductible. Could you maybe have bought the phone from someone else and saved a little coin? Yes.
It's basically good to have insurance if something happens in the first few months. I recommend putting it on at first and maybe ween yourself off it. But some of you are like me...
Am I too cheap to pay for insurance? Yes.
Will I get insurance? Probably for the first couple months.
Do I have the phone for 6+ months? No.
If I don't have insurance, am I willing to drop $500+ on the latest phone? Sure. I guess I have to.
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Click to collapse
yea i see where you are coming from. just wish i was in a different industry where my phone would not be exposed to so many elements.

Get the bundle. Sure it may be $7/month, but the insurance and warranty cover phones that you buy in the future too. (Even second hand phones)

rr5678 said:
Get the bundle. Sure it may be $7/month, but the insurance and warranty cover phones that you buy in the future too. (Even second hand phones)
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where do i find this information

Insurance

So I just ordered my nexus from expansys, in wondering what insurance people have bought if any, in case of loss or damage...what are some good ones
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA App

I'm wondering the same thing. I've seen people mention a company called "Squaretrade," but I don't know if they offer warranties for phones imported from another country into the U.S. I've been meaning to contact them about it but haven't had the chance yet.

I've heard cell phones can fall under personal property in a home insurance policy.
If you own a home I would check with your insurance company.

I have a little bit different question about insurance.
If I bricked my phone while flashing custom rom would I be able claim (accidental damage?)? I'm in UK, does anyone have any experience whith this type of claims? If yes, who was the insurance with?

Tmobile asurion insurance covers any phone you are using on the network. Just like the nexus one
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using Tapatalk

I use CUSC now for £5 a month, I can't comment on their service as I've never had to claim - there is a £50 excess fee for each claim

Flippy125 said:
Tmobile asurion insurance covers any phone you are using on the network. Just like the nexus one
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using Tapatalk
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Interesting. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does Assurion replace your phone with another phone if something happens to yours? I'd much rather have insurance that gives me the value of the phone in money so I could get another Galaxy Nexus rather than some other phone if need be.

nyijedi said:
Interesting. Correct me if I'm wrong, but does Assurion replace your phone with another phone if something happens to yours? I'd much rather have insurance that gives me the value of the phone in money so I could get another Galaxy Nexus rather than some other phone if need be.
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My 1 experience with T-mo/Asurion was with my G2 having a screen issue, they replace it with the same device unless there are no more devices left (the phone is really old or way past EOL).
---------- Post added at 02:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:47 PM ----------
rokfor2000 said:
I have a little bit different question about insurance.
If I bricked my phone while flashing custom rom would I be able claim (accidental damage?)? I'm in UK, does anyone have any experience whith this type of claims? If yes, who was the insurance with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not like it really matters. If you're going to take the high deductible of claiming accidental damage (much more expensive than lost/stolen), they will replace it. If they say they don't replace it from software things you did to it (for some reason...), you could just hit it with a hammer lol. Accidental damage is accidental damage.

If you are in the US I recommend SquareTrade

squaretrade - $95 for two years (after 35 dollar off cyber Monday coupon)
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda premium

martonikaj said:
My 1 experience with T-mo/Asurion was with my G2 having a screen issue, they replace it with the same device unless there are no more devices left (the phone is really old or way past EOL).
---------- Post added at 02:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:47 PM ----------
Not like it really matters. If you're going to take the high deductible of claiming accidental damage (much more expensive than lost/stolen), they will replace it. If they say they don't replace it from software things you did to it (for some reason...), you could just hit it with a hammer lol. Accidental damage is accidental damage.
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Thats not accidental if you it on purpose.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.

rokfor2000 said:
I have a little bit different question about insurance.
If I bricked my phone while flashing custom rom would I be able claim (accidental damage?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NO!
That's not accidental damage!

pukemon said:
Thats not accidental if you it on purpose.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
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Doesn't matter. User-caused damage is always a higher deductible than lost/stolen phone. "Accidental" is going to be anything you cause yourself that warrants a repair or exchange. They don't make a distinction between "accidental" and "purposeful" damage. You're paying for the coverage it doesn't matter.

