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HTC EVO 4G and Insurance Options

To be clear. If you are going to use the insurance from your home or your apartment. Understand that it is actual insurance. When you call your agent, ask them.

1.) If you file a claim, how much will your premium go up?

2.) If they file all claims with the report agency.
3.) How long does the report stay at the agency.

I did ask, (the summary)

1.) For the first report your premium month cost will go up for you car, home, and liable, 33 dollars a month. That is 400 dollars extra a year, if I have to use the insurance. If you have two claims with in 18 months, your premiums will increase by 55 dollars every month or 600 dollars a year.

2.) It is required by federal and local laws that all cash payments be reported to the clearing house. Any report will have a negative impact on your credit score of about 50 or so points for the first report. The next impact will be 100 points. Since there is only about 500 points, this will drag down your credit rating by 10%. The reduction in credit rating is included in the above increase in your insurance bill. 10 dollars for the insurance increase and 23 dollars for the reduce credit score.

3.) The typical report for insurance will remain at the clearance house for 18 months, after 18 months, you will be considered none risk. If another mark is issued from the insurance company with in the the 18 months, the mark will become permanent. Which will be expire in the required 84 month period.

Ask all the questions before you buy an insurance plan. Sprint will cost you 432 dollars in two years, if you break the phone twice. Riders will cost you 4820 dollars in 7 years if you break the phone twice. Tell me who is the smarter person.

Of course my agent told me all this up front, she is getting paid no matter what, but if they tell you they can not calculate the cost up front, get another agent.
 
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Good catch River...

My agent said basically the same thing. If the value of the insured device is greater than $3000 they can write a separate policy not connected to your home owners. With a small amount like the Evo it is a rider on your current insurance and a claim will make your rates go up.

My agent even said she uses Verizon's phone insurance (which is probably the same as Sprint's) for her phone insurance.

So even though the rider is cheaper than Sprint's, in the long run Sprint's is probably the better choice should you make a claim.
 
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I just contacted my homeowners insurance agent.

An Inland Marine policy for my Evo with no faults, no perils, $100 deductible is a whopping $18.00 a year. They will basically buy me a BRAND NEW Evo if anything happens.

Only thing I loose over the Sprint insurance is the extended warranty.
One thing to be very careful about with homeowners/renters insurance -- If you make a claim of any kind it may be a big black mark against you. If you make 2 or 3 claims for anything even over a period of 5+ years, they may cancel you or raise the rate on your insurance policy. Not only is it a black mark with your insurance company, but they may put claims on a national insurance company database. So, any other insurance company you go to may give you higher rates than you would otherwise get.

I don't know if this is the case with all companies. Maybe it doesn't count if you have a rider for a specific piece of equipment like a phone, but it is definitely worth asking your agent about.

What I'm saying that making a claim for a $500 phone may cost you that in increased premiums over time. I'm no expert, but check it out.
 
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I had to get a blackberry replaced. I took the phone into the Sprint store where they had a repair center on site. They gave me a refurbished phone, once they realized they couldn't fix it. The charger port was damaged. The refurbished phone couldn't keep a signal @ my house, so I took it back and it failed their signal test. I was then given a new phone. I have the $7 a month total protection. When I got my Evo, that plan was just transferred to my Evo.
 
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I read elsewhere (can't find the citation now, naturally) that Asurion was replacing, for example, an Evo with a different phone not as desirable as the Evo.

So even though your Asurion policy might state "replacement", you must ask what *KIND* of replacement you will get. You might not like the answer.

If the Evo has an attachment for a safety cord or lanyard of some sort I would seriously consider getting one of those and being reeeeeeally careful with it. I guess you could call that self-insurance.
 
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Guys (and gals), adding your phone to your renter's or homeowner's insurance policy can be-depending on who you're with and how the company writes the policy can be a far better option. For instance here in Oregon the company I work for has a great option. It's worth it to at least call your representative to see what your options are.

Mark
 
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For those of you depending on your homeowners policy to provide full coverage for your phone, be aware that even when your policy specifies that phones/electronic equipment/computer equipment/whatever is covered, the loss must be caused by a covered peril under your policy. Water damage, except under very specific conditions, is not a covered peril under most policies. Having it on your homeowners policy may give you some protection, but it does not offer the same level of protection as the plans offered by many carriers. Yes, it's cheaper, but before you drop your carrier insurance, READ YOUR POLICY. It doesn't matter what your agent tells you...they aren't the ones who are going to adjust your claim, they only sell you the policy. What matters is what your policy says.

The excerpt below is taken directly from the Covered Perils in the HO0003 (4/91) - which is the standard homeowners form. Unless you have an endorsement amending the covered perils of loss, specifically water damage, you do not have coverage under your homeowners policy if your phone gets wet. And, since water damage is probably in the top 3 reasons people need to replace their phones, this an be a big deal...it is for me, having had my phone replaced recently through Asurion due to water damage from a leaking cup of melting ice sitting too close to my phone.


Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or from within a household appliance.
This peril does not include loss:
a. To the system or appliance from which the water or steam escaped;
b. Caused by or resulting from freezing except as provided in the peril of freezing below; or
c. On the "residence premises" caused by accidental discharge or overflow which occurs off the "residence premises." In this peril, a plumbing system does not include a sump, sump pump or related equipment.
 
