"Accident" warranty--worth it?

I'm getting down to the nitty-gritty on my laptop config in preparation to order--pretty sure I'm going w/the HDX (unless some last-minute info changes my mind).

Anyway, in the custom config page, when I get to the "HP Extended Service Plans", I'm not sure what to do. Consumer Reports generally recommends not buying extended service plans--tho that doesn't include accidental damage protection. And w/how much this HDX is going to cost, I have this image of me being butter-fingered and dropping it and cracking the screen or something.

Have any of you purchased the Accidental Damage plans? Have you had to use them? Does HP actually cover the damage like they say they do, or do you get the runaround?

The pricing structure of the plans is also a bit weird: $99 for one year, then a $150-jump to $249 for two years, but just a $100-jump to $349 for three years. If I was going to do it, I'd probably be inclined to go for the three years, which is about my expected life-cycle for this laptop.

Anyway, what do you guys think?

 

I've never had to use the Accidental Coverage for the laptop, but I buy it with every laptop I purchase. With how fragile laptops are and how expensive they are it is definitely worth it. If anyone who has actually broken their laptop and used the "Accidental" portion of the warranty please post here and tell us of your experience with it.

 

get it just in case. but since the HDX is so stinking big i doubt itll break

 

You never know what happens, so the extra insurance is always worth it.

 

I was chatting with one of the techs from HP and he was telling me some of the cases he's personally handled where the Accidental Damage Protection covered the damage to the laptop and they were pretty crazy! They really mean it when they say "accidental" damage protection. Like if you leave your laptop on your car and it slides off and you run over it. They will cover that.

 

Yes, I have the full HP warraanty on 10 machines, and have had ADP claims a few times. Yes, they replace the machines as per the wearranty (and fast). No runaround. One they have to wait on parts and sent me a list of better machines I could choose from instead of waiting.

The HP warranty is much better than the 3rd party warrantis. You dont have to wait weeks for a repair (like sams club), and they are not just going to send you your check back 3 years later when you make a claim, cause they dont want to deal with it. While the extendded warranty does not kick in untill
the original warranty is over, you do get upgraded to express repair, efree exxpress shipping, and ADP immediatly (well 10 days after you register), so get it as soon as possible, else you are waisting money by waiting.

Also, you can get a 4 year contract by shopping for the warranty first, adding it to your cart, then configuring your machine (the 4 year with ADP is not ususally offered on the machine config page).

Finally, of the 10 (or so) machines I have had, over the 3 to 4 years, all have had to go in for some sort of repair. Considering that almost any repair requires a motherboard replacement (more than $500), the warranty can be really worth it.

I have busted plenty of laptops. I have even opened a laptop to find the glass busted, though the laptop was protected in a case, and had not been
dropped or handeled roughly. ADP rocks. Killed Laptops via tea spills, leaving them running outside and a rain storm came along, hit by lighting, etc... Everytime, HP fufilled the ADP warranty.

Dont expect 3rd party wrranties to do as well. Had one machine that was a couple of weeks out of warranty get fried by a lighting induced surge(protected by a Belkin UPS). Belkin has dragged thier feet for 2 months, made me spend $100 to get a repair estimate and pay shipping here there and the next place, then setteled for 30% (induding my expenses). Still waiting on a check...

In short, in my experiences, I found the HP warranty to be a solid investment, and have found the 3rd party warranties to be crap.

Joe

 

It isn't the same thing, but just a reminder to check what coverages are offered by your credit card when you buy something using the credit card. Gold and platinum cards often add some warranty and theft coverage. Again, not the same but something to keep in mind if you don't buy the HP warranty.

 

This is really good to know, and you actually answered a question I had meant to ask but forgot: does HP handle the ADP warranty themselves, or is it a (cringe) 3rd party? Knowing that HP not only does the warranty work themselves, but does it quickly and well according to your experiences, makes me feel a whole lot better.

 

say I was at the end of a 3 year warranty, like one month before its end. And I "accidently" break my aging laptop and get a new updated model as a replacement. Do you think that would work out?

 

Not ethical, but it would probably work.

 

All companies that offer extended warranties have fraud departments.

 

HP Handles it. Technically, in Florida (where we have some very screwy insurance laws), it is handled (underwritten?) by someone else who arranges the shipping it to HP. You get an ammended service contract here. It is hard to get a good warranty in Florida. Dell used to only offer adp to business customers in FL. I think they dropped a lot of covererahes here. Many notebook manufactures dont offer anything in Florida.

Joe

 

I"ve never bothered with accident coverage, but that's because I'm pretty careful with my laptop.