Sprint Insurance or Best Buy Protection?

[newmomto1]

If I manage to find an Evo in stock at Best Buy...am I better off using the Sprint insurance (what I currently have on my Blackberry) or going withBest Buy's protection plan?????

Best Buy (of course) claims theirs is better. I definitely want insurance and want the best plan.

 

[s1moore]

The biggest difference that I've heard of is that Sprint (Assurion) coveres loss, theft and water damage while Best Buy does not (maybe water damage...anyone?). Best Buy does seem to be cheaper though. With the Sprint coverage there's a $100 deductible too.

 

[chaosrecords]

Sprint covers EVERYTHING. but its a 7 dollar monthly premium. and a 100.00 deductible.

Imagine this:

You have your phone for 8 months and you lose it. you cant get an upgrade. you paid 56.00 in premiums and 100.00 for a new phone. thats 156.00 versus 449.99 retail.

Even if you lost it 3 times in that 8 months.. thats 356.00 out of pocket versus 1349.97

Best buy dosent cover EVERYTHING. and there are too many stipulations.
Sprint insurance vs bestbuy insurance? - PPCGeeks

do the math.

Sprint insurance through Assurion is far superior in my opinion.

 

[KINGHARRIS]

I got my evo from best but and i also bought the black tie protection plan for $9.99 a month which covers physical damage,water,and something else cant remember i know it just does not cover loss or theft,but if you break it or drop it in water just walk in a get another walk out done.sprint covers water loss and theft and you have to pay $100 bucks.so what i did i just got them both one to cover the other hope this helps.

 

[crown7521]

i would go with sprint insurance yes.. they give you a refurb
and i don't think they will replace the phone if you damage it 3 times within a 8 month period.

 

[chaosrecords]

You get 3 times per year for a claim.

I work for sprint indirect as a dealer

 

[Darth Mo]

The biggest difference, IMO, is that with Sprint you can get a replacement phone in as fast as one day either through insurance if it's your fault or from a manufacturer's defect or the phone simply crapping out. You don't have to deal with the phone being sent out for weeks and stuck with a cheapo learner with Sprint.

Yes, with Sprint, you have a deductible if you phone is lost, severely damaged, or stolen. While maybe some thefts aren't your fault, the others types of loss generally are so having to pay $100 for a new (refurb) $500 device is fair.

 

[fraz]

I HAD BB insurance and canceled after hearing what a friend just went through with BestBuy and their insurance.

My friend broke his pre, went to BB and the sent it in to wherever they go to get phones fixed b/c the screen wouldnt turn on, they loaned him a blackberry cruve ($150 deposit) and said they'll have his pre back within a week. Its been 3 weeks , no pre, and they are giving him the absolute run around and that its still in the warehouse getting fixed. The store mgr finally said, if he doesnt have his pre back after 4 weeks, he'll get a new one out of box in store.

To me, that just does not seem to be worth it to deal with Best Buy.

 

[urbestbet]

You guys may want to try out state farm to insure your phone. I paid a $30 premium for a year and if the phone is damaged or stolen they will replace it with no deductible.

 

[jnadelman]

We got the BB insurance. Instead of paying $9.99 a month we paid $169 upfront for 2 years. So instead of $240, we paid $169. Plus BB has a financing plan (if you qualify) of 18 months 0% interest. $169 / 18 = $9.40. So I am paying $9.40 a month only for 18 months and getting the next 6 months free.

I am much more worried about damage than I am about loss/theft. Sprint has the $100 deductible. So I said, if I paid Sprint the $7 a month and had only 1 issue, it would cost me $7 * 24 = $168 + $100 = $268. So I save $100 with only one incident.

 

[bmhanson]

i would go with sprint insurance yes.. they give you a refurb
and i don't think they will replace the phone if you damage it 3 times within a 8 month period.

You get 3 in a 12 month period. After that you are no longer eligible for that portion of the TEP till after 12 months from your 3rd claim. The portion for manufacturer defects (not done by assurion) is still in affect, but of course if you are still in the phone's normal warranty then that may not matter.

 

[Darth Mo]

We got the BB insurance. Instead of paying $9.99 a month we paid $169 upfront for 2 years. So instead of $240, we paid $169. Plus BB has a financing plan (if you qualify) of 18 months 0% interest. $169 / 18 = $9.40. So I am paying $9.40 a month only for 18 months and getting the next 6 months free.

I am much more worried about damage than I am about loss/theft. Sprint has the $100 deductible. So I said, if I paid Sprint the $7 a month and had only 1 issue, it would cost me $7 * 24 = $168 + $100 = $268. So I save $100 with only one incident.

But if your phone is lost or stolen, you're at $169 + $449 = $518 for one incident. Plus, now your new phone is no longer covered by anything, so that $169 goes towards nothing and you have to take out a new plan for the replacement phone, so now you're up to $687.

BB worst possible for one replacement $687 (or $518 if you forego any coverage, though you can always go with Sprint at that point). Sprint worst possible for one replacement $268. BB best possible $169. Sprint best possible $168.

 

[AldousSnow]

I went with best buy today. I once got used them for covering my ps3 and i was upgraded to the current one at the time... 80 gb. I've paid asurion (sprint) almost $1,000 in the last 5 years and when i put a claim in for the first time i was still told to pay $100.00 deductible on a tour. Just left a bad taste in my mouth. So trying best buy mobile. Sales rep says if the phone can't be fixed then i can get what ever the current HTC model at the time is to replace it for free.

 

[beaker77]

I may be mistaken here but I thought BB had to attempt to repair the phone before they replace the phone under their insurance. Can't that leave someone without a phone for a few weeks?

 

[Darth Mo]

I may be mistaken here but I thought BB had to attempt to repair the phone before they replace the phone under their insurance. Can't that leave someone without a phone for a few weeks?

Yep.

 

[brichter45]

I may be mistaken here but I thought BB had to attempt to repair the phone before they replace the phone under their insurance. Can't that leave someone without a phone for a few weeks?

The way it worked with my pre was I would take it into best buy, they would send it out to get fixed and I would get a loaner. Usually whatever they had available. Took about a week to get my Pre back. All in all pretty quick.

 

[AldousSnow]

Yep.. they offer a loaner. Could never get sprint to give me a loaner.

 

[urbestbet]

BB worst possible for one replacement $687 (or $518 if you forego any coverage, though you can always go with Sprint at that point). Sprint worst possible for one replacement $268. BB best possible $169. Sprint best possible $168.[/QUOTE]

State farm worst possible for one replacement is $30.

 

[fraz]

Yep.. they offer a loaner. Could never get sprint to give me a loaner.

You do have to pay a deposit for BB's loaner. $150 to be exact.

 

[GenericMusings]

My wife is paranoid and took both. Makes her happy so I didn't argue (too much).

If something happens to my EVO, I'll just reactivate my Pre for the week or so it takes them to get a replacement in. It'll be rough, but I can deal with it for a week.