AT&T dropped the ball on my phone insurance

[stevesal32]

Last February, I got a new phone for my son.  But I used another line to get him the upgrade and simply had the ATT rep transfer the hardware to his phone number which he already had.  I also had the ATT person add insurance to the phone.  I was also told the deductible was $50 if anything happened to it.

Two days ago, my sons IPHONE 4S was dropped in water.  I called ATT to initiate the insurace claim and they said there was no insurance on the phone.  Apparently, they never transferred the insurance to the new phone number.  It seems the hardware AND phone number must both be in sync to initiate an insurace claim.  They suggested I call the insurance company.  I did.

The insurance company said there was no insurance on the phone and they said that they work with what they receive from ATT.  So, I have effectively been paying for insurance for a different phone than I thought thanks to ATT.  I have little recourse.  The insurance lady also told me the deductible for the IPHONE 4S is $199.00 (not $50 as was told by the ATT store when I purchased the phone and the insurance).

I explained to the insurance lady that APPLE will offer me a NEW (not refurbished) phone for $199 to replace my broken phone.  So the question is...assuming I could use the insurance....why would I?  I mean, the insurance claim process is painful, you get a refurbished phone, it takes 2 business days and costs the same as just going to APPLE and getting a new phone for the same price and that day.

So ATT....tell me the benefits of your insurance you offer once again please?  I did laugh when I called ATT customer service however when I heard that it was the "NEW ATT&T".  Seems like the same AT&T to me.  Extremely disappointed!

[stevesal32]

Last February, I got a new phone for my son.  But I used another line to get him the upgrade and simply had the ATT rep transfer the hardware to his phone number which he already had.  I also had the ATT person add insurance to the phone.  I was also told the deductible was $50 if anything happened to it.

Two days ago, my sons IPHONE 4S was dropped in water.  I called ATT to initiate the insurace claim and they said there was no insurance on the phone.  Apparently, they never transferred the insurance to the new phone number.  It seems the hardware AND phone number must both be in sync to initiate an insurace claim.  They suggested I call the insurance company.  I did.

The insurance company said there was no insurance on the phone and they said that they work with what they receive from ATT.  So, I have effectively been paying for insurance for a different phone than I thought thanks to ATT.  I have little recourse.  The insurance lady also told me the deductible for the IPHONE 4S is $199.00 (not $50 as was told by the ATT store when I purchased the phone and the insurance).

I explained to the insurance lady that APPLE will offer me a NEW (not refurbished) phone for $199 to replace my broken phone.  So the question is...assuming I could use the insurance....why would I?  I mean, the insurance claim process is painful, you get a refurbished phone, it takes 2 business days and costs the same as just going to APPLE and getting a new phone for the same price and that day.

So ATT....tell me the benefits of your insurance you offer once again please?  I did laugh when I called ATT customer service however when I heard that it was the "NEW ATT&T".  Seems like the same AT&T to me.  Extremely disappointed!

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

Sorry about your issue but there is no benefit to ATT's insurance when it comes to iPhones.  You are best getting the Applecare+ from Apple. 

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

Actually, the phone that Apple will give you for $199 will, in all likelihood, be a refurbished phone. 

This does seem to be a bit of a comedy of errors, but it also seems like this was an issue that you created by playing three card monty with line upgrades. Yes, AT&T gave you bad info, but the correct info is on Asurion's web site. The $50 deductible is for non-smartphones. Also, at no point did you seemingly verify that the phone insurance was on the correct line. It seems like that would have taken about two seconds of looking at your bill or online account management screen.

The insurance is, and always has been, a bit of a ripoff for smartphones. 

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stevesal32 wrote:

Last February, I got a new phone for my son.  But I used another line to get him the upgrade and simply had the ATT rep transfer the hardware to his phone number which he already had.  I also had the ATT person add insurance to the phone.  I was also told the deductible was $50 if anything happened to it.

Two days ago, my sons IPHONE 4S was dropped in water.  I called ATT to initiate the insurace claim and they said there was no insurance on the phone.  Apparently, they never transferred the insurance to the new phone number.  It seems the hardware AND phone number must both be in sync to initiate an insurace claim.  They suggested I call the insurance company.  I did.

The insurance company said there was no insurance on the phone and they said that they work with what they receive from ATT.  So, I have effectively been paying for insurance for a different phone than I thought thanks to ATT.  I have little recourse.  The insurance lady also told me the deductible for the IPHONE 4S is $199.00 (not $50 as was told by the ATT store when I purchased the phone and the insurance).

