Insurance Questions

[sc32valve]

Since the Iphone has that insane insurance at $11/month and $200 deductible, will the TB be able to be grandfathered on existing insurance like previous phones? Or is that Iphone insanity a sign of things to come?

I was able to grandfather my D2. I'd like to keep my $5.99/month insurance and $50 deductible as long as possible.

 

[htowngator]

When you sign a new contract, all of that can change to what the latest pricing is for what you want.

 

[withravenoushunger]

Since the Iphone has that insane insurance at $11/month and $200 deductible, will the TB be able to be grandfathered on existing insurance like previous phones? Or is that Iphone insanity a sign of things to come?

I was able to grandfather my D2. I'd like to keep my $5.99/month insurance and $50 deductible as long as possible.

Even thats way too much for phone insurance. Thats nearing the full price of the phone

 

[sc32valve]

When you sign a new contract, all of that can change to what the latest pricing is for what you want.

Not true, I have been able to grandfather my top tier ins through two 1 yr contracts. All you have to do is decline insurance on the new phone. When the phone arrives, agree to the contract terms over the phone, but choose the option not to activate immediately. Then just use VZW.com to activate the phone on whatever line you want and viola, you're old insurance carries over to the new device.

This has worked for every phone except the Iphone because it is in its own category. I'm just hoping they don't start putting the Thunderbolt/4G phones in the same category.

 

[htowngator]

Not true, I have been able to grandfather my top tier ins through two 1 yr contracts. All you have to do is decline insurance on the new phone. When the phone arrives, agree to the contract terms over the phone, but choose the option not to activate immediately. Then just use VZW.com to activate the phone on whatever line you want and viola, you're old insurance carries over to the new device.

An interesting way to circumvent that, I guess.

 

[sc32valve]

Even thats way too much for phone insurance. Thats nearing the full price of the phone

If you're referring to the Iphone, $200 is nowhere near the full retail price of the phone. It's because the retail price is so inflated that they are charging the $200 deductible.

 

[paulmike3]

Not true, I have been able to grandfather my top tier ins through two 1 yr contracts. All you have to do is decline insurance on the new phone. When the phone arrives, agree to the contract terms over the phone, but choose the option not to activate immediately. Then just use VZW.com to activate the phone on whatever line you want and viola, you're old insurance carries over to the new device.

This has worked for every phone except the Iphone because it is in its own category. I'm just hoping they don't start putting the Thunderbolt/4G phones in the same category.

Only problem is that you'll need to change to an LTE data plan, so there will be a flag to prevent you from just activating a new phone without changes to your account.

 

[paulmike3]

If you're referring to the Iphone, $200 is nowhere near the full retail price of the phone. It's because the retail price is so inflated that they are charging the $200 deductible.

I think he was referring to $11/mo x 24 mos + $200 if you need a replacement.

 

[thedeceiver]

Even thats way too much for phone insurance. Thats nearing the full price of the phone

Then don't buy it. It's insurance... they make money off of people getting insurance but NOT needing it. If you can afford to buy the phone outright at any point, then insurance is not a good idea in the long run unless you are constantly breaking your phone.

For many people though, it's easier to pay $11 a month with a $200 deductible than $699.

 

[Mooch10]

When I put my $50 down at BB I asked them about Insurance, I was told it will be $10/MO zero deductible.

 

[thedeceiver]

When I put my $50 down at BB I asked them about Insurance, I was told it will be $10/MO zero deductible.

Well, there is no way that's happening. People would be getting new phones every month just for the hell of it.

 

[sc32valve]

When I put my $50 down at BB I asked them about Insurance, I was told it will be $10/MO zero deductible.

Are you sure that wasn't the BB insurance? The BB insurance for the Iphone is $15/month, no deductible. I guess that wouldn't be completely unreasonable to charge $5 less for the TB.

 

[sc32valve]

Only problem is that you'll need to change to an LTE data plan, so there will be a flag to prevent you from just activating a new phone without changes to your account.

Not if they set up the system the way it is now. I can freely change from a feature phone to a smartphone with the insurance I have now. When I switch from one to the other, it DOES prompt me to select a new data plan, but an there is no option to change insurance at all.

 

[iLLusive]

I have asked Best Buy and Verizon in detail on the insurance because last year when I did alternative upgrade due to phone breaking at basketball game Verizon "accidently" took off my insurance and I was sol. Wasn't huge deal because I got the Incredible short time later.

Ok so here is exactly what I was told and I have had both insurances.

Best Buy:

1. Price is based on retail value of phone so $10.99 per month it has to be put on to a card and it comes out for exactly 24 months.

2. No deductible but insurance does NOT cover software issues that is Verizon / Manufactor issue.

3. Lost / Stolen is NOT covered you need to bring in part of the device to get replacement. So if you run it over you have to at least bring in a piece to start the "Junk out" process in which they give you in a Best Buy gift card the orginal retail value of your phone and let you pick same phone or somethig of equal value (I just did this yesterday)

4. There is technically no limit to how many devices they will replace due to accidental damage, but they will always try to repair it before replace it. Replace devices are BRAND NEW devices.

