Should you get an Extended Warranty for Kindle e-Readers and Kindle Fire tablets in addition to the standard one-year Warranty that comes with the purchase of Kindle devices from Amazon.
In order to make an informed decision, you need to understand as to what is covered by Amazon’s one-year Warranty on Kindle devices and figure out whether or not any further protection beyond Amazon’s one-year Kindle and Kindle Fire Warranty is necessary.
Amazon’s Kindle Warranty
In general, Amazon provides a 12 month Warranty for almost all Kindle e-Readers and Kindle Fire devices. It needs to be clarified that the Warranty as offered by Amazon is a Limited Warranty which basically covers your Kindle device for manufacturing defects.
In case your Kindle Fire Tablet or Kindle e-Reader develops a problem within the first 12-months of its purchase, Amazon will either repair or replace your device with a brand new device or a refurbished one, as long as the problem can be attributed to a manufacturing defect.
We warrant the Device against defects in materials and workmanship under ordinary consumer use for one year from the date of original retail purchase – Amazon
It is clear from above, that accidental damage due to drops, water damage or other reasons is not covered by the Limited Kindle Fire Warranty from Amazon.
Note: The 12 month Limited Warranty is not applicable to the popular $50 Kindle Fire Tablet, which is only covered by a 90 day limited warranty from Amazon.
Square Trade Warranty and Protection Plan For Kindle
SquareTrade’s Extended Warranty for Kindle e-Readers and Kindle Fire Tablets offers an inexpensive way to cover your Kindle devices against accidental damage.
Compared to other warranties, SquareTrade claims to be about 40% cheaper, SquareTrade protection plans for Kindle Fire Tablets and Kindle e-Readers are attractively priced at $9.99/year, $16 for two years, and a very reasonable $22 keeps your Kindle device insured for a whooping 3 years.
Apart from price, what really makes SquareTrade stand out against the competition is the clarity in its terms and conditions and the huge reputation that SquareTrade enjoys with its satisfied customers, as evidenced by over 45,000 reviews on Amazon.
Note: Prices may vary due to sales/offers (Check Current Prices at Amazon).
What is Covered By Square Trade Extended Warranty
SquareTrade Extended Warranty and protection plan for Kindle and Kindle Fire Tablets covers you against the following.
1. Accidental Drops: It is not uncommon for users to end up with Cracked screens and damage to internal components of a device, resulting from accidental drops.
2. Water Damage: Although not as common as drops, