Asurion is one of the leading providers of protection plans for consumer electronics and appliances in the US. With over 300 million customers, they partner with carriers, retailers and manufacturers to offer additional coverage against defects, accidental damage like cracked screens or spills, breakdowns after the warranty expires, and in some cases loss or theft.
But gadgets already come with a manufacturer‘s warranty. Do Asurion‘s paid plans provide enough extra value and risk protection to justify their recurring fees or deductibles? When does supplemental coverage make practical and financial sense for devices purchased on Amazon?
This article will analyze the costs, benefits, and alternatives to help you make smart, data-based choices tailored to your personal needs and risk tolerance.
A Quick Primer on Asurion Protection Plans
Asurion offers protection plans across three categories:
Mobile Phone Plans bundle phone insurance, tech support and other features through wireless carriers, covering breakdowns and damage starting at $7-15 per month.
Home Tech Plans cover game consoles, appliances, smart home devices and more against mechanical or electrical failures starting around $15 per month.
Major Appliance Plans offer breakdown coverage for around $35 per month plus deductibles.
Unlike manufacturer warranties covering only defects, Asurion plans insure devices against accidental damage, theft (for mobiles) excessive wear after the warranty expires, and other problems.
They provide repair or replacement facilitation as well as tech troubleshooting. But coverage also comes with various limitations and service fees discussed later.
| Plan | Monthly Fee | Term Length | Deductible | Claim Limit | Tech Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phone | $7-$15 | 12-24 months | Up to $249 | 1-3 claims | ✓ |
| Home Tech | $15+ | 12-36 months | $0-$100+ | No stated limit | ✓ |
| Appliance | $35 | 12 months | $99.99 | No stated limit | ✘ |
Comparison of Asurion protection plan costs, terms, deductibles & features
Below we‘ll analyze the benefits and drawbacks of these plans applied specifically to expensive, delicate, or vital electronics and appliances purchased on Amazon. When does supplemental Asurion coverage provide sufficient extra utility and financial protection?
We‘ll also overview your alternatives – from product reliability data to credit card extended warranty benefits.
Let‘s dive in with the potential upsides of paying for an additional safety net beyond the manufacturer‘s included warranty.
Key Advantages of Asurion Protection Plans
Insuring Against Accidental Damage
Protecting your investment against spills, drops, and other mishaps not covered by basic warranties is the prime value proposition.
- One study by SquareTrade found that over 30% of smartphone owners reported an accidental damage incident like cracking a screen in the first 12 months of ownership. Average out-of-pocket cost for screen repair was $140.
Technical Support
Many Asurion home tech plans provide unlimited tech advice from experts via phone, chat, online resources about product usage, troubleshooting software glitches etc.
- Having tech guidance on hand can resolve common issues without needing a claim – valuable for less tech-savvy customers.
Cost Savings Through Defined Deductibles
Paying a fixed, predictable fee per claim means you won‘t get hit with a shocking bill down the road. For instance iPhone screen repairs can cost over $200 without coverage.
- 38% of Americans can‘t cover a $400 emergency expense according to the Federal Reserve. Protection helps hedge against budget-busting failures.
Convenient Claim Processing
Filing a claim for a failed or damaged product is designed to be simple – via Asurion‘s website or toll-free support.
- For eligible major damage, replacements are often shipped overnight so you can resume using an essential appliance or work device ASAP.
Asurion allows convenient claim filing on a range of devices. (Image credit: Asurion marketing materials)
However even with these benefits, Asurion protection has some caveats to consider before purchasing.
Potential Drawbacks to Asurion Plans
Limited Plan Terms
Coverage spans 12-36 months then ends – even if the product functions properly.
Phones in particular often outlast the typical 24 month mobile plan term. Unless you remember to re-enroll the device, it becomes unprotected.
Preexisting and Cosmetic Damage Exclusions
Many common issues like a partially cracked screen or a appliance that intermittently failed right from the start won‘t qualify for claims.
There are also exceptions for negligence, unauthorized repairs, and limitations after reaching claim limits. Know exclusions.
