Comments on: Why Phone Insurance Is A Scam http://sweatingthebigstuff.com/why-phone-insurance-is-a-scam/ Spending Wisely Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:02:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Carnivals and Links, Week of November 21 – Don’t Quit Your Day Job http://sweatingthebigstuff.com/why-phone-insurance-is-a-scam/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Carnivals and Links, Week of November 21 – Don’t Quit Your Day Job Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:40:27 +0000 http://sweatingthebigstuff.com/?p=549#comment-15 [...] “Why Phone Insurance is a Scam” – good article, but anecdotally, it works for me.  I got my first phone replaced (broken touchscreen) after complaining loudly and widely (but I didn’t have a phone for a few days).  I signed up for insurance after that incident since I had only had the phone for 6 months.  Since then, it’s broken twice, and been covered under the insurance (one replaced, one new screen).  (Un)lucky enough to have insurance work?  Maybe.  However, maybe the key to phone insurance is getting it for your new touchscreen phones and not your button ones?  For the record, I’ve now had the phone for 13 months. [...] [...] “Why Phone Insurance is a Scam” – good article, but anecdotally, it works for me.  I got my first phone replaced (broken touchscreen) after complaining loudly and widely (but I didn’t have a phone for a few days).  I signed up for insurance after that incident since I had only had the phone for 6 months.  Since then, it’s broken twice, and been covered under the insurance (one replaced, one new screen).  (Un)lucky enough to have insurance work?  Maybe.  However, maybe the key to phone insurance is getting it for your new touchscreen phones and not your button ones?  For the record, I’ve now had the phone for 13 months. [...]

]]> By: Daniel http://sweatingthebigstuff.com/why-phone-insurance-is-a-scam/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Daniel Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:23:27 +0000 http://sweatingthebigstuff.com/?p=549#comment-9 I did a little research, and you're right to an extent, but it depends on the phone. For the free phones that you would get when upgrading, you can probably get them for fairly cheap, under $100. Going up the scale to nicer phones, such as the LG Xenon, my current phone, it can be found for under $200. Blackberries can be a little more, but even then, I see that many are available for around $200 or less. Would you take your chances breaking or losing 40% of your phones in the first year? Once you pass the first 12 months, you would actually be saving $25 each month (for 5 lines) that you didn't have to pay for a new phone. For those who are confident in themselves to not lose their phone, they could even buy a new phone every 12-18 months and come out way ahead! Plus, you could use the free upgrade and save it for emergencies, or you could use the upgrade and sell the phone! I did a little research, and you’re right to an extent, but it depends on the phone. For the free phones that you would get when upgrading, you can probably get them for fairly cheap, under $100. Going up the scale to nicer phones, such as the LG Xenon, my current phone, it can be found for under $200. Blackberries can be a little more, but even then, I see that many are available for around $200 or less.

Would you take your chances breaking or losing 40% of your phones in the first year? Once you pass the first 12 months, you would actually be saving $25 each month (for 5 lines) that you didn’t have to pay for a new phone. For those who are confident in themselves to not lose their phone, they could even buy a new phone every 12-18 months and come out way ahead!

Plus, you could use the free upgrade and save it for emergencies, or you could use the upgrade and sell the phone!

]]> By: Jeff http://sweatingthebigstuff.com/why-phone-insurance-is-a-scam/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Jeff Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:04:15 +0000 http://sweatingthebigstuff.com/?p=549#comment-8 Yes, but are you considering the subsidized or unsubsidized prices of those phones. Unsubsidized phones can run upwards of $400/each, and you aren't eligible for a subsidized upgrade until at least half way through your contact (most of the time, you have to have finished the 2 years). For example, the Nokia Surge is $230 w/o subsidy. That would use up the $300+$50 deductible right there if you broke two of those (and they're free with a new 2 year contract). Yes, but are you considering the subsidized or unsubsidized prices of those phones. Unsubsidized phones can run upwards of $400/each, and you aren’t eligible for a subsidized upgrade until at least half way through your contact (most of the time, you have to have finished the 2 years). For example, the Nokia Surge is $230 w/o subsidy. That would use up the $300+$50 deductible right there if you broke two of those (and they’re free with a new 2 year contract).

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