Anyone Have an Extended Warranty on their Gear?

[Designer Dale]

I put some cash down for a 7d yesterday and it is on backorder. The sales guy at Robi's Camera talked to me about an extended 3 year warranty that covered repair/replacement of the camera under all circumstances, including "extreme user error" (my term) like dropping it in a lake or anything you can think of in your nightmares except loss of the thing. It's around $250 and I have thirty days after I receive the camera to decide about it.

Any thoughts on this? I've had Apple Care on my laptop and never needed it, but that machine stays home all the time.

Dale

 

[macjonny1]

I would buy it and then accidentally drop your camera 2 years and 11 months into it. Then, new camera!

Honestly I would actually get it placed as a scheduled item on your homeowners policy and that will cover it for all-risk minus manufacturer defect. $250 for just that is too expensive. I'm guessing adding it for the risk portion on your policy may cost an extra few bucks per year.

 

[Designer Dale]

It would be automatically covered for fire and theft under my homeowner insurance, but I don't think that would cover dropping it on concrete.

There is, no doubt, a repair first clause that keeps people from using it as a cheap "upgrade" route...

Dale

 

[Patrick-Photo]

It would be automatically covered for fire and theft under my homeowner insurance, but I don't think that would cover dropping it on concrete.

There is, no doubt, a repair first clause that keeps people from using it as a cheap "upgrade" route...

Dale

What would they need to repair if all the internals were drowned ?

In my opinion that's just fraud... But that's just my €0.02 .

 

[macjonny1]

It would be automatically covered for fire and theft under my homeowner insurance, but I don't think that would cover dropping it on concrete.

There is, no doubt, a repair first clause that keeps people from using it as a cheap "upgrade" route...

Dale

You are correct but that's why I said that you need to put it as a *scheduled* item. This is a common option in insurance policies. Basically when you list it in your policy specifically with serial numbers, etc, you are protected against all-loss.

 

[Designer Dale]

You are correct but that's why I said that you need to put it as a *scheduled* item. This is a common option in insurance policies. Basically when you list it in your policy specifically with serial numbers, etc, you are protected against all-loss.

Thanks for the info.

Dale

 

[Melizard]

I just had the auto-focus on a newish lens crap out on me (second lens problem I've had with purchases from Blacks Photography), so I'm thinking in the future I will get extended warranties to cover it. The first problem I had (with a kit lens) happened 2 weeks after I bought it. They wanted to repair it, but I demanded a new one instead. It's probably too late to do that with my other lens...

 

[100Teraflops]

I put some cash down for a 7d yesterday and it is on backorder. The sales guy at Robi's Camera talked to me about an extended 3 year warranty that covered repair/replacement of the camera under all circumstances, including "extreme user error" (my term) like dropping it in a lake or anything you can think of in your nightmares except loss of the thing. It's around $250 and I have thirty days after I receive the camera to decide about it.

Any thoughts on this? I've had Apple Care on my laptop and never needed it, but that machine stays home all the time.

Dale

I think it boils down to how much you trust "company x"! Generally, I don't buy extended warranties because I haven't used them. But if I did, I want to trust the company providing the warranty. I think Apple Care is a great example of trusting a company. I bought it for a MBP! Haven't used it yet either!

Once upon a time, a company named Circuit City existed. LOL Well, I bought an extended warranty for a Plasma T.V. A few years later, they went under. Luckily, I didn't have to use the extended warranty, although I heard Best Buy honored some of Circuit City's extended warranties.

Long story short, What pleases you Dale? I think extended warranties are subjective just like the perspective of a portrait! They are great for businesses to receive money now, only to promise "x" service on "y" product in the unforeseen future, but they provide a piece of mind to the purchaser, which is very important to the people who buy them.

 

[fitshaced]

I'd be looking for an all in one type of solution as opposed to a warranty on a camera. I've got 2 bodies now and some lenses. Can't drop $250 for each so insurance is probably the way to go (along with being very careful).

