Sprint Insurance or Best Buy Protection?

[Raf]

I'm torn here and will have to speak to BB themselves about this. I'm not paying another month of insurance if I'm going to get the runaround.

 

[brichter45]

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

Which is crap, usually the loaner i got was some 4 year old used phone that wasn't worth $150

 

[VDub2174]

Which is crap, usually the loaner i got was some 4 year old used phone that wasn't worth $150

That's just gross, I wouldn't go with Best Buy insurance after reading this. I'll stick with Sprint.....lol

 

[AldousSnow]

$150 refundable deposit to protect their asset over $100 non-refundable deductible?

All in all putting it on your home owners insurance is the best solution. Can't argue with that one.

 

[imex99]

$150 refundable deposit to protect their asset over $100 non-refundable deductible?

All in all putting it on your home owners insurance is the best solution. Can't argue with that one.

Going to call and inquire about this...

 

[Orlandocano]

My best buy did not require that I put down a deposit for a loaner because they gave me a lg envy piece of shhh... I had bb black tie protection on my pre... I took it in on April 28 and they gave me my replacement phone on June 7th... I called 10 times and spoke to the manager and all I got was the run around!!! Towards the end they told me 'on smart phones it is normal to wait a month or two for replacement/repaired handset.. That is why we give you a loaner'... Never ever eeeever get bb black tie protection... I rather pay 100 deductible and get my refurb evo the next day... As opposed to not paying a deductible but waiting a month and a half for a refurb evo

 

[Darth Mo]

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.

State farm worst possible for one replacement is $30.[/QUOTE]

But then that doesn't cover when little things go wrong with the phone, does it? Like if a button goes wonky or the battery craps out, you're still on the hook, aren't you?

Seems you would still need the Sprint Service and Repair portion of TEP, which is $4/month to be fully covered against malfunction and total loss...

 

[VDub2174]

My best buy did not require that I put down a deposit for a loaner because they gave me a lg envy piece of shhh... I had bb black tie protection on my pre... I took it in on April 28 and they gave me my replacement phone on June 7th... I called 10 times and spoke to the manager and all I got was the run around!!! Towards the end they told me 'on smart phones it is normal to wait a month or two for replacement/repaired handset.. That is why we give you a loaner'... Never ever eeeever get bb black tie protection...

This is what I don't like. Both the time it takes and the fact that you could be given a loaner that someone else probably used.

I rather pay 100 deductible and get my refurb evo the next day... As opposed to not paying a deductible but waiting a month and a half for a refurb evo

Agreed!

 

[zanthor]

Here's the push, I've been with Sprint for 7 years now, two lines of service... Insurance for both lines is $14/month insurance, and I've never had a claim.

Not once.

So lets say I toss my phone in a blender today, just cuz it sounds neat... I'll spend $100 deductible and have a new phone tomorrow... that cost me $1276. I'll also have whatever phone Assurion DECIDES is an equal phone. I manage the cell phones for my company and we have had many problems where Assurion wants to replace a phone with a completely random model due to what they have in stock.

Now lets look at this picture without insurance... it costs me $500 and I get exactly the phone I want. In fact I can have it the same day if I walk into a Sprint store.

Insurance makes sense when you can't afford to replace your phone, but honestly anyone paying $100+ a month for a phone bill should be able to absorb a one off expense of $500... and if you are destroying 3 phones a year, you REALLY need to be looking at how you treat your phone.

 

[AldousSnow]

Here's the push, I've been with Sprint for 7 years now, two lines of service... Insurance for both lines is $14/month insurance, and I've never had a claim.

Not once.

So lets say I toss my phone in a blender today, just cuz it sounds neat... I'll spend $100 deductible and have a new phone tomorrow... that cost me $1276. I'll also have whatever phone Assurion DECIDES is an equal phone. I manage the cell phones for my company and we have had many problems where Assurion wants to replace a phone with a completely random model due to what they have in stock.

Now lets look at this picture without insurance... it costs me $500 and I get exactly the phone I want. In fact I can have it the same day if I walk into a Sprint store.

Insurance makes sense when you can't afford to replace your phone, but honestly anyone paying $100+ a month for a phone bill should be able to absorb a one off expense of $500... and if you are destroying 3 phones a year, you REALLY need to be looking at how you treat your phone.

Absolutely true. LOL.. (Personally I know folks who don't take insurance, and if need be, just purchase a replacement on ebay or craigslist.

 

[chaosrecords]

Homeowners is a great idea, however keep in mind depending on the company, the mode claims you have, the higher your rates will climb on other things.

They will also not bother with the phone. you file a claim, say you lost it, they mail you a check for the value of the phone.

Sounds like easy fraud to me, unless there is some specific program they have with the carriers

 

[milominderbinde]

The Sprint Total Equipment Protection (TEP) at $7 a month is well worth it.

Once I hit a year and still have the same phone I take TEP off because at that point I can do an upgrade as a premium account. So from then on it is $199 or $149 typically to get the latest and greatest brand new instead of the old refurb for $100.

So just do the TEP until you are eligible for an upgrade. So you spend $7 x 12 of $84 for a year for premium subscribers or at most $168 for regular subscribers for the insurance.

Whatever you do don't try to claim it under your homeowners or renters insurance:
? $1000+ homeowners deductibles (Some may be only $500 - the cost of the phone)
? Your homeowners premiums will go up
? You may be non-renewed or uninsurable
? Homeowners claims can stay on your record for 20 years.

TEP is a warranty and does not show up in the national claims database.

 

[Darth Mo]

Insurance makes sense when you can't afford to replace your phone, but honestly anyone paying $100+ a month for a phone bill should be able to absorb a one off expense of $500... and if you are destroying 3 phones a year, you REALLY need to be looking at how you treat your phone.

Clearly you never owned a Palm Pre.

But let's be realistic. $500 on the spot is a lot of money for a lot of people. Yeah you can break it down as total cost of ownership (x months * $4), but's generally easier for people to swing $100 regardless of how long they've been paying $4/month.

But hey, other than homeowner's, what insurance isn't a Catch-22? I drive carefully to keep my car insurance rate down, but then I look at the ~$25,000 I've spent on it in my lifetime and it looks like a waste. Although Allstate has graciously reduced my deductible to $200. Sometimes I think I might as well drive willy nilly and at least get them to pay for something even if it costs me a few extra bucks a month, heh.

 

[chaosrecords]

Whatever you do don't try to claim it under your homeowners or renters insurance:
? $1000+ homeowners deductibles (Some may be only $500 - the cost of the phone)
? Your homeowners premiums will go up
? You may be non-renewed or uninsurable
? Homeowners claims can stay on your record for 20 years.
.

True. however some insurance companies went "modern" and are trying separate policies on small electronics, personal theft, similar to renters insurance on a much smaller level to stay competitive. These are separate from a an actual homeowners insurance. like i said it depends on the company.

Filing 1 lost phone under a full homeowners decuctible would definately be silly. That would be like you breaking a window pane and filing a claim and paying 1000.00 for a 50.00 fix.