Warning about Asurion insurance coverage - Mobileprotect

Last night my iPhone 4 (AT&T) fell out of my purse in the parking lot of the restaurant we were entering. When I went back out to look for it, it was gone. I can only assume someone picked it up. I have checked back with the restaurant several times to see if anyone turned it in and even went to examine the parking lot again this morning.

I purchased the Asurion protection insurance in July 2010 when I bought my new iPhone. It covers theft, loss, and damage and advertises hassle-free next-day phone replacement. I tried to call Asurion last night as soon as we arrived home (9:00 PM EST) and they were closed until 11:00 AM EST this morning (Saturday). I called again this morning. After going through their labyrinthian automated phone system (5-6 minute ordeal EVERY TIME), I was told by the rep to hang up and call AT&T to suspend my service before filing my claim and directed to file claim online. I did so, went online to file, and was directed to call customer service. Again, I called and waited and was told that they would have to transfer my call. I was then erroneously transferred to a Verizon rep and then when he tried to redirect the call back to an AT&T rep, the call was disconnected. Called again, finally got on the phone with an agent, explained my situation and was told I would have to fill out the affadavit they would e-mail me and then fax it back to them before my claim could be reviewed or approved. The agent said she would e-mail me the affadavit and, as soon as I faxed it in, they would review it within 24 hours. Never received the affadavit email. Called again. New agent said they have up to one hour to e-mail affadavit form but I can download form from website. Downloaded it, filled it out, made copies of my DL and phone purchase receipt, ran to UPS store to have forms notarized and faxed all forms/documentation back to Asurion. Just now checked claim on Asurion website; they acknowledged my documentation at 12:38 PM CT and will have a response for me by 9:38 PM CT TOMORROW NIGHT. More than 24 hours to review my claim with notarized affadavit before they will try contacting me to get 1) payment of my deductible, 2) start process of shipping the replacement phone or 3)ask for further documentation before they can proceed.

All this for $11.99 per month coverage and a $199 deductible for the replacement, refurbished phone. What a ripoff! Right now I hate Asurion and also AT&T for contracting with them to provide iPhone insurance. My family has had several claims through Verizon for other phones (Blackberry Storms) over the past few years and all that was ever required was one phone call, handled quickly and professionally and resulting in a replacement phone delivered the next day.

Anyway, just wanted to warn everyone that if you ever file a claim for loss, theft, or damage on this over-priced insurance, you will be subjected to affadavits, poor/slow service, and a complete and utter lack of regard for your predicament. The agent at Asurion explained to me that all Assurion iPhone claims, AT&T or Verizon, require this same process with affadavits and 24-hour reviews (in my case, a 33-hour review period).

ibook G4, Mac OS X (10.4.2)

Posted on Feb 26, 2011 12:27 PM

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Posted on Feb 26, 2011 2:50 PM

Yes, they do use Asurion just like AT&T. My point is that if you have Asurion coverage on your iPhone, regardless of whether you have ATT or Verizon, Asurion told me they require a faxed notarized affidavit to file any iPhone claim for either carrier and can take up to 24 hours to review the claim and recontact you via email or phone before even beginning to process the claim. Their website home page clearly spells out a much simpler, faster process for filing a claim and receiving a replacement phone than what is actually occurring.

I am just puzzled because we've had two previous Asurion claims on other family members' smartphones (not iPhones) under Verizon that were efficiently taken care of with one phone call. Apparently they're tougher with the iPhone claims. Buyer beware.
38 replies

Sep 13, 2013 9:27 PM in response to Zoe Nipp

I just lost my phone went ONLINE at 7pm on Thursday the 12th. Had a tracking number at 1am. I had my new phone by 4pm that same Friday.

AMAZING!!! I spoke to nobody, just filled out the form online. My pone was brand new in box NOT a refurb.

More amazing still, I live in NJ and it was sent from TN!! Thirteen hours!

I have heard the horror stories and all that. I think there is a risk for the insurance. How easy would it be to sell a phone and say it was stolen? Even a few times. The people with multiple claims are the ones with issues I bet. If I lost this one I would likely get a refurb or the would tell me no alltogether.

Sep 14, 2013 8:00 AM in response to verve92

verve92 wrote:


I just lost my phone went ONLINE at 7pm on Thursday the 12th. Had a tracking number at 1am. I had my new phone by 4pm that same Friday.

AMAZING!!! I spoke to nobody, just filled out the form online. My pone was brand new in box NOT a refurb.

More amazing still, I live in NJ and it was sent from TN!! Thirteen hours!

I have heard the horror stories and all that. I think there is a risk for the insurance. How easy would it be to sell a phone and say it was stolen? Even a few times. The people with multiple claims are the ones with issues I bet. If I lost this one I would likely get a refurb or the would tell me no alltogether.

My experience with Asurion (I dropped my phone in a parking lot and stupidly didn't notice until it had gotten run over) matches yours. I don't know if the phone was new or a refurb but it certainly looked and acted like new, was delivered promptly and all done from the website.


Best of luck.

Jan 29, 2014 2:13 PM in response to rick268

Rick,

I definitely am not wish to praise Asurion. My biggest beef is with Verizon (wwho have eliminated all contact phone numbers - all you can do is calll support and at most you can speak with supervisor of the Rep. This is also the case with Asurion. I am a retiree from Verizon (formrly with Bell Atantic & C&P Telephone prior to divestiture.


Totally different world now - as they previously wanted 100 % customer satisfaction. They now don't care if their online systems screw up your account as this has happened to me twice with no resolution from Verizon.


I now know to use Apple's extended warranty and not "ANY" of The Wireless providers. All that looked into utilize Asurion, who seems to have below average reviews on all sites I could find.


