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Does anyone have experience with Best Buy iPhone insurance?

N

nateharr

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 17, 2009
331
2
When I received my iPhone in December, we signed up for the $15 a month insurance that covers all accidents and physical damage outside of the phone being stolen or lost.

Does anyone know how Best Buy replaces a broken phone? Do they just give you a new iPhone in the box and you pop your SIM card in?

My iPhone was recently dropped and the screen is cracked. The digitizer wasn't damaged so the phone is still fully functional. I plan on upgrading to the 4th iteration of the iPhone in June, but I am worried I have lost most resale value of my phone.

Could I wait until June with my current iPhone, get it replaced by Best Buy, and then immediately sell it as "New, In Box" after upgrading to the new iPhone?

I'm thinking I could upgrade the broken phone to the iPhone 4 and then return the broken phone to Best Buy for a replacement.

Once replaced I could sell the new iPhone 3GS for most if not all of what I paid for the new iPhone.

Is this a sound plan? I am not quite familiar with all of the legalities. And I don't want to do anything smarmy or illegal. I just want to take the best advantage of the insurance I am paying each month.

Thanks for any help!
 
I wouldn't do it.

I refuse to giev Best Buy a dime over how they treated me over an extended warranty like 8 years ago. I in the end wished I hadn't bought the warranty cause I would have rather just bought a new item than go through the crap they put me through (but I on principle of hte matter felt I should make them actually honor the warranty).

I wouldn't trust them to find every way possible to try to weasel out of doing anything for you.

If you have your car or house insured through State Farm, they might insure it for you (they do in Washington at least. It's some insurance you can buy, no deductable, on particular valuable items that you have. I have my macbook and my iphone insured). And State Farm is cheaper (I'm paying 72 dollars a year for both my items which is still less than half of what you're paying a year just for your iphone through Best Buy. 12*15=180..).

Edit: Ooops, I thought you were asking if you should get it. Most likely they have some clause about how they get to try to fix it three times and if it is a lemon then they replace it. But maybe not if it is actual insurance (and not an extended warranty, though I was not aware Best Buy did insurance). Most likely if it is insurance they'll just pay you the value of it (or at least that's how most insurance works, not sure about how that works in a retail store). I'd still put my bets on Best Buy has small print that they will try to go by the T to avoid just outright replacing it. Sorry, I have no faith in those f*****rs at all.
 
tigress666 said:
I wouldn't do it.

I refuse to giev Best Buy a dime over how they treated me over an extended warranty like 8 years ago. I in the end wished I hadn't bought the warranty cause I would have rather just bought a new item than go through the crap they put me through (but I on principle of hte matter felt I should make them actually honor the warranty).

I wouldn't trust them to find every way possible to try to weasel out of doing anything for you.

If you have your car or house insured through State Farm, they might insure it for you (they do in Washington at least. It's some insurance you can buy, no deductable, on particular valuable items that you have. I have my macbook and my iphone insured). And State Farm is cheaper (I'm paying 72 dollars a year for both my items which is still less than half of what you're paying a year just for your iphone through Best Buy. 12*15=180..).

Edit: Ooops, I thought you were asking if you should get it. Most likely they have some clause about how they get to try to fix it three times and if it is a lemon then they replace it. But maybe not if it is actual insurance (and not an extended warranty, though I was not aware Best Buy did insurance). Most likely if it is insurance they'll just pay you the value of it (or at least that's how most insurance works, not sure about how that works in a retail store). I'd still put my bets on Best Buy has small print that they will try to go by the T to avoid just outright replacing it. Sorry, I have no faith in those f*****rs at all.
Click to expand...


Not to be rude or anything, but did you read the original post at all?

What do you mean by, "Don't do it?"

I am already paying for the insurance. I have been for months now. I plan on getting my iPhone replaced, I just wanted to know their replacement procedure. I didn't buy an extended warranty, I bought insurance. Insurance covers all damages, even user inflected ones. A warranty only covers defects from manufacturing.

Can anyone else shed some light Best Buy's iPhone insurances replacement policy?
 
Insurance

Because a new Iphone is rather expensive I elected to have them covered by my homeowners policy. I think i pay $40/year for 3 iphones.
 
Football Dad said:
Because a new Iphone is rather expensive I elected to have them covered by my homeowners policy. I think i pay $40/year for 3 iphones.
Click to expand...


Holy crap! I am already paying $15 a month for insurance. I already have it!


I want to use this insurance (that I have already paid for) to replace my current iPhone that has a crack in the display. Then, I want to upgrade my replacement to the iPhone HD. Afterwards, I want to recoup the money I spent on the iPhone HD by selling the replacement iPhone.

What I want to know is how does Best Buy replace iPhones? Do they stay in the box and they just hand you a new one? Do they open the box and pop in the old SIM card?

How new can I preserve my replacement iPhone so I can sell it for the most money?
 
I'm thinking about calling them. I figured I'd be able to get a nice, intelligent, and quick reply from someone who had some experience with the situation.


I guess not. Does anyone actually read the original post anymore? Do they only read titles?
 
Applejuiced said:
Noone feels like reading a book to reply to your thread in order to help you.
Keep it short and on point to get better results next time.
Click to expand...

Last I checked, a book was comprised of multiple pages with page lengths approximately 5 or 6 times what I wrote.

My original post wouldn't take longer than 30 seconds to read and understand fully. The question is clear and legitimate.

I am so sick of the world being all about instant gratification and laziness. How hard is it to read anyways? Hell, they could have read the last few sentences to understand what I'm asking.
 
