Cricket Communications Bent Over Insurance! Ripoff Thornton Colorado

Quote: I won't pay $465 (from 6 years of insurance and a $85 copay) for a Audiovox either, I'll pay another $180 for a phone thats 10x better. If something were to go wrong with the handset itself it DOES have a warranty for 1 year from the manufacturer, which I would have to jump through LESS hoops then the BS of cricket and assurion AND have the phone faster for FREE (except shipping to the company).

My repsonse: From what I've heard some customers experience with manufacturers is that they can sometime be VERY reluctant to replace phones. Moreover, the phone insurance's MAIN protection is from *loss* or *theft*, both of which are NOT covered under manufacturer's warranty. Furthermore, if your phone is found to have any structural damage by the manufacturer, you can bet more than likely that they won't replace your phone under manufacturer's warranty.

Moreover, Asurion covers the cost of shipping BOTH ways for a replacement, which most manufacturer's warranties do NOT. Again, I'm speaking from customers' experience when they've told me about manufacturer replacement processes...

Quote: Who cares about cricket clicks and Unlimited WAP... You really think Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than my MP3 collection? Remember Samsung A900 plays MP3's natively. WAP must be doing me an awesome job on my Motorola v120 right now (blue and black screen without graphics). If cricket ever let me use my phone as a modem, that might change things but they don't, the moment it hits carrier detect cricket drops me. And Cricket's roaming isn't a feature of the phone, its a feature of the provider, it will work on any phone.

My response: I NEVER said that Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than your MP3 collection. Some people simply like using Cricket Clicks, and it's way more than just ringtones. Check out mycricket.com/clicks/ for details. Moreover, Cricket's WAP is internet ONLY for cell phones. However, if your phone has a USB connection, you may be able to use it that way...but ONLY if it's a phone manufacturer specifically for Cricket service. Also, Cricket's Travel Time (roaming) IS phone dependent. Many older Cricket phones do NOT have roaming capability. Your Motorola v120 is compatible with Cricket's Travel Time.

Quote: Cricket also CANNOT guarantee service on any other handset, read their terms! They don't guarantee service to anyone anywhere for any reason! Every phone I've ever had with them has had splotchy service, but thats what I expect for a guaranteed $60 a month cell phone provider.

My response: Read what I said. I explained exactly what I meant by "guarantee service". I can see how I confused you though. Maybe better words to use would have been "no technical support". Anyways, my point has been made...if you activate a non-Cricket handset on Cricket's network, you will NOT be able to receive any type of technical support. Therefore, if your text messaging doesn't work or your handset keeps dropping calls, it's basically your fault because you chose to activate a non-Cricket handset. Cricket won't be able to help you troubleshoot your phone at all.

Quote: They (Asurion... or Cricket?) control their statements and representation about their insurance plan, and I was quoted $50 for the deductible in 2006.

My response: If a Cricket representative told you it would be $50 to replace, he/she misinformed you. However, you can get information from any Cricket Retail Store (and most authorized dealers) about the phone insurance and what it costs to replace the phone according to the phone you buy.

Quote: I won't pay $465 (from 6 years of insurance and a $85 copay) for a Audiovox either, I'll pay another $180 for a phone thats 10x better. If something were to go wrong with the handset itself it DOES have a warranty for 1 year from the manufacturer, which I would have to jump through LESS hoops then the BS of cricket and assurion AND have the phone faster for FREE (except shipping to the company).

My repsonse: From what I've heard some customers experience with manufacturers is that they can sometime be VERY reluctant to replace phones. Moreover, the phone insurance's MAIN protection is from *loss* or *theft*, both of which are NOT covered under manufacturer's warranty. Furthermore, if your phone is found to have any structural damage by the manufacturer, you can bet more than likely that they won't replace your phone under manufacturer's warranty.

Moreover, Asurion covers the cost of shipping BOTH ways for a replacement, which most manufacturer's warranties do NOT. Again, I'm speaking from customers' experience when they've told me about manufacturer replacement processes...