 

[Artful Dodger]

I bought some accidental death & dismemberment Ins. on my video recorder for the 3 years because of the travel and use. If it gets stolen then homeowners will cover it but just dropping it I don't want my homeowners taking the hit per se. I would rather have special Ins or something to cover my gear that would better and separately protect so rates and a claim are low fwiw.

When I had my laptop stolen, my homeowners was not the greatest and prorated it. I would gladly pay more to have exact replacement value on a different policy if I did it all over again. My ex-agent didn't have a clue about separate policies and insisted on listing things on the homeowners which would pay out way less and thus why she is my ex-agent

 

[WRP]

I had a bunch of camera gear stolen. My renters insurance covered it. Nice thing was a lot of the glass was used so I bought it at a discount and they knew it, but they paid full new price so I could replace it. It was a giant hassle but I actually made out in the end

That said... I am careful with my stuff and I wouldn't have a body for 3 years so I personally wouldn't buy it. I tend to upgrade more often than not. But then again I am a gear whore and instead of selling the old body I would probably just keep it and not use it.

See

 

[TheReef]

If you're shooting habits aren't risky, ask if there are cheaper options that cover equipment only.

I bought an extra 2 years equipment warranty for my K-5, for about $70.

 

[Designer Dale]

It's a Diamond Warranty from Mack Camera. Adorama, 17 th Street Camera and 42 nd Street Camera offer them. B&H has similar warranties but these are only offered for their used equipment sales. These guys are major players in the camera sales game, so Mack Camera isn't a scam.

Dale

 

[Ruahrc]

I dunno. Personally, if you are even semi-competent with handling your gear I still think the extended warranty is not economical. I'm figuring the average cost of repairs (both accidental and manufacturer defects) over your lifetime will equal much less than continually paying for an extended warranty. I'd rather take that money and buy another filter, or put it towards that CF tripod and gimbal setup you're hankering for in your other thread . $250 is a sidekick gimbal, or maybe even an upgrade from Gitzo to RRS tripods.

Insurance is always a good idea, however, especially for guarding against wholesale loss of gear that is difficult/impossible to replace (many serious photogs accrue multiple thousands in gear eventually). I did recently hear some very unfortunate (and very worrying) stories about people adding camera gear to their homeowners insurance, however. When the time came to make a legitimate claim, the insurance company finally paid up and then turned right around and cancelled their policy... their WHOLE policy, home insurance and all. Also heard a story about a guy whose policy was cancelled because the insurance company saw the pics he took and deemed his shooting conditions "too dangerous" (I forget what it was, but it was pretty standard- like motorsports or something).

No experience with Mack Camera and their warranties, but a very careful and thorough read-through of their terms is required before laying down any money. Don't trust a word the salesman tells you- no matter how nice or competent he seems, there's no guarantee he hasn't read the terms himself and may be making bogus claims about them. This happens all the time in big box electronics stores. The only way to verify is to check yourself.

 

[Captpegleg]

Pretty much a scam

I bought an extended warranty from the major player and what I thought I had bought, a 3 year extended warranty that began after the Nikon 1 year warranty ran out, was actually a warranty that ran concurrently with the Nikon warranty.
They'll squirm pretty much any way they can to avoid paying. The guy selling the warranty won't be the same "friendly" salesman that writes the check to cover the loss. Save your money and the hassle of dealing with scammers.
You have to remember they don't make money by paying claims and their business is to make money.

 

[fa8362]

No. Waste of money. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be offered.

 

[compuwar]

I put some cash down for a 7d yesterday and it is on backorder. The sales guy at Robi's Camera talked to me about an extended 3 year warranty that covered repair/replacement of the camera under all circumstances, including "extreme user error" (my term) like dropping it in a lake or anything you can think of in your nightmares except loss of the thing. It's around $250 and I have thirty days after I receive the camera to decide about it.

Any thoughts on this? I've had Apple Care on my laptop and never needed it, but that machine stays home all the time.

Dale

Buy real insurance, it'll probably be cheaper and almost certainly be more comprehensive. Look for inland marine policies, or better yet have an insurance salesperson do it.

You don't want to claim against a homeowner's policy-- if the rates go up or they cancel your policy you'll pay a *lot* more forever.

Paul