Insure Your Gear

So I just looked on Amazon for a Petzl OK Triact locking carab. It gives me the option to add a 2-year insurance plan for a mere $3....

anybody have any experience with this? Is it a good service?

If you have a homeowner's policy or renter's insurance policy, all your worldly possessions are covered for damage or loss (within the restrictions of the policy).  Usually, the add on policies as sold above are a waste of money. Especially on cheap and insanely durable climbing gear. Maybe worthwhile on an expensive laptop or cell phone which is susceptible to damage, but that's pretty much it.

GoatSlayer wrote:

So I just looked on Amazon for a Petzl OK Triact locking carab. It gives me the option to add a 2-year insurance plan for a mere $3....

anybody have any experience with this? Is it a good service?

An insurance plan on a carabiner? What? No way - don't even consider it.

Companies make more money on these insurance policies than they do on the products.

If losing a $23 carabiner would be such a blow to your finances that you are even considering insurance, you probably can't afford it...

Anonymous wrote:

That caribiner makes me wonder if you've been reading the Petzl self-belay articles.

This comment makes me wonder if you've been reading Petzl self-belay articles.

My experience with the amazon warranties are fairly good.  99% of the time they are No Questions Asked (NQA).  What some friends have done with non climbing gear is 1 month prior to their warranty expiring they have exchanged their item for a brand new one and then they don't have to worry about it for another few years.  I had a buddy do this with his garmin watch and since the time of his purchase they came out with a new watch and discontinued his watch so he essentially got a free upgrade to a new watch.

I know my example is not totally relevant but its what amazon does to themselves.

Daniel T wrote:

My experience with the amazon warranties are fairly good.  99% of the time they are No Questions Asked (NQA).  What some friends have done with non climbing gear is 1 month prior to their warranty expiring they have exchanged their item for a brand new one and then they don't have to worry about it for another few years.  I had a buddy do this with his garmin watch and since the time of his purchase they came out with a new watch and discontinued his watch so he essentially got a free upgrade to a new watch.

That is a shitty thing to do. 

Daniel T wrote:

My experience with the amazon warranties are fairly good.  99% of the time they are No Questions Asked (NQA).  What some friends have done with non climbing gear is 1 month prior to their warranty expiring they have exchanged their item for a brand new one and then they don't have to worry about it for another few years.  I had a buddy do this with his garmin watch and since the time of his purchase they came out with a new watch and discontinued his watch so he essentially got a free upgrade to a new watch.

I know my example is not totally relevant but its what amazon does to themselves.

I guess there will always be dirtbags who take advantage of shit and ruin it for everyone else... you must be so proud...

Oh boy. 

All you rule and regulation diehards must have gotten into climbing for the wholesome nature of the activity. Cumbaya and smores and shit.
People figuring out how to work the system that is essentially built to rob them is not inherently wrong.
Just because it makes your butt pucker a little when you hear of someone acting outside of your moral compass doesn't mean they're fucking up, it just might mean that your ethics are different than theirs.
Now lets examine how exactly someone taking advantage of a 3 dollar insurance policy is ruining anything for you. Do you think the insurance company is going to decide to go out of business? Do you think that they don't factor in people taking advantage of their 'service' when they set up rates?
Is it because REI's return policy has been shortened to a single year?
C'mon man. If it's because Jesus told you stealing is wrong say that, don't act like someones taking the ice cream away from you...

simplyput wrote:

Oh boy. 

All you rule and regulation diehards must have gotten into climbing for the wholesome nature of the activity. Cumbaya and smores and shit.
People figuring out how to work the system that is essentially built to rob them is not inherently wrong.
Just because it makes your but pucker a little when you hear of someone acting outside of your moral compass doesn't mean they're fucking up, it just might mean that your ethics are different than theirs.
Now lets examine how exactly someone taking advantage of a 3 dollar insurance policy ruining anything for you. Do you think the insurance company is going to decide to go out of business? Do you think that they don't factor in people taking advantage of their 'service' when they set up rates?
Is it because REI's return policy has been shortened to a single year?
C'mon man. If it's because Jesus told you stealing is wrong say that, don't act like someones taking the ice cream away from you...

I don't even know where to start with this post.  

"Figuring out how to work the system that is essentially built to rob them..."  I don't know what system you are participating in, but I suggest you stop participating it in it, if it is built simply to rob you...  Capitalism is voluntary.  If you don't like it then don't participate. 

"It mean that you ethics are different than theirs" - Believe it or not there is such a thing as right and wrong...  And it doesn't really depend on your feelings or your view of ethics... 

First off, it's clear you're stuck in your ways and I in mine, so don't think I'm trying to convince you of anything.
But with that being said:
Anyone who considers buying 3 dollar insurance for a carabiner is participating in a system that is betting on the fact that they will be able to take that 3 dollars without repercussion. How about we create the repercussions?
Yes, their are differences between right and wrong based on ones 'feelings'.
I have no issue slaughtering and butchering beef, in fact it's how I make my living. Here in the US that is perfectly OK, right even. If I were to attempt to ply my trade in a Hindu majority area it would most definitely not be OK, wrong even.
All based on 'feelings'.
In my view, based on my 'feelings' it is WRONG for  pharmaceutical companies to charge whatever they damn well please for life saving drugs, exploiting the poor and sick and benefitting themselves and insurance companies,.
Based on the 'feelings' of pharmaceutical company CEOs this is RIGHT, even proper.
Capitalism isn't the problem.  To monetarily benefit from the naiveté or ignorance of others unchecked is. Not questioning or acting in a way that permits the exploitation of individuals within a society who's only goal is personal profit is a problem.
Taking action in ways that express who we are and what our beliefs are is really all we got. Knowing the possible consequences for these actions and ways to mitigate these consequences is also very helpful.

For most people, the only extended warranties to consider are on expensive and portable electronics such as nice laptops and nice cameras.  That's according to statistics, but if you're hard on things (or like to work the systems that rob you), then...

Stagg54 Taggart wrote:

Believe it or not there is such a thing as right and wrong

LOL

 Capitalism is voluntary.  If you don't like it then don't participate. 

Yeah, right. Sooo easy to just drop out. You just have to be willing to starve or eat out of dumpsters.

On the topic of insuring your gear:

One of the benefits of AAC membership is you can get all your gear insured up to $3275 for $110/year which includes situations that homeowner's/renter's doesn't cover.

n00b wrote:Yeah, right. Sooo easy to just drop out. You just have to be willing to starve or eat out of dumpsters.

Dumpsters aint that bad. I've pulled plenty of great meals out of the garbage. And I've got a full time job!

Well this took a quick turn in to morals and ethics yet again.