Quote: Who cares about cricket clicks and Unlimited WAP... You really think Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than my MP3 collection? Remember Samsung A900 plays MP3's natively. WAP must be doing me an awesome job on my Motorola v120 right now (blue and black screen without graphics). If cricket ever let me use my phone as a modem, that might change things but they don't, the moment it hits carrier detect cricket drops me. And Cricket's roaming isn't a feature of the phone, its a feature of the provider, it will work on any phone.

My response: I NEVER said that Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than your MP3 collection. Some people simply like using Cricket Clicks, and it's way more than just ringtones. Check out mycricket.com/clicks/ for details. Moreover, Cricket's WAP is internet ONLY for cell phones. However, if your phone has a USB connection, you may be able to use it that way...but ONLY if it's a phone manufacturer specifically for Cricket service. Also, Cricket's Travel Time (roaming) IS phone dependent. Many older Cricket phones do NOT have roaming capability. Your Motorola v120 is compatible with Cricket's Travel Time.

Quote: Cricket also CANNOT guarantee service on any other handset, read their terms! They don't guarantee service to anyone anywhere for any reason! Every phone I've ever had with them has had splotchy service, but thats what I expect for a guaranteed $60 a month cell phone provider.

My response: Read what I said. I explained exactly what I meant by "guarantee service". I can see how I confused you though. Maybe better words to use would have been "no technical support". Anyways, my point has been made...if you activate a non-Cricket handset on Cricket's network, you will NOT be able to receive any type of technical support. Therefore, if your text messaging doesn't work or your handset keeps dropping calls, it's basically your fault because you chose to activate a non-Cricket handset. Cricket won't be able to help you troubleshoot your phone at all.

Quote: They (Asurion... or Cricket?) control their statements and representation about their insurance plan, and I was quoted $50 for the deductible in 2006.

My response: If a Cricket representative told you it would be $50 to replace, he/she misinformed you. However, you can get information from any Cricket Retail Store (and most authorized dealers) about the phone insurance and what it costs to replace the phone according to the phone you buy.

Quote: I won't pay $465 (from 6 years of insurance and a $85 copay) for a Audiovox either, I'll pay another $180 for a phone thats 10x better. If something were to go wrong with the handset itself it DOES have a warranty for 1 year from the manufacturer, which I would have to jump through LESS hoops then the BS of cricket and assurion AND have the phone faster for FREE (except shipping to the company).

My repsonse: From what I've heard some customers experience with manufacturers is that they can sometime be VERY reluctant to replace phones. Moreover, the phone insurance's MAIN protection is from *loss* or *theft*, both of which are NOT covered under manufacturer's warranty. Furthermore, if your phone is found to have any structural damage by the manufacturer, you can bet more than likely that they won't replace your phone under manufacturer's warranty.

Moreover, Asurion covers the cost of shipping BOTH ways for a replacement, which most manufacturer's warranties do NOT. Again, I'm speaking from customers' experience when they've told me about manufacturer replacement processes...

Quote: Who cares about cricket clicks and Unlimited WAP... You really think Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than my MP3 collection? Remember Samsung A900 plays MP3's natively. WAP must be doing me an awesome job on my Motorola v120 right now (blue and black screen without graphics). If cricket ever let me use my phone as a modem, that might change things but they don't, the moment it hits carrier detect cricket drops me. And Cricket's roaming isn't a feature of the phone, its a feature of the provider, it will work on any phone.

My response: I NEVER said that Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than your MP3 collection. Some people simply like using Cricket Clicks, and it's way more than just ringtones. Check out mycricket.com/clicks/ for details. Moreover, Cricket's WAP is internet ONLY for cell phones. However, if your phone has a USB connection, you may be able to use it that way...but ONLY if it's a phone manufacturer specifically for Cricket service. Also, Cricket's Travel Time (roaming) IS phone dependent. Many older Cricket phones do NOT have roaming capability. Your Motorola v120 is compatible with Cricket's Travel Time.