5. If phone is fixable you will be required to put on a temp phone of your own or pay security deposit of $150.00 and wait up to 4 weeks to get your phone repaired by geek squad repair.

6. If you sell your phone or give it to a friend the warranty can be transfered to them.

7. No Lemon policy if your phone is sent in for repair for same issue you will be offered replacement device of comparable performance and value.

8. Can cancel the plan at anytime if you cancel if you cancel within 30 days of purchase you will receive full refund.

(Sidenote) As of right now Best Buy offers if you buy the Black Tie Protection Insurance you get half off new Buy Back program which is simply this. The plan is $60.00 for 24 months of its duration. Starting for first 6 months window your phone is worth 50% buy back pricing, and each six months after it goes down 10 percent. Buy back is placed in Best Buy gift card and for someone who upgrades phones more often then every two years is a nice bonus.

Verizon:

1. I was told last night the price point for insurance was not set to be equal to iphone as of yet so it will most likely be a NEW tier of insurance for 4G phones so until launch we really don't know. It could be flagged as just a "advanced device" there could be a new "4G" tier or it could be with the iphone as other device.

Does Verizon Wireless offer Total Equipment Coverage against lost/stolen/damaged and defective equipment?

Yes, Total Equipment Coverage combines the benefits of Asurion’s Wireless Phone Protection with the Verizon Wireless Extended Warranty program. If your device or covered accessories are lost, stolen, accidentally damaged, or malfunctioning due to a manufacturing defect after the manufacturer’s warranty expires, you are covered. Verizon Wireless customers can only enroll in Total Equipment Coverage within 30 days of new account activation with a new equipment purchase.

Phones

* $6.99 per month per covered phone.
* $45 non-refundable deductible per approved claim.
* 2 replacements in a 12-month period with an equipment maximum of $400 per claim (in New York, 2 claims per policy year).

Advanced Devices

* $6.99 per month per covered device.
* $99 non-refundable deductible per approved claim.
* 2 replacements in a 12-month period with an equipment maximum of $1500 per claim (in New York, 2 claims per policy year).

Tablets and Other Devices

* $10.99 per month per covered device.
* $129 non-refundable deductible (Tablets) per approved claim.
* $169 non-refundable deductible (16GB iPhone? 4) per approved claim.
* $199 non-refundable deductible (32GB iPhone 4) per approved claim.
* 2 replacements in a 12-month period with an equipment maximum of $1500 per claim (in New York, 2 claims per policy year).
* Not available for Apple? iPad™.

2. Insurance is PER device it is not per phone number or account so whoever in this thread to have been claiming to carry it over. That is only option if something went wrong with your device and they activated it on your new device. As you can read in the fine print you have 30 days to enroll you don't not have to do it the day of purchase, but to be eligible for insurance it has 30 day window upon NEW device activation.

Trust me when I emphasis the last part in folks who claim it carrys over for them. I had insurance on my MAIN line and used that upgrade to my 3rd line due to broken device at basketball game. Little over a month later I had dropped my phone off top my car and called in to start process to get new phone (right before Incredible came out) I was informed sir you have NO insurance on your main line. When you "Activated" your new device you didn't get insurance on that new device so your 3rd line has none and you lost insurance on your main line.

3. As listed above unlike Best Buy there is deductable and it is pretty hefty and your replacement device is a like new warranty replacement not a new phone or credit towards a new phone.


All in all after insurance debacle I went with Best Buy for right now $9.99 price tag and as you can see everyone will have different experiences. Yet they sent my phone in a week ago for repair and when it didn't fix it I got $600.00 gift card for new device of my choice day it came back. So in my experience I would always like the security of having a NEW device.


Want to state I do not work for either place of business and again have had both types of insurances. Some people might of have "special" senarios where they were covered differently, but from all my experiences and wording you have to accept the insurance is is never put on there from previous phone for either service. This information is directly from Verizon website to best of my knowledge most recent policies and directly from Best Buys "Geek Squad Black Tie Protection" booklet.

 

[sc32valve]

2. Insurance is PER device it is not per phone number or account so whoever in this thread to have been claiming to carry it over. That is only option if something went wrong with your device and they activated it on your new device. As you can read in the fine print you have 30 days to enroll you don't not have to do it the day of purchase, but to be eligible for insurance it has 30 day window upon NEW device activation.

Trust me when I emphasis the last part in folks who claim it carrys over for them. I had insurance on my MAIN line and used that upgrade to my 3rd line due to broken device at basketball game. Little over a month later I had dropped my phone off top my car and called in to start process to get new phone (right before Incredible came out) I was informed sir you have NO insurance on your main line. When you "Activated" your new device you didn't get insurance on that new device so your 3rd line has none and you lost insurance on your main line.

This is NOT true at all. Insurance IS tied to the line. It won't just come off as in the instance you described unless you activate over the phone AND you are warned that you MAY lose insurance by activating the new device.

I'm not sure how you activated the new device. If you did it through a rep, they may have entered the wrong feature codes. I can swap phones right now and the same $5.99 grandfathered insurance remains.

