Asurion cell phone insurance review!

Were you responding to my post?

I am in no way endorsed or paid or anything else by Asurion.

I have worked for Verizon Wireless for a while (exceeding 8 years). I then recently transferred to a new device Testing/Development center in California. We also test and make devices refurbished from time to time...except for almost every wireless carrier.

I can thoroughly defend Asurion:

1. I know how difficultly refurb devices are tested
2. I have worked for Verizon Wireless and have heard many good things about Asurion.
3. I have personally been a customer of Asurion and have had many devices replaced by them...excellent quality.

If I was wrong and you weren't referring to me...I'm sorry.

Originally Posted by over50

....and it appears as though Assurian has a rep responding to our comments

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› See More: Asurion cell phone insurance review!

I swear by Asurion quite frankly.

As a person who likes expensive phones, I've had Treos for like 3 years or more now, and one that loses things easily, it serves me well.

They dropped me one year because I replaced a phone like 3 or more times in a 12-month span...yes, I'm that absent-minded.

I have my current phone insured, because if I get up off a bus and leave it, or forget it at a store in the mall and someone helps themselves to it before I realize where I left it or I just damage it beyond repair, I simply pick up the phone and make a quick phonecall. Doesn't even take long, and presto-change-o my "new" phone is at my abode waiting for me.

I have had T-Mobile and the "protection plan" Asurion since 2005, in 2008 I added a line for my son for emergancies. He never really used the phone a lot but he had it if he needed. this past week (1/27/09) his phone was stollen from his backpack at school. When I filed a claim with Asurion they denied it because the device history showed other phones being used, these phone were used for the first and last time on the day the phone was taken. I called T-Mobile and asked what these phones were doing on here and they said that who ever took the phone tried putting the SIMs card into other phones, when I asked if they could see who the phones belonged to they said no. So because who ever put our SIMs card in thier phone, Asurion denied our claim saying it we had no way of proving we werent the ones who used those other phones. so now we are stuck with service and no phone. How can they deny a claim based on that? Asurion is nothing but a scam and I would never suggest anyone using them!

I couldn't vouch or deny them based on this.

I have never strongly used a wireless carrier that uses SIM Cards...Verizon Wireless, my carrier, does not.

Originally Posted by Kellietag

I have had T-Mobile and the "protection plan" Asurion since 2005, in 2008 I added a line for my son for emergancies. He never really used the phone a lot but he had it if he needed. this past week (1/27/09) his phone was stollen from his backpack at school. When I filed a claim with Asurion they denied it because the device history showed other phones being used, these phone were used for the first and last time on the day the phone was taken. I called T-Mobile and asked what these phones were doing on here and they said that who ever took the phone tried putting the SIMs card into other phones, when I asked if they could see who the phones belonged to they said no. So because who ever put our SIMs card in thier phone, Asurion denied our claim saying it we had no way of proving we werent the ones who used those other phones. so now we are stuck with service and no phone. How can they deny a claim based on that? Asurion is nothing but a scam and I would never suggest anyone using them!

Originally Posted by Kellietag

I have had T-Mobile and the "protection plan" Asurion since 2005, in 2008 I added a line for my son for emergancies. He never really used the phone a lot but he had it if he needed. this past week (1/27/09) his phone was stollen from his backpack at school. When I filed a claim with Asurion they denied it because the device history showed other phones being used, these phone were used for the first and last time on the day the phone was taken. I called T-Mobile and asked what these phones were doing on here and they said that who ever took the phone tried putting the SIMs card into other phones, when I asked if they could see who the phones belonged to they said no. So because who ever put our SIMs card in thier phone, Asurion denied our claim saying it we had no way of proving we werent the ones who used those other phones. so now we are stuck with service and no phone. How can they deny a claim based on that? Asurion is nothing but a scam and I would never suggest anyone using them!

Originally Posted by nicknrm

I couldn't vouch or deny them based on this.

I have never strongly used a wireless carrier that uses SIM Cards...Verizon Wireless, my carrier, does not.

Yeah, I don't like the SIM card-type phones/plans.

If I were you I'd get indignant on these people. This is America damnit, your phone was stolen.

