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Asurion Issue:

ERR!!

Last month my LG VX8350 slowly cracked at the hinge. After a few days, it was almost separated in two, only held together by the cable. Just wear and tear. The phone was about 1 ½ years old.

My wife and I have the Wireless Protection on our phones, so I called Asurion and after paying the $50.00 deductable, I was sent a new phone. Great customer service. I was generally thrilled.

HOWEVER, just this weekend, the phone started to crack again, and now nearly is in two different pieces.   No drops, nothing odd. I took extra good care of it because it was a replacement. Since it was cracking on it's own, I figured the phone would have some kind warranty on its general condition. I called Asurion again.

They were very nice, but they told me that phone wasn’t covered under a warranty—just a tech. warranty, nothing on the physical aspect of the phone (unless damaged in shipping).

I had no choice but to pay ANOTHER $50 deductable to get another phone. Plus, NOW, I’m out of replacement phones. (No more than two a year). If the replacement phone breaks again, I’m screwed until I re-up—IF I re-up.

I’m so pissed off that a “new” phone would break just after one-month. I’m also jacked that there’s no physical condition promise on a replacement phone.   They sent it to me! Shouldn’t they be responsible for the condition? I could see if I dropped it from a ladder or something...

Which brings me to these issues:

1) What’s stopping Asurion from sending me a bad phone or refurbished phone? It appears to be in their vested interest to send me poor phone.

2) Is the Insurance worth it? (Year to dated spend on replacement phones is $100.00, plus the monthly fee of $10—both my wife and I—for twelve months, $120… total: $220… for this year.)

3)   Are there better Insurance options OR better ways to deal with replacement phones?

4) Anyone else have this happen to them?

5) Anyone else have trouble with this kind of phone? It feels like I’m spending more good money after bad…

I’m pretty miffed about the whole thing… I do appreciate any thoughts from you all on this…

Spinks

Comments

nmchileman

The hinge cracking on the LG8350 was actually a common problem. LG did find a flaw in the manufacturing process which was attributed to the cracks. VZW recognized this and actually does cover it under warranty, providing there is no other signs of damage or misuse. Sounds like you'd be out of warranty at this point, since you're only paying $4.99 and it's been over 1yr. If it happens again I would definitly call VZW customer service to see if you can work out a deal and not pay the $50 out of warranty fee. I would even call them now and let them know what happened that way there's some sort of documentation or paper triail with what happened.

spinksmg71

Thanks for the advice. I'll definately call Verizon CS here about the matter. I didn't think about going there, but it makes sense.

Thanks for the info on the phone as well. Unfortunately, the first phone is out of warranty.

The second one--I'm frustrated that the Asurion replacement phone didn't come with on at all.

Thanks again,

Spinks

DarkCobra

Well a couple of things. You referred to your replacement phone a couple of times as a "new" phone. Those phones are NOT new (sadly). They are indeed refurbished phones. That particular model indeed has a known issues with cracking at the hinges as a prior poster pointed out. You asked if these warranties are actually worth the money. There was a time when I thought so but no more. When you add up the monthly cost (unless it breaks or you lose it early on) plus the $50 deductible . . . the diminishing returns on an average priced phone starts to dwindle.

I find if the phone malfunctions you get a reburbished replacement anyway for free under the one year warranty provision. So unless you really just lose the phone for me it was just no longer worth that insurance. You most certainly should ask Verizon if they can do something for you. Now just one more thing . . . if you purchased it with a credit card, some of those cards have their own warranty provision and often doubles the normal warranty. You should ask your credit card company of there is any protection with them.

spinksmg71

Thanks! I will check my credit card to see if there's some warranty there. I did call Verizon. I talked to a wonderful CS person. Placed my issue in their computer system.

With a year warranty, I'm thinking of shifting from the Every-two, to annual service with no insurance.

I got my "New" phone today. It's currently charging. We'll see how long this one lasts.

Spinks

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