Quote: Cricket also CANNOT guarantee service on any other handset, read their terms! They don't guarantee service to anyone anywhere for any reason! Every phone I've ever had with them has had splotchy service, but thats what I expect for a guaranteed $60 a month cell phone provider.

My response: Read what I said. I explained exactly what I meant by "guarantee service". I can see how I confused you though. Maybe better words to use would have been "no technical support". Anyways, my point has been made...if you activate a non-Cricket handset on Cricket's network, you will NOT be able to receive any type of technical support. Therefore, if your text messaging doesn't work or your handset keeps dropping calls, it's basically your fault because you chose to activate a non-Cricket handset. Cricket won't be able to help you troubleshoot your phone at all.

Quote: They (Asurion... or Cricket?) control their statements and representation about their insurance plan, and I was quoted $50 for the deductible in 2006.

My response: If a Cricket representative told you it would be $50 to replace, he/she misinformed you. However, you can get information from any Cricket Retail Store (and most authorized dealers) about the phone insurance and what it costs to replace the phone according to the phone you buy.

Quote: I won't pay $465 (from 6 years of insurance and a $85 copay) for a Audiovox either, I'll pay another $180 for a phone thats 10x better. If something were to go wrong with the handset itself it DOES have a warranty for 1 year from the manufacturer, which I would have to jump through LESS hoops then the BS of cricket and assurion AND have the phone faster for FREE (except shipping to the company).

My repsonse: From what I've heard some customers experience with manufacturers is that they can sometime be VERY reluctant to replace phones. Moreover, the phone insurance's MAIN protection is from *loss* or *theft*, both of which are NOT covered under manufacturer's warranty. Furthermore, if your phone is found to have any structural damage by the manufacturer, you can bet more than likely that they won't replace your phone under manufacturer's warranty.

Moreover, Asurion covers the cost of shipping BOTH ways for a replacement, which most manufacturer's warranties do NOT. Again, I'm speaking from customers' experience when they've told me about manufacturer replacement processes...

Quote: Who cares about cricket clicks and Unlimited WAP... You really think Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than my MP3 collection? Remember Samsung A900 plays MP3's natively. WAP must be doing me an awesome job on my Motorola v120 right now (blue and black screen without graphics). If cricket ever let me use my phone as a modem, that might change things but they don't, the moment it hits carrier detect cricket drops me. And Cricket's roaming isn't a feature of the phone, its a feature of the provider, it will work on any phone.

My response: I NEVER said that Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than your MP3 collection. Some people simply like using Cricket Clicks, and it's way more than just ringtones. Check out mycricket.com/clicks/ for details. Moreover, Cricket's WAP is internet ONLY for cell phones. However, if your phone has a USB connection, you may be able to use it that way...but ONLY if it's a phone manufacturer specifically for Cricket service. Also, Cricket's Travel Time (roaming) IS phone dependent. Many older Cricket phones do NOT have roaming capability. Your Motorola v120 is compatible with Cricket's Travel Time.

Quote: Cricket also CANNOT guarantee service on any other handset, read their terms! They don't guarantee service to anyone anywhere for any reason! Every phone I've ever had with them has had splotchy service, but thats what I expect for a guaranteed $60 a month cell phone provider.

My response: Read what I said. I explained exactly what I meant by "guarantee service". I can see how I confused you though. Maybe better words to use would have been "no technical support". Anyways, my point has been made...if you activate a non-Cricket handset on Cricket's network, you will NOT be able to receive any type of technical support. Therefore, if your text messaging doesn't work or your handset keeps dropping calls, it's basically your fault because you chose to activate a non-Cricket handset. Cricket won't be able to help you troubleshoot your phone at all.

Quote: They (Asurion... or Cricket?) control their statements and representation about their insurance plan, and I was quoted $50 for the deductible in 2006.