does square trade cover loss or theft

pukemon said:
Thats not accidental if you it on purpose.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
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Not on purpose if they can't prove it
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using Tapatalk

pukemon said:
Thats not accidental if you it on purpose.
Sent from my samsung gt i9250 which is in the wrong country.
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Where did "on purpose" come from? When I flash a new rom it is not my intention to damage the phone, I want to upgrade it. It is like saying that dropping a phone by accident == playing football with it because you didn't have a ball around. If you don't intend to damage it is not on purpose, it's by accident.
martonikaj said:
Doesn't matter. User-caused damage is always a higher deductible than lost/stolen phone. "Accidental" is going to be anything you cause yourself that warrants a repair or exchange. They don't make a distinction between "accidental" and "purposeful" damage. You're paying for the coverage it doesn't matter.
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My previous cover had £30 pounds excess no matter what happenes. My wife drowned her iPhone in lip gloss and it stopped working, they replaced it for £30 punds (the same cover). Since then they have changed the excess amounts to £100 for iPhones and £50 for everything else.
I am just curious if bricked the phone would it be treated the same as the one damaged by lip gloss? I can lose £50, but £500 is a bit too much.
Flippy125 said:
Not on purpose if they can't prove it
Sent from my HTC Desire Z using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Thinking about that I gues telling them I was flashing official google update (after such is released) should do the trick.
martonikaj said:
Not like it really matters. If you're going to take the high deductible of claiming accidental damage (much more expensive than lost/stolen), they will replace it. If they say they don't replace it from software things you did to it (for some reason...), you could just hit it with a hammer lol. Accidental damage is accidental damage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting idea, I haven't thought about that

wasya152 said:
does square trade cover loss or theft
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No they don't. It seems they only cover damage to the phone. So if your phone is lost or stolen and you have square trade, you're screwed. This automatically disqualifies them for me.
For the person who recommended Asurion, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. If you file a claim on the Galaxy Nexus, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A GALAXY NEXUS. You will instead receive a phone they consider to be "comparable". Since you were talking about T-Mobile, I'd imagine they'd either send you an Amaze or a Galaxy S2, either of which I'd personally be upset about receiving. Especially considering the fact that even if you sold the phone they sent you, it still wouldn't be enough to cover the cost of a getting a new Galaxy Nexus. So you'd wind up paying a deductible of $130, then having to sell the phone they send you, then having to come out the pocket some more just to get the phone you already had.

I just had a T-mobile USA agent tell me otherwise. I HAD insurance for my Nexus One through them and removed the insurance 1 month ago. Now they will not (or can not) insure my Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Sucks.
I'm looking for alternatives... or maybe I'll try calling TMO again tomorrow and talk to another agent.

Sprint says OPtimus G isn't TEP qualified..

So I have a feeling someone is being a moron when telling me this but the website also says that its not. SO how would I go about adding it?.
I also have a feeling that if/when people use the TEP to replace it will probably be new phones for sometime guess that is a plus.
"Total Equipment Protection" is not supported by the phone LG Optimus G™.

cmsjr123 said:
So I have a feeling someone is being a moron when telling me this but the website also says that its not. SO how would I go about adding it?.
I also have a feeling that if/when people use the TEP to replace it will probably be new phones for sometime guess that is a plus.
"Total Equipment Protection" is not supported by the phone LG Optimus G™.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Total Equipment Protection
$11.00
That's a different TEP than most older phones.

cmsjr123 said:
So I have a feeling someone is being a moron when telling me this but the website also says that its not. SO how would I go about adding it?.
I also have a feeling that if/when people use the TEP to replace it will probably be new phones for sometime guess that is a plus.
"Total Equipment Protection" is not supported by the phone LG Optimus G™.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That person is an idiot. You can add TEP on the Optimus G. Trust me. Haha. :laugh:

Can I do it via web? I'm the account owner and.holder and I get the optimus g today
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2

I also have the TEP and its $11 per month. The sprint rep was very adamant about it although it seems a bit expensive.
Sent from my LG-LS970 using xda premium

TEP went to 11 bucks a month for all phones above a certain price point. (all newer mid-high end smartphones) and for the low end and feature phones its like 8 bucks a month
Shifted from a Zombie Wasteland

cmsjr123 said:
Can I do it via web? I'm the account owner and.holder and I get the optimus g today
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have 30 days to add it from activation date. So either call or online thru chat
Sent from my LG-LS970 using xda premium

Online via chat probably and well it might be expensive but still cheaper than a new phone..
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

