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cocoa_coder · Aug 21, 2003, 01:38 PM

I attended the apple wwdc conference this year, and Apple gave us all nice bags to put our laptops in. They said it was made for the 17incher. So i put my laptop in in for a few weeks. I went to hawaii for vacation recently and on my way back my laptop bag dropped. I used a brenhaven before and i realized how protective these bags are, so I did not fret. When i got home my pb had dents on one of the corners so bad i could not get any cds in or out the case. and the screen has a few scraches on the back. Other than that it worked perfectly.

I contacted my accidental damage insurance company and informed them of the situation. They told me to take it to an Apple Store. The apple rep had it repaired completely (replaced screen and entire chasis i beleive. Cost about 1200 bucks. The insurance company is going to pay it directly. I pay roughly 150 bucks a year for insurance and this is why. I admonish any owners of any model powerbook or even ibook for that matter PLEASE get INSURANCE. I would have SH*TTED on myself when it happened if i was not covered.

The Placid Casual · Aug 21, 2003, 01:57 PM

Glad to hear the story has a happy ending, and the laptop is back to full fitness!

And also great advice... Insurance is a must!

nica · Aug 21, 2003, 03:06 PM

What's the name of your insurance company?
And can they cover other electronics (TV, Ipod, camera equipment)?

beachmark · Aug 21, 2003, 03:32 PM

When Isaw your heading I feared the worst for you, but after reading your posting I am happy for you that clever to take out an insurance. You never know what is happening around the corner.

I was mugged recently with a gun to my head and had to hand over all I had with me: portable computer and wideo camera. Fortunately the insureance paid it as well.

In regard to insurances you cannot be careful enough. I rahter pay one Eur too much than anything else as that might lead to tears and misery.

tonewheel · Aug 21, 2003, 03:34 PM

Best, and lesat expensive, to cover such items under your homeowners policy. Or if you rent, your renters policy. Or if a la carte, you can do that but it's the most expensive that way.

If you have homeowners or renters insurance, just call your agent and have them add it. Simple.

cocoa_coder · Aug 21, 2003, 04:13 PM

Well first off I don't think homeowners or renters insurance covers damage incurred by accident. Sorry to hear you got mugged. I really despise people in the world who would threaten someone elses life for material possessions. Thats one of the reasons the human race is never going to get anywhere. I just hate to hear stories like that.
Glad you're still alive.

Paco500 · Aug 21, 2003, 04:21 PM

This is another request for more info about your policy. I don't think my homeowners provides such insurance. I would absolutely sign on up.

Does this $150 year cover all electronics, such as cell phones, PDA's etc, or is it just for the on laptop?

Thanks.

cocoa_coder · Aug 21, 2003, 04:32 PM

It Covers upto 7500$ worth of electronics.
And you can pay more for higher coverage.
It covers:
PDA's
Computers (Hardware And Software)
No Cell Phone Coverage
Computer Accessories.

I strongly recommend it for legitimate coverage.
I don't recommend it for people looking to use it fraudulently. It will only hurt you in the end as these companies share info and in many states insurance fraud is a crime punishable by jail time.
However I used Safeware www.safeware.com
I dont know why i'm plugging these folks as I get nothing out of it, but I would like to make sure my bretheren PB owners get the protection they deserve. Apple's hardware costs too much not to protect.

moonman192 · Aug 21, 2003, 06:27 PM

Thanks for the info on the insurance co. I just signed up with Safeware. Now I have that "I'm covered" feeling. I just bought my first mac 17" PB at CompUSA and was upset that they didn't offer the accidental damage coverage as they did on all the other electronics I purchased there, especially after spending over $3000. Thanks again for the great info.

romeosc · Aug 21, 2003, 07:37 PM

I use and love Safeware.com

About $60/thousand declaredf value!

If you travel, many laptops are stolen from htel rooms!

If you're serious about protecting your computer, then you've come to the right place!

Did you know?

Some homeowners, renters and business insurance policies don't cover computers, and if they do, it may be limited in the type of coverage.

Also, these types of policies may not cover accidental damage, or replacement costs. Plus, they'll make you pay a high deductible when you file a claim.

Didyou also know?

Accidental damage is the number one cause of computer losses.

Theft is number two, closely followed by power surges.

And Extended Service Contracts cover mainly mechanical breakdowns.

Safeware, The Insurance Agency, Inc., will insure your computer against damages caused by accidents, power surges, theft and more.

Who should buy computer insurance?

Students

Business Professionals

Small Business Owners

Schools

Home Users

In a word, anyone who owns a computer!

HasanDaddy · Aug 21, 2003, 08:03 PM

awesome!

I think I'm gonna sign up!

Shaddim · Aug 21, 2003, 08:14 PM

I just now signed up with Safeware too. $10 /month for full coverage, $0 deductible insurance is quite good.

stevesnj · Aug 21, 2003, 08:37 PM

Though this sounds great and since protecting my investment I wish to invertigate this company before purchasing coverage...does anyone know a site or resouce to investigate this company as far as complaints or any other pertinant information?

