READ FIRST BEFORE FILING INSURANCE CLAIMS THRU ASSURANT

  • 6 June 2021
  • 5 replies
  • 4102 views
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For anyone requesting a replacement phone for a defective phone, you may want to consider opening a lost/stolen device claim instead of a defective replacement claim. Read your insurance documents to ensure this is true for you. They are provided on the Assurant claim site when filing a claim after entering your device details.

For lost/stolen claims, you'll receive your replacement for the same deductible charged if you opened a defective device claim without the responsibility of returning the defective device back to Assurant. 

By responsibility, this means being responsible for any and all charges if the device does not make it back to Assurant. This charge for a non-returned item can be as much as half or more of the returned device's cost if purchased brand new 

If you have a tier 6 device, this can end up being a surprise charge of $600 on your phone bill that you'll be responsible for paying as Tmobile or any phone carrier using Assurant for the services can do nothing about except shut off your services if you refuse to pay.

So to make all those monthly insurance payments worthwhile, do yourself a favor and never file a claim to replace a defective device. Always file the claim for a lost/stolen device.

 

5 replies

gramps28
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So you're telling people to commit a crime by filling a false insurance claim? Then depending where you live and the price of the phone it could be a felony if they're caught.

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Not at all. Its actually to deter people from getting insurance if they dont have to, however, carriers get you by leasing out the phone to you which forces you to get insurance until the phone is paid off. Once the phone is paid off, it seems like a smart idea to insure the phone in case something happens. Until you get charged an exorbitant fee because the insurance company didnt receive their free phone.

Im detailing the differences and responsibilities based on a the claim type as well as the gray area insurance companies use against people where they should be somehow responsible or take responsibility for the insured items in exchange.

In my case, I had sent a defective phone back using the insurance company provided packaging and label with the instructions to send it back (no special requirements on how, where or what way except using the carrier service of the provided label).

My package was lost/stolen and never arrived at their facilities. In that instance, my phone is lost/stolen, however, due to the original claim Ive now become responsible for the lost item (fully owned, paid in full) and now owe the insurance company $600 on top of the deductible paid to receive my replacement device.

In no way should any company be able to charge a client for an item they didnt receive, never owned or had any investment in the property. The cost of the item sent as a replacement is covered by the deductible and monthly investment the owner pays to insure their device. But they do, and get away with it while the person is left to pay out an amount that would've bought them a new phone. 

If the phone doesnt work and you need it replaced. Throw it away. Its a lost cause and lost. Keeping possession of a broken item youd never use and cant be fixed is the crime. 

 

gramps28
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Userlevel 7
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You just admitted to doing this in a public forum on a different thread. If a Tmobile mod sees that post they now have your forum account linked to your Mytmobile account and have your name and information they can send to the insurance company.

P

This is 100% TRUE and sound advice. I now know from experience NEVER FILE A DAMAGED PHONE CLAIM. ALWAYS FILE A LOST OR STOLEN PHONE CLAIM. IF YOU FILE DAMAGED YOU'LL BE SCREWED AND CHARGED FOR DAMAGED PHONE BECAUSE T-MOBILE AND ASSURANT WILL CLAIM THEY NEVER RECEIVED IT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

M

I agree! Report it lost! I am a 12 year T-mobile Customer and i'm going through a NIGHTMARE dealing with T-mobile right now! My wife's phone was acting up, and I was out of town and she didn't want to deal with going in the store, and all the hassle associated with that, so I told her just do it online, you get the new phone, we send back the old one, no problem. Right? WRONG! BIG MISTAKE! It seems as though there was supposedly DAMAGE done to the phone IN TRANSIT to them! WHICH I DID NOT CAUSE! (Actually it looks like someone played hockey with the phone!) I don't know if (1. That's the phone I actually sent in. (Mix up?) 2. If it was mishandled by warehouse staff. 3. If UPS did it accidentally? (Cause I've gotten smashed and/or damaged boxes and broken items through them a few times before.)  I've spoken to 6 that's SIX different people now, and only 2 seemed like they knew what they were even talkin about! I've been shut off TWICE even though I was promised they wouldn't while this was being dealt with! AND They charged me REACTIVATION FEES TOO! They no longer have a Customer loyalty department, or a grievance department. And I think they even outsource all their calls now too! This is the WORST Customer Service i've EVER had to deal with! 

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