$11 a month x 24 month plan = $264...spendy if you don't use it, but the first time you have to pony up $549 for a new one with out it you'll be wishin you had it lol. especially if it's in the first couple months.
Also don't know if you know this but with TEP it also covers warrenty stuff at $0 deductible past the factory 1 year warrenty. This has come in handy for me several times

stealth919 said:
$11 a month x 24 month plan = $264...spendy if you don't use it, but the first time you have to pony up $549 for a new one with out it you'll be wishin you had it lol. especially if it's in the first couple months.
Also don't know if you know this but with TEP it also covers warrenty stuff at $0 deductible past the factory 1 year warrenty. This has come in handy for me several times
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had every single one of my HTCs replaced at least twice and my samsung four or five times at no cost to me. I even got upgraded from the Touch Pro to the Touch Pro 2 for free because the TP1 was no longer made or refurbed! Never a bad deal there.

I was able to get TEP on mine. Like others have said, its $11.

sn0w said:
I had every single one of my HTCs replaced at least twice and my samsung four or five times at no cost to me. I even got upgraded from the Touch Pro to the Touch Pro 2 for free because the TP1 was no longer made or refurbed! Never a bad deal there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No sir, that's getting your money's worth there for sure!

So could someone explain exactly how it works? I'm considering it. Do I pay for repairs? And I know everything is covered.. I'm tempted..
Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 2

If its your fault then 100 deductable no questions asked. Warrenty stuff is free.
Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 2

TEP's monthly cost is calculated by the full MSRP of the handset.
Anything below $499.99 is $8 per month
Everything $500 and up is $11 per month
WiMax devices are grandfathered into the old $8 rate (The Motorola Photon, HTC Evo 3D, etc. are $549.99 but are $8 per month to insure).
Deductibles are also calculated by the full MSRP of the handset.
Anything $299 and below will have a $50 deductible
Anything between $300-499 will have a $100 deductible
Anything between $500-599 will have a $150 deductible
Anything over $600 has a $200 deductible
Wimax devices are again the exception having been grandfathered in on the old $8 rate; The Photon and Evo 3D for example have $100 deductibles.
Some examples of TEP premiums and deductible schedule with Sprint's current device lineup:
Kyocera Rise - MSRP $249.99, $8/month, $50 deductible
LG Mach - MSRP $399.99, $8/month, $100 deductible
Samsung Galaxy S II - MSRP $499.99, $8/month, $100 deductible - WIMAX
[*]LG Optimus G - MSRP $549.99, $11/month, $150 deductible
Samsung Galaxy S III 16GB - MSRP $549.99, $11/month, $150 deductible
Samsung Galaxy S III 32GB - MSRP $599.99, $11/month, $150 deductible
Samsung Galaxy Note II - MSRP $649.99, $11/month, $200 deductible
As for what's covered, here's the easiest way to think of it:
Anything YOU did to your phone (or by omission allowed to happen) will require you to contact Asurion, pay a deductible and they will ship a phone to the address of your choosing. *
Anything that the PHONE did by itself and can be reproduced in the store is covered at a store level. They'll attempt to fix the phone, if it can't be fixed a DHRP (Direct Handset Replacement Program) phone will be ordered. **
As for your manufacturers warranty, it's completely and 100% not applicable at the store. Doesn't matter if you bought the phone 8 months or 8 weeks ago, once you're outside of 14 day return/exchange window, you're paying out of pocket to fix defects with your phone if you don't have TEP. If it's physical damage, lost/stolen, etc, you're paying out of pocket to buy a phone at full MSRP.
* This would be physical damage, cosmetic damage, lost phone, stolen phone, liquid damage, cracked screens, housing damage, etc
** This would be defects in the phone itself such as swollen battery, blown speaker, dead spots in the screen, non-traumatic charging port failures, etc.
Accessories bundled with the device are not included in TEP protection (chargers, headphones, etc)
DHRP phones can be new or reconditioned depending on the age of the product (the older it get's the more likely you are to get a recon) and will either be the same phone or something comparable. If you bring in a broken Galaxy S II don't expect to walk out with a Note.
---------- Post added at 03:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:43 PM ----------
I forgot to mention, TEP can be added during the 14 day return policy or after an eligible repair. If you bring in an uninsured phone, pay to have it fixed, TEP can be added afterwards.
Care may allow you to add TEP up to 30 days out but it doesn't always stay on the account if you do it at the store after 14 days from purchase (System may kick it off if it doesn't see a TEP eligible transaction).

