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phone insurance - yes or no

Finally got a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone in July 2014. Since then the phone has "acted up" by going dead and not turning on unless I remove the battery and put it back. At that point there is 0% battery and is very hot. After a full charge it works again. It will be one year old very soon and also the end of the one year warranty. Would it be worth it to get insurance now in case this happens again (fingers crossed that it doesn't though) and I am not able to start it up next time? So many say that insurance is not worth it. Then again, would it help if my phone does die or need repair? I do not have another smartphone to reactivate in case it does happen again until my 2 year contract is up and I do not want to pay $600 for a new phone - who would. So confused. Any help/suggestions/options are welcome. Thanks!

Comments

MiiHere

If you're still within the manufactures warranty they will give you another used one in replace of that one. I think you are past the point of adding insurance. I think it needed to be done within the first 30 days.

If it were me I would be getting a new OEM battery and making sure I'm using the original charger that came with the phone. Unless you have other symptoms to report?

tmc75

At one point, I was told by Verizon that there is open enrollment to add insurance even after the 30 days. I do use the original charger. When it first happened, I didn't know what to do and so I brought it to a local Verizon store for them to check out. They tested the battery and said it was fine. If it happens again (hopefully NOT) I will bring it in again to check the battery. They probably tell me to buy a new phone...

MiiHere

It's quite possible, but if you go the insurance route I would verify the monthly amount AND the deductible. I fear it might be higher because you're already almost a year into your plan.

How did they test your battery?

tmc75

Ok, will look into it. Not sure how they tested. They had my phone behind the counter and plugged it in to a tester maybe?

SuzyQ

tmc75 wrote:

Any help/suggestions/options are welcome. Thanks!

Here's my advice - Put aside the $ you would spend on a deductible to replace your phone with the insurance (somewhere between $100-$200). Then, each month, put aside another $10 or so (what you would have spent on insurance). Keep your eyes open - check eBay, Swappa, and shop for a replacement, before you need it! Know where the deals are, and perhaps even buy a backup phone when you find the right deal.

IMO, with a phone that's a year old, the insurance is NOT worth it, if you can even get it for that phone.

GZRX

Ditto, I dropped insurance about 2 months after purchase of a new phone under contract. Replacement of a phone under insurance coverage is a used phone and I believe receiving that replacement phone is contingent on a successful transaction with the Black Hole in Texas and/or possibly Verizon customer support, both seeming to be a huge crap shoot. Instead I pocket the savings as a trade off for the day I might have to shop for a used replacement phone.

Snn5

There is a huge difference between how Edge program-related phones and warranty replacement phones are handled in the same warehouse. A warranty will arrive to you in 2 days and take 5-7 to return to Texas. Edge phones are just some hit or miss gamble. Compare the 2 different types of "I sent my phone in and was charged a fee" stories here in the community.

GZRX

Didn't take the time to re-research this forum but this had a big effect on my decision:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/cell_phones/asurion.html?page=2

tmc75

Thanks for the insurance help. So if I have no insurance and something should happen where the phone does not work, I could get find a used/new/refurbished phone on my own and have it activated? I assume the info from my old phone could be backed up to the new phone? Are phones on amazon (or other sites) fairly reasonably priced?

MiiHere

You can activate any unlocked compatible phone onto your account. However if you're on the Edge contract then you'd still need to make those payments even if the phone is non functional and you'd not be able to Edge Up without a big penalty fee.

Amazon does have some used phones, if you search for the phone you want you have to look under used. I have seen sites like swappa.com that have decent deals as well. I sell my phones on CL often, but if you go that route look for a thorough ad and check to make sure it's not stolen.

Snn5

www.swappa.com for the win.

Verizon_Support

tmc75, it's important to us that you have a working phone as soon as possible. You have the option of buying a new phone or certified pre owned device at full retail pricing. Click the link below for more information regarding the Certified Pre Owned option:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/landingpages/certified-pre-owned/?lid=sayt&sayt=certified*

Please be advised that if you choose to purchase a phone from a third party, it cannot be covered under our manufacturer warranty. Additionally, if the device has been reported lost or stolen, you would be unable to activate it on your line. For your convenience, you can activate that alternate phone on your wireless number online at My Verizon:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/nso/enterDeviceId.do?intcmp=SearchBanner:activation%20-%20tablet:TopOnly&zipRdr=y

LasinaH_VZW

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