My response: If a Cricket representative told you it would be $50 to replace, he/she misinformed you. However, you can get information from any Cricket Retail Store (and most authorized dealers) about the phone insurance and what it costs to replace the phone according to the phone you buy.

Quote "1) You won't be able to get a phone replacement plan on the phone."

I won't pay $465 (from 6 years of insurance and a $85 copay) for a Audiovox either, I'll pay another $180 for a phone thats 10x better. If something were to go wrong with the handset itself it DOES have a warranty for 1 year from the manufacturer, which I would have to jump through LESS hoops then the BS of cricket and assurion AND have the phone faster for FREE (except shipping to the company).

Quote "2) You will not be able to use features like Cricket Clicks (ringtones, applications, and games), Unlimited WAP (cell phone Internet), or Cricket's Travel Time (Roaming)."

A> Who cares about cricket clicks and Unlimited WAP... You really think Cricket Clicks has a better ring tone collection than my MP3 collection? Remember Samsung A900 plays MP3's natively. WAP must be doing me an awesome job on my Motorola v120 right now (blue and black screen without graphics). If cricket ever let me use my phone as a modem, that might change things but they don't, the moment it hits carrier detect cricket drops me. And Cricket's roaming isn't a feature of the phone, its a feature of the provider, it will work on any phone.

Quote "3) Cricket CANNOT guarantee service on a handset that has been "flashed for Cricket"."

Cricket also CANNOT guarantee service on any other handset, read their terms! They don't guarantee service to anyone anywhere for any reason! Every phone I've ever had with them has had splotchy service, but thats what I expect for a guaranteed $60 a month cell phone provider.

Quote "Samsung just doens't manufacture phones for Cricket's service."

I don't blame them.

Quote "Cricket doesn't control the price of the insurance replacement...that price was set by Asurion in 2005."

They control their statements and representation about their insurance plan, and I was quoted $50 for the deductible in 2006.

I see that you said you would purchase a Samsung phone and have it reprogrammed to work with Cricket. It is becoming a popular option for people to get phones this way, but there are a few caveats with this option:

1) You won't be able to get a phone replacement plan on the phone. If your phone is ever lost, stolen, or damaged, you will basically have to pay for a brand new (or refurbished) phone again, plus the cost of getting it reprogrammed for Cricket. Moreover, you'll more than likely be buying a USED phone 90% of the time.
2) You will not be able to use features like Cricket Clicks (ringtones, applications, and games), Unlimited WAP (cell phone Internet), or Cricket's Travel Time (Roaming).
3) Cricket CANNOT guarantee service on a handset that has been "flashed for Cricket". If you have problems with any of your phone's features, even text messaging, Cricket's Technical Support Customer Care will not be able to help you because the phone was not created originally to work with Cricket's service. You will have to call the company that sold you the phone for any technical issues.
4) If you activate a NEW account (not just get a new phone number, but a BRAND NEW account) with a phone that has been reprogrammed for Cricket, you will have to pay upfront for the first month of service.

Just thought I'd let you know all this information upfront before you think about getting a non-Cricket phone. Also, it's not that Cricket can't or won't use Samsung phones...Samsung just doens't manufacture phones for Cricket's service.

And about the Motorola 265: Cricket will more than likely not sell this phone much longer due to it not being manufactured by Motorola anymore. There are actually quite a few Cricket customers who still have the old Qualcomm and Nokia phones that were manufactured for Cricket's service years ago, and they still have the insurance plan on the phones. Unfortunately, if their phone ever needed to be replaced, it would be replaced with a currently manufactured phone because those phones aren't made anymore. So, don't think that Asurion or Cricket was trying to screw you over personally. The manufacturing and refurbishing of phones is COMPLETELY out of their contol, and even Cricket doesn't control the price of the insurance replacement...that price was set by Asurion in 2005.

