Sprint/Best Buy Insurance discussion/questions

[FocusFreak]

You get it from Best Buy means you get their crappy insurance plan. No thanks. Sprint insurance beats out Best Buy customer satisfaction wise 10 times over.

Seriously? If something happens to your phone with Sprint's insurance, you have to pay $125! Guess what you pay for the same thing with Best Buy's insurance plan? Zero. That right there makes it worth it, plus you can get on Sprints buy back plan. They will give you $225 for the phone a year from now, Sprint wont give you anything close. They offered me $100 for my Evo

 

[BenChase7]

Problem is, (last I checked) Best Buys insurance is not nearly as comprehensive as Sprint's. For example, Best Buy does not cover lost or stolen phones. Sprint will cover about anything and everything that could happen to the device.
If you skim through the EVO 4G forums, you'll see a lot of pissed off people that had to deal with BB's insurance... long wait times to get a replacement at Best Buy. With Sprint you will get a new/refurbished phone the next day, overnight right to your front door.
I think you fudged the deductible, too. Last I checked it was 50 for non-smartphones and 100 for smartphone.

 

[FocusFreak]

Problem is, (last I checked) Best Buys insurance is not nearly as comprehensive as Sprint's. For example, Best Buy does not cover lost or stolen phones. Sprint will cover about anything and everything that could happen to the device.
If you skim through the EVO 4G forums, you'll see a lot of pissed off people that had to deal with BB's insurance... long wait times to get a replacement at Best Buy. With Sprint you will get a new/refurbished phone the next day, overnight right to your front door.
I think you fudged the deductible, too. Last I checked it was 50 for non-smartphones and 100 for smartphone.

It was raised to $125. I wouldnt expect lost or stolen to be covered anyways, What prevents someone from saying a phone was stolen, getting a new one for $125 and selling one online?

 

[BenChase7]

It was raised to $125. I wouldnt expect lost or stolen to be covered anyways, What prevents someone from saying a phone was stolen, getting a new one for $125 and selling one online?

Esn lock.

 

[FocusFreak]

Esn lock.

True. I just know after my last dealings with two Sprint stores here recently, I will never give them my business again. They are terrible.

 

[BenChase7]

you wouldn't have to worry about that either with Sprint insurance, if your phone is stolen, lost, broken, has water damage, or you got mad and threw it across the room, you will never have to step foot in a Sprint store to get a new one. You do it all online right from your couch. Fill out the online application, and the phone is mailed via Fed-Ex overnight to your front door. ...another nice thing.

Also, not only does Best Buy not cover lost/stolen, i dont think they cover water damage either.

It was raised to $125.

Really?

This is showing sprints deductible is $100. (what i paid)
http://shop2.sprint.com/en/services...ces_phonerepairprotect_phoneprotectionsol_hub

Edit: Click deductible schedule from here (on the right): http://www.phoneclaim.com/sprint

 

[FocusFreak]

you wouldn't have to worry about that either with Sprint insurance, if your phone is stolen, lost, broken, has water damage, or you got mad and threw it across the room, you will never have to step foot in a Sprint store to get a new one. You do it all online right from your couch. Fill out the online application, and the phone is mailed via Fed-Ex overnight to your front door. ...another nice thing.

Also, not only does Best Buy not cover lost/stolen, i dont think they cover water damage either.



Really?

This is showing sprints deductible is $100. (what i paid)
Protection Solutions

Edit: Click deductible schedule from here (on the right): Welcome Sprint Customers

I was told $125 at a Sprint store, the same one that told me 2 days ago there was no release date for the Nexus S, bunch of idiots. Even $100 is crap, I will take $0 deductable thanks

 

[BenChase7]

I was told $125 at a Sprint store, the same one that told me 2 days ago there was no release date for the Nexus S, bunch of idiots. Even $100 is crap, I will take $0 deductable thanks

its subjective that's for sure. I'll take full coverage and no waiting for a new phone!

Edit: a couple summers ago while out of state on vacation, I would have been screwed with BB's insurance. While launching my boat, a wave came and drenched me with my phone in pocket. ruined the phone. Sprint had a new phone FedEx'ed to my hotel the next day. Best Buy would not even have covered it, let alone sent me a new phone without stepping foot into a store.