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I love/hate the Best Buy Geek Squad Black Tie protection on the HTC Hero. My Hero kept restarting after every call and perodically freezing up! I hate it because they tried to rip me off by not honoring it what their service plan says. The repair center in Kentucky claimed I didn't have a valid plan (sheisters) and the corporate office told me they wouldn't honor it claiming the phone was liquid damaged and impacted (both things are covered on black tie!). Long story short the store was the only one willing to help me but they tried to offer me the Samsung Instinct! it's not even an Android! I told them I didn't want the phone but I asked how much more would the EVO cost? They called me back 2 hrs later and told me to put a $50 deposit and I could get the phone at no extra cost! and that's why I love black tie. So weigh your options.
 
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I'll advice everyone to stay away with Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Program. I had it, but when I needed it, all the worms came out. Because of it, I refuse to come back to any Best Buy store again. Once my favorite store is now on my boycott list. I hate how they entice people with their insurance giving out false information, but once you need it, they give you shit.

I'm now enrolled with Sprint's TEP, can't say anything about it, but with the service I got from Sprint, I bet it's better than GSBTPP.
 
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I recently ordered three HTC Evo phones on a family plan (myself, wife and daughter). They are supposed to arrive next week. Now I have some questions about insurance for our phones. Our last phones were Blackberry Flips. We got insurance only for my daughter's phone (her first) in case she had any issues. So far, nothing out of the ordinary for her (or any of us).

For the Evo phones, due to their cost of replacement, I'm wondering if I should get insurance for any or all of them. I called my insurance agent's office (Allstate), but the gal I spoke with said insurance (if they had it - she wasn't sure) would come with about a $250 deductible (ouch). I know Sprint offers insurance, but I *think* it's about $7/month per phone ($21/month). SquareTrade offers insurance for about $125 for 2 years. They cover a number of items, but have a $50 deductible for each covered event.

Here are some questions:
> Do folks purchase insurance for the Evos?
> Where do you purchase it (Sprint, other)?
> Does it cover a lost phone?
- SquareTrade does NOT cover a lost phone, but I've heard Sprint does.

I may have other questions, but I'm thinking I need to come to a decision soon since I understand that the insurance has to be acquired shortly after the phone purchase.

Any help with the above questions and the decision process?
 
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Good choice on your phone selections.

I would go with Sprints insurance plan, without a doubt. $7 dollars per phone and a 100 dollar deductable. The thing I like about Sprint is that they literally cover everything, all of the other guys I have seen do not cover lost and stolen devices. With Sprint you will be completely covered. In many cases, Sprint will fix a damaged phone if you go to a Sprint Repair Center for only $35. I have had to use Sprint insurance twice and both times I had a new/referbished phone the next day without even leaving my house. You can call sprint and add insurance to your plan within the first 30 days.

PS. if youre coming from another carrier, check out Sprints discounts. They have tons of them depending on where you work, if you bank at a credit union, are a AAA member... the list goes on. http://androidforums.com/sprint/81670-do-i-qualify-discount.html I get 25% off for working at Home Depot.
 
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OMG I am so confused on what to do.

I had/have the Sprint insurance for the last year with my HTC Hero. I just upgraded to the EVO and also signed up for the Best Buy one. I was going to cancel one, but not sure if I should keep both now.

From what the guy told me, if I have problems, I bring it in, they try and fix it or they give me a new one. If they have to send it out, they give me a loaner. The only thing they wont cover is a lost phone. And there is no deductible to boot.

So what do I do now lol? I don't think I want to add to the renters insurance but my goodness there are so many options with pros and cons to each one.

Whiteice
 
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OMG I am so confused on what to do.

I had/have the Sprint insurance for the last year with my HTC Hero. I just upgraded to the EVO and also signed up for the Best Buy one. I was going to cancel one, but not sure if I should keep both now.

From what the guy told me, if I have problems, I bring it in, they try and fix it or they give me a new one. If they have to send it out, they give me a loaner. The only thing they wont cover is a lost phone. And there is no deductible to boot.

So what do I do now lol? I don't think I want to add to the renters insurance but my goodness there are so many options with pros and cons to each one.

Whiteice


At first I had Best Buy Insurance, but when I actually needed it they told me it would take AT LEAST 30 days to get it replaced, and you would need to pay a deposit of $150 for a POS samsung phone which wasn't even a smartphone. The Geek Squad technician also tried to tell me that it's alright to get it replaced through Sprint via manufacturer warranty which would void my Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Plan. In the end, I just left and cancelled my GSBTPP, after paying 50 bucks for nothing. It's only $50 bucks but the aggrevation Best Buy gave me, is more me to boycott the chain.

I had a better experience trying to get my phone replaced with Sprint (Manufacturer Warranty), so when they offered me TEP when I activated the replacement phone, I took it.

Save yourself the frustration and aggrevation, don't get Best Buy Insurance.
 
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This thread should be updated.

Now Sprint's TEP coverage covers LCD, Digitizer, and other types of damage without the $100 deductible. Basically anything short of liquid, lost, stolen, or catastrophic damage causing damage to the mainboard will be covered for free if you have TEP.

For those, it's the same $100 deductible.
 
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This thread should be updated.

Now Sprint's TEP coverage covers LCD, Digitizer, and other types of damage without the $100 deductible. Basically anything short of liquid, lost, stolen, or catastrophic damage causing damage to the mainboard will be covered for free if you have TEP.

For those, it's the same $100 deductible.

You mean now we can crack the screen and get a new phone for free?
 
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