While searching for extended warranties to safeguard your purchases, you’ve probably see offers for Allstate protection plans. But are their product warranties worth the cost? In order to evaluate this extended warranty option, you’ll have to ask and answer some questions about plan length, fees and premiums, conditions and limitations, and deductibles.
And while Allstate protection plans have good coverage options, they don't compare to more comprehensive plans. When you subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited, you'll get coverage for all your online purchases under the same product protection plan. For just $9.99 a month, you'll be able to file unlimited claims, access 24/7 customer support, and never deal with deductibles or hidden fees.
Allstate or SquareTrade warranties?
It may be confusing to figure out the difference between Allstate and SquareTrade warranty options, as both companies show up when you're searching for extended warranty options. Allstate acquired SquareTrade in November 2016, and all product-based extended warranties offered by Allstate are serviced through SquareTrade. Here are some common product plans and their accompanying conditions:
What they offer: Extended warranty plans.
- Coverage term length: Monthly.
- Cost of plan: Starts at $8.99/month for one phone or $19.99 for a family plan.
- Claim limits: Up to four claims can be filed for a single phone, while the family plans allow for eight claims/12 months.
- Deductibles and fees: $149 standard deductible.
Laptops
What they offer: Accident protection plans only.
- Coverage length: Two or three years.
- Cost of plan: $59.99-$449.99 depending on the computer cost and whether or not you opt for a deductible.
- Claim limits: Doesn’t cover wear and tear, or other varying conditions based on the specific retailer and item.
- Deductibles and fees: $25-$75 (you can opt for no deductible at a very high yearly premium).
What they offer: Standard protection plans only.
- Coverage length: Three or five years.
- Cost of plan: $99.99-$399.99 depending on the item cost.
- Claim limits: You'll be required to submit pictures of damages, and not all damage/wear and tear is covered.
- Deductibles and fees: $0.
What they offer: Standard and accident protection plans.
- Coverage length: Three years.
- Cost of plan: $19.99-$144.99.
- Claim limits: Vary based on retailer and item.
- Deductibles and fees: $0.
What they offer: Standard protection plans.
- Coverage length: Three or five years.
- Cost of plan: $49.99-$399.99.
- Claim limits: Claims can only be filed within the 30 days following the time of damage, and there is no coverage for outdoor furniture.
- Deductibles and fees: $0.
Protection plans are also available for your TV, tablet, home theater, camera, fitness tracker, smartwatch, and other electronics. If this seemed confusing and it was hard to follow the differences between the plan types, premiums, deductibles and limitations, install the Mulberry extension. You'll never pay any deductibles or fees when you file a claim and you'll always get the lowest-cost coverage, guaranteed.
The pros and cons of SquareTrade warranties
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Pros |
Cons |
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Protection plans are generally better than retailer offers |
Conditions and limits vary greatly and can be hard to understand |
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Standard plans can include $0 deductible (though the plan will be more expensive) |
Premiums can be high to cover $0 deductible; deductibles are also high (like phone repairs at $149 per claim) |
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SquareTrade claims can be filed 24/7 online |
Not all plans offer accidental damage or wear and tear coverage |
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Plans cover a wide range of product categories |
High premiums for expensive items, even for standard coverage |
Is an Allstate/SquareTrade warranty worth it?
Allstate warranties aren’t as expensive as some options on the market, but they’re not the optimal choice. Most SquareTrade protection plans cost more and offer less coverage, compared to an extended warranty option like MulberryCare. Why? When retailers offer SquareTrade warranty plans (as opposed to providing their own warranty solution), you're being up-charged to cover the cost of the middle-man (SquareTrade).
The reality is that the actual cost to protect a product is not nearly as high as the prices you typically see online. In some cases, we’ve seen retailers charge up to 35% of the product price for a protection plan, but the actual insurer cost is a fraction of that.
When you subscribe to Mulberry Unlimited, we're able to offer the most comprehensive coverage on the market for just $9.99 a month. We want you to be able to protect everything you buy online at a very reasonable price; a price that makes it nearly impossible to pass up.