So far I haven't had any problems with Asurion, like how I don't have any problems with Sprint.

*shrugs*

Asurion is a company that advertises on their home page phoneclaim.com That you may have you phone the next day after filing a claim to the insurance department. I share a family plan with a friend and he lost his phone on January 15, 2009. A claim was made with Asurion to replace it on the 1-19-09 after being told by T mobile on the 18th that they handle insurance claims.It is now February 6th, 2009 and I called T mobile to check if I was ever going to get a phone back from Asurion. T mobile directly called Asurion and found out that the claim was canceled because a mistake they made on their side of the end. The phone shows no usage from the date of the incident to this date. They said their system shows usage after that but when they checked the account they didn't seen any. I didn't get a call back saying they were going to cancel my claim. Now that I have gone with about a month with out service I bought a new phone and sim card running me about 350 USD and paid for my service through T mobile of 200 USD for a phone that was not used because of Asurion's lack of responsibility. After I was ran approximately 550 USD I told T mobile if they can at least help me out and they responded that Asurion were the ones to blame to file a claim through them. I called Asurion upset where I was given the run around that I should contact T mobile for a claim. But since Asurion handle the insurance account and they messed up I continue to pursue a solution through then. I was encountered by a service representative who told me that I was wasting my time and it wasnt going to happen upon me telling him to be quiet and just transfer the call to the next department he hung up on me. Called me back and appologized for doing so and then lectured me about not complaining, where I then told him that it was his job to listen to complaints and he had no right to raise his voice to me no matter what I was saying. He then transfered me to the final process department where I was speaking to an agent that was very helpful in telling me what I had to do to get my new phone but when I asked her to speak to someone about not paying the deductible due to their poor service she said she was the highest up and that she over rules even the CEOs of the company. When I asked her what the steps were to file a petition she said write a letter to customer service in the HQ building. I asked her to just transfer me to the department and she said I'm the highest person you can talk to they cant help you.So why write a letter... So what I ask myself is who can? The waste of money, time, and time without my phone service has created more grief than anything and all I was asking for was someone to talk to about all this or at least compensation for their lack of service.

So in the end I ask myself if they have 60 million people paying 5.99 for insurance a month equaling out to be 359400000 Dollars a month WHY CANT THEY GET IT RIGHT

Solution write a claim to the better business bureau at nashville.app.bbb.org/filecomplaint and you will see results against Asurion

Originally Posted by garyboutilier

Hey bud, just wondering if you've ever had any insurance of any kind before? You pay the premium every month and if something happens, you pay the deductable. Would it be that difficult for you to take your old phone that you won't use any more and place it into the postage paid, already addressed envelope and drop it in the mail. Not difficult instructions...for most people. LOL Its really not out fault that you decided to drop your $300 ,or whatever you paid for it, phone in the toilet, or whatever happened to it, but we are there to send you a replacement phone for $50 plus a new battery and a new home charger. That's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Build a bridge buddy, and get over it. If you don't like the insurance, don't have it. But have fun paying full price for your next phone next time your dog chews it up, plus the cost of the battery.

This kind of reply is coming from an Asurion employee? What an ass! I dropped my motorola the other day and the face glass cracked. I was going to go to Verizon to see about using my Asurion insurance, after reading THIS reply to "angry", I'll just hold onto it untill my contract is up and I'll then replace the phone. And oh yeah. Cancelling my Assurion insurance this afternoon.

You seriously are planning on canceling your Asurion account based on his post?!

I personally agree with him. It isn't all that difficult to follow the simple instructions that Asurion provides.

I have used Asurion for years and have never had an issue.

What seems to be your major issue with Asurion?

I do agree the person you quoted could have said it nicer.

Originally Posted by Kyle123

This kind of reply is coming from an Asurion employee? What an ass! I dropped my motorola the other day and the face glass cracked. I was going to go to Verizon to see about using my Asurion insurance, after reading THIS reply to "angry", I'll just hold onto it untill my contract is up and I'll then replace the phone. And oh yeah. Cancelling my Assurion insurance this afternoon.