I can see how you were told that information. However, in mid-2005, Cricket informed its customers through the mail that if they had insurance or if they were to buy a new phone and get insurance added that the deductible was going to increase to $50 for standard phones and $85 for "camera phones". This was done by ASURION, not Cricket, because ASURION controls the prices of their insurance replacements. Therefore, Cricket didn't lie to you. If your phone was purchased after mid-2005, then the person who sold you the phone misinformed you about the insurance replacement price... yet the letter Cricket mailed out to its customers regarding the change still stands.

Well, to you the Audiovox phone doesn't compare in quality.... but to Asurion, they don't look at someone's opinion of "quality"... they only look at features and price comparison. The Audiovox costs about the same as the Motorola 265 has similar features. I currently have a Samsung phone, which I don't like very much, but it works for me. My favorite phones have been made by Motorola and Nokia, however, my cell phone carrier doesn't offer those phones.

Hope that explains some things for you....

Its not the fact that they won't replace the phone with one that is "discontinued", "not manufactured any more" or anything like that. What pisses me off is that cricket still offers the phone! http://www.mycricket.com/phones/30/Motorola-v265.html

You can buy it NOW, brand new, and start a new set of service ON THAT PHONE! If I took my brand new mustang and drove it into a wall, and claimed insurance sure I'd have a deductable, but would they send me a used pinto thats been "recertified" by some dealership??? NO! The audiovox DOES NOT have a similar feature set. Yea, it has a camera, a screen, a keypad and so on, but it doesn't have the QUALITY feature. Audiovox phones are TRASH.

No, I'm not peved about the $85 deductible, I'm peved that I was told it would only be $50 NO MATTER WHAT, and suddenly THEY change the rules without ANY kind of warning. I was told $50 WHEN I BOUGHT THAT PHONE. Actually I will not be buying an audiovox for $89 anywhere, and I won't be sending cricket or Assurion a dime for a new phone, I will be buying what I actually want, a Samsung A900 that I will reprogram to work with cricket myself, because cricket won't and can't carry it. If anyone is misunderstanding anything, its you misunderstanding me. I am an educated consumer, not a sheep similar to what you'd like so many people to be. Now that I have come to the final conclusion that not only is the company a rip off, but its employee's (and even its so called ex-employee's) try to cloak the company in a veil of trust shadows, and that the company is "in no position to comply with a level headed business relationship", I will be posting my findings on any and every board where anyone might care will read this. I am a blogger, and the world will know what has taken place.

I certainly would be upset if Asurion didn't call me back too. However, I didn't have the same problems you did. One other problem you had was that the phone was not manufactured anymore. That is NOT controlled by Cricket, NOR is it controlled by Asurion. Again, if you want to complain about your phone not being manufactured anymore, you need to complain to MOTOROLA, not Cricket or Asurion.

To inform you on your insurance, which you seem to not understand, there is a deductible to replace your phone whether it's lost, stolen, or damaged. You activated the insurance with *full understanding* that your phone would be replaced, and if the phone wasn't currently available, that they would replace it with a comparable phone after paying the deductible....which for your phone was $85. The "high price" is due to the Motorola 265 being a camera phone, and is therefore quite a bit more expensive than a regular cell phone. What you activated was insurance for your Motorola, not so you can trade it in for another phone that was more expensive than your insured phone. The Audiovox 8910 is *comparable* to the Motorola 265 in features, which is why they offered that one to you. What you're wanting to do is like you telling your car insurance company to give you a BMW or a Hummer when you wrecked a Jeep Wrangler or a Ford Taurus. They're only going to give you market value for your car.

For what Asurion offers, it's not a ripoff. They insure your phone, and replace it for a set fee. It's really quite simple, yet you are the one who seems to not understand how it works. Anyone knows that retail value and "refurbished" value are two different things. Yes, people can buy refurbished phones...and that's what Asurion sends to you to replace your phone. I would rather pay $50 or $85 for a refurbished phone than spend another $150-$300 on another new phone.

