My frustrations with ATT's mobile insurance

[martint73]

I enrolled about a year ago with ATT mobile insurance for my lumia 920. About a month ago my screen shattered so I started to file
my claim with ATT. After calling back and forth betwen ATT/Asurion about 4 times because they thought I had an iPad & phone wasn't used with the phone number they finally approved me getting a replacement phone.

On the Asurion phone replacement website they were going to replace my Lumia920 with an Android moto x. I call them and tell them I have a windows phone and I want it replaced with a windows phone. They said they can only replace it with a MotoX or a Samsung Galaxy S4.

I call ATT and try to talk to them. They say the insurance is through another company and they can't help. I call back Asurion and they again tell me they can only replace it with an Android. I ask to talk to a supervisor and they say the exact same thing. I hang up and call ATT again. They again tell me the only thing they can do is upgrade my phone using vNext.

I finally was done dealing with this since I needed a phone to use and proceeded to get my replacement samsung. I am frustrated and very upset with how this was handled. Reading the policy notes it says they will replace it with a "like-kind", but a WP and an Android are completely different.

Anyone have any ideas on what I can do further? After messing around with the samsung I really miss my windows phone.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I'm sorry to hear you had issues with the insurance. I've moved the thread to the AT&T forum, since this is a carrier-related problem, not a device-related problem.

I suspect that the issue is due to the fact that the 920 has been discontinued, so there are no refurbished devices available as replacements.

 

[DatManWolf]

This is why I just went against getting insurance on a phone anymore. I have had 1 instance in all the times that I have had a smartphone that it needed to be replaced because someone lifted it from my wife's purse. $150 later, we have the same phone but it is refurbished. We paid 150 for it brand new on contract, so I was a little put off. But yes, it is a "similar" phone meaning that it just has to have the same features. So touchscreen, text, visual voicemail, camera but doesn't have to be the same phone.

We almost didn't get her same phone but then they said they did have them still in stock. Even back in my flip phone days, this happened.

So for me, I just risk it and so far in the 17 years of having phones I haven't had any break on me (knock on wood). Unfortunately not much you can do because it is in the fine print of the agreement. Other than that, start looking on amazon or classifieds in your area. I always see a few wp floating around on classifieds in my area.

 

[Artichoke]

I have had almost exactly the same experience as the OP, but with a Nokia 1520
they shipped me a Samsung Alpha as replacement, despite telling me they were sending me a green Lumia
AT&T sold me this insurance to replace my phone in case of a problem & should do something to pressure this company into honoring its contract

 

[Silence#WP]

I wonder if they were also low on or out of 1520s? When my 920 broke 3 or 4 months ago they offered me a 1020 or a 1520. I chose the 1020. I'm very sorry they forced you to Android. I think I need to take a look and see just what the terms of the agreement are just in case I ever need to use the insurance again. A different OS does not sound like "like-kind" to me. Probably not what you want to hear (and not fair), but you could consider buying one of the less expensive Windows phones or a used one to get you back on WP.