Being a tech for sprint I will tell you that TEP is available for our phones. I have it on mine. I believe that when they say it's not available they are most likely referring to the TEP app you can download. The app usually takes some time to be made compatible with new devices.
The TEP app allows things like GPS location of your phone, remote wipe, etc and can only be used if you have TEP service on your account.

I am also a tech for Sprint and to clear things up, we are required to fix the phone, even if it is technically "your fault." With three exceptions. If the device is liquid damaged or the screen is shattered, or the board is damaged, it is supposed to be sent through Asurion.
Now, the lines drawn for liquid damage are kind of a grey area. Technically, if the litmus papers are triggered, it could be considered liquid damaged. But at my store, we give the customer the benefit of the doubt and have to see actual liquid or corrosion.
Also, the shattered screen thing, is supposed to be an Asurion claim, but at my store, we will generally fix the phone unless the we don't have the part to do so. We try to take care of the customer as much as possible.

Th3ArCh0n said:
I am also a tech for Sprint and to clear things up, we are required to fix the phone, even if it is technically "your fault." With three exceptions. If the device is liquid damaged or the screen is shattered, or the board is damaged, it is supposed to be sent through Asurion.
Now, the lines drawn for liquid damage are kind of a grey area. Technically, if the litmus papers are triggered, it could be considered liquid damaged. But at my store, we give the customer the benefit of the doubt and have to see actual liquid or corrosion.
Also, the shattered screen thing, is supposed to be an Asurion claim, but at my store, we will generally fix the phone unless the we don't have the part to do so. We try to take care of the customer as much as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm about to take my chances in having my wife's SGS3 fixed. She has a slight crack that goes through the center of the glass. It's not shattered by any means, but I more or less assumed that the phone being 3 months old, it would be covered by warranty. I do have TEP on it though.

Th3ArCh0n said:
We try to take care of the customer as much as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for doing that. I was turned away from my local Sprint store for having a shattered screen on my Evo 4G. The "greeter" took one look at it and wouldn't give me the time of day - didn't even offer to fix me up with a new phone. I was off contract and he might have made a sale that day. Instead, his attitude convinced me to buy my new LGOG straight from Sprint instead of through him.
Thanks for providing good customer service - I only wish I lived in GR near you!!!

tduck said:
Thanks for doing that. I was turned away from my local Sprint store for having a shattered screen on my Evo 4G. The "greeter" took one look at it and wouldn't give me the time of day - didn't even offer to fix me up with a new phone. I was off contract and he might have made a sale that day. Instead, his attitude convinced me to buy my new LGOG straight from Sprint instead of through him.
Thanks for providing good customer service - I only wish I lived in GR near you!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am sure he feels bad for missing out on an upgrade that would have paid him 4 bucks. Scratch that, when you gave him a bad survey score for making you buy a phone when yours was "repairable" he would have lost money anyway. He really missed out.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium

[Q] Best insurance option in case my phone gets stolen or lost?

which insurance do you guys recommend for my new note 2 in case it gets stolen or lost?
also i got my daughter an iphone 5(i couldn't convince her to get the s3 instead), so i need insurance for it as well in case it is lost or stolen.
Thanks

I use Sprint's TEP. It's pretty good.... Expensive than others.

DarkManX4lf said:
I use Sprint's TEP. It's pretty good.... Expensive than others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks i will check them out for my note 2, but i dont think they cover lost/stolen for the iphone 5.

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best insurance I found is worth ave group.
with coupon codes its $66.20 a year for $2000 in coverage unlimited usage and $25 deductible.
Covers damage and theft but not loss then again if its lost IT IS stolen so file a police report.
sprints TEP is $11 a month in other words $132 a year AND the deductible is $200 !!! and IIRC you can only use it once a year (I could be wrong on that)
I think worth without coupon code is $75 a year or something like that. way way cheaper and better than sprints tep and it covers all your toys (I have all my phones my laptop and my camera's on it)
just sign up for the student plan.

