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***MobileProtect / Squaretrade Ins. Thread: Do You Have It? If Not Why? ***
- Thread starter falconman515
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I suppose I worded it wrong.
You can add a cell phone insurance plan ON TOP of home owners for about $25 a year, with a $50 deductible. You barely see a difference in price and you have insured your phone. It includes drops, spills, theft, damage, etc.
Safeware is obviously the best choice!!! For everyone!!
I got quoted one years coverage at $99 for a 32GB iphone 4!
The flaw with Squaretrade is that if you lose your phone or its stolen your out of luck, and also if it breaks in such a way that they are unable to fix it, they will keep your broken phone and mail you a check for the price of a SUBSIDIZED replacement! Read the fine print!
Safeware for $100 a year, plus $70 applecare (or $35 on ebay) and that is by far your best [non homeowners rider] insurance option. Covers EVERYTHING for a fraction more of JUST MOBILE PROTECT'S DEDUCTIBLE!!
I got quoted one years coverage at $99 for a 32GB iphone 4!
The flaw with Squaretrade is that if you lose your phone or its stolen your out of luck, and also if it breaks in such a way that they are unable to fix it, they will keep your broken phone and mail you a check for the price of a SUBSIDIZED replacement! Read the fine print!
Safeware for $100 a year, plus $70 applecare (or $35 on ebay) and that is by far your best [non homeowners rider] insurance option. Covers EVERYTHING for a fraction more of JUST MOBILE PROTECT'S DEDUCTIBLE!!
Long post inc.
Both MP and ST void your Applecare warranty through their process of repair -> replace. I believe the reason SW offers no warranty is in part that your Applecare will remain in tact, and as such (so long as it remains valid) it should cover what SW does not. Neither MP nor ST offer this.
This is just from what I've been reading since I last posted, again no prior knowledge of any of these so feel free to correct me if mistaken.
From the SW site:
So from what I'm gathering, between Applecare and SW just about everything is covered, save for being careless and losing the phone. At the price I've been quoted, the first year of coverage would run ~$108 for a 32GB i4 (since Applecare is provided with purchase), and each subsequent year of coverage would run ~$108 + whatever you choose to pay for Applecare (given that it can be purchased for discount on ebay and extends coverage by two years). At full price the total would be ~$177 given there are no rates of inflation on future insurance renewals.
After a second year of coverage, including an Applecare extension purchase, the total would approximate $285 with a $50 deductible and "unlimited" claims.
Compare this to MP where you're paying the above-quoted $144/yr + $199 deductible (with a voided Applecare warranty) while being capped to 2 replacement claims, or Squaretrade's cheaper alternative which lacks theft/fire/flood/vandalism (and voids Applecare as well) while capping you at 1 replacement in a two-year span.
The numbers point me towards Safeware, but I wish I could find some real-world feedback on their claims process before going forward.
Both MP and ST void your Applecare warranty through their process of repair -> replace. I believe the reason SW offers no warranty is in part that your Applecare will remain in tact, and as such (so long as it remains valid) it should cover what SW does not. Neither MP nor ST offer this.
This is just from what I've been reading since I last posted, again no prior knowledge of any of these so feel free to correct me if mistaken.
From the SW site:
So from what I'm gathering, between Applecare and SW just about everything is covered, save for being careless and losing the phone. At the price I've been quoted, the first year of coverage would run ~$108 for a 32GB i4 (since Applecare is provided with purchase), and each subsequent year of coverage would run ~$108 + whatever you choose to pay for Applecare (given that it can be purchased for discount on ebay and extends coverage by two years). At full price the total would be ~$177 given there are no rates of inflation on future insurance renewals.
After a second year of coverage, including an Applecare extension purchase, the total would approximate $285 with a $50 deductible and "unlimited" claims.
Compare this to MP where you're paying the above-quoted $144/yr + $199 deductible (with a voided Applecare warranty) while being capped to 2 replacement claims, or Squaretrade's cheaper alternative which lacks theft/fire/flood/vandalism (and voids Applecare as well) while capping you at 1 replacement in a two-year span.
The numbers point me towards Safeware, but I wish I could find some real-world feedback on their claims process before going forward.
I dunno... $35-$40 for applecare just seems the best way to go for me.
I dislike squaretrades wording. It's $50 deductible, +$99 for the plan... they first try to fix your phone, which VOIDS your apple warranty if you are still inside your first year. Then they will send a new phone.
It would be nice to have it fixed if I drop and break it though... I dunno.. hard decision.
Applecare covers all the "non user" errors... deductible free
I dislike squaretrades wording. It's $50 deductible, +$99 for the plan... they first try to fix your phone, which VOIDS your apple warranty if you are still inside your first year. Then they will send a new phone.
It would be nice to have it fixed if I drop and break it though... I dunno.. hard decision.
Applecare covers all the "non user" errors... deductible free
But, they are two different things. SqT would be if you dropped your phone or spilled water on it. You get one year of Apple Coverage with your phone. AppleCare is only a consideration for year two, when you have no coverage anyway.
Insider your first year, Apple Care doesn't help you at all in that situation. So, your warranty would be voided anyway.
