Dropped new s23 on day 1, advice needed

[SilverStone1]

Got an s23 ultra on contract on 25 august. I remember promising myself that I would be extremely careful with it as I had decided not to take insurance. Call me clumsy, because less than 5 hours after it arrived, I dropped it against a marble staircase. It had a clear case on it, the one that is sold by samsung. I inspected it and not even a scratch. Not sure about any internal damage but so far, no glitches, phone has been working fine. I have the option to take insurance which covers everything (damage, loss, theft) in the first 28 days after purchase. After that, it's too late. Is it wise for me to take insurance on this incident alone? Bearing in mind that insurance is an extra £15/$19 a month. Should I insure the phone or get a better case and tempered glass?

 

[305rob305]

With a descent case and glass protector you should be fine from normal drops. Mine has fallen a couple of times and so far so good.

 

[o4liberty]

I have always put great protection on all my phones also get insurance they cost too much to not insure it IMHO.

 

[B. Diddy]

I get insurance for flagships. The S23 Ultra retails for $1200, so if something happens to the phone that isn't covered by warranty (e.g., drop damage, theft, dropping it in the ocean, etc.), you're looking at paying that much for a replacement -- you probably won't be able to get it cheap on a promotion again (especially if you didn't finish paying off the first phone, which you'll still be responsible for). Sure, insurance costs a decent amount per month, and there's also a deductible of usually around $100 if you have to use it. But let's say you go a little over a year before having to use insurance, and let's say insurance costs $15/month. That's $180 in premiums, and an additional $100 for deductible. $280 to get a replacement S23 Ultra that would otherwise cost $1200. Not too bad, and it can help with peace of mind.

Last year, I started Best Buy's My Best Buy Total membership, which is a good deal if you get a lot of tech from them. It's $179/year ($15/mo), and covers any device purchased from Best Buy for up to 2 years. That may not sound great if you only get one phone from them, but I got my Pixel 7 Pro, my wife's Pixel 7, my Pixel Tablet, Pixel Watch, and a couple of Chromebooks from them. All of those devices are covered by the protection plan. Totally worth it for me!

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Insurance is a scam, the business model would not work if it was not a scam .

Of course, that's assuming you don't need it haha.

I've never bought insurance and I've never broken a phone. Hopefully this is not me jinxing myself. Actually, that's not entirely true. I did buy insurance for a girlfriend's phone once.. but she was a little clumsy and that's why she wanted it... There are people I know now who definitely should have phone insurance, but only you know if you are that kind of person.


I generally just use a good quality case and a screen protector.

 

[SilverStone1]

Insurance is a scam, the business model would not work if it was not a scam .

Oh definitely. Someone always loses. If the customer has been paying insurance for just a couple months and then something happens, the customer is the winner and the company is the loser. But if he pays insurance for a long time and nothing happens, customer is the loser and the company are the winners. Either way, someone's getting screwed over, and it's usually the customer. Insurance is a business with no integrity.

 

[B. Diddy]

Oh definitely. Someone always loses. If the customer has been paying insurance for just a couple months and then something happens, the customer is the winner and the company is the loser. But if he pays insurance for a long time and nothing happens, customer is the loser and the company are the winners. Either way, someone's getting screwed over, and it's usually the customer. Insurance is a business with no integrity.

Well in that case, it's a good idea to figure out the ideal time to cancel the insurance plan, which is typically easy, since most of them are month-to-month.

I wouldn't go as far as calling insurance a scam. It's a service, and like any service, there's a cost. There's a reasonable use case scenario -- basically, if you have a really expensive flagship phone. (I think if you have a budget or midrange phone, then insurance isn't as good a value.) If you don't have insurance, the store or manufacturer isn't going to just replace the phone for free out of the goodness of their hearts (if it's not covered by warranty). Life happens, and I've certainly seen some people on these forums lament having to pay a lot for repairs or a new phone after only a short period of time.

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Well in that case, it's a good idea to figure out the ideal time to cancel the insurance plan, which is typically easy, since most of them are month-to-month.

