Forum Discussion
Think twice before switching to Tmobile
I've been a paying T-Mobile customer for over 12 years and just in the last 30 I was a victim of fraud and theft.
The first incident occurred about a month ago when I purchased a phone secondhand to save some money (recommended by T-Mobile because they said I can get it cheaper than the store price). I activated the phone in person with a T-Mobile representative and they added BYOD insurance to my plan. 2 weeks later, the previous owner filed a claim with T-Mobile saying the phone was lost but clearly it was insurance fraud. I reported the matter to T-Mobile immediately and they said they will unlock the phone within 24 hours, so I can use it. A few days passed and I hadn't heard anything, so I called to follow up and they said the request to unlock the phone was denied. Very disappointing considering the circumstances.
Subsequently, my only other option was to purchase a new device firsthand, which I did, putting me at about $1300 ($400 for the first device and now $900 for this new device). Again, I activate the phone at the store and everything is back on track.
Four days ago, my car was broken into and my new phone was stolen. I notified T-Mobile and filed a claim with Assurant which is T-Mobile's third party insurance department. I paid the $250 deductible. A T-Mobile representative advised that it will take 24 hours to ship the new device to me. Yesterday morning, I reached out to Assurant and they said they needed a copy of my driver's license, so I promptly provided it. They advised they will prioritize the claim and the cutoff time for next day shipping is 7PM EST, which gave them about 12 hours from me providing my driver's license. I reached out to follow up before the cutoff time, and they said it will take an additional 3-5 business days to review the claim. So, it's looking like the claim process will take, at minimum, a week from the date I filed. Unbelievable!!
I've spoken to management at both T-Mobile and Assurant, and they said the delay is system generated and they can't override it. T-Mobile says it's in Assurant's hands, and Assurant says it's in T-Mobile's hands. What's the purpose of paying insurance for several years, without having any claims, and once I need to file a claim, it becomes a nightmare of a process?
T-Mobile does not have their customer's best interest in mind and I feel I've been treated unfairly. Their process is deceptive and unethical in many ways.
I am now strongly considering switching carriers and I advise any T-Mobile customers in similar situations to do the same. If you're not a T-Mobile customer and you're reading this, definitely consider other options.
I hate to say this … but the issue isn’t with T-Mobile, but the person you purchased your phone from.
Insurance plan isn’t to prevent the former owner from claiming it was stolen.
Similarly, stolen phone insured by Assurant isn’t T-Mobile’s issue either.
T-Mobile is a middle party on this, and wasn’t responsible for you leaving your phone in your car, purchasing grey market phones, or picking Assurant.
Thanks for your input. However, if the previous owner claims the phone was lost/stolen, and I am willing to give up the device to said previous owner through T-Mobile/Assurant, wouldn't that make more sense for T-Mobile/Assurant? Why would they process an insurance claim on a "lost phone" when the phone was in my possession and I even offered to send it back to them?
Regarding the stolen phone, the true issue is the breakdown of communication as to the timeline of claim processing. If I'm told it takes 24 hours to receive a new device, that is what I expect. Not one week.
Does T-Mobile offer other insurance carriers aside from Assurant? I was under the impression Assurant is the only option.
You should be able to contact any insurance company that offers mobile device insurance.
The insurance is between you and the insurance company, much like having car or healthcare insurance. Personally, I've always found insurance to be akin to gambling in Las Vegas. The house always wins. Fine details as well as loopholes don't make things better.
I.e. T-Mobile/Assurant stating 24 hours to receive a new device may be accurate, but comes with the caveat of ‘once processed’.
This is similar to Amazon stating ‘receive your package in < 24 hours if ordered within the next 2 hours’ and it takes 3 days because … shipper didn’t get the package processed within the timeline.
Amazon will claim it was due to the processing by the company you purchased it from, which caused the delay. Still not great to deal with the pass-the-buck attitude or the way it was worded.
