Best Buy to extend insurance to iPhone 3GS
updated 03:35 pm EDT, Fri June 12, 2009
Best Buy 3GS insurance
Best Buy is planning to extend its insurance options to the iPhone 3GS, say people close to the matter. When the phone goes on sale through the retailer on June 19th, beginning at 10AM, buyers should have the option of attaching Black Tie Protection, which alongside conventional issues can cover various forms of accidental damage, such as drops and spills. Apple's two-year AppleCare warranty omits much of that coverage, and AT&T has refused to provide any form of insurance.
Should an iPhone not be instantly repairable or replaceable under Black Tie, Best Buy is said to be ready with temporary phones, which can be used until a fixed device arrives in three days or less. If defects result in a phone returning four times in a row, anti-lemon coverage takes effect.
The iPhone insurance is expected to be considerably more expensive than usual however, costing $15 per month, rather than the $7 to $10 for most cellphones. A year's worth of coverage becomes $180, nearly as much as a 16GB 3GS. The surcharge is thought to be related to the unsubsidized prices of an iPhone, which can run as high as $699 for a new 32GB model.
Not bad
06/12, 04:09pm reply
$15 a month seems pretty reasonable considering the alternatives. Were I going to buy the iPhone 3Gs (can't afford the plan anyways), I would have to consider getting it at Best Buy (which normally I wouldn't have even considered), simply for this reason.
Though I wonder how much it would cost to add a rider onto your homeowners insurance or something like that?
jondesu
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: May 2008
OMG...
06/12, 04:28pm (1 reply) reply
Get a clue people, your home owners or renters insurance should cover this.
MyRightEye
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2008
Re: OMG
06/12, 05:56pm reply
The only thing your homeowners or renters might cover is theft. It won't cover accidental damage or the like.
And even if it did, who the h*** is going to contact their homeowner's insurance guy over this kind of thing? Just calling them and inquiring could lead to your rates going up. You'd end up paying much more than just getting the thing replaced yourself.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Actually
06/12, 06:59pm (1 reply) reply
Actually,
My homeowners insurance does cover damage, not just theft.
Aside for that....can we PLEASE stop the iPhone news. For that matter can we go a week without any cell phone news?!?
lamewing
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2004
re: OMG
06/13, 03:30pm reply
There goes idiot testudo again, posting about something s/he knows nothing about--e.g. "Just calling them... could lead to your rates going up." WHY DON'T YOU STOP POSTING HERE YOU EFFING MORON. I swear, sometimes I think testudo is actually an IdiotBot designed to automatically post moronic comments on every topic that gets posted to MacNN...
QualleyIV
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Re: OMG
06/14, 10:49pm reply
"Just calling them... could lead to your rates going up."
If you don't think this is true, then go off and call them and see what happens. Insurers are in the business of making money. They won't make money if you decide to call them to make claims, or even inquire, as those who inquire/file claims are more likely to do it again.
Go read:
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs26-CLUE.htm
Here's a snippet:
The theory is that an individual's history of filing insurance claims is a good indicator of how likely that person is to file future claims. Taken to the extreme, this process of risk analysis translates to "use it and lose it. " If you file a claim against your policy, report damage without filing a claim, or even inquire about your coverage, you may not get new insurance at a good rate - or at all.
testudo
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Joined: Aug 2001