Insurance for Note 2

[nizmoz]

I just got my new Note 2 from At&t and considering insurance. I have never broken or lost a phone but this one is a large phone and worries me. Plus the extra warranty coverage will be nice. Who do you guys recommend for this? I have been looking at Best buy, square trade, and and att. And want low costs especially on replacements. Thanks.

 

[edlex]

Keep in mind squaretrade is not insurance. They are a warranty service. Once you put in a claim the service terminates and you have to sign up again if you want continue the service. They also don't cover theft.

 

[twister6]

A lot of people in this forum are raving about Best Buy, and their $10/month no-deductible with temp N2 loaner while you are waiting. That sounds like the best deal.

As an alternative, getting a good case that you feel comfortable with - is your cheapest option

Also, as a food for thought, IMHO insurance is a must if you are going with no case or minimalistic case (w/o much of a protection).

 

[Caloy]

I'm with Assurion, but I don't like their $200 deductible when I accidentally cracked the glass. I'm thinking I could've saved more if I just went to a Samsung repair center. I heard (read) somewhere it's $180 to get the screen repaired. Oh well, at least I get a brand new phone, and an extra pair of accessories and batteries that came with the old one. :/

 

[PsychDoc]

With all due repect to those of you who opted for insurance please be asware that these products are agruably among the biggest rip-offs in the retail space. There's a reason why car dealerships, Best Buy employees, PC Richards guys virtually attack you in their effort to get you to purchase this stuff. The profit margins are stratospherically high. While they may make 5% on the sale of a phone, TV, car, etc the profit margin on these extended warranties/relacement insurance products are often as high as 75%-80%. In short it boils down to the old axiom: if you can't go to sleep at night without "knowing you're protected" then you probably want to purchase this stuff. If you want to look at this as a business proposition you're far, far better off self-insuring.

It's like going gambling, putting a dollar on the table and getting back $0.25-$0.50 and being told "good luck." I'd rather make my own luck. FWIW Consumer Reports has repeatedly discussed this issue and has uniformly advised against purchasing these products.

 

[moneyfornothin]

I'm with Assurion, but I don't like their $200 deductible when I accidentally cracked the glass. I'm thinking I could've saved more if I just went to a Samsung repair center. I heard (read) somewhere it's $180 to get the screen repaired. Oh well, at least I get a brand new phone, and an extra pair of accessories and batteries that came with the old one. :/

Is that through Verizon? I thought it was $100 deductible. ...

 

[andygu3]

With all due repect to those of you who opted for insurance please be asware that these products are agruably among the biggest rip-offs in the retail space. There's a reason why car dealerships, Best Buy employees, PC Richards guys virtually attack you in their effort to get you to purchase this stuff. The profit margins are stratospherically high. While they may make 5% on the sale of a phone, TV, car, etc the profit margin on these extended warranties/relacement insurance products are often as high as 75%-80%. In short it boils down to the old axiom: if you can't go to sleep at night without "knowing you're protected" then you probably want to purchase this stuff. If you want to look at this as a business proposition you're far, far better off self-insuring.

It's like going gambling, putting a dollar on the table and getting back $0.25-$0.50 and being told "good luck." I'd rather make my own luck. FWIW Consumer Reports has repeatedly discussed this issue and has uniformly advised against purchasing these products.

That's why there's insurance for accidents, some feel more at ease if a $800 device is insured from potential accidents. Btw I got a 2 year squaretrade insurance plan for $90, well worth the 90, imo

 

[RumplePHILskin]

Definately get insurance. After seeing a few scratches on my screen I did some research. The research showed that the screens are quite fragile. Prone to scratching and especially breaking. I will deal with the scratches until they get quite bad but then I'll use my insurance as people are charging upto 300 pounds to replace the screen. My insurance excess is only 100 pounds.
This is the only down fall of the phone. This is the biggest problem I have been able to find on the internet.
I used to have the HTC sensation XE and it had one tiny scratch in a whole year. This note 2 I've only had for 2 week. I have 5 scratches.
Samsung advise not to use screen protectors as the screen won't be as responsive. But reviews are showing otherwise. But lets face it, why should we spend our hard earned cash for a phone and have to cover it?

So. Purely on the basis of a lot of people breaking their screens very easily, I think insurance is a must. But only as long as its cheaper than the excess.

Hope this helps

Defintately dont get it from your service provider (con merchants)
Shop around and read all T& C's

 

[Caloy]

Is that through Verizon? I thought it was $100 deductible. ...

Nope. I'm with Sprint.


-Sent using the power of the dark side

 

[ceva321]

i got insurance from verizon, $7-10 a month covers everything, stolen, lost, damaged, etc, $100 deductible.....easy no fuss...get it from your provider its easier

 

[Caloy]

... It's like going gambling, putting a dollar on the table and getting back $0.25-$0.50 and being told "good luck." I'd rather make my own luck. FWIW Consumer Reports has repeatedly discussed this issue and has uniformly advised against purchasing these products.

It's gambling either way. If you opt to have no insurance, you're gambling that your phone will be going to be okay. I'd rather have the peace of mind that no matter what happens to my phone, and I don't have to shell out $800 to replace it. Thank God I did, barely a month ownership and I cracked my screen already.

-Sent using the power of the dark side

 

[mh68]

i got insurance from verizon, $7-10 a month covers everything, stolen, lost, damaged, etc, $100 deductible.....easy no fuss...get it from your provider its easier

I have the same thing with Verizon, BUT what I don't like is that you get a refurb and not a new one. I paid full price for my GN2 and if I have to replace, I want a new one, not a refurb.