Thanks for any help

Steve

j0nkatz · Aug 21, 2003, 08:56 PM

Yeah, Has anyone ever had to collect a claim against them? Did they pay out?

urban · Aug 21, 2003, 09:32 PM

Isnt this a better deal than Applecare?

EDIT: never mind just found the answer to my own question...

taken directly off safeware's website

How is computer insurance different from my warranty?

Warranties, by their nature, will cover parts and labor for manufacturer defects and internal mechanical failure, such as disk failures, inoperative keyboards, etc� Computer insurance, on the other hand, compliments the warranty by providing coverage for all kinds of unexpected, externally caused losses: theft, fire, power surges, lightning, spilled coffee in the keyboard, accidentally dropped notebooks and natural disasters like: earthquakes, hurricanes and floods.

moonman192 · Aug 21, 2003, 09:37 PM

The company is a member of the Better Buisness Bureau. No complaints were listed on the bbb.org site. I'm not sure if this means anything.

urban · Aug 21, 2003, 09:45 PM

I got a quote of $96 premium for $5000 coverage.
is this the same for everyone else?

stevesnj · Aug 21, 2003, 10:09 PM

Originally posted by urban:
I got a quote of $96 premium for $5000 coverage.
is this the same for everyone else?

Nope $180 on $3000...I live in NJ, the most expensive state in the country with the most lawyers and insurance companies.

kpne1home · Aug 21, 2003, 11:36 PM

Originally posted by stevesnj:
Nope $180 on $3000...I live in NJ, the most expensive state in the country with the most lawyers and insurance companies.

I thought Hartford CT was known as the Insurance capitol. Anyway, thats the same price for CT.

dlindsay17 · Aug 22, 2003, 02:16 PM

Originally posted by kpne1home:
I thought Hartford CT was known as the Insurance capitol. Anyway, thats the same price for CT.

$180 for $3k in California too. Wonder why that is...

stevesnj · Aug 22, 2003, 02:27 PM

Originally posted by dlindsay17:
$180 for $3k in California too. Wonder why that is...

I wonder if they base their quotes for states with the highest crime rates or loss claims and adjust the rate accordingly per state.

Naz · Aug 22, 2003, 03:52 PM

I'm getting the safeware when I finally get this PB

I can't believe the bag did not protect it that well that was the bag I wanted

Matt OS X · Aug 22, 2003, 07:49 PM

Originally posted by cocoa_coder:
I attended the apple wwdc conference this year, and Apple gave us all nice bags to put our laptops in. They said it was made for the 17incher. So i put my laptop in in for a few weeks. I went to hawaii for vacation recently and on my way back my laptop bag dropped. I used a brenhaven before and i realized how protective these bags are, so I did not fret. When i got home my pb had dents on one of the corners so bad i could not get any cds in or out the case. and the screen has a few scraches on the back. Other than that it worked perfectly.

I contacted my accidental damage insurance company and informed them of the situation. They told me to take it to an Apple Store. The apple rep had it repaired completely (replaced screen and entire chasis i beleive. Cost about 1200 bucks. The insurance company is going to pay it directly. I pay roughly 150 bucks a year for insurance and this is why. I admonish any owners of any model powerbook or even ibook for that matter PLEASE get INSURANCE. I would have SH*TTED on myself when it happened if i was not covered.

Ouch... whew...

romeosc · Aug 22, 2003, 08:55 PM

I have been using them on my PBs for years .... 3 claims all processed imediately!

The price differential is in usage and (business or ocassional travel) etc.

Sandbaggins · 09:36 PM

Originally posted by stevesnj:
Though this sounds great and since protecting my investment I wish to invertigate this company before purchasing coverage...does anyone know a site or resouce to investigate this company as far as complaints or any other pertinant information?

Thanks for any help

Steve

I did a search on google: "Safeware Insurance" and suggest others do so before signing up.

All I can say is you never know who is posting on these boards...same goes for google, just research before you do anything.

Riemann Zeta · Aug 22, 2003, 09:40 PM

I am starting to wish I had bought the 3-year AppleCare policy when I bought my Ti 1 GHz SD.

kpne1home · Aug 22, 2003, 09:42 PM

its always good to get the apple protection plan.

LeeG · Aug 22, 2003, 10:42 PM

I plan on signing up for safeware when I get my Rev B 12" - I have heard good things about them all around.

Being a homeowner, and having homeowners insurance, I can tell you, at least my policy, DOES NOT cover accidental damage (ie - dropping it), and my deductible is $1K - many are 500-1000 - for a fraction of that I can have full coverage for accidents, and no deduct...

Lee

Alezone · Aug 22, 2003, 11:22 PM

I should've purchased this kind of insurance before last week...

