O2 Switch Up and Thirdparty insurance voids the switch up element of the plus plans?

[rustcohle]

Hello all,

I am in the last year of my contract and annoyingly this contact was renewed a matter of days/weeks before the plus plans came in (from memory).

Typically once I get to the point where the sale of the phone covers the remainder of the handset contract I upgrade to something newer. Hopefully this will be the last time with the ability to go on to the plus plans.

I went instore to get some figures and there was a question mark over third party insurance and plus plans. I used to be with o2 insure but after a while I switched the insurance out to a third party because it was considerably cheaper. The sales rep has said that if I go onto a plus plan (switch up bolt on) and EVER need to claim on third party insurance to have my phone replaced I will lose the option/benefit of using switch up and starting the contract again with a new phone/contract further down the line. Essentially third party insurance voids being able to use switch up in the event you ever have to claim on the insurance policy.

Is this true or is this a cheeky way of getting people back on to o2 insure? No one in their right mind is not going to insure their phones these days with the value (price) of them.

Obviously when you get a new phone from either a third party insurance OR o2 insurance, they come with the refurbished serial number anyway so it's not like the o2 refurbs are inherently better. Even if the phone was in good condition and passed their grading check, the IMEI checks out and it is indeed what it says it is it would still be a no?

As I'm willing to effectively pay the last year (ish) of the handset there's nothing stopping me from just changing provider altogether but I did want to get the answer to this before doing anything.

[MI5]

@rustcohle 

The terms are very clear in that as long as the device meets the inspection criteria it will be accepted.

f. you provide a device with an IMEI code that does not match the device that was provided by us at the start of the existing contract, except for devices that may have been replaced under a valid insurance plan or warranty which no longer have the same IMEI code as the original device.

O2 Switch Up - Terms and Conditions | O2

[rustcohle]

Hey there,

Thank you for the reply.

Very clear?

I did read the terms and conditions and thought that as long as I could prove it was replaced via a genuine scheme there wouldn't be an issue. This was at least my understanding of the T&C's.

However, when you go into the o2 store and both of the o2 reps tell you that they're 99% sure that claiming on third party insurance would prevent you from using the switch up feature it does make one doubt the T&C's and wish to seek further clarification. I didn't see any * or alike to point to anything in a footnote that would suggest it only applies to o2 contracts.

[madasaf1sh]

@rustcohle 

It all depends on the store, as the ones near me seem to be switched on others seem to make up the rules as they go along...  the only advice I was given around insurance was just to make sure it was seen on the o2 network and has made calls, used data etc.. 

As I turn down the o2 insurance, as I have it on numerous other accounts.. and they have never had a problem with the this or called it out as an issue..

[MI5]

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@rustcohle wrote:

Hey there,

Thank you for the reply.

Very clear?

I did read the terms and conditions and thought that as long as I could prove it was replaced via a genuine scheme there wouldn't be an issue. This was at least my understanding of the T&C's.

However, when you go into the o2 store and both of the o2 reps tell you that they're 99% sure that claiming on third party insurance would prevent you from using the switch up feature it does make one doubt the T&C's and wish to seek further clarification. I didn't see any * or alike to point to anything in a footnote that would suggest it only applies to o2 contracts.

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@rustcohle 

Complete rubbish from the store but that's no surprise these days.

There are no exceptions and as I said, it's very clear that any insurance replacements are acceptable as long as the condition criteria is met for the device, ie undamaged and fully working.

[benfphillips]

That would make sense, and yes any replacement would be used on the o2 network. To give you some content I've had to claim twice in my 20+ years of owning a mobile phone, I am the sort of person who can't use a device if it has a cracked screen and how others do it is beyond me!

I used to work in sales and retention in call centre, for BT no less, but also as management and I understand the pressure of the job to sell the value-adds, so I'm fully aware of the type of things that go on to "assist" customers in making their decisions, lets say.

I'm hoping someone with experience of 3rd party insurance and using switch up might see this and chime in.

Edit: It seems I have two o2 community accounts since Virgin mobile was absorbed and they gave me a separate o2 account rather than merging it with my main account. I'll need to get one deleted I guess, but for the sake of clarity, RustCohle is the other account. It seems my phone and desktop browser were logged into different accounts!

[jonsie]

Repairs must be with genuine parts otherwise the warranty is void?