Our phones are our constant lifelines to the world today. We depend on them to communicate with one another, to stay on top of the news, to navigate, to record moments and so much more. With phones so fragile, it makes sense to be prepared for an unexpected breakage too. Many people pick up phone insurance to cover the cost of phone repair/replacement in Toronto. But is getting phone insurance really worth it?
What is phone insurance?
Like any other insurance, phone insurance covers you for the loss and damage to your phone. You can buy it as a monthly plan or pay upfront at the time of purchase. If your phone is damaged accidentally, you may have to pay a deductible and the insurance provider will cover the rest of the cost of the repair.
There are 5 types of phone insurance:
- Carrier insurance (usually bundled if you buy your phone through the carrier)
- Third-party insurance (Costco, Geek Squad and others)
- Manufacturer/Third-party protection (eg. Apple Care+ for Toronto iPhone repair)
- Manufacturer warranty extensions
- Credit card phone repair coverage
Benefits of phone insurance
Every phone insurance offering is different and may cover different aspects of the loss. However, most paid plans cover the device for:
- Manufacturing defects
- Battery replacement
However, to be really worth it, phone insurance must cover accidental damage – because it’s far more likely that you will damage the phone yourself than run into a manufacturing defect.
How insurance can make phone repair in Toronto cheaper
Insurance and repair coverage can make a bigger difference if your phone gets damaged due to your actions. Here are some things you should look for to make your phone repair bill cheaper:
Accidental damage protection – Falling on the sidewalk, off the table or the charging cable getting snagged can damage the screen, casing and cameras. This damage will be covered under accidental damage protection. Note plans usually limit the number of ‘free’ screen repairs you can get.
Water damage protection – Water ingress damage protection is great for those situations when your phone stops working after water seeps into it. Beware, some plans will only cover damage from rainfall or minor spills; take it swimming and repair may be excluded from coverage.
Enhanced support – Additional telephone support sounds good on paper but has limited value. Often problems cannot be diagnosed or fixed by talking to tech support. Taking it to a good repair shop will yield results faster, so we don’t think enhanced phone support (especially if it is not from the manufacturer) is all that worth it.
Better to repair or replace your phone?
Did you know over 50 million phone screens are cracked and smashed every year (Android Authority)! Many who have a damaged device look at it and wonder, “is it better to just replace it with a new one rather than have it repaired?” Here’s a simple fact:
Phone repair in Toronto is usually cheaper than buying a similar device!
That said not every broken phone is the same. To figure out if repair or replacement offers the better value proposition, ask yourself these questions:
- What is the cost of repairing the device vs the cost of a new device?
- How much is deductible? (if phone insurance is available)
- How old is your current damaged device?
- Will buying a new phone get you something substantially better?
Why choose ASK for your phone repair in downtown Toronto?
That’s easy. We are skilled phone repair experts, working on everything from iPhone repair in Toronto, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, OnePlus and Google phones. Our repairs are extremely competitively priced, and for regular repairs like screen repair we can have it done in just a few hours (depends on phone model).
ASK Computers is a Toronto Star Readers’ Choice 2019 Platinum Winner