To be honest, it's all how you look at it. I use Asurion, and works for me. I don't want to shell out another $200 on another phone that will break either...which is why I got the insurance. I'm glad that you can find an Audiovox 8910 for $89.99 shipped from whatever company you got it from. Is Asurion frauding the American people? In my honest opinion...NO. They offered you a service, and they were going to deliver on that service as promised...yet you got upset when they didn't do what you wanted because of something that was out of their control. Hope your refurbished phone you got from whatever that company was works for you. Is there a warranty on it?

I certainly would be upset if Asurion didn't call me back too. However, I didn't have the same problems you did. One other problem you had was that the phone was not manufactured anymore. That is NOT controlled by Cricket, NOR is it controlled by Asurion. Again, if you want to complain about your phone not being manufactured anymore, you need to complain to MOTOROLA, not Cricket or Asurion.

To inform you on your insurance, which you seem to not understand, there is a deductible to replace your phone whether it's lost, stolen, or damaged. You activated the insurance with *full understanding* that your phone would be replaced, and if the phone wasn't currently available, that they would replace it with a comparable phone after paying the deductible....which for your phone was $85. The "high price" is due to the Motorola 265 being a camera phone, and is therefore quite a bit more expensive than a regular cell phone. What you activated was insurance for your Motorola, not so you can trade it in for another phone that was more expensive than your insured phone. The Audiovox 8910 is *comparable* to the Motorola 265 in features, which is why they offered that one to you. What you're wanting to do is like you telling your car insurance company to give you a BMW or a Hummer when you wrecked a Jeep Wrangler or a Ford Taurus. They're only going to give you market value for your car.

For what Asurion offers, it's not a ripoff. They insure your phone, and replace it for a set fee. It's really quite simple, yet you are the one who seems to not understand how it works. Anyone knows that retail value and "refurbished" value are two different things. Yes, people can buy refurbished phones...and that's what Asurion sends to you to replace your phone. I would rather pay $50 or $85 for a refurbished phone than spend another $150-$300 on another new phone.

To be honest, it's all how you look at it. I use Asurion, and works for me. I don't want to shell out another $200 on another phone that will break either...which is why I got the insurance. I'm glad that you can find an Audiovox 8910 for $89.99 shipped from whatever company you got it from. Is Asurion frauding the American people? In my honest opinion...NO. They offered you a service, and they were going to deliver on that service as promised...yet you got upset when they didn't do what you wanted because of something that was out of their control. Hope your refurbished phone you got from whatever that company was works for you. Is there a warranty on it?

So, I finally got all the paperwork submitted, and when they called me back within their 24 hour period, oh wait, thats right they didn't call me back PERIOD. I called them back a week later, asked if they got my paperwork, and they said, oh yes, everythings right here in order. We can ship out your refurbished phone immediately after we receive the $85 deductible.

So they've now told me that they can't upgrade me to a newer Motorola, they don't have my old Motorola and don't know if they ever will stock one again, can't get an older motorola, will only offer me the Audiovox 8900 phone, and want $85 dollars for it. Kinda funny, I can get the Audiovox 8900 refurbished phone for $89.99 SHIPPED from ---.

Its awesome that we have an actual insurance agent from the company on this board now, because I can directly say to you that your company is a complete ripoff, and crickets just holding hands right there with you. If I wanted some low quality crappy low feature phone that breaks down in under 6 months I would have purchased an audiovox from the get go.

There is no rebuttal to this issue, your company sole purpose is to defraud the american consumer cell phone market making money on a false insurance system to distribute an inferior product charging market value claiming its a "deductable" after charging customers a fee for an undetermined amount of time.

Even if someone lost their phone the first day they had it, they would be better off buying a refurbished phone from somewhere else then giving your company a dime!

sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company your comments on this policy are welcome! CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

I'm currently employed by your insurance company and just wanted to reply to give you some more information on your situation.

Yes, the V265 is no-longer-produced. This DOES NOT mean that Cricket or Asurion will be out of stock of these models. It simply means that it has gone out of production and that after the available stock has been depleted the only way to get that phone is through the salvage program.