I explained to the insurance lady that APPLE will offer me a NEW (not refurbished) phone for $199 to replace my broken phone.  So the question is...assuming I could use the insurance....why would I?  I mean, the insurance claim process is painful, you get a refurbished phone, it takes 2 business days and costs the same as just going to APPLE and getting a new phone for the same price and that day.

So ATT....tell me the benefits of your insurance you offer once again please?  I did laugh when I called ATT customer service however when I heard that it was the "NEW ATT&T".  Seems like the same AT&T to me.  Extremely disappointed!

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[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

Last February, I got a new phone for my son.  But I used another line to get him the upgrade and simply had the ATT rep transfer the hardware to his phone number which he already had.  I also had the ATT person add insurance to the phone.  I was also told the deductible was $50 if anything happened to it.

Two days ago, my sons IPHONE 4S was dropped in water.  I called ATT to initiate the insurace claim and they said there was no insurance on the phone.  Apparently, they never transferred the insurance to the new phone number.  It seems the hardware AND phone number must both be in sync to initiate an insurace claim.  They suggested I call the insurance company.  I did.

The insurance company said there was no insurance on the phone and they said that they work with what they receive from ATT.  So, I have effectively been paying for insurance for a different phone than I thought thanks to ATT.  I have little recourse.  The insurance lady also told me the deductible for the IPHONE 4S is $199.00 (not $50 as was told by the ATT store when I purchased the phone and the insurance).

I explained to the insurance lady that APPLE will offer me a NEW (not refurbished) phone for $199 to replace my broken phone.  So the question is...assuming I could use the insurance....why would I?  I mean, the insurance claim process is painful, you get a refurbished phone, it takes 2 business days and costs the same as just going to APPLE and getting a new phone for the same price and that day.

So ATT....tell me the benefits of your insurance you offer once again please?  I did laugh when I called ATT customer service however when I heard that it was the "NEW ATT&T".  Seems like the same AT&T to me.  Extremely disappointed!

[JFizDaWiz]

I didn't think apple care covered liquid and physical damage but I haven't looked at that policy in years

[youngjm ACE - Professor]

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JFizDaWiz wrote:
I didn't think apple care covered liquid and physical damage but I haven't looked at that policy in years

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Applecare+ will under certain circumstances and carries with it a deductible.  In the past the Genius had some discretion.

[stevesal32]

Leory

It is a corporate plan and using one phone number to upgrade a line so that another line can get the hardware is hardly an unheard of practice.  ATT people do it all the time and were well aware of the fact that I was doing it.  So I guess it is my fault that they could not follow the bouncing ball?  And since it is a corporate plan, I dont see the bill. 

The RIPOFF part is accurate though...especially in this case as my there was NO benefit.  In fact, it costs you MORE to use ATT insurance if you get it and file a claim.  That is the point.

[stevesal32]

They expanded it to cover liquid damages about a year ago.  Their APPLE CARE PLUS plan does.

[stevesal32]

And that is exactly what I did.  Lesson learned!

[BadBadLeroyBrown ACE - Warrior]

Again, you are placing all the blame here on AT&T, when there are several things you could have done to prevent/mitigate this situation.

The "it's a corporate plan, so I don't see the bill" is an excuse, not a reason. It doesn't matter whether it's a corporate plan, an individual plan, or the Marshall Plan - someone somewhere gets a bill. Don't corporate bills have access to online account management?

This hardly being an unheard of practice is also irrelevant. When you start swapping upgrades around with lines, you directly increase the possibility (or probability) that something is going to get screwed up.

And this doesn't change the fact that all of Asurion's deductible information is published on their web site. While it is AT&T's fault that some CSR gave you bad information, it's still your responsibility to verify that information that could potentially cost you money is correct. 

I've pretty consistently said that I think Asurion is a ripoff, especially for smartphones. The premiums+deductible are too expensive, even for a phone that may retail for $600+. There are better/cheaper/less traumatic alternatives.

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stevesal32 wrote:

Leory

It is a corporate plan and using one phone number to upgrade a line so that another line can get the hardware is hardly an unheard of practice.  ATT people do it all the time and were well aware of the fact that I was doing it.  So I guess it is my fault that they could not follow the bouncing ball?  And since it is a corporate plan, I dont see the bill. 

The RIPOFF part is accurate though...especially in this case as my there was NO benefit.  In fact, it costs you MORE to use ATT insurance if you get it and file a claim.  That is the point.

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