Laptops are so important to a lot of people nowadays that it can be devastating if a laptop gets accidentally damaged to the point that it would become unusable. That is why laptop companies accidental damage protection, which essentially is a warranty for a laptop in case it gets damaged due to accidents, which are not covered by the ordinary warranty. Now, is it actually worth getting accidental damage?
Since there are many different accidental damage protection plans, you should check what protection they offer and how much they cost. Some brands offer good programs while others don’t. However, it may also depend on the person and how expensive and important his laptop is.
That said, accidental damage protection may sound nice today because of how we are so dependent on our laptops for our work and entertainment. However, before you get to the point where you take your credit card out to buy yourself accidental damage protection for your laptop, you should first look at the pros and cons that come with this warranty.
What are the advantages of accidental damage protection?
It is important for us to look at the benefits that you can get when you get accidental damage protection for your laptop.
Accidents can happen all the time
The first thing you need to think of is that accidents can happen all the time without you even expecting them to happen. That’s why they are even called accidents in the first place as they happen when you least expect them.
Now, while laptops are naturally covered by warranties when you buy them, a warranty doesn’t cover damages caused by accidents. So, if you end up with a damaged laptop because it fell off the stairs purely due to an accident, your warranty won’t cover it. As a result, you would have to pay for the repair or the replacement unless you have accidental damage protection covering your laptop.
No need for out-of-pocket costs
The beautiful part of accidental damage protection for your laptop is that, as long as the company deems that your laptop is covered by the protection, you don’t have to shoulder any costs at all. Not a single dime should go out of your pocket.
This can be very handy and useful during the times when you don’t have enough spare cash with you or when you have gone over your budget. So, by having accidental damage protection, you can rest easy knowing that you don’t have to pay a single cent.
Some repairs cost more than accidental damage protection
This is where it gets interesting as you are able to weigh the pros and cons properly. That’s because laptop repairs can easily go over $400 depending on the extent of the damage on our laptop. And if your laptop was damaged beyond repair due to an accident that is covered by accidental damage protection, it needs to be replaced.
So, this part is interesting because of how some repairs or replacements are actually more expensive than the accidental damage protection itself. In a sense, you won’t have to end up spending more money than you originally needed to as long as the repair or the replacement is covered by the accidental damage protection.
You can bring your laptop to any authorized service center
Laptop computers are meant to be convenient and portable. That means that it is normal for you to be traveling around and carrying your laptop wherever you go because of how important a laptop is to a person’s everyday life.
So, if your laptop gets damaged while you are traveling, you will be able to salvage it by going to any authorized service center in the country or possibly all over the world. This ensures that you can have your laptop repaired conveniently when you are on the go.
What are the cons of accidental damage protection?
Now that you know the advantages of having accidental damage protection for your laptop, let us now look at the cons so that you can make an informed decision.
Not all accidents are covered
The coverage of accidental damage protection depends on the company offering it but the point of the matter is that not all accidents are covered. That means that you could end up wasting hundreds of dollars on something that won’t even cover damages that were actually caused by accidents that are way beyond your control. As such, you might still end up paying for the repairs if the service center deems that the damage on your laptop isn’t covered by accidental damage repair.
Cost vs. chance
Buying accidental damage repair for your laptop becomes a battle between cost and chance. On one end, you will be paying for something that will keep your expenses insured in case you end up getting your laptop damaged by accident. Meanwhile, on the other end, there is no certainty that you would ever get your laptop damaged. So, if you happen to go three years without getting your laptop damaged, you essentially wasted hundreds of dollars on something you never used.
Laptops often get replaced after a few years
While it might be neat to have 3-year accidental damage protection for your laptop, the truth is that laptops have an average lifespan of 3 to 5 years when they are on the cheap to mid-level in terms of their price. That means that you won’t need accidental damage protection for your laptop if you can just easily replace it after a few years. So, in this case, it becomes a battle between having your old one repaired or buying a newer and better model.
Is accidental damage protection worth it?
Now that you have seen the pros and cons of accidental damage protection, let us now talk more about whether it is worth it based on the different benefits and disadvantages that come with buying this package for your laptop.
So, in our books accidental damage protection is a big “it depends” because there are plenty of different factors you need to consider here.
For those who have important files and data that they store in their laptops and for those who have expensive laptops that are supposed to last for at least 5 years, accidental damage protection is worth it because you want to keep your files and data safe and you want to maximize the money you paid for such an expensive gadget. Of course, those who are always on the go can benefit from this as well.
Meanwhile, if you bought an affordable laptop that somewhere between the $500 to $1,000 range, accidental damage protection becomes easier to pass off because of how you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars for something that isn’t even that expensive. As such, it becomes a better option for you to buy a new laptop instead if something bad does indeed happen to your current one.
All that said, buying accidental damage protection for your laptop is actually dependent on a lot of different factors that vary from one person to another and from one laptop company to another. Some people find it useful depending on the offer of their laptop’s manufacturing company while others may find it a rip-off for the price they have to pay for and the services they get in return. As such, you need to look at your own pros and cons to make an informed decision here.