Attached is a screen shot of my Asurion benefits I took literally 30 seconds ago. If insurance wasn't tied to a line, how could I have a Droid 2 with a $50 deductible and both Asurion and Extended warranty for $5.99. When the deductible went up almost 6 months before the D2 came out?

 

[iLLusive]

I activated the new device through Customer Service and asked before I got off the phone if anything was changed in my plan, data plans, or insurance and said nope I just took my upgrade and uses it for my additional line and restarted my 2 year plan. When I called back after I had issues on my line I was told and call was escalated to a Supervisor that insurance is per device and upon "activating" that new device even had I accepted Insurance on 3rd line (New) phone I still would of lost my insurance because in Verizon's system they saw it as my Incredible contract being completed.

So maybe my circumstances are different but I'm only passing on what has actually happen to me and explained by Verizon to myself.

You are saying you can swap an iphone onto that plan? I would sincerely like to see you get that insurance onto a NEW phone. Not saying you didn't get lucky and do it once, but I doubt it was on a NEW phone activation and you did it through website not directly through Verizon. So you are going around the "system" and has really nothing to do with how Verizon would apply their policy? Forgive me if you did it through them and I will reject my comment on how you did it.

Edit: Making a call right now to ask them directly on this again will response with what VERIZON says.

 

[iLLusive]

Ok off the phone here is what they said exactly.

At this time Asurion has started and mostly near completion the updating of current plans which going forward are per DEVICE not per line. Due to some issues previously some plans had been allowed to be previously grandfathered in and this will no longer be the case. So they opened up offer for OPEN enrollment currently which can be completedly by Verizon if you purchased your device through an authorized retailer. If you did not purchase your device they will give you contact number directly for Asurion to see if your device can be added during open enrollment currently taking place. Mail contact. and in forms of multiple contact attempts, has been sent out to everyone covered notifying them of changes going forward.

Changes going forward are these pricing options:

1. Featured phone: $4.18 per month for insurance any NON smart phone device $50 deductible

2. Smart phone: $5.18 per month for insurance $99 deductible

These two are priced at $6.99 per month for Total equipment coverage with adds on extended warranty to the insurance nothing else changes.

3. Tablet / iPhone: $9.18 per month for insurance
* $129 non-refundable deductible (Tablets) per approved claim.
* $169 non-refundable deductible (16GB iPhone? 4) per approved claim.
* $199 non-refundable deductible (32GB iPhone 4) per approved claim.

To get Total equipment coverage which adds extended warranty on top of insurance is $10.99 per month.

These changes are based on contract having the option to alter pricing and protection at Asurion choice. Mailing has already been sent out and your option is to cancel your plan or accept the new terms automatically and will be put into correct plan based on your DEVICE.

She said if you have any questions or direct concerns feel free to contact Verizon wireless and they can explain to you the same information they have given to me.

 

[sc32valve]

Listen, the point of the thread was to ask whether the TB would be like the Iphone, the only phone that this trick doesn't work with. Do you see that the plan I have is none of the options offered? I've gotten "lucky" more than once and on other accounts. It may be that this exploit is being shut down, but at this point, it still works.

I'm sorry that you gave into the Reps. They should have never removed insurance without specifically notifying you that something you are changing will cancel the ins. No warning, no insurance problem.

 

[iLLusive]

I understand and I have asked if "they", you know Verizon the ones who will be ONLY party to know what insurance they will offer through Asurion, had any idea if phone will be on same tier as iPhone and repeatedly (1-2 calls per day) been told
they don't know.
and won't know until phone launches
So I guess I don't understand point of this thread then if your rumoring guesses and we won't know until phone launches?

Guess I thought we were also weighing the options of two different main vendors that offer insurance for the phone as well. My whole situation is in the past as I have my insurance, which works lovely, through best buy and when I accept my early upgrade offer through Verizon I will take whichever tier the TB comes out on. So sorry that your trick is gone and Asurion is upgrading there system, but no one here knows if phone will be considered a Smart phone or iPhone, but if I did know I would pass on the factual information

Take it or leave it friend but all I did was try to pass on exactly what is known currently to you. We all have to wait for it to release to find out our options.

 

[sc32valve]

These changes are based on contract having the option to alter pricing and protection at Asurion choice. Mailing has already been sent out and your option is to cancel your plan or accept the new terms automatically and will be put into correct plan based on your DEVICE.

I've received no mailing and I do not see how they can retroactively remove insurance on covered devices. While I do agree this is something they might want to clear up, I see no point in allowing customers to leave with no ETF.

I activated my phone at a certain plan price point and insurance coverage. I anticipated the costs at the time of activation and if insurance goes up (due to a change not caused by me) and I can't afford it, I should just be able to leave Verizon without the ETF.

I don't see them waiving $350 ETF fees for the $3-4 /month and $50 deductible, since you can only claim twice per year they would end up losing more money than they would gain by fixing these holes.

Plus as certain holes close, new ones open up. I've been a VZW customer for 10 years and I've seen their system change throughout that time and there was always exploits like this. I was even able to activate Sprint devices on VZW using activation tricks.