If a phone is not availabe, we do have the option of sending you a different phone. We generally ask that you look at the phone first so that you know what we're offering before we ship. If you decide not to look at the phone and just have it shipped, you may be charged a reshipping fee if you call us once the phone has been received to report that you do not like it and want something else. Generally the reship fee is $20. (it costs us $30 to ship another phone to you via DHL 2nd day.)

We do offer next-day shipping service, however if you have not received any equipment from us and are just now paying the deductible, then there would be a next-day fee of $9.99 in addition to your deductible (carrier-dependant as we have more than one carrier that subscribes to our insurance. Verizon is one other example). Any subsequent next-day shippings are free.

From your explanation above, it seems like you are in an in-store replacement market, where you pay your deductible in-store. We do have the ability to ship a phone to you, rather than in-store, but please be advised that the shipping is generally 2nd day unless you pay the next-day fee as mentioned above.

I think you really should give us a call to resolve your issue. If you need help with completing your claim and you want to speak with a supervisor, ask the store rep to give you the backdoor number to Asurion Advanced Customer Care. (I can't release the number, sorry.)

Oh, I understand now. I understand that your phone was originally purchased at a Cricket store. You went to the Cricket store to get your insurance replacement though. That changes a lot of things when you do that. Whenever you go to the Cricket Store to get an insurance replacement, the reps at the store determine what phone will be given to you. It will most likely depend on what they have "on hand" for insurance replacements....which may or may not (usually not) be what you already have.

To be honest, it's generally better to contact Asurion (the insurance company) for an insurance replacement phone. They usually have all the phones in stock when you call in.

The Cricket reps on the phone were right in telling you that if you switch to another phone, it would remove your insurance (Cricket has no idea what shape the new phone is in, which is why it can't be insured. Keeps fraud from happening). The only reason why I mentioned the "unlocked" phone is because you mentioned that you might get one of those phones in your initial post.

Car insurance does NOT always work like you have stated. If you get in an accident that is YOUR fault, the insurance company does NOT reimburse you for something that is YOUR fault (not meaning that the stealing of your phone is your fault). You have a collision and a comprehensive deductible which MUST be paid for your car to be repaired. The reason I state that is because the phone insurance works JUST like that. You must pay a deductible ($50 or $85 depending on the phone model) in order to get a phone replaced. I have phone insurance on a Verizon phone, and it works JUST like I have stated. I paid $50 to replace my wife's phone since it was basically destroyed by our kids. They sent a new phone....end of story. Very simple process. I had no problems with the Asurion at all. You wouldn't believe how many people complain about the $50 or $85 deductible that must be paid in order to have a cell phone replaced thru an insurance claim.

It seems that your problem started when you tried to replace the phone at the Cricket Store. Have you tried calling the 866 number that the Cricket store gave you (Asurion's number)? I would try to file a claim online at phoneclaim.com, or call the 866 number that was given to you. Cricket does NOT own the insurance company, nor does Cricket insure cell phones thru itself. It's handled by ASURION. They should have the phone in stock because it is a current phone that is sold in stores and online, and it's still in production. If I were you, I would quit dealing with the Cricket store and call Asurion at 1-866-718-0693. Again, Cricket does NOT insure cell phones...it is handled by Asurion.

The phone was purchased directly from a cricket store. Not a cricket authorized dealer, not a "unlocked" over the internet phone. No, one bought in their store, brand new, not refurbished, for $180, PLUS all the stupid cricket fee's, brand new so I had their insurance, and their provisions. I have paid insurance through cricket for the past 6 years. At $5 a month for that period, it adds up to over $360... If I were to have put that in a bank account instead I would have quite a bit more and could buy the $500 pocket PC phone or whatever. They wanted to give me a refurbished Kyocera KX434 RAVE stating that they didn't have any new motorola's that they could replace it with, and no camera phones at all. I talked with a cricket rep about the situation and their responce was "and what do you want us to do about it?", which to I replied, replace it with the exact same phone or better, which they said they couldn't do.