Whatever you prefer is the one for you though. I'm done, now. lol Bring on the EVO 3D.

 

[lordofthereef]

You get it from Best Buy means you get their crappy insurance plan. No thanks. Sprint insurance beats out Best Buy customer satisfaction wise 10 times over.

This is actually incorrect. You simply have to call Sprint up (or go into one of their stores) and set up the insurance plan within 30 days of purchasing the phone - - even if it was purchased at Best Buy (or anywhere else for that matter).

 

[marctronixx]

since some of you must talk about insurance, do it here.

 

[RichboyJhae]

I bought my EVO through Best buy, and I've gotten 2 new ones(1 due to charger issues, the other was stolen) through Sprint's insurance. No problems at all

 

[rufio1969]

Also, not only does Best Buy not cover lost/stolen, i dont think they cover water damage either.

Acutally they do cover water damage. I've had 3 phones replaced by Bestbuy because of water damage.

Yes the wait time each is like a month but I get a brand new phone. I can live with a backup phone for a month if that means I get a brand new one.

If you can live with the wait time BB is worth it.

 

[themuffinman75]

Acutally they do cover water damage. I've had 3 phones replaced by Bestbuy because of water damage.

Yes the wait time each is like a month but I get a brand new phone. I can live with a backup phone for a month if that means I get a brand new one.

If you can live with the wait time BB is worth it.

Wait a month for a replacement? LOL, what a joke. Sorry but when it comes to stuff like this I would rather save time than save money.

 

[rufio1969]

Wait a month for a replacement? LOL, what a joke. Sorry but when it comes to stuff like this I would rather save time than save money.

Like I said, if you can live with it, it's worth it because you don't have to pay a deductible.

If you want a new one they try to fix your phone or you get a new one. Or you wait about a week they give you a refurbished phone.

In my case I always had a backup phone I could live with for a month so I rather wait then pay that deductible.

It's not for everyone.

 

[swnic]

Even with the $100 deductible, my vote is for the Sprint version. They will pretty much replace the phone for any reason.

 

[lordofthereef]

Acutally they do cover water damage. I've had 3 phones replaced by Bestbuy because of water damage.

Alright. TECHNICALLY, the deal with water damage is the FULL SUBMERSION is not covered. Spilling a soda on it or anything else is completely covered. They generaly should ask you what happened to it. If you dropped it in the pool and tell them that, they won't cover it. (please note that I am not advising or implying that anyone should falsify information)

 

[bobby2478]

I've been on the fence about this as well, and from what I can gather there are a few things to consider:

Sprint Insurance
PROS:

• Receive replacement device faster
• Covers lost or stolen phones
• Covers full water damage

CONS:

• Replacement due to physical damage requires deductible of $100
• Replacement is refurbished and not new. Although most of the time these refurbished devices look brand new.
• Replacement device is same model. So if you broke your Evo3D you would get another Evo3D.

Best Buy Insurance
PROS:

• Replacement due to physical damage doesn't require a deductible
• They try to fix your phone. If they can't fix it, then you will get a gift card for full retail of your phone, which you can use to buy a brand new replacement. In the case of the Evo3D, this would likely be $699. You can use this $699 for any other phone, meaning if you wanted something different then the Evo3D you can get whatever else you want.
• Replacement is either your phone they've fixed, or if they can't fix it's a brand new phone (no refurbished)

CONS:

• Lengthy wait time for replacement. They send in your phone and give you a cheap loaner until it is fixed or they determine they can't fix. This can be 2-6 weeks you would have a cheapo loaner.
• Doesn't cover lost or stolen phones
• Doesn't cover full water damage
• Slightly more per month then Sprint's full coverage insurance

So overall, Sprint covers more things and you don't have to deal with a cheap loaner for potentially up to 6 weeks. Replacement will be the same model you had and will be refurbished, which could look new or could have some damage already. If replacing due to physical damage you have to pay deductible of $100.

Best Buy's insurance doesn't cover as much, but you don't have to pay a deductible to replace your phone. If they can't fix your phone, you get a card for the amount of your phone which you can use to get what ever phone you want (can be something else). Replacements are always brand new. You have to mail in your phone and wait for them to try and fix it first, they give you a cheap loaner phone to use in the meantime (definitely will NOT be close to the Evo3D that you'll need to use for up to 6 weeks).