I wouldn't go as far as calling insurance a scam. It's a service, and like any service, there's a cost. There's a reasonable use case scenario -- basically, if you have a really expensive flagship phone. (I think if you have a budget or midrange phone, then insurance isn't as good a value.) If you don't have insurance, the store or manufacturer isn't going to just replace the phone for free out of the goodness of their hearts (if it's not covered by warranty). Life happens, and I've certainly seen some people on these forums lament having to pay a lot for repairs or a new phone after only a short period of time.

Personally, I think a savings account is a better option if you aren't constantly breaking or losing your phone. And if you are constantly breaking or losing your phone, you probably shouldn't be buying flagships.

 

[mustang7757]

A reputable case manufacturer and White Stone Dome I would recommend and with those 2 combo you have great odds with small drops.

 

[Stanley Kubrick]

Insurance is an UGLY, Expensive, necessity! You hate it until you truly need to rely upon it. I knew a couple who did NOT buy home owners insurance because they owned their home and didn't have to buy it...you guessed it....house burned to the ground....they lost EVERYTHING! They still own the empty lot but cannot afford to rebuild! Talk to all the people who got flooded and didn't have flood insurance! Necessary evil!
Now is it necessary for a phone???? YMMV

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

Insurance is an UGLY, Expensive, necessity! You hate it until you truly need to rely upon it. I knew a couple who did NOT buy home owners insurance because they owned their home and didn't have to buy it...you guessed it....house burned to the ground....they lost EVERYTHING! They still own the empty lot but cannot afford to rebuild! Talk to all the people who got flooded and didn't have flood insurance! Necessary evil!
Now is it necessary for a phone???? YMMV

Yeah, let's not be doing the false equivalency thing. They may both be "insurance", but home owners insurance and phone insurance are two completely different buckets of donkeys... We were specifically talking about insuring a phone here and I'm definitely not suggesting anyone forgo homeowners or car insurance.

 

[Rose4uKY]

Oh definitely. Someone always loses. If the customer has been paying insurance for just a couple months and then something happens, the customer is the winner and the company is the loser. But if he pays insurance for a long time and nothing happens, customer is the loser and the company are the winners. Either way, someone's getting screwed over, and it's usually the customer. Insurance is a business with no integrity.

I had insurance way back with Sprint and only used it once I lost an old Katana phone which was like a Razor and had to pay $50 and got another one which it was probably a refurb. When I went to Verizon a couple years ago insurance was 13 a person $39 for the whole line and their was 4 of us so I did it. So many claims a year like 3. Then a rep told me once we could all have it for $7.85 a piece and it covered the same stuff we were changing plans. I feel better having it. I had to get a screen replaced once and my husband recently did also he paid $29.

As expensive as phones our now I feel safer having it. I also always have good cases after and my husband dropped his phone we got rid of the free Samsung one and he immediately got an Otterbox.

 

[J Dubbs]

A reputable case manufacturer and White Stone Dome I would recommend and with those 2 combo you have great odds with small drops.

I always use a good case, and I'm a 2 hander whenever I'm interacting with my phones screen. I quite often use a Bluetooth earpiece and voice commands when out and about, so phone doesn't leave my pocket often.

Fortunately I've never dropped and broken a phone (although I dropped a few old school flip phones in the day, those things were indestructible ), so I would have wasted a lot of money on insurance if I used it lol.

Am I feelin' lucky? Why yes... yes I am

 

[B. Diddy]

I always use a good case, and I'm a 2 hander whenever I'm interacting with my phones screen. I quite often use a Bluetooth earpiece and voice commands when out and about, so phone doesn't leave my pocket often.

Fortunately I've never dropped and broken a phone (although I dropped a few old school flip phones in the day, those things were indestructible ), so I would have wasted a lot of money on insurance if I used it lol.

Am I feelin' lucky? Why yes... yes I am

If you dropped a Nokia 5110, you were at more risk of breaking the floor.

 

[mustang7757]

I always use a good case, and I'm a 2 hander whenever I'm interacting with my phones screen. I quite often use a Bluetooth earpiece and voice commands when out and about, so phone doesn't leave my pocket often.

Fortunately I've never dropped and broken a phone (although I dropped a few old school flip phones in the day, those things were indestructible ), so I would have wasted a lot of money on insurance if I used it lol.

Am I feelin' lucky? Why yes... yes I am

Yeah old school flip Phones ,