Smartphone, laptop or tablet: some electrical devices cost a lot of money. It is even more annoying when the piece falls or gets damaged. Specialty stores, online stores and manufacturers take advantage of this fear by offering you a warranty extension or extension at the time of purchase. This allows you to extend the warranty period and protect it against further damage (e.g. due to falls, humidity, theft).

Why is it not worth it?

“PlusGarantie” and “PlusSchutz” (MediaMarkt/Saturn), “Assurant Protection Device Protection” (Amazon) or “AppleCare+” – the names are varied. But behind this there is always relatively expensive additional insurance. Two examples:

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The 200 euro tablet will cost you 12.5 percent or 30 percent more with one of the two variants of the example. The number of smartphones even increased by 72 percent in three years. With the most economical “PlusGuarantee”, damage caused by accidents, humidity, theft and robbery is not insured; For this, the more expensive “PlusProtection” is needed.

And this begs the question: What do you really get for your money in the event of damage? The following screenshots are hidden here:

• No new device as replacement: In the event of total loss or theft, you will typically only receive an “equivalent” device. Since your device was already used, you should also expect a used device when replacing it.
• Deductible in case of damage: With some suppliers, you must cover part of the repair costs yourself in case of damage, e.g. B. 10 percent of the purchase price. For a smartphone that costs 700 euros, it is 70 euros.
• Wear not included in insurance: Damage such as scratches, dents and dents (e.g. on the smartphone screen) that arise simply from wear and tear are usually not insured.

And if things go very wrong, you won't be refunded anything – for example, if your device is stolen if you “negligently” stored it away. Is his smartphone e.g. For example, if something is stolen from the backpack on your back, it counts as negligence. So he paid for their extended warranty for free.

Our advice: Think carefully about whether you really need additional protection. Read the fine print carefully. Don't let anything sell you what you don't want. If you have been convinced to extend your warranty, you have 14 days to cancel the contract.

What do other insurance policies cover?

Additional collateral is also not necessary because you may already be protected by other insurance policies. Will you have a laptop or smartphone, for example? If it is stolen in a burglary or robbery, for example, your home contents insurance will cover it. You are also covered in case of damage caused by fire or water. If someone drops their smartphone, they will have to pay for the damages, either out of their own pocket or from their private liability insurance.

The original of this article “AppleCare+, PlusProtection & Co.: Is an additional warranty worth it?” comes from Finanztip.