Surge Protector Warranties Not Applicable with Insurance

Abaddon on 06/11/2017 - 15:13

I have been looking at getting new Surge Protector devices to replace DSE branded devices for which the warranties no longer apply. (Home entertainment boards with AC, antannae and ethernet. As well as individual port with phone line devices.

The purpose of buying these devices is to protect my equipment as well as protect my wallet as I won't need to shell out for a Home Contents insurance excess if affected by lightning strike or similar surge.

I have seen comments from multiple OzBargain users with similar ideas, i.e "Surge protector on sale is much cheaper than insurance excess".

Anyway I started digging into the terms and conditions of popular brands I'm considering and it turns out they won't apply since I have home contents insurance.

CyberPower (https://www.cyberpower.com/au/en/support/warranty/ceg)
"Connected Equipment Guarantee is not "first dollar" coverage. CyberPower’s obligation is limited to the damage if you are not entitled to recover from other sources including but not limited to insurance, other warranty coverage, or extended warranty coverage even if you do not claim for recovery from the other source(s)."

Belkin (http://www.belkin.com/au/terms-and-conditions-cew/)
"repair or replacement of the damaged Connected Equipment is covered by a third party’s manufacturer’s warranty, a seller’s extended warranty, or your insurance policy"

SO WHAT IS THE POINT… If I have no cover I might as well keep or replace the boards with new DSE boards (cheaper and have the ports I'm after)

Or can someone recommend a device with insurance for connected equipment which I can use rather than home contents insurance policy?

Poll Options

  • 2
    No Point
  • 3
    Backup in case home contents won't pay up
  • 1
    Worth it just for protection
  • 1
    Use another brand... (I haven't found one yet, please list alternative in the comments)
Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • kipps on 06/11/2017 - 15:51
    -1

    I don’t think surge board protection is worth the effort.

    The last surge we had it blew up our home alarm PSTN interface (ie not on surge board) and a few other devices (ie not on any one surge board).

    I wouldn’t even know where the proof of purchase is for each surge board.

    Surge boards won’t save you from everything.

    The most extreme surge is going to destroy a heap of equipment such that you will have to claim on home & contents anyway.

    The most critical stuff is kept on a UPS at our place rather than a surge board. I am not sure that even a UPS has better protection.

    If they had warranties that were worthwhile they would be extremely expensive.

  • HighAndDry on 06/11/2017 - 16:07
    +3

    Surge protection is for convenience so that you aren't stuck for weeks waiting for a replacement appliances or electrical goods, or in case your other insurances are being a dick and not paying out.

    Why you would rely on an electrical equipment manufacturer as arguably your primary source of insurance protection is frankly beyond me.

    And considering that a surge-protected power board, even one with connected appliances/devices warranty is only maybe $10's more expensive than a no-name power board, it's a no-brainer for devices/appliances worth $1000's.

  • whooah1979 on 06/11/2017 - 18:38

    Do you have a partner? If yes, then consider putting their name as the policy holder and exclude those items you have connected to the power boards from their policy.

    • wordplay on 07/11/2017 - 20:48

      but then if they get damaged in any other manner - fire, break in, flood rtc… won't they not be covered by the sure protector warranty (and obviously un-insured)

  • westom on 08/11/2017 - 01:30

    Only insurance (warranty) that has any value is provided by companies (insurance companies) required by laws to honor that warranty. Those protector warranties are so full of fine print exemptions as to not be honored.

    Take a $4 power strip. Add some ten cent protector parts. Sell it for $25 or $85. It is a profit center; not effective protection. Either you want effective protection or you want an insurance policy from companies of integrity (that are required to honor your claims).

    Those surge boards do not even claim to protect from potentially destructive surges. How does its 2 cm protector part 'block' what three kilometers of sky cannot? How does its hundreds of joules 'absorb' potentially destructive surges - hundreds of thousands of joules? A word scam is relevant.

    Do you want insurance or protection? Two completely different items from completely different sources.

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