AT&T will begin offering their standard phone insurance plans to people who are using iPhones in just a few weeks. This opens up some options for iPhone users who choose to purchase insurance for their phones. There is some debate about whether or not it is worthwhile for people to purchase any kind of insurance for their iPhones, considering what Apple offers.
Starting on July 17, 2011, AT&T will be allowing iPhone users to sign up for their standard mobile insurance plan. This is the first time that AT&T has opened up this type of insurance for people who were using iPhones. Before this, the company would only sell a more expensive form of phone insurance to people who were using this particular type of smartphone.
AT&T had been charging customers who had iPhones $11.99 per month for phone insurance. The plan came with a $199.00 deductible. Anytime an insurance plan has a deductible, it means that a person will pay that amount of money out of their own pocket before the insurance plan would kick in and actually provide coverage.
The standard insurance plan, which will be available in a couple of weeks, can be used on any iPhone model, (the new one, or the older one). This insurance covers phones that are lost, stolen, or that have had accidental damage done to them. It also covers if the phone had a mechanical or electrical failure after the manufacturer’s warranty period has expired.
The standard insurance plan costs $4.99 per month. It comes with a per-claim deductible fee that can range anywhere from $50.00 and $125.00, depending on the handset model. This variation also affects customers who are using other types of phones, (and not iPhones).
In order to qualify for the standard phone insurance from AT&T, an iPhone user has to have done one of two things. You have to sign a brand new wireless contract with AT&T. Or, you have to upgrade your existing contract with AT&T.
If you are in the middle of a current contract with AT&T, then you are just going to have to wait until it runs out before you can take advantage of the standard insurance plan. You must enroll in the standard phone insurance plan within 30 days of a new activation or upgrade.
Is the standard insurance worth it? This is up for debate. Apple already offers a form of phone insurance for the iPhone. It charges customers a flat fee of $199.00. It covers the cost of repairing, or replacing, your iPhone if it becomes damaged. It doesn’t provide coverage for lost or stolen iPhones, however. The insurance from AT&T will.
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