Squaretrade
I have had no problems with squaretrade
their quick also much cheaper the Sprint TEP

nerys71 said:
best insurance I found is worth ave group.
with coupon codes its $66.20 a year for $2000 in coverage unlimited usage and $25 deductible.
Covers damage and theft but not loss then again if its lost IT IS stolen so file a police report.
sprints TEP is $11 a month in other words $132 a year AND the deductible is $200 !!! and IIRC you can only use it once a year (I could be wrong on that)
I think worth without coupon code is $75 a year or something like that. way way cheaper and better than sprints tep and it covers all your toys (I have all my phones my laptop and my camera's on it)
just sign up for the student plan.
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thanks i will check out worth ave group
waky02 said:
I have had no problems with squaretrade
their quick also much cheaper the Sprint TEP
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i thought squaretrade doesn't cover lost or stolen?

Sprint total protection.
Applies gps to your phone if lost, can track from your pc and they give you a new phone if broken.
Extra 8 bucks a month.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium

devynbf said:
Sprint total protection.
Applies gps to your phone if lost, can track from your pc and they give you a new phone if broken.
Extra 8 bucks a month.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium
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It is $11 for the note 2...and the gps tracking is optional. If you don't set it up before hand it won't work. Not to mention most stolen phones are either imediately turned off or hard reset. (though I have talked to a few people that have found their phone this way)
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

your right sorry
they do not

Sprints coverage has 2 parts. One is insurance and the other is tep. The insurance is from asurion, you pay 200 and they ship you a new phone and you get it by the next business day. The tep which is total equipment protection is used whenever you have a problem with your phone that isn't covered under warranty anymore. For example if your speaker goes out they will fix it for free or if like me your screen starts messing up they will get you a whole new phone. If not for that then I would have to take the Samsung warranty and they ask that you mail it to them, wait while they fix it and then they ship it back. It can take from 2 to 3 weeks. Sprint will still check your phone but fixing it will cost 35 or more I believe. I think its 8 for insurance and 5 for tep, but I believe the insurance used to be 6. Not quite sure about any of this as it is just off the top of my head. I do know that the 11 or 13 package has 2 parts.

I have best buy insurance. $169 one time charge (you can opt for monthly) and no deductible ever.
Guaranteed 5 day turn around, they give you a loaner in the meantime.
I don't think they cover theft, perhaps if you have a police report.
sent from my ginormous Note II

MeetFace said:
I have best buy insurance. $169 one time charge (you can opt for monthly) and no deductible ever.
Guaranteed 5 day turn around, they give you a loaner in the meantime.
I don't think they cover theft, perhaps if you have a police report.
sent from my ginormous Note II
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best buy does not cover lost or stolen
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

Best buy covers absolutely everything except lost or stolen. Unlimited claims and no deductible! They order you a new phone and give you a loaner If you need one. As far as lost or stolen, if you have their geek squad, there is a free app called locked And found that tracks where your phone is and takes pictures of what it sees with the front facing camera (a thiefs face maybe?) and reports to a website only you have access to.
For those who have the protection plan get a hold of your gsp# off your receipt because the app asks for it, or call best buy mobile.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

The best buy program is junk. I had it and tried to get it fixed while traveling. First of all the replacement store would only give me a loner if I was able to return it to the same store. Now someone traveling like I was is screwed plus the loner was any phone not the same phone. The second issue was they said my phone wasn't broke enough because my problem was intermittent. They actually told me to go back to the parking and break the screen then they would replace it.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium

inmnbob said:
The best buy program is junk. I had it and tried to get it fixed while traveling. First of all the replacement store would only give me a loner if I was able to return it to the same store. Now someone traveling like I was is screwed plus the loner was any phone not the same phone. The second issue was they said my phone wasn't broke enough because my problem was intermittent. They actually told me to go back to the parking and break the screen then they would replace it.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda premium
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Not trying to be a argumentative but I don't think your complaints are valid.
1) I understand requiring you to return to the same store is not as convenient as possible... but creating the infrastructure to manage inter-store returns for loaner require technology investments which would surely increase the cost of insurance. Besides, most insurance programs don't even have this feature. It's inconvenient for travelers but making accomodations for such cases may not necessarily be worth the investment.
Also, loaners are temporary. To match your phone... and everyone else's, best buy must have at least one of every phone ever, for each store. (At least within the last two years). Do you expect them to open a new box everytime they dont have a matching loaner availabe?...assuming they even have them in stock?
As per your second complaint I don't know what the problem was, but bb doesn't automatically do replacements. .. instead will do repairs on fixable problems. Correct me but I believe that's what happened. They offered to do a repair but you wanted a replacement.
I think the only thing you can criticize bb for is they were asking you to commit insurance fraud.
swyped all these spelling errors from my galaxy note 2

finalhit said:
I think the only thing you can criticize bb for is they were asking you to commit insurance fraud.
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its not even insurance. its a protection plan. similar, but not the same thing. i dont know if you can call it insurance fraud unless it is underwritten by an indemnity company.
that being said, you are correct, sir.

