Here’s an interesting story about a Bell Mobility customer who didn’t opt in for the cellphone insurance. Bell started offering their “Smart/Phone Care” in 2008 for $7 per month with a “replacement fee” of $50 for a phone and $150 for a smartphone.
With that said 17-year old Toronto resident Brendan Monk was walking to school and was robbed of his Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant at knifepoint – not once but twice. His mother, Cindy Monk-Fuller, called Bell to see if they can bend on their rules and give him a new phone based on his terrible luck. She stated that “I honestly believed Bell would step up and do something for us, given the circumstances… He worked hard all summer to buy that phone… He was robbed at knifepoint [in November] – on his way to school – so I just really expected Bell to say we’ll replace the phone at the reduced price that you paid for it. Instead, their script is, ‘I’m sorry this is not our responsibility. It doesn’t matter how many services you have with us.”
So weeks passed and the family was stuck paying the monthly bills until she complained to the CBC. In the end Bell agreed to replace both of the stolen phones free of charge (they gave her a pre-owned replacement devices with a 90 return period). Bell Canada spokesperson Jason Laszlo stated that “I’m happy to say that Ms. Monk-Fuller accepted our most recent offer”.
Looking at it from both sides this is unfortunate in many areas. First, the fact that Monk was robbed twice. Second, is that no insurance was purchased for a device that “he worked hard all summer to buy”. I mean if you really value something would you want to spend a bit more to protect it? If you have an uninsured iPad and it was stolen, would you ask Apple to give you a new one? How about a watch, would you go to Rolex or Timex and complain until they give in and send a new one your way? Lastly, it’s unfortunate from a Bell standpoint because they were never in the wrong here… actually the only thing Bell did wrong was give in because now anyone is in a similar situation can use this example and possibly score a new phone too.
Bell also stated that if your device is lost or stolen you should report it as soon as possible and Bell will immediately deactivate the device and mark it in their systems as either as either lost or stolen.
Source: CBC