I'm leaning towards Sprint's plan, but I'm on the fence as it would be nice to be able to get any other phone you want to get and not be limited to another Evo3D.

 

[RichboyJhae]

I called my sprint store and dude said they weren't takikng preorders. Whatever. I went to best buy and placed my preorder with them

Is anyone thinking about doing the BB buyback? for $60 you get half the retail price when you trade it in! I'm eligible for an upgrade every year! So if I pay and extra $60 now next year I can get $300 toward the purchase of my new phone! (if retail on 3d is 599, it could be 600 which would make my buy back be worth 350!)

I'm honestly too attached to my EVO. I still have my Hero, and I plan to add to my "collection", with the 3 generations of HTC and Android on Sprint.

 

[jerofld]

I think the only unknown variable to really making a solid decision is how much more will BB's insurance be per month. If it's only $1-2 bucks per month more, I would think BB would be cheaper overall, assuming no loss or water damage. But if it's $5-10, Sprint would be cheaper over the term of the 2 year contract ($5 X 20 months = $100) and is more convenient because it's next day delivered.

 

[bobby2478]

I think the only unknown variable to really making a solid decision is how much more will BB's insurance be per month. If it's only $1-2 bucks per month more, I would think BB would be cheaper overall, assuming no loss or water damage. But if it's $5-10, Sprint would be cheaper over the term of the 2 year contract ($5 X 20 months = $100) and is more convenient because it's next day delivered.

I believe it's only about $4 more expensive (BB is roughly $11 where Sprint is $7 I think).

For me the main thing that I don't like about the BB plan is the fact they want to try and fix it first before giving you a replacement. This, and the fact you have to send in your phone and wait for them to fix it, all the while you are stuck with some old school loaner phone.

I have several friends who have had issues with their iPods etc, and BB always fixes them but when they get them back there is something still wrong with it. So they have to send it in again, and wait a few more weeks. If I have an Evo3d and something goes wrong, I don't want to be stuck without my phone for weeks on end, or the potential that I'd have to do that multiple times before they finally agreed to replace the device.

I don't have many friends who are satisfied with BB's insurance / extended warranty plans with other devices, I can't imagine it would be any different with their cell phone extended warranty / insurance.

 

[bobby2478]

...Is anyone thinking about doing the BB buyback? for $60 you get half the retail price when you trade it in! I'm eligible for an upgrade every year! So if I pay and extra $60 now next year I can get $300 toward the purchase of my new phone! (if retail on 3d is 599, it could be 600 which would make my buy back be worth 350!)

I'm not sure about the BB Buyback, and if it would give me more $ for my old phone then I could get by selling it outright. I typically sell my old phones on Ebay, and since they are in mint condition they fetch good $. I just sold my old Blackberry Bold 9000 for $200, and my Blackberry Bold 9700 for over $300.

 

[falconey]

I received notice in the mail today the insurance program for sprint will have a new increased monthly charge of $8/mth effective July 24. Just an FYI

 

[bobby2478]

I received notice in the mail today the insurance program for sprint will have a new increased monthly charge of $8/mth effective July 24. Just an FYI

Yeah I got that too. Right now I pay $7/month, it's going up to $8/month, so only a $1 increase.

 

[ArmageddonX]

Has anyone looked into Squaretrade's Warranties? I've often though about getting one but never talked to anyone who had done so. I know for the longest time it was the only Warranty option for anyone with an iPhone.

I just had to go through a replacement with Best Buy. Let me tell ya; Having the "loaner" phone for 3-6 weeks while they repair your Smartphone is NOT an option you want to consider if you are a big Smartphone user. The loaner phone was a pathetic non-3G device that could barely text-message.

 

[unplugged1]

I have five lines with smartphones on each. I am considering no insurance. With the rate with Sprint insurance rising to $8, that is $40 a month for insurance. I could put that money in a savings account and have $480 a year for a replacement phone. With that much money, I could afford a lost phone each year. (Not even adjusting for the deductible.)

Self-insurance might be the answer if you don't destroy your phone very often. Also, remember that every phone has a one-year warranty from the manufacturer.