Other AppleCare is now going through ASSURANT for iPhones???

[Xstamper22]

I had to make an account because I don't think anyone has noticed this yet. However, looking through Apple's web site, I have noticed that AppleCare is now going through ASSURANT for iPhones. (For those that don't know, Assurant is a 3rd party company that the carriers use for insurance on phones.... MANY people have problems with them... they do not provide anywhere near the level of service Apple has done through AppleCare)

Here are the relevant apple.com articles that STRONGLY suggest AppleCare is now going through Assurant rather than Apple.

https://support.apple.com/iphone/theft-loss-claims

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208491#file-claim

You will find references to going trough Assurant for AppleCare claims. So is Apple pulling a fast one here???

On edit: The Apple website states that phones will be sent from Assurant NOT Apple! This means they will be sending garbage refurbished phones.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Just the AppleCare+ with theft and loss protection. Other AppleCare is with Apple.

I would not use Assurant.

Apple isn't tryin to deceive. They spell out the terms of use for all to read.

 

[Xstamper22]

Just the AppleCare+ with theft and loss protection. Other AppleCare is with Apple.

I would not use Assurant.

Apple isn't tryin to deceive. They spell out the terms of use for all to read.

The problem is they bury this deep on their website. I have not seen ANY article from any website reporting that they are now using Assurant at least partly for AppleCare. This is big news, because Assurant is highly likely to 1. Deny your claim and 2. If approved, send you a refurb phone that is highly likely to have issues.

This is unacceptable to me and indicates a MAJOR shift to a lower quality of service... and this is with this AppleCare plan costing $300.....

I really find this unfathomable for Apple... to use a third party company with massive customer service issues... Jobs would never have allowed this. So, they cut quality of service drastically while raising AppleCare prices.... insane....

 

[einmusiker]

I’ve used assurant successfully a few times. You just have to be careful and jump through the hoops correctly.

 

[Xstamper22]

I’ve used assurant successfully a few times. You just have to be careful and jump through the hoops correctly.

You are a rare one. I've used them several times before switching to AppleCare, and EVERY time they have sent me a phone with some kind of annoying defect. I'm not alone. Just Google Assurant reviews on the internet... they are FULL of complaints.

 

[Apple_Robert]

You are a rare one. I've used them several times before switching to AppleCare, and EVERY time they have sent me a phone with some kind of annoying defect. I'm not alone. Just Google Assurant reviews on the internet... they are FULL of complaints.

You can always self-insure. Problem solved.

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

You are a rare one. I've used them several times before switching to AppleCare, and EVERY time they have sent me a phone with some kind of annoying defect. I'm not alone. Just Google Assurant reviews on the internet... they are FULL of complaints.

Same thing with Asurion. I used to work for them. I would hear from customers all the time about the replacements they receive. If they don't send you a new replacement, and you get one of their refurbs, it is refurbished in house by them. Unresponsive touch screens, phones stuck in bootloops... I once even had a customer receive a phone with the ringer switch MISSING! Horrible.

 

[1144557]

Well Apple isn't an insurance company; Applecare is a repair program that they perform the repairs themselves. It's kind of "self insuring" repairs based on the pool.

Maybe in terms of insureing lost/stolen phones you have to be an insurer which may require licensing etc. I dont know much about the insurance sector though.

 

[Xstamper22]

You can always self-insure. Problem solved.

Wow. Just wow. This is just another move lower for Apple.... I can't even imagine how things will be five years from now if they keep up lowering their standards.

Hubris will be their downfall.....

 

[pdxmatts]

I think people are confusing Assurant with Asurion. Not the same company

 

[DevinNj]

Same thing with Asurion. I used to work for them. I would hear from customers all the time about the replacements they receive. If they don't send you a new replacement, and you get one of their refurbs, it is refurbished in house by them. Unresponsive touch screens, phones stuck in bootloops... I once even had a customer receive a phone with the ringer switch MISSING! Horrible.

I’ve had issues with Asurion on Verizon. They’ve sent me replacements that had scratches on the screen, digs in the banding, and burn in. Just awful quality control. I’d never use them again.

 

[pdxmatts]

.

 

[eyoungren]

I think people are confusing Assurant with Asurion. Not the same company

Assurant is NOT the same company as Asurion

No, Assurant is not the same company. But after 16 years with Sprint and paying for TEP (Total Equipment Protection) I can tell you that there's not much difference between them.

 

[manhattanmania]

I had to make an account because I don't think anyone has noticed this yet. However, looking through Apple's web site, I have noticed that AppleCare is now going through ASSURANT for iPhones. (For those that don't know, Assurant is a 3rd party company that the carriers use for insurance on phones.... MANY people have problems with them... they do not provide anywhere near the level of service Apple has done through AppleCare)

Here are the relevant apple.com articles that STRONGLY suggest AppleCare is now going through Assurant rather than Apple.

https://support.apple.com/iphone/theft-loss-claims

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208491#file-claim

You will find references to going trough Assurant for AppleCare claims. So is Apple pulling a fast one here???

On edit: The Apple website states that phones will be sent from Assurant NOT Apple! This means they will be sending garbage refurbished phones.

Just wow. I prequalified for iUP and chose the theft and loss bc only $4 but my assumption was I’d just be able to walk into Apple and get a new phone. This is crap and not what I was expecting or want. What a bait and switch!

 

[A_Flying_Panda]

Just wow. I prequalified for iUP and chose the theft and loss bc only $4 but my assumption was I’d just be able to walk into Apple and get a new phone. This is crap and not what I was expecting or want. What a bait and switch!

That’s my assumption as well. I purchased the plan from apple, on apple.com, i just talk to Apple and have it taken care of.
I don’t expect the kind of experience as some of you described, apple will keep an eye on the products it sells.
[doublepost=1536894038][/doublepost]Also, notice the link you posted, it’s an apple webpage for filing the claim. Meaning apple is at least taking a part of the claim process. If i file a claim on apple.com, i doubt i will be given a used phone from a third party. It should be the same as those replacement phones apple give out at Genius Bar.

 

[Tapiture]

Apple has already cheapened their stance by endorsing deceiving scams. Just look at the Barclaycard. Yeah, you don’t pay any interest for 18 months on an Apple purchase, but don’t buy anything else with it while you’re financing an Apple purchase or you might be forced to pay over 24% APR! Also, if you miss the 18 month deadline to pay off that purchase, you’ll have to pay deferred interest which means you’ll have to pay interest accrued for 18 months as if there was never any free financing to begin with.

Apple isn’t a “safe place” for consumers. You still have to be smart about these schemes.

 

[Jonathan.AppleFan]

I had a good experience when I used them with T-Mobile

 

[A_Flying_Panda]

Apple has already cheapened their stance by endorsing deceiving scams. Just look at the Barclaycard. Yeah, you don’t pay any interest for 18 months on an Apple purchase, but don’t buy anything else with it while you’re financing an Apple purchase or you might be forced to pay over 24% APR! Also, if you miss the 18 month deadline to pay off that purchase, you’ll have to pay deferred interest which means you’ll have to pay interest accrued for 18 months as if there was never any free financing to begin with.

Apple isn’t a “safe place” for consumers. You still have to be smart about these schemes.

Deferred interest plan is like a standard practice.

 

[Xstamper22]

That’s my assumption as well. I purchased the plan from apple, on apple.com, i just talk to Apple and have it taken care of.
I don’t expect the kind of experience as some of you described, apple will keep an eye on the products it sells.
[doublepost=1536894038][/doublepost]Also, notice the link you posted, it’s an apple webpage for filing the claim. Meaning apple is at least taking a part of the claim process. If i file a claim on apple.com, i doubt i will be given a used phone from a third party. It should be the same as those replacement phones apple give out at Genius Bar.

Bro, read the page! It says on the apple.com page that you will be given an Assurant phone and that it will NOT come from Apple. Assurant phone = 99% chance of getting refurb phone garbage.

It looks like they are just linking to the 3rd party site from apple.com to give it the appearance of being an Apple process. HIGHLY deceptive.

From the page:

"When your claim is approved, your previous iPhone will be permanently disabled and you'll receive a replacement from Assurant. Assurant will then be the owner of your old iPhone. So if you find your lost or stolen iPhone after your claim has been approved, you won't be able to use it again."

This is really hilarious... because Assurant doesn't even use genuine Apple parts on many of their refurb phones. They are "Franken-iPhones"... they harvest random electronic components and then send you the refurb that they pieced together. I cannot believe Apple is cheaping out like this.

 

[Tapiture]

Deferred interest plan is like a standard practice.

It’s not just the deferred interest that makes this card a sham. https://www.magnifymoney.com/blog/consumer-watchdog/shameful-apple-rewards-program-barclaycard-visa/

 

[jplusc]

The only thing I’ll note is that it’s looking like you’ll only deal with the 3rd party if you lose your device. All other damage stuff can be done as normal.

 

[A_Flying_Panda]

Bro, read the page! It says on the apple.com page that you will be given an Assurant phone and that it will NOT come from Apple. Assurant phone = 99% chance of getting refurb phone garbage.

It looks like they are just linking to the 3rd party site from apple.com to give it the appearance of being an Apple process. HIGHLY deceptive.

From the page:

"When your claim is approved, your previous iPhone will be permanently disabled and you'll receive a replacement from Assurant. Assurant will then be the owner of your old iPhone. So if you find your lost or stolen iPhone after your claim has been approved, you won't be able to use it again."

One thing to remember, you original apple care should carry over to the replacement phone.
Apple currently does not ‘recognize’ 3rd party refurbished phones, apple does not provide warranty on those phones.
See, there is an issue.

So phones assurant sends out, at least for this program, have to be apple approved phones, and apple does not approve 3rd parties to refurbished their iPhones without voiding warranties.

 

[Xstamper22]

The only thing I’ll note is that it’s looking like you’ll only deal with the 3rd party if you lose your device. All other damage stuff can be done as normal.

Yes, so it appears... until next year, when they cheap out more and let Assurant handle everything to cut costs and make even more money. Absolutely shameful.
[doublepost=1536894906][/doublepost]

One thing to remember, you original apple care should carry over to the replacement phone.
Apple currently does not ‘recognize’ 3rd party refurbished phones, apple does not provide warranty on those phones.
See, there is an issue.

So phones assurant sends out, at least for this program, have to be apple ‘proven’ phones.

We have no way of knowing this. It is entirely possible that once you make a loss/theft claim, that AppleCare is done with at that point once you get the replacement. I have seen nothing saying AppleCare will transfer over to the new phone, and I have been digging deep on this issue (which apparently no one else has been).

If they were "Apple proven phones", then why even have Assurant send THEIR phones out? Why not just send phones from Apple which they have been doing up until this point? The ONLY reason to send Assurant phones is to cut costs and use their cheap refurb phones.

 

[A_Flying_Panda]

Yes, so it appears... until next year, when they cheap out more and let Assurant handle everything to cut costs and make even more money. Absolutely shameful.
[doublepost=1536894906][/doublepost]

We have no way of knowing this. It is entirely possible that once you make a loss/theft claim, that AppleCare is done with at that point once you get the replacement. I have seen nothing saying AppleCare will transfer over to the new phone, and I have been digging deep on this issue (which apparently no one else has been).

If they were "Apple proven phones", then why even have Assurant send THEIR phones out? Why not just send phones from Apple which they have been doing up until this point? The ONLY reason to send Assurant phones is to cut costs and use their cheap refurb phones.

1. The ToS says the plan only ends when it expires, or you cancel. It does not say anywhere a single replacement will end the plan.

2. It’s the same practice as standard Applecare+, they replace your phone and the new warranty carries over.
[doublepost=1536895461][/doublepost]

Yes, so it appears... until next year, when they cheap out more and let Assurant handle everything to cut costs and make even more money. Absolutely shameful.
[doublepost=1536894906][/doublepost]
If they were "Apple proven phones", then why even have Assurant send THEIR phones out? Why not just send phones from Apple which they have been doing up until this point? The ONLY reason to send Assurant phones is to cut costs and use their cheap refurb phones.

Apple is NOT a insurance company. It can not approve claims. There is a mountain of legal issue here. Like apple do not have the manpower to investigate every claim, apple do not have the algorithm in the backend to approve claims.

Your logic is the same as asking “why don’t Apple manufacture their devices themselves”, “why do they have to use Foxconn to make their phones, other than the reason to cut costs”. ‘Why don’t apple deliver their products themselves, why use ups and fedex’

 

[Xstamper22]

1. The ToS says the plan only ends when it expires, or you cancel. It does not say anywhere a single replacement will end the plan.

2. It’s the same practice as standard Applecare+, they replace your phone and the new warranty carries over.

The problem is you clearly have never dealt with Assurant. It is a garbage company that does everything possible to get you the cheapest junk "replacements" that they can find. This is almost like Apple just said "Hey, when you come into the Apple Store with an issue, we will send you down the street to Bob's Computer Shop. He'll handle the issue from there. Don't bother us further with it."

This is tech outsourcing to the lowest bidder. Period. Apple is now sending us to a third party to resolve some issues that we are paying $300 in AppleCare for.

I am extremely disappointed that I will NOT be dealing with Apple should I have to make this kind of claim, and instead am being directed to a third party company with a terrible reputation. Apple is a trillion dollar company... and they need to outsource part of AppleCare to a lowest bidder operation?

Just wait until you have to deal with Assurant.... it's going to be a fun time.....