If I'm getting a working phone back, I don't really care if Apple fixes it, or someone else does.
Yeah... I'm debating it.
Not sure though... I have never bought extra protection on any phone before... only time I had to take it in was inside the first year on my 3G they had to fix a phone error.
This is why I think I like MobileProtect..... They dont FIX your phone, you say its damaged and they send you a new one for $199 ... but think about it, if you dont actually lose your phone (which they will cover your just out paying another $200 for a new one..better than $700) have you seen ebay lately? Cracked phones, damaged phones, water damage, drops, they still go for 100 plus on the old 3g and 3gs phones... I'm sure you can get almost 200 bucks back out of damaged phone online if not more to pay the full deductible you know!!!
They dont repair... You say its STOLEN !!! dont tell them it broke.. . dont tell them the glass cracked.... cause if its broke they want you to send it back. Stop using the phone and file a stolen claim.... they send you a check to pay for a new one and you pay $200 THEN sell the damaged one on eBay and pay for your deductible.
Kinda shady I know but whats the difference and what would they know... when you file claims just say you lost it no big deal.
Whats everyone's thoughts on this idea?
Ya but its insurance..... They are covered, what are they gonna do with the broken phone? Ya sell it or something and make even more money!
No way they will get my broken phone if I pay 12 bucks a month and then pay them $200 for a new phone.... and on top of that get my damaged phone and make even more money off of it?!?!? NO WAY
Risky but hey I find a way to get the best deal for myself not for them!
Decent chance? What the man is suggesting is full on insurance fraud. Hasn't this idea been the plot to a bunch of sitcom episodes already?
You can't get insurance on your car and then park it at your friends house and claim it was stolen. Same way you can't get home owner's insurance and burn the place down. If this insurance is legit & the company actually responds to claims and does their due diligence then you're gonna need a police report or some sort of citation on the incident.
Tho, I'd assume it's not really fraud if you get the insurance w/o warranty repair & if/when iOS or something on the phone breaks you just happen to become really clumsy all of a sudden.
Why spend ~160 (with a deductible) for insurance to repair an iPhone I broke when Apple will do it for $200? Sounds like crazy logic, but think about it:
The only risk I'm saving by getting insurance is that $40 more I'd pay Apple. For me, I wouldn't spend $160 to try to maybe save $40.
Not worth it.
The only risk I'm saving by getting insurance is that $40 more I'd pay Apple. For me, I wouldn't spend $160 to try to maybe save $40.
Not worth it.
These are just thoughts guys. I have never actually pulled any stunt like that but these insurance plans don't seem like a very good deal whatever route you take. Just trying to find the loopholes in the system here I guess.
So now I am back to my OP, not sure what to do and where to go for some kind insurance on my phone.
Should I just say screw it and ST and pay like 5 a month and hope I can get a new or fixed phone if it breaks and just pray I dont lose it I guess?!?!? Its way to much of a gamble on the loss of things.
So now I am back to my OP, not sure what to do and where to go for some kind insurance on my phone.
Should I just say screw it and ST and pay like 5 a month and hope I can get a new or fixed phone if it breaks and just pray I dont lose it I guess?!?!? Its way to much of a gamble on the loss of things.
I was on the phone with squaretrade and they told me that they dont cover cosmetic damage. It would have to involve functionality of the phone itself, such as a cracked screen on broken buttons or water damage. But if the back glass is to shatter they would not cover that because the phone will still work fine.
It is for the extended warranty.
2 Years coverage, not just one... and the total cost of a ST claim with the plan is $70 less than $200.$80 for the SquareTrade plan (Discount code: slickphone4), $50 deductible, total is $130. Warranty claims are free. Much, much better deal.
WOW ... MobileProtect is looking Better and Better every day! At least with them if ANYTHING happens to the phone you file a claim and get a new phone the next day!
This is becoming a little more of a rough decision than I thought.
wow! and i was about to jump on them with a coupon code and hopefully getting my broken back glass fixed (after 30 days). is this for real??? they really wont cover it? that sucks!
called squaretrade and ask specifically about accidental broken back glass. they said they cover it. when they say they wont cover "cosmetic damage" they are referring to normal wear and tear and scratches that occur on the phone through normal use.
I don't know, this seems like a lot of "hoo haa" when Apple will replace your phone for everything outside of catastrophic damage for 200 bucks.
I'd rather cough up 2 large to Apple IF I screw up my phone than ~150 bucks IN CASE I screw up my phone.
Walk in to a Genius Bar, drop 2 bills, walk out w/ a phone.
Simple. Easy. Only spend the money if you have to.
I'd rather cough up 2 large to Apple IF I screw up my phone than ~150 bucks IN CASE I screw up my phone.
Walk in to a Genius Bar, drop 2 bills, walk out w/ a phone.
Simple. Easy. Only spend the money if you have to.
When i called them they told me that they do not cover the back glass, only the front. I wish i could get some feedback from users that filed a claim for their 3g for the back plastic. I found this post that states that squaretrade sends the phone back to you without repairing it if the back glass is cracked. Im sorry but this right there makes them a ripoff because the back glass is just as easy if not easier to crack when the phone is dropped than the front glass.
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/10329994/