 

[nizmoz]

i got insurance from verizon, $7-10 a month covers everything, stolen, lost, damaged, etc, $100 deductible.....easy no fuss...get it from your provider its easier

Sure but not paying $200 for AT&T to replace it.

 

[bi0nicman]

i dropped my VZW Note 2 but since i had a case, nothing happened....except a few minutes later when i noticed the external speaker started to sound distorted. it got worse over the next couple of days. i called VZW and fortunately was able to get a new phone from the VZW store instead of a refurb. i never did tell them i dropped it since it looked fine. or maybe it was a coincidence? who knows but im happy with my new NEW note 2

 

[twister6]

You guys also forgetting another option. If I'm not mistaken, I have seen a replacement N2 glass touch screen (w/o LCD) for about $35.

Another factor, having insurance makes you a little more careless because you know no matter what - you are covered. Plus, makes you take more chances carrying a phone without a case or avoiding screen protector.

Having insurance is the only way to be 100% safe, no matter what happens. And from hearing a summary of everyone's experience above - nothing beats BB because you are paying only $10/month and 0 deductible and you get a replacement loaner while they are fixing your phone. But if you can sleep at night knowing you have a screen protector (yes, scratches happen, especially with sand specks inside of your jeans pockets), and a decent case with a some shock absorption and screen lip - than you always have a choice.

Regarding insurance, what PsychDoc mentioned is a well known fact. I wasted plenty of money insuring my gadgets in the last 3 years using SquareTrade. Although it was very cheap (especially with their 30-35% coupons), it all adds.

@PsychDoc - by any chance are you the same guy from ClubLexus (@NYC, taping and listening to Howard on your ES350)? Would be a funny coincidence!

 

[PsychDoc]

@PsychDoc - by any chance are you the same guy from ClubLexus (@NYC, taping and listening to Howard on your ES350)? Would be a funny coincidence!

I think so but that would have been a while back as since then I've had an Acura TL and I'm now driving a BMW 535xi. Still loving Howard though!

 

[roy5000x2]

You guys also forgetting another option. If I'm not mistaken, I have seen a replacement N2 glass touch screen (w/o LCD) for about $35.

Any websites you can link that sell just the glass without the LCD would be a huge help to our DIY crowd.

Looks like a rather involved process to replace the glass.
Galaxy Note 2 Disassembly & Assembly - Drop Test Repair - YouTube

 

[MaxBuck]

Never before had insurance on a phone, but the bad experiences I had with water damage on first, a Fascinate, and second, a Droid Charge, led me to buy the BestBuy insurance plan for this one. Samsung smartphones are extremely susceptible to water damage, and I'm not in the mood to pay $500+ to replace it if I happen to have it in my pocket and it starts to rain.

I understand Consumer Reports' recommendation and usually follow their advice, but this time the added $180 for two years coverage seemed well worth it.

 

[ceva321]

I have the same thing with Verizon, BUT what I don't like is that you get a refurb and not a new one. I paid full price for my GN2 and if I have to replace, I want a new one, not a refurb.

you know what i don't think a refurb phone is not a bad thing, it will not look used or old......no?

 

[pablotech1]

Get a protection plan!!! I just cracked my whole screen badly on my new Note 2 and didn't have insurance Very stressed out about it. Thought about fixing it myself but screen replacement on such a new phone is a whooping $325! At the very least get a case right away.

 

[steveo52]

Get a protection plan!!! I just cracked my whole screen badly on my new Note 2 and didn't have insurance Very stressed out about it. Thought about fixing it myself but screen replacement on such a new phone is a whooping $325! At the very least get a case right away.

I cracked my screen, not the the entire screen but the entire lower left corner. I have insurance thru Asurion I called, to report damage, they overnighted me a new phone $100 deductible, but well worth it. I'm now sporting a Otterbox commuter case. The insurance paid off beats paying full price for a new phone.

 

[twister6]

Any websites you can link that sell just the glass without the LCD would be a huge help to our DIY crowd.

Looks like a rather involved process to replace the glass.
Galaxy Note 2 Disassembly & Assembly - Drop Test Repair - YouTube

Samsung Repair Parts - Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100 - Parts4repair.Com

They have touch lens glass screen in both white and gray for $29. But looking at the video above and another one at Galaxy Note 2 Digitizer Glass LCD Display Screen Replacement + Home Key Ribbon Flex - YouTube - I don't feel too comfy anymore doing it myself

 

[nizmoz]

Samsung Repair Parts - Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100 - Parts4repair.Com

They have touch lens glass screen in both white and gray for $29. But looking at the video above and another one at Galaxy Note 2 Digitizer Glass LCD Display Screen Replacement + Home Key Ribbon Flex - YouTube - I don't feel too comfy anymore doing it myself

I will be going down to best buy tomorrow to look at cases but also for adding insurance. Thanks guys.

 

[ItalianHunk]

The BB insurance, if you accidentally drop or spill something on your phone, you have to have the Advanced Plan? Which means you have to pay 2 years in advance, correct?

 

[ChiTownJim]

I'm with verizon and have always had asurion and have great service from them. What I enjoy most is that after almost every claim I've made they've sent me an upgrade
Ie thunderbolt lost they sent me a rezound
Broke a galaxy nexus offered an s3
Og evo broke sent me an evo 3d
Nexus s stolen sent me an s2
Droid eris broken sent me an incredible 4g

So not only are u protected but when your phone hits about a year old they will upgrade u for free