Asurion should not be in business. They are a complete RIP OFF!! I filed a claim because my son lost his phone in college. They send out a replacement that was COMPLETE JUNK!!! I spoke with them and gave them all the information they needed to send out a replacement to the junk replacement they gave me, and then I don't get a replacement!! I called them back and they said there was a GLICH in their computer system and would not send me another phone unless I verified the serial number which I had already done with them 3 days before.
This company then has the nerve to ask for a credit card so if the junk phone they sent me is not returned within 10 days they are going to charge ME $200.00!!
They send out JUNK REFURBISHED PHONES!! You pay for insurance you should at least get a phone that works!
ASURION SUCKS!!!

The credit card requirement depends on how associated the wireless carrier is with Asurion. If they are heavily partnered, they wouldn't require a credit card because they would just send you the phone and if you didn't send the old one back, your cell phone bill would reflect that...it depends on your carrier.

Originally Posted by annie6369

Asurion should not be in business. They are a complete RIP OFF!! I filed a claim because my son lost his phone in college. They send out a replacement that was COMPLETE JUNK!!! I spoke with them and gave them all the information they needed to send out a replacement to the junk replacement they gave me, and then I don't get a replacement!! I called them back and they said there was a GLICH in their computer system and would not send me another phone unless I verified the serial number which I had already done with them 3 days before.
This company then has the nerve to ask for a credit card so if the junk phone they sent me is not returned within 10 days they are going to charge ME $200.00!!
They send out JUNK REFURBISHED PHONES!! You pay for insurance you should at least get a phone that works!
ASURION SUCKS!!!

BUYER BEWARE - BUYER BEWARE - BUYER BEWARE
Wish I had check Asurion out before we opted for the insurance.

Money we might as well have thrown out the window.

Paid $50 - filed claim - could not get phone we had originally purchased - had to accept something similar.
Phone worked for LESS THAN 30 DAYS. "Use genuine battery - powering off..."
Called Asurion 2/7/09 - csr informed me she was "very familiar with that" also they are "aware of this problem". I expected to receive new battery overnight - they already taken the cash for my deductible - WRONG WONG WRONG. They will ship one out GROUND - should arrive on/after the 18th.

I do not work for UPS, FedEx, or the USPS but I could drive cross country and back in less time than that.

Spoke with Asurion again 2/11/09 - Sorry a battery is an "accessory" and they do not ship accessories overnight. I do not understand a battery as an
accessory. Phone will NOT WORK without a battery. Since they know there are problems with their batteries - you would think Asurion would handle thier problems better. A car charger, blue tooth, phone case, storage chip or bling - those are phone accessories in my book. Was told by cst last evening that we could purchase a battery and send them bill if we wanted one sooner. It would be four weeks for them to get us a check after they had receipt.

Attemted to access claim number today - nothing could be found on the Asurion website. So I couldn't track where the battery was during this "ground" shipment. Still no idea when the cell phone can be used again

So today I purchased a NEW battery from my cell phone provder. Free Overnight shipping - should be here Saturday.

Imagine my total shock & surprise when late this afternoon I received an e-mail from UPS about an Important Deliver Information. 2/12/09 Asurion has shipped Next Day Air Saver. Can't track the shipment as UPS on has billing information. Asurion has waited 6 days to even begin shipment of their defective equiment. And now - it's being shipped overnight - will also be here Saturday.

It is my honest belief that the only reason Asurion decided to ship a battery overnight today is because a complaint was filed with the Better Business Bureau.

As a former employee, I can tell you plenty about Asurion. First of all, the first person you talk to isn't even an employee of the company. They use an outsource call center that "pretends" to be a representative of the company. Secondly, they worry far more about how much time that representative spends on the phone with you than they do whether you are completely satisfied as a customer.

Thirdly, from the very outset of your call their mission is to kiss your butt in every way possible while all the time trying desperately to find a way to void your warranty on any product they provided to you so you have to file yet another claim costing you yet another $50.00 on top of all those premiums you have been paying.

Fourthly they WILL provide you with a shoddy foreign made refurbished piece of junk that in most cases still has the same problem the original user of the phone had when they claimed it in the first place. They give you 7 days to find any problems with it physically and take no responsibility for any shoddy workmanship that doesn't raise it's ugly head within that time. So when the hinge on the cheap plastic breaks two months later you're just out of luck.

