Anyone buy insurance for their kobo reader?

WastedHat · 02-02-2016, 06:22 AM

I'm probably going to pick up a H2O later this week. After looking at the forums and different websites it appears the readers are quite delicate. This will also be my first e-reader.

I've had a quick look at the insurance page on the Argos website (UK), I'm not sure which category it will fall under but it will either be £38.99 for 3 years or £48.99 for 2 years. If it's the first one I would be very tempted to get it, as I'd probably spend around half of that on a good case anyway. It would cover accidential damange, but I'm not sure how many accidents you're allowed.

I'm just curious if anyone here has bought insurance for their e-reader? Any info is welcome wherever you live.

Any also to anyone has owed a H2O for a while, how has it kept since you've owned it? Obivously TLC makes a difference but I've read a few posts where people were people were serprised at how easily the screen broke.

JSWolf · 02-02-2016, 06:29 AM

Never bought insurance for any Reader and I've never broken the screen.

jackie_w · 02-02-2016, 06:54 AM

Ditto to what JSWolf said. I do treat all my gadgets like delicate flowers, though.

I never buy extended warranties on any household items as I think they're a total rip-off. Eventually I suppose that's going to bite me in the rear but I reckon I'll have saved more than enough to rebuy/repair by then.

Josieb1 · 02-02-2016, 07:46 AM

I do buy the Kindle warranties but for kobo I use my credit card which gives an extra 2 years warranty, although I have to say any issues have always occurred within the first year anyway so never had to use the extra warranty.

Josieb1 · 02-02-2016, 07:49 AM

I've had two GLO HDs break on me but I think the H20 is made is harder material. It seems stronger the GLO HD.

Rizla · 02-02-2016, 09:11 AM

Most the stuff they make these days has a percentage failure. I've read of a few H2O screen failures, but then I've read that about most e-readers, so I don't know if it's more fragile. But GET A CASE.

meeera · 02-02-2016, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rizla

Most the stuff they make these days has a percentage failure. I've read of a few H2O screen failures, but then I've read that about most e-readers, so I don't know if it's more fragile. But GET A CASE.

Breakage, not failure. Failure implies self-destruction.

eenk · 02-02-2016, 02:43 PM

Insurance for these kind of devices and price ranges only benefit exactly one: the insurance company. The insurance company employes people and may have stakeholders, pays salaries and often big bonuses to top management. This is overhead you have to pay for. If in fact you would have often faulty devices then the insurance company would quickly get rid of you. Then, insurances wouldn't work for you either. So in the end you are keeping some overhead alive. There are situations where insurance is necessary and in some countries even the law. But I would not count most consumer devices into this category. The best insurance, as other have pointed out, is a solid case for your Kobo. Enjoy it!

Ripplinger · 02-02-2016, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WastedHat

It would cover accidential damange, but I'm not sure how many accidents you're allowed.

I've purchased accidental damage insurance on my first ereader not having any idea how sturdy they were, it was only $35 for 3 years from SquareTrade with a discount coupon. I've never damaged a reader though, my screens are even completely scratch-free, and I still have that first Sony PRS-350 reader in perfect condition.

Most coverage only insures up to the value of the reader one time. So if you destroy it and they replace it, that's the end of the coverage. You can't keep breaking the screen every few months and expect them to keep paying for a new reader each time. If it's something that's a $50 repair on a $200 reader, you'll still have $150 repairs left to go. But I think it's pretty seldom a reader is actually repaired, they generally replace them and it's usually just a check for the purchase price they send you as the replacement.

Most damage comes from twisting or flexing the reader slightly, or something in a backpack pressing against it and putting pressure on the screen, which cracks the substrate. Even a good case won't prevent that from happening, they're not completely rigid. You just need to be aware of how you're handling the reader especially when storing it, and that it's still made of glass which is somewhat fragile and it should be fine.

WastedHat · 02-05-2016, 05:50 PM

Thanks for the help

I will go with the consensus and spend the money on a good case insead. The only thing I've ever bought insurance for is my Macbook and I managed to claim well over its value in repairs over 3 years so in some cases it can be very benificial.

I had a quick look through the UK retailers on the Kobo site and found that John Lewis does 2 years warranty. My local store is out of stock but I'll wait until they get more later this month.

02-02-2016, 06:22 AM	#1
WastedHat Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2016 Device: Kobo H2O	Anyone buy insurance for their kobo reader? I'm probably going to pick up a H2O later this week. After looking at the forums and different websites it appears the readers are quite delicate. This will also be my first e-reader. I've had a quick look at the insurance page on the Argos website (UK), I'm not sure which category it will fall under but it will either be £38.99 for 3 years or £48.99 for 2 years. If it's the first one I would be very tempted to get it, as I'd probably spend around half of that on a good case anyway. It would cover accidential damange, but I'm not sure how many accidents you're allowed. I'm just curious if anyone here has bought insurance for their e-reader? Any info is welcome wherever you live. Any also to anyone has owed a H2O for a while, how has it kept since you've owned it? Obivously TLC makes a difference but I've read a few posts where people were people were serprised at how easily the screen broke.

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02-02-2016, 06:29 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,792 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Never bought insurance for any Reader and I've never broken the screen.

02-02-2016, 06:54 AM	#3
jackie_w Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,252 Karma: 16544692 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: UK Device: ClaraHD, Forma, Libra2, Clara2E, LibraCol, PBTouchHD3	Ditto to what JSWolf said. I do treat all my gadgets like delicate flowers, though. I never buy extended warranties on any household items as I think they're a total rip-off. Eventually I suppose that's going to bite me in the rear but I reckon I'll have saved more than enough to rebuy/repair by then.

02-02-2016, 07:46 AM	#4
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,086 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra 2	I do buy the Kindle warranties but for kobo I use my credit card which gives an extra 2 years warranty, although I have to say any issues have always occurred within the first year anyway so never had to use the extra warranty.

02-02-2016, 07:49 AM	#5
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,086 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra 2	I've had two GLO HDs break on me but I think the H20 is made is harder material. It seems stronger the GLO HD.

02-02-2016, 09:11 AM	#6
Rizla Member Retired Posts: 3,183 Karma: 11721895 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2	Most the stuff they make these days has a percentage failure. I've read of a few H2O screen failures, but then I've read that about most e-readers, so I don't know if it's more fragile. But GET A CASE.

02-02-2016, 02:43 PM	#8
eenk carrier lost Posts: 62 Karma: 14000 Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: 2001:db8:e:b00c::f00d Device: Kobo Forma, H2O v1, Aura HD	Insurance for these kind of devices and price ranges only benefit exactly one: the insurance company. The insurance company employes people and may have stakeholders, pays salaries and often big bonuses to top management. This is overhead you have to pay for. If in fact you would have often faulty devices then the insurance company would quickly get rid of you. Then, insurances wouldn't work for you either. So in the end you are keeping some overhead alive. There are situations where insurance is necessary and in some countries even the law. But I would not count most consumer devices into this category. The best insurance, as other have pointed out, is a solid case for your Kobo. Enjoy it!

02-05-2016, 05:50 PM	#10
WastedHat Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2016 Device: Kobo H2O	Thanks for the help I will go with the consensus and spend the money on a good case insead. The only thing I've ever bought insurance for is my Macbook and I managed to claim well over its value in repairs over 3 years so in some cases it can be very benificial. I had a quick look through the UK retailers on the Kobo site and found that John Lewis does 2 years warranty. My local store is out of stock but I'll wait until they get more later this month.

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