Sprint TEP + Kaspersky One, insurance and the ability to track, lock and wipe your phone.
You can also take pictures of the person using it.
It's win....

I dumped sprint insurance after having it on multiple phones for over 8 years. Monthly charge and deductible for the note were way too high for me. I switched to ensquared (or something like that)
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

chuhsi said:
I dumped sprint insurance after having it on multiple phones for over 8 years. Monthly charge and deductible for the note were way too high for me. I switched to ensquared (or something like that)
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
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How much you pay and what does ir cover?
Sent from my MASSIVE Galaxy Note® II...*

Insuring for Galaxy Note 4

I am coming from best buy Geek Squad with no deductible. I know best buy is still much better than sprint but I am looking for insurance that offers me the best protection including accidental drops and water damage and coverage for lost and stolen phones (although I'm willing to give this up if I have to in return for a great accidental plan with low ddeductible) I'm curious what everyone else is planning to go with to protect their new phone. With bestbuy I had my phone ran over by a semi and dropped from high elevation (both theories technically not covered) but was replaced twice at no charge.
Anyone find this kind of great insurance else where?

Maybe I'll just do geek squad and drop sprints insurance

hardingn88 said:
I am coming from best buy Geek Squad with no deductible. I know best buy is still much better than sprint but I am looking for insurance that offers me the best protection including accidental drops and water damage and coverage for lost and stolen phones (although I'm willing to give this up if I have to in return for a great accidental plan with low ddeductible) I'm curious what everyone else is planning to go with to protect their new phone. With bestbuy I had my phone ran over by a semi and dropped from high elevation (both theories technically not covered) but was replaced twice at no charge.
Anyone find this kind of great insurance else where?
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Click to collapse
I haven't looked at specifics between plans to compare, something I need to do but I recently read an article on one of the many android-centric sites about best buy's updated insurance plan and it is not so good, a few months back it was modified greatly and at quick glance it was worse than what is provided through sprint. These aren't exact numbers but it was something like 40 dollars per claim even if work (as in fix/replace) is done or not and deductible was through the roof for high-end smartphones [audit needed]. I just remember many of the commenters on the article were saying they were jumping ship from BB insurance and going with sprint's.

No insurance for me. Never had it on a phone I've owned.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using XDA Free mobile app

ahhh, nice, cheaper than both BB and Sprint:
http://www.samsung.com/us/owners/protection-plus/mobile-elite/?CID=AFL-hq-mul-0813-11000170
+1 Samsung
Sprint: $11 x 24 = $264 + $200 deductible, total $464
BB/GeekSquad: $149 up-front + $149 service fee, total $298
Samsung: $129 up-front + $95 service fee, total $224
Sprint includes service/repair in their monthly cost, but not replacement.
BB/GS&Samsung all charge a service fee any severity problem.

evolone said:
ahhh, nice, cheaper than both BB and Sprint:
http://www.samsung.com/us/owners/protection-plus/mobile-elite/?CID=AFL-hq-mul-0813-11000170
+1 Samsung
Sprint: $11 x 24 = $264 + $200 deductible, total $464
BB/GeekSquad: $149 up-front + $149 service fee, total $298
Samsung: $129 up-front + $95 service fee, total $224
Sprint includes service/repair in their monthly cost, but not replacement.
BB/GS&Samsung all charge a service fee any severity problem.
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Click to collapse
Thank you so much for this information. This is what I will be going with. Currently I have been paying $22 a month with best buy for 2 phones and never used it for one of the phones. That is $264 per device over the 24 month policy term that I paid. Samsung seems to have the best plan available for me and seems to have the lowest deductible which has been my concern. I live paycheck to paycheck and do not have $150-$200 to pay to best buy or sprint if I was to need to make a claim and $95/per claim would much easier on me. Again, Thank you for sharing that information. I don't understand why samsung has not marketed this a little better maybe in their commercials or something. Hopefully they will market it better so it will do good. I have been on the samsung site every day for the last week waiting for note 4 accessories and have never seen this.