I understand how car insurance works. You pay your insurance, something happens, you get money to restore your property to its origonal state. Cricket takes insurance as, you give us money, we give you any phone that we deem you to be worthy of so you can keep paying us money. If I received current market value for the phone back I would have been happy, which if you go to pricegrabber.com you'll notice its listed at only one place for $155, or even the price that cricket STILL has the phone listed on their website for which is $179.99

When I called back and described the situation to the rep, I was informed that they never upgrade a phone to a newer model, and was placed immediately on hold, and transfered to another department which I had to sit on hold again for another five minutes, where I had to describe the situation to a brand new person in technical support which told me that he couldn't help me at all and that I had to call back and talk to the claims department. Upon trying to call back a second time I could barely hear the representative, and when I told her I could barely hear her I was hung up on. On the third call I immediately asked for a supervisor, I received the normal questions and was transfered and sat on silent hold for another 20 minutes (at this point I had already been trying to communicate with them for an hour). Once he picked up he basically started telling me the same thing, that they do not offer any kind of upgrade to the phones. He offered me this time an older Audiovox phone, which again would mean that I would have to replace all of my accessories (which between multiple car chargers, home chargers, headsets, computer data cables, and the bluetooth attachment and headset) would be well over $100 in accessories alone. So them replacing the phone with any other brand would mean I would be paying the $50 in insurance cost, the $360 already paid in insurance, and probably about $160 in accessories to return myself to where I was before and still have a lower quality setup then where I started. He eventually put me back on hold to "restart my claim" so he could see what, if any, alternatives he could offer me, which I sat on for another 5 minutes. I am typing all of this as it occurs also to have the most accurate details of the events. After talking to him for another 10 minutes, I was informed I had to download the Claim Affidavit, fill it out, have it notorized, fax it back to them with the cover sheet and copy of my photo ID, wait 24 hours, and then talk to them again too see if they will honor my claim. At that point in time they will be able to check to see what phones they have available (they couldn't even verify that they would replace it with the same model). He did say though that if a local colorado store manager approves it, that they could replace it with an in store phone of identical make and model after I have the entire previous process completed. I am going to attempt this, and I will post back my findings.

I see what happened. For the most part, the insurance company is *supposed* to give you a replacement phone that is either the same exact model, or the next model up if the current model isn't available. Apparently, the phone insurance company (Asurion) tried to screw you over. What I would have done is either ask for a supervisor, or callback to see what another representative would have said.

Unfortunately, your problem is not with Cricket, but with the insurance company, which goes by the name "Asurion" (www.asurion.com). They actually have a new website at http://www.phoneclaim.com. You can file a claim online there. There is also a schedule of replacement phones and deductible amounts

http://www.
phoneclaim.com/Cricket/Deductible/Deductible.htm

The insurance is well worth the money in my opinion. Yeah, it's $5 per month, but I am more readily able to throw down $50 than $100-$300 to replace my phone. It's all how you look at it. You complain about the phone insurance, but it works like car insurance. You have a deductible which you have to pay if your car is lost, stolen, or damaged. The insurance company pays the rest, regardless of the cost. Let's say you had a $500 cell phone (they do exist). Would you pay $5/month for protection that will enable you to get another phone for only $85 when you file a claim? I think it's well worth it. If you are very hard on your phones, it would be worth the money.

Finally, according the Cricket website, the Motorola 265 is a current phone that Cricket sells (among other companies as well). Asurion SHOULD have that phone in stock. I would contact Asurion again if I were you.

Last note, if you try to use a phone that has been "unlocked for Cricket service", Cricket cannot guarantee service on that phone, and their Technical Support team won't be able to help you if you have a technical problem with the phone. You will have to go to the store/company that sold you the "unlocked" phone for help....which may cost you more in the end....