When you buy a phone, you can get a protection plan from the manufacturer or go at it alone with no protection at all. But there is a third option, one that will cover broken screens and other accidents without breaking the bank.
As much as we love them, we seem to abuse our phones and mobile devices like nothing else. Michael Bechtel's devices did not stand a chance against Mountain Dew.
"We were moving out of the house and all we had were waste baskets beside our bed, and I left Mountain Dew on it and it tipped over and filled the bottom of it so it soaked my phone, iPod, everything," Bechtel said.
Securranty in Katy is one of several companies selling coverage plans for mobile devices. While plans from carriers run about $300 for two years, the other plans on the market cost about $100 for 2 years of coverage.
"One out of three mobile devices will be submitted for repair and replacement within the first year due to some type of damage, that is a pretty high rate," said Chuck Sweeney of Securranty.
When it comes to regular damage, Sweeney says iPhones shatter more if they land flat. He says Samsung devices have an issue when landing on the edge.
So what about the water test? The Samsung lasts a bit longer, but they both make it just seconds. Apparently toilets are big problem.
"I am guessing, because of all the body's that we are frequently near, that's probably one of them," Sweeney said.
You can register your mobile devices online with private insurance plans but, be sure to read the coverage provided and how many times you can submit them for repair.
It can take a few days to get the phones fixed, but some plans let you bring a damaged device back to where you bought and then reimburse you for the repair.
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