Squaretrade is even cheaper than Samsung. It has a lower deductible and the premium is cheaper too..
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda premium

I'm also coming from geek squad with no deductible on my GS4 , and I'll be going to square trade it's the best deal for $100 for 2 Years or 5$ a month and it's a 75$ deductible cheapest of all them, I'll miss the no deductible tho :/

Only the Sprint policy covers lost or stolen phones so something to keep in mind.
I'm not cheer-leading for them just adding info to the archives.
I do use Square Trade on my other electronics but will probably keep the Sprint insurance for a year.

Itchiee said:
Only the Sprint policy covers lost or stolen phones so something to keep in mind.
I'm not cheer-leading for them just adding info to the archives.
I do use Square Trade on my other electronics but will probably keep the Sprint insurance for a year.
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Click to collapse
I haven't filed a claim with them yet, but Worth Ave. Group insurance seems to be the best deal, and has great reviews: http://www.worthavegroup.com/product/cell-phone-insurance/
For a $699 phone and $50 deductible, it's $69 per year. From their site, "Each policy covers the cell phone for Accidental Damage such as drops and spills as well as Theft, Fire, Flood, Natural Disasters and Lightning Strikes. With a low $50 deductible and premiums starting as little as under $4 a month, this policy accommodates every budget. We cover NEW, USED and REFURBISHED devices."

I've been doing some more digging around about policies and this might be some useful information.
Options for people concerned with lost/stolen smartphones
-Renters/Homeowners Insurance - you'll need to add a "Valuable Personal Article" to your plan - this is also the cheapest way to go out of all of them, but only covers loss not damage (same insurers may cover damage)
-Sprint (insurance by Asurion)
If only concerned about broken/damaged smartphones (plans exclude loss)
-Squaretrade
-Samsung
Alternative ...best deal of them all but there is some risk (imo)
-Worth Ave. Group
Note: They pay out cost of plan instead of repair/replace. If you go with the $899 plan and if something happens to the phone they send you $899. The issue I found is if you look up reviews online (not on their website) there are mixed reviews, people have had problems with their claims and WAG's customer service. So there seems to be some risk here of getting the money, also the wait-time of processing the claim and actually receiving the money. [update] They don't cover loss and their definition of theft is extremely specific, read their fine print.

Itchiee said:
Only the Sprint policy covers lost or stolen phones so something to keep in mind.
I'm not cheer-leading for them just adding info to the archives.
I do use Square Trade on my other electronics but will probably keep the Sprint insurance for a year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, if you're using Easy Pay and plan to upgrade in a year, you can only trade in the original device or a Sprint approved replacement. If you use other insurance and get a replacement, you'll have to keep it the full two years.

evolone said:
I'll
If only concerned about broken/damaged smartphones (plans exclude loss)
-Squaretrade
-Samsung
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung has insurance? Is it well priced?

I didn't even realize that bestbuy changed. I've been looking around for the negative reviews by Worth Ave and I can't find any. I've seen a few that claim to be negative but the details sound like people are trying to get coverage on things that were stated not to be covered. I'm not trying to defend them by any means. Just looking for where all these mixed reviews are posted.

Silent25r said:
I didn't even realize that bestbuy changed. I've been looking around for the negative reviews by Worth Ave and I can't find any. I've seen a few that claim to be negative but the details sound like people are trying to get coverage on things that were stated not to be covered. I'm not trying to defend them by any means. Just looking for where all these mixed reviews are posted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a good place to look BBB, yes they are 'resolved' but if you read them, many are not to the customers satisfaction.
There's also more, just google for it, you'll need to do some digging through ads/promotions and whatnot. Some of the complaints have to do with technicalities in the fine print that allow the company to deny the claim. For example if my phone is stolen I'd expect reimbursement from the claim under any circumstance, not an investigation into why it doesn't fit their definition of theft and then denied. Here's a scenario they would deny: Your at starbucks and place an order, you go find a table and put your phone on it, they call your name and you get your coffee, you come back to an empty table. Stupid absolutely, but the phone was stolen (theft), Worth would deny that claim because the phone was unprotected and "free for the taking". That's a simplistic example of the reviews/complaints/issues i've found. Basically there has to be some act of vandalism (breaking and entering/physical attack etc) along with the act of theft for it be covered and apparently this is in the fine print and not in their advertisements.
---------- Post added at 02:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:06 PM ----------
jrollercoasters said:
Samsung has insurance? Is it well priced?
Click to expand...
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Post 5

