Many people have their own story about Verizon's deceptive marketing and billing practices. We decide to do business with them not because they're up-front about what you'll get for your money, but because they have pretty good reception, coverage, choice of plans, etc.
I'm posting this to encourage you to check out your "loc-line" policy, that is, the policy you may be paying about $5 a month for in case you lose your phone or spill water on it or whatever. You may have received a printed policy recently with your bill, as I did. It's through another company, and the company varies depending on where you live. The bottom line is that all those premiums you've been paying may not get you a new phone if yours screws up. The "exclusions" are extensive. It looks like the best way to be sure you'll be covered (if a verizon dealer itself won't replace the phone under warranty) is to "Lose" the phone. Read the policy and decide for yourself.
You also may be able to save a dollar a month on your bill: When I got my printed policy it said that the monthly charge for this insurance was $3.99. My Verizon bill showed $4.99. Hmmm. I called up and was told I was being charged the extra dollar for "total" coverage. Well, total coverage sounds good, but it just means you're insuring your "accesories" such as headset, car charger, etc. Well, do you really want to pay a monthly fee to insure your battery charger? Seems to me there's not much to go wrong. Take a chance that it will last until you get your next phone. Oh yeah... there's the question of a "deductable" on that policy. If you lose your $15 headset do you have to pay a $15 deductable to replace it? Who knows. Call Verizon and tell them you don't need "total coverage". And if a dollar a month doesn't seem like much to you, think about the potential millions of dollars Verizon may be raking in on this little charge. Don't reward them for being deceptive.
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Jell-0 Posts: 1
Phone Model: SPH-i700
Service Provider: Verizon
Fri Aug 27, 2004 2:25 pm
I agree with you goof... I would even go so far as to say that if you bought a $50 phone - why are you paying for insurance?? If you went with bottom of the line equipment, you'll end up paying more in insurance then you will to just buy a new phone - even without activation! I have a PDA phone that cost ~$600 - so I got the insurance because my break even point on insurance and replacement cost is 10 years!! I could 'loose' quite a few phones in 10 years for that price!
Also, I understand the deductible can be quite higher - I was quoted $50. That may be because of the cost of my equipment, but it sure helps to check that out before you throw away 5 bucks a month!
The Owl Posts: 3
Phone Model: LG VX3200
Service Provider: VeriZon
Sat Aug 28, 2004 8:44 pm
Hello peoples.
I just got the two 3200's for $20 deal, and so far(about 6 hours worth) I love the phones. I did insure one phone, since I work around concrete trucks, and they don't go so well with dropped phones.
Anyway, the reason you insure that $20 phone is (according to my verizon rep anyway), if you break or lose it and need to get a replacement without having the insurance.....you'll pay a cool $169.00 for a new 3200. Because, as he put it, " they are giving you a deal" on the phone. True, $20 for two new phones is great, but geesh.
Anyway, I'm happy with the phones, but for some reason, following the instructions to retrieve voice-mail, only connects us back to where you can leave voicemail, not listen to it. Strange.
Anyway, I'm glad to have found this forum....we were in the cell-phone dark ages until today, and we feel like even our cheap lil $20(for two) phones are like something out of Star Trek.
Have a good one...
owl
VzW Posts: 9
Phone Model: lg-Vx4400
Service Provider: Verizon Wireless
Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:25 pm
Your Rep is correct Owl. Those 3200's are actually sell for $175 retail, Thats what you pay if anything happens... within the first week if you lose, break, or drop that phone in water you will be out 175... where you could've just paid $50.
On the other hand....
you have the phone for a year:
full retail: 175
1 year of insurance: $60 + $50 deductable= $120... still saving money
julieruin Posts: 6
Fri Oct 08, 2004 1:37 am
Yes, that insurance is quite "trickey." I don't truly think it's deceptive, it's standard in my opinion for just about anything to have a lot of fine print.
If there's fine print , it's there for a reason. READ IT.
minkman85 Posts: 1
Tue Jan 06, 2009 5:02 pm
Rewarding Return
For just a couple bucks you get a label that you put on your cell phone and if you ever lose it, they'll ship it back to you for free when it's reported found.
The finder gets a reward, and you get your phone back. It's a sweet deal
Rewarding Return 