I can directly answer this, as I have 3 iphones with the best buy warranty. My Wife's phone flew out of her pocket, and even though it was in a case the screen basically shattered when it hit the tile floor.

I brought to geek squad counter, opened the box, gave them my warranty info, 3 days they called and I picked up my replacement.

piece of cake. it was great. no deductable.
 
nateharr said:
Last I checked, a book was comprised of multiple pages with page lengths approximately 5 or 6 times what I wrote.

My original post wouldn't take longer than 30 seconds to read and understand fully. The question is clear and legitimate.

I am so sick of the world being all about instant gratification and laziness. How hard is it to read anyways? Hell, they could have read the last few sentences to understand what I'm asking.
Click to expand...

I know it wasnt that long, I was just saying people will read a quick and on point thread and respond but most when they see over a paragraph they will either skip the thread or just throw a quick reply based on the title.
 
gouda272 said:
I can directly answer this, as I have 3 iphones with the best buy warranty. My Wife's phone flew out of her pocket, and even though it was in a case the screen basically shattered when it hit the tile floor.

I brought to geek squad counter, opened the box, gave them my warranty info, 3 days they called and I picked up my replacement.

piece of cake. it was great. no deductable.
Click to expand...

I am asking about insurance, not a warranty. But, if their policy for the insurance is anything like the warranty it will be fine.
 
sorry i guess I should have been clearer...i have the best buy "insurance"..15.00 / month. they just ship out the phone and they ship the store a refurbed one.
 
nateharr said:
.

I am so sick of the world being all about instant gratification and laziness. How hard is it to read anyways?
Click to expand...

wow.. easy on the "tude"

And seriouly???? Your entire thread here is about instant gratification.... You are to lazy to call and ask how they cover the plan...

hypocrite much?
 
They will send yours off to get fixed and will give you a loaner in the mean time.
 
I work at best

Applejuiced said:
Lol:)
Dont be lazy to read my thread while I'm too lazy to call best buy.
Click to expand...

I work at best buy i really didnt read the whole post but they way the process works is you come in with a phone with a problem... anything accept stolen or dropped in a pool is covered. WE make a service order and as soon as it is submited they will send a refurbished unit from Apple or Best Buys distributer and you will get it in about a week. ITs as good as new.
 
fenderbass146 said:
I work at best buy i really didnt read the whole post but they way the process works is you come in with a phone with a problem... anything accept stolen or dropped in a pool is covered. WE make a service order and as soon as it is submited they will send a refurbished unit from Apple or Best Buys distributer and you will get it in about a week. ITs as good as new.
Click to expand...

What about firmware? Can you request the same firmware such as 3.1.2?

Marc
 
fenderbass146 said:
I work at best buy i really didnt read the whole post but they way the process works is you come in with a phone with a problem... anything accept stolen or dropped in a pool is covered. WE make a service order and as soon as it is submited they will send a refurbished unit from Apple or Best Buys distributer and you will get it in about a week. ITs as good as new.
Click to expand...

Seriously? I thought I was getting a new one.

A week without my iPhone?

Sounds like double suck.

And I wasn't asking for instant gratification. I was asking for intelligence and quality. I have all the patience in the world for someone who can answer my question. I do not however have patience for people who post without answering the question due to their ignorance.


Sorry for the cranky rant. This week has sucked.
 
nateharr said:
Seriously? I thought I was getting a new one.

A week without my iPhone?

Sounds like double suck.

And I wasn't asking for instant gratification. I was asking for intelligence and quality. I have all the patience in the world for someone who can answer my question. I do not however have patience for people who post without answering the question due to their ignorance.


Sorry for the cranky rant. This week has sucked.
Click to expand...

They can't be handing out new 3 brand new iphone every day (average). This is the only option and a lot better then most places warranties where they send it out to get it fixed, this method you get a new phone within 3-7 days and a loaner phone to use during that time period. If you ask me its pretty fair.... also I don't know if you know apples refurb quality buts it is as good as new. I have bought all my laptops and phones refurb and im pretty sure anyone else on these forums will back me up on apples refurb quality.
 
fenderbass146 said:
They can't be handing out new 3 brand new iphone every day (average). This is the only option and a lot better then most places warranties where they send it out to get it fixed, this method you get a new phone within 3-7 days and a loaner phone to use during that time period. If you ask me its pretty fair.... also I don't know if you know apples refurb quality buts it is as good as new. I have bought all my laptops and phones refurb and im pretty sure anyone else on these forums will back me up on apples refurb quality.
Click to expand...

It's not a warranty, it's insurance.
There is a huge difference.

When I signed up for it, I was promised a new one when my current iPhone got damaged.
 
nateharr said:
It's not a warranty, it's insurance.
There is a huge difference.

When I signed up for it, I was promised a new one when my current iPhone got damaged.
Click to expand...

you might want to READ the fine print...

And no it is not technically insurance... the sales staff at Best Buy are not legally licensed to sell insurance of any kind by the state hence why it doesn't cover loss or theft lol. It is a performance service plan, now called "Geek Squad black tie protection plan" A.K.A service plan...
 
Applejuiced said:
Obviously not.
Click to expand...

at least there's a new jailbreak for 3.1.3.

I have best buys protection plan. It's not insurance it's a protection plan, a relacement plan. I was told it's a rapid exchange, a refurb replacement in 3 days when I bought the plan. I wasn't told I would get one on the spot.

But since best buys sells refurb iPhones why can't they exchange it on the spot with a refurb one they have in stock?

Marc
 
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