evolone said:
Here is a good place to look BBB, yes they are 'resolved' but if you read them, many are not to the customers satisfaction.
There's also more, just google for it, you'll need to do some digging through ads/promotions and whatnot. Some of the complaints have to do with technicalities in the fine print that allow the company to deny the claim. For example if my phone is stolen I'd expect reimbursement from the claim under any circumstance, not an investigation into why it doesn't fit their definition of theft and then denied. Here's a scenario they would deny: Your at starbucks and place an order, you go find a table and put your phone on it, they call your name and you get your coffee, you come back to an empty table. Stupid absolutely, but the phone was stolen (theft), Worth would deny that claim because the phone was unprotected and "free for the taking". That's a simplistic example of the reviews/complaints/issues i've found. Basically there has to be some act of vandalism (breaking and entering/physical attack etc) along with the act of theft for it be covered and apparently this is in the fine print and not in their advertisements.
---------- Post added at 02:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:06 PM ----------
Post 5
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Thanks for that reply. I did read the BBB. At least some of them. A lot of the issues did deal with people leaving their cars unlocked or breaking in commercial used vehicles. I don't know about worth ave ads since I usual don't read the ads. I've yet to leave any of my phones unprotected and I'm anal about locking things up. However, as far as insurance goes the only ones I've looking at don't offer replacement for stolen devices of any kind. Samsung and squaretrade. Since I don't like a lot of time to go by on waiting for a replacement Squaretrade is out for me.
Aursion brunt me bad. I filed a BBB case against them myself. Had liquid damage with my note 2. After agreeing to pay the high deductible they sent me a broken replacement and refused to replace the replacement. Sprint kept telling me I had 10 days to get them to replace it but they wouldn't do it. I spoke to supervisors at Aursion and did all I could to get them to replace my broken replacement and they told me the only way they'd do it if is if I paid another 250 or whatever stupidly high price they are charging. I ended up having to wait around for a week for Sprint to get me a replacement device and surprising that device didn't work so I had to wait yet another week. I did finally get a working phone and I was refunded the deductible on the grounds of TEP not following their contract. I had to get a hold of sprint corporate in order to make this refund happen. Aursion didn't appear to be happy with the way things went and made sure I knew that I would never have to use them again.
Under the Samsung insurance if my device fails under normal circumstances will they still get me a fast replacement and not charge me 95 bucks to fix their problem? That for me is the kicker. If not, I'm probably going to go with Worth Ave. I'm not really counting on my phone being stolen but I do spend a lot of time on the water. Liquid damage is my worse enemy. I didn't want the S5 and no case so far offers waterproofing. For now, I'll just use a waterproof box and a bluetooth. Despite these measures I had one of those boxes fail on me taking my device with it. This week I'll be going through Worth Ave's terms and conditions and e-mailing them questions on anything I'm unsure about.
I still don't understand how Best Buy went from being on the best to what I'm calling one of the worst in terms of insurance. From the looks of things even it is covered under warranty they may still charge to fix or replace it. I understand people gaming the system but I think they went a little to aggressive on stopping that from happening.

i've never had an issue with Geek Squad and my Note 2 other than having to use one of my own phones as a backup until it was fixed (don't carry sprint phones for some reason). I had a bad string of unfortunate events within about a 3 month period and went through three Note IIs. They replaced each one without question. The last replaced phone was about four months ago. i suppose I'll be finding out what has changed since then when my phone comes in.

Silent25r said:
...For now, I'll just use a waterproof box and a bluetooth. Despite these measures I had one of those boxes fail on me taking my device with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not go with liquipel? I don't mean the self applied external only stuff they sell but their service that waterproofs inside and all. They downplay its functionality somewhat on their site but check out the youtube videos of multi-hour submersion in water. And if you live near Santa Ana or Vancouver you can get it done locally in 20 minutes instead of waiting for shipping.

4SQUARE

Probably a stupid question, but can you do 2 warranties at the same time? For example, i want to be covered for the lost/stolen part of sprint, but I also want the lower deductible from Squaretrade. Is that possible?
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