They require that only 41% of any employees calls actually result in a reshipment, or that employeee risks being fired. That means they are ok with a 59% customer dissatisfaction level as long as the company is making a killing at the customers expense. They nitpick at the components of an agents call more than the total satisfaction of the customer that is calling to have a problem resolved. You better not spend more time than nine minutes and 20 seconds on your calls or you are in big trouble.

If your heart is in achieving total customer satisfaction this isn't a job you want. Metrics and profits are all these people care about, and their outsource people are even worse than they are because they are so desperately trying to kiss their client's butt and not only meet, but exceed their client's expectations that they will even try harder than the company itself to screw you over on the worthless product that you were provided with. Their agent may be doing everything they can provide you with total satisfaction, but if they don't think the agent sounded totally broken up over your problem while at the same time screwing you over in less than nine minutes and twenty seconds that representative risks losing his job.

In a nutshell, you'd be far better off banking that $6.00 a month premium and adding whatever it takes to just buy a new phone when something happens to your phone than buying into this cheap replacement with generic battery that isn't even compatible with the phone plan.

Avoid this stuff at all costs.

I would disagree.

I have never been an employee of Asurion, but have been one of Verizon Wireless (not anymore).

I have heard very few complaints (except that of this thread) from actual customers. Asurion attempts to replace the device with an identical model. It comes with a shipping receipt that says it carriers a 1 year Asurion warranty if any manufacturer defects occur. If you break your phone (again, on your own)...they'll replace it but will charge the $50. They will only replace a phone twice in one bill period. Even after you use both of your claims, you cannot remove the Asurion from your cell phone account (this is the only messed up thing).

I've used Asurion many times. No, I am not one of the "lucky" ones. I have many friends also satisfied.

All companies with customer service departments use "outsource agents". Carriers like Verizon Wireless did. They can assist you to the fullest of a normal representative, except they may not be as knowledgeable on the topic (since they may be working for 5 companies at once). The only issue is if you call in and get an actual representative and you need to some how get back to the outsource agent, they have no way of communicating with them. Sometimes, outsource agents can promise you something (which they try and do fulfil most of the time)...you may just have a question about what they said. The normal representative can't contact them and they also can't be held liable if something happens that wasn't intended.

Originally Posted by torosmouth

As a former employee, I can tell you plenty about Asurion. First of all, the first person you talk to isn't even an employee of the company. They use an outsource call center that "pretends" to be a representative of the company. Secondly, they worry far more about how much time that representative spends on the phone with you than they do whether you are completely satisfied as a customer.

Thirdly, from the very outset of your call their mission is to kiss your butt in every way possible while all the time trying desperately to find a way to void your warranty on any product they provided to you so you have to file yet another claim costing you yet another $50.00 on top of all those premiums you have been paying.

Fourthly they WILL provide you with a shoddy foreign made refurbished piece of junk that in most cases still has the same problem the original user of the phone had when they claimed it in the first place. They give you 7 days to find any problems with it physically and take no responsibility for any shoddy workmanship that doesn't raise it's ugly head within that time. So when the hinge on the cheap plastic breaks two months later you're just out of luck.

They require that only 41% of any employees calls actually result in a reshipment, or that employeee risks being fired. That means they are ok with a 59% customer dissatisfaction level as long as the company is making a killing at the customers expense. They nitpick at the components of an agents call more than the total satisfaction of the customer that is calling to have a problem resolved. You better not spend more time than nine minutes and 20 seconds on your calls or you are in big trouble.

If your heart is in achieving total customer satisfaction this isn't a job you want. Metrics and profits are all these people care about, and their outsource people are even worse than they are because they are so desperately trying to kiss their client's butt and not only meet, but exceed their client's expectations that they will even try harder than the company itself to screw you over on the worthless product that you were provided with. Their agent may be doing everything they can provide you with total satisfaction, but if they don't think the agent sounded totally broken up over your problem while at the same time screwing you over in less than nine minutes and twenty seconds that representative risks losing his job.

In a nutshell, you'd be far better off banking that $6.00 a month premium and adding whatever it takes to just buy a new phone when something happens to your phone than buying into this cheap replacement with generic battery that isn't even compatible with the phone plan.

Avoid this stuff at all costs.

Well then, as a former CSR, you know as well as I do that there are certain things you CAN say, and certain things you can't say to either customer's OR partner companies which are "unwritten rules".

I was recently told point blank that my job was to see just how many reshipments I could keep from sending rather meeting a customer's need to increase the client's profitability rather than seeking customer satisfaction. When every LG 9900 sent out has a generic battery that the device doesn't like and gives a USE GENUINE BATTERY error when used because the insuror wanted to save a few cents, and they refuse to use genuine batteries because they cost more and still gripe about a high reshipment rate something is terribly wrong.

When every Samsung u740 has speaker and microphone problems and they want you to void those customer's warranties by any way possible, something is terribly wrong.

When almost 50% of all units shipped have loose charging ports that break within two weeks of receipt there is something terribly wrong. The carrier deals mostly in new product while the insuror bids to the cheapest refurbisher they can find for greater profits.

Does the insuror tell their client they are taking the very cheapest way out to fulfill customer requests, even though they've proven less than efficient? NO, they try to hide it and put forth the best possible image while pulling one over on their partners. There is the spoken, and there is also the "unspoken" goals of each party. A few luck out and get a good product.

If a call center can keep hopping with calls strictly on warranty concerns 7 days a week and 18 hours a day that says there is a lot of shoddy stuff being shipped out.

Many a customer will overlook minor imperfections on a shipment only to have those same imperfections void their warranty six months later just because they didn't report it in a brief 7 day period. Is that just and honest?

Originally Posted by nicknrm

I would disagree.

I have never been an employee of Asurion, but have been one of Verizon Wireless (not anymore).

I have heard very few complaints (except that of this thread) from actual customers. Asurion attempts to replace the device with an identical model. It comes with a shipping receipt that says it carriers a 1 year Asurion warranty if any manufacturer defects occur. If you break your phone (again, on your own)...they'll replace it but will charge the $50. They will only replace a phone twice in one bill period. Even after you use both of your claims, you cannot remove the Asurion from your cell phone account (this is the only messed up thing).

I've used Asurion many times. No, I am not one of the "lucky" ones. I have many friends also satisfied.

All companies with customer service departments use "outsource agents". Carriers like Verizon Wireless did. They can assist you to the fullest of a normal representative, except they may not be as knowledgeable on the topic (since they may be working for 5 companies at once). The only issue is if you call in and get an actual representative and you need to some how get back to the outsource agent, they have no way of communicating with them. Sometimes, outsource agents can promise you something (which they try and do fulfil most of the time)...you may just have a question about what they said. The normal representative can't contact them and they also can't be held liable if something happens that wasn't intended.

I have a verizon treo 755 palm. I have been insured thru asurion for quite a few years.
I had a 650 treo, when it quit working, asurion sent me a 755. That worked great, for the $50, for about 1 month. Asurion replaced the 755 overnight at no extra charge. Well It quit working again and asurion emailed me (20 hours later) a letter of proof of purchase to take to verizon for a replacement. ?? Well that was a little different. So before I made the 45 mile drive to the nearest store, ( I really live in the sticks) I called the store and discovered that they did not carry, or could order me that model. ?? Verizon told me to call their (verizon's) CS for troubleshooting. So I called them. Took about 7 minutes and verzion is sending me a phone over night. Verizon HQ can get phones that aren't available to the stores.

What to never tell asurion.... I had the screws loosen up inside the battery pack. Told this to asurion along with the reason for needing replacement, phone would shut itself off. This was a no no. They consider that damage and would not honor my insurance. I did alot of talking and did get them to replace it.
Never tell them it got wet.
They have replaced my phone 4 times this past year and only charged me 1 fee. I still have my second replacement available.

Now my husband has his own insurance policy. He bought ablut 5 of these LG no frills verizon phones off of ebay for about $5 - $8 each. I verified each one thru verizon that they were not stolen and valid for service. When he looses one or it breaks, he grabs another and activates it. I can't find a treo for that price so I am stuck.