My gf accidentally threw me a pillow (she aimed at the sofa, not me nor the PB) and it landed on my screen... and caused it to bend to the back more than it's designed to be. So the hinges which hold the display upright cracked right the way as tears running down her face...

I brough it to a local Apple dealership and quoted CAD$1,900 for parts and labor...

I chose not to repair it, instead using some external re-enforcement metal to hold the screen in place... now it doesn't move/fold at all. It doesn't serve its major function very well now.

Planning to buy another PB (maybe 12") in the near future...

unlinear · Aug 23, 2003, 10:05 AM

I can't get a quote for anything less than $180, no matter which state I pick (just wanted to see the difference) or no matter if i pick home office or family computer (it's kind inbetween)

Javascript problems maybe?

gurman · Aug 23, 2003, 01:06 PM

I pay roughly 150 bucks a year for insurance and this is why. I admonish any owners of any model powerbook or even ibook for that matter PLEASE get INSURANCE. I would have SH*TTED on myself when it happened if i was not covered.

There are clearly three tiers of "insurance," as shown by the posts here.

1. AppleCare - Pretty much a must for PowerBooks, not a bad idea for anything else Apple makes (and I've been using PowerBooks since '91; AppleCare has saved me several times)

2. A good, impact absorbing case for laptops - I really like the Waterfield Design SleeveCases, because they have lots of padding (incluyding at the corners), and can be tossed into anything - backpack, attach� case, briefcase - or bought with a shoulder strap. You could get really paranoid and splurge on a Zero Halliburton or modify an aluminum/magnesium camera case, but I think that's overkill.

3. Laptop accident insurance - When I got my then 13-year-old son an iBook last year, I bought a SafeWare policy. Haven't had to file a claim on it yet. I figure the padded Waterfield SleeveCase I got him helps to avoid the kind of damage that falls below the $150 deductible.

How many tiers you buy obviously depends on what you can afford, but I'd say 2 and 3 are indispensible for any laptop, and 1 for PowerBooks.

shabbasuraj · Aug 23, 2003, 05:03 PM

i am getting a quote of $97 living in T.O. with 'University' usage...

lates...

Agent69 · Aug 23, 2003, 05:25 PM

Wow. I was almost afraid to read this thread because of the title. Instead, I received a good lesson in the benefits of insurance for laptops.

Thanks.

romeosc · Aug 23, 2003, 07:16 PM

All of mine Safeware policies are 0 deductable!

Maybe cheeper if you use a deductable

bbales · Aug 24, 2003, 09:44 PM

Hmmm -- this is very interesting. I had to talk to our homeowners's insurance rep a few weeks back about something else. We talked about computer coverage and he specifically said accidental damage IS NOT covered. So I just may do this!

AppleCare does'nt cover accidental damage, I do not believe.

macvillage.net · Aug 25, 2003, 03:38 PM

Talk to your Homeowners isnurance agent.

When I bought my laptop from IBM, the agent recommended that I do so. Some do have the option available. Lots easier (and often cheaper) than yet another company billing you.

DeathMan · Aug 25, 2003, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by macvillage.net:
Talk to your Homeowners isnurance agent.

When I bought my laptop from IBM, the agent recommended that I do so. Some do have the option available. Lots easier (and often cheaper) than yet another company billing you.

Just make sure they cover damage due to accident. Computers get dropped.

romeosc · Aug 25, 2003, 07:16 PM

..... plus your renewal doesn't go up or get canceled like using your homeowner's ins.

jia_zhuang · Aug 27, 2003, 03:45 PM

Originally posted by Alezone:
I should've purchased this kind of insurance before last week...

My gf accidentally threw me a pillow (she aimed at the sofa, not me nor the PB) and it landed on my screen... and caused it to bend to the back more than it's designed to be. So the hinges which hold the display upright cracked right the way as tears running down her face...

I brough it to a local Apple dealership and quoted CAD$1,900 for parts and labor...

I chose not to repair it, instead using some external re-enforcement metal to hold the screen in place... now it doesn't move/fold at all. It doesn't serve its major function very well now.

Planning to buy another PB (maybe 12") in the near future...

Yes, well when their are girlfriends in the room, I usually but my valuables away because of exactly what happened to u.

HotSoup · Aug 28, 2003, 12:49 PM

I would open it up, first of all. Stroke it gently, run software update, then sing it a good night song before you go to bed!

Super Glitcher · Aug 29, 2003, 07:01 PM

Never knew about accident insurance... sounds like a sweet option - definitely looking into it.. thanks for the post!

alex_wlu_82 · Aug 30, 2003, 08:51 PM

ontario university student ->$97 for $5000 coverage is pretty good.. I'm hoping that they did their quote calculator properly and converted the currency into canadian dollars.. $CAD 135 isn't that bad either though, considering how fragile and easy to steal laptops are..