Risks Present With Chandler Smartphone Insurance Programs

When you buy a new smartphone, especially if you're shelling out big money for a new iPhone or Android model that might run into the four-figures cost-wise, you're naturally looking for ways to protect your investment. And while there are several possible avenues to take here, one that has more risks than it might appear to the eye is going the route of phone insurance.

At FixIT Mobile, we're proud to offer quality device repair services that include smartphone repairs of several different types -- and we also offer pre-owned phones if the time has come to replace yours and you need an affordable option. Simply put, services like ours tend to be far more affordable and cost-efficient in the long run than some kind of phone insurance program; here are some details on why this is the case, plus the risks you're actually exposed to if you purchase phone insurance.

Insurance and Warranties Aren't the Same

First and foremost, it's important to define what we're talking about when we say "phone insurance." For the purposes of this article, we'll be referring to the type of insurance that you might purchase through your carrier when you buy a new phone; this is different from things like post-purchase tech support, which is a warranty on specific devices that covers manufacturing defects and other issues that occur early on in your ownership of the device. Typically, these kinds of programs will only last 30-90 days, and will only cover you for things like accidental damage, loss, or theft. In other words, it's insurance to protect against the user -- not issues with the phone itself.

However, when you purchase your phone, your provider will almost certainly try to sell you on a more extensive insurance policy for an additional monthly fee. And while this might seem like a good idea at first, there are several reasons why this type of insurance generally isn't worth the money. We'll go over those in subsequent sections.

Limited Issue Coverage

For starters, these kinds of programs (such as AppleCare+ and others) are pretty limited in the kinds of things they cover. They typically cover just one or two accidental damage fixes per year, plus some priority if you need to access tech support.

Simply put, this does not cover the full extent of risks to which you might reasonably expect your phone to be exposed. In particular, it doesn't cover things like water damage -- which, as any smartphone user knows, can happen quite easily and is one of the most common causes of death for these devices.

What's more, even if you do have an issue that is covered by your insurance policy, you might not be able to get it fixed as quickly or easily as you'd like. You'll often have to send the phone in via the mail for repairs, which can take quite some time -- and in the meantime, you'll be left without a working phone.

High Deductibles and Fees

Another issue with these kinds of insurance policies is that they often come with high deductibles. In other words, you might have to pay $100-200 or more out of pocket to get your phone repaired or replaced, even if you have insurance.

On top of that, you'll also often be charged an additional monthly fee (in addition to your regular phone bill) for the insurance coverage. This can add up over time, and in some cases might even end up costing you more than it would to simply pay for repairs out of pocket as needed.

Lack of Customization

Finally, it's worth noting that these insurance policies tend to be quite inflexible and not very customizable. In other words, you often can't tailor your coverage to your specific needs -- you're simply stuck with whatever the policy happens to cover.

This can be a problem if you have a particular phone that you know is more prone to damage or theft, for example. In such cases, you might want to purchase a more comprehensive insurance policy that covers more than the basics -- but as we'll discuss in the next section, such policies can be quite expensive.

Why Phone Repair Services Are Preferable

As we noted earlier, one of the main reasons people opt for phone insurance is to avoid the hassle and expense of paying for repairs out of pocket. And while this is certainly a valid concern, there are other options available that can provide similar protection without all of the downsides noted above.

In particular, we're referring to phone repair services. Our team at FixIT Mobile, plus other companies like us, offer comprehensive repair services for a wide range of smartphones.

What's more, we offer very competitive rates, and our turnaround time is typically much faster than what you'll get from sending your phone in for repairs via the mail. You won't have to wait days or even weeks to get your phone back -- in most cases, we can have it fixed and returned to you within 24-48 hours.

Finally, we also offer a wide range of customization options, so you can tailor our services to your specific needs. For example, if you're particularly worried about water damage, we can apply a special coating to your phone that will help protect it from liquids.

Or, if you're worried about theft, we can install a GPS tracker that will help you locate your device if it's ever lost or stolen. As you can see, there are many different ways to customize our services to your particular needs and preferences -- something that's simply not possible with most insurance programs.

For more on why phone insurance isn't usually a great idea, or to learn more about our phone repair services that are always available to all our Chandler and nearby clients, speak to our team at FixIT Mobile today.