Deductibles Adding Up
While a $50 or $100 deductible seems small compared to full replacement cost, with multiple claims they can stack up.
For phones, deductibles typically range from $29 for basic screen damage up to $249 for a lost or destroyed device – on top of your monthly fees.
Potential Overlap with Other Protections
Before paying for coverage, check whether you already have protections.
Many credit cards provide an additional year of warranty plus benefits for damage/theft. Home and rental insurance also often include limited tech coverage.
You generally can‘t file the same claim to multiple insurers.
Limited Eligibility of Devices
While Asurion supports most major brands and common models, more exotic or specialty imports may not qualify.
Budget "derivative" tablet brands are excluded for example – check before assuming coverage.
When Do Asurion Plans Provide the Most Value?
Obviously "worth it" depends on your personal priorities and risk tolerance. But here are three key purchasing and usage case profiles where protection plans shine:
Frequent Travelers
Road warriors packing expensive electronics face higher risk of loss, drops, spills, and theft. Insuring these essential work devices has significant ROI.
Active Families
Households with kids, pets, fluctuating weather and a high accident risk appreciate a safety net against the inevitability of someone breaking something expensive!
Vital Lifeline Appliances
Coverage for expensive kitchen suite appliances where failure severely disrupts daily life is useful. Deductibles buy invaluable uptime.
And what about fringe cases where benefits are less clear cut?
Analyzing Murky Scenarios – Is Protection Worthwhile?
While some people can clearly justify paying extra for Asurion‘s services, other situations are more ambiguous. How do you make smart choices when the value isn‘t black and white?
Here are two examples of trickier cost-benefit analyses where data and personal priorities must inform decisions.
The RVing Grandparent
Meet Linda. She and her husband enjoy traversing the country in their RV for months at a time visiting national parks.
Her $1500 laptop is vital for travel planning andconnecting with family back home. Is coverage worth considering despite using it lightly mostly for web browsing and video chats?
Pros
- RV travel has vibration risks and potential for spills/drops where coverage helps
- Replacing an essential yet older laptop could be prohibitively expensive
Cons
- Low usage likelihood of major issues arising
- Existing credit card protections may already provide coverage minus deductibles
For Linda, projecting failure likelihood and evaluating potential replacement costs guides her choice. The laptop‘s functional lifespan risks can justify peace of mind.
The Deal-Hunting Student
James loves tech but is on a tight budget while finishing his undergraduate degree.
He scored an insane holiday deal on a like-new refurbished $900 Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G. Big screen, top-tier camera, monster battery for media binging! Should he protect this splurge purchase?
Pros
- Phone is marketed as having a "resistant" screen coating, but any cracks severely hurt resell values down the line
- Losing such an expensive device would majorly set back his savings as a student
Cons
- James is extremely careful about not dropping devices after a past lesson
- At $15 per month with claim deductibles, cost is hard to justify
In James‘ case, self-assessing his likelihood of accidents and evaluating his personal risk tolerance makes skipping protection a smart money move.
The point is – one size rarely fits all in the realm of protection plans. Let‘s recap some key principles to filter options.
Key Takeaways – Who Wins from Asurion Protection?
- Evaluate usage habits, history of damaging devices, financial risk tolerance and existing protections before deciding
- Frequent travelers and households with higher accident risk derive the most utility from coverage
- Carefully check exclusions as preexisting damage, unauthorized tampering etc. often disqualify claims
- Compare costs for your specific devices against self-insuring via a repair/replacement savings fund
- Consider extended return periods of 1 month+ and credit card bonus warranties before purchasing plans right away after buying on Amazon
What ultimately matters are your personal priorities – convenience, reducing anxieties over worst-case scenarios, or simply saving money upfront through smart preventative habits like phone cases and handling expensive electronics with added care when possible.
Finding the break-even point where unexpected costs exceed the extra fees requires honest self-evaluation of how well you use and safeguard delicate gadgets.
Choose wisely when deciding if Asurion protection plans provide comforting peace of mind or mostly redundant precautions given your unique circumstances.