Lengthy, but No I am a Real Customer with less than expected support found from Verizon & Asurion.

Mar 19, 2014 4:16 PM in response to Zoe Nipp

Asurion customer service is TERRIBLE. I've been helping my dad try to file a claim for his Verizon iPhone 5s for almost a week now. They are trying to replace his 32 gig, Space Gray phone for an iPhone 5c!!!


You are better off self-insuring than wasting your money on this company. The incompetent, disrespectful, and complete lack of common sense displayed by multiple Asurion representatives is appalling.


Save your money.

Jun 11, 2014 10:47 AM in response to Zoe Nipp

My son just recently lost his 4g IPad mini with Retina and I had the Att Asurion insurance on it. After reading all the posts on here I was about to just take the loss and cancel the insurance. However my experience was the complete opposite so I thought I'd post it here. I was able to file the claim online from my other ipad in about 15 minutes while multitasking, no paperwork and I received a brand new, (not refurbished) replacement the next business day fedexed to my door. The $200 deductible seemed a little high at first but better than the alternatives of trying to replace it.

Nov 7, 2014 8:00 AM in response to Zoe Nipp

Asurion-no thanks. I have mobile device coverage through AT&T. I dropped my iPad 4 a few weeks ago and need the screen replaced. Called Asurion. The woman asking the questions was SO rude and condescending. After going through the gammit of questions, she told me they would send me a box to send it in. $89 and would take too long to repair. It is cheaper for me to go to one of those repair joints and probably get treated better.

Sep 28, 2015 11:54 PM in response to Zoe Nipp

It was nice and easy to file a claim with Asurion, replacement arrived perfectly fast, but I don't know in what Chinese farm this iPhone 6 was build. Looks more like dummy phones then a real: screen not fitting the body, apple on a back panel glued on the surface and have very sharp edges, (I immediately cut my finger on it), side buttons twice longer than original, faceplate button require significant force to operate. And on a top of it its glitches! Its looks more as a counterfeit than refurbished apple product.

Oct 2, 2015 10:04 PM in response to Zoe Nipp

Just add on here a bit, DirectTV also uses this scam of a company. We're having very similar experiences with an iPhone issue right now and a flat screen through DirectTV. I don't want to say not to buy the phone insurance, because I'm sure it helps some BUT - DO NOT BUY the DirectTV version, total BS. (Yes, I realize this is an Apple based forum, but this is relative to the overall topics)

May 27, 2016 11:02 AM in response to Surf Engineer

Surf Engineer wrote:


Asurion "accidentally" sent me a refurbished iPhone 6 to replace my iPhone 6s. I wonder how many of these "accidents" they get away with. Be careful if you use this service.

That would not be an accident. It would be policy. Asurion will send you a new or refurbished phone at their discretion, just like Apple replaces your phone with a new or refurbished phone at their discretion when you take your phone in for service. With Asurion, very early in a product life cycle, your more likely to get a new phone, later on, a refurbished. Eventually, if you kept both the phone and the insurance long enough, you would get a different phone. I've seen people get iPhone 5Cs to replace an iPhone 5.

May 27, 2016 11:10 AM in response to Surf Engineer

Surf Engineer wrote:


I called them, and they said it was an accident. They said to sent it back and they'd send me a 6s. I said no thank you so they're refunding my money. I'm going to take it to apple... just needs a new screen.

Sometimes, if you complain, they will give you a new one. Mostly, they don't. But, the refurbished is permitted under their policies.

Nov 30, 2016 11:13 AM in response to Zoe Nipp

These guys are borderline frauds. Two weeks to replace daughter's phone. Thankfully in the future you can lease directly from Apple and get AppleCare included. There is no question walking into an Apple Store will be a superior experience to the runaround these crooks put customers through. AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon would be wise to find an alternative to Asurion as it reflects very poorly on them as well.

Nov 30, 2016 3:08 PM in response to xopher130

xopher130 wrote:


These guys are borderline frauds. Two weeks to replace daughter's phone. Thankfully in the future you can lease directly from Apple and get AppleCare included. There is no question walking into an Apple Store will be a superior experience to the runaround these crooks put customers through. AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon would be wise to find an alternative to Asurion as it reflects very poorly on them as well.

Except AppleCare does not cover lost or stolen phones. Asurion does.

Apr 17, 2017 4:17 AM in response to Zoe Nipp

I feel like we should all file a class action based on misrepresentation of product, false advertisement, and prejudice on the grounds they (att sells us insurance with a promise of a next day replacement that doesn't happen anymore because the approval takes 24 hours therefore making it 2 days or more, the product they are selling doesn't meet the standards they advertise as far as how to file a claim because we no longer can do it online unless we have a scanner or computer with the appropriate software to esign the affadavits. And the final part is targeting iPhone Google and Samsung users by saying just because there is a possibility of a fraudulent claim, paying customers like myself who have been paying for insurance for years can't get the service I pay for because I have a newer iPhone and have to sign an affadavit that I haven't been able to sign. All to prevent another device getting sent to someone who files fraudulent claims. I have never made a fraudulent claim and the only reason to charge me is by a predetermined predjudice based on the type of phone I have. Which that aside all u have is someone who is an att customer of 8years who pays their bill and a protection plan of 34$/ month for my protection plan for 3 of the 8 years and before that 11.99 a month before that so with all of that money. I shouldn't have to pay a deductible cus then u add the 4 200$ deductibles , they would technically owe me phones because what else is the monthly cost for than to cover what the deductibles don't?

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Warning about Asurion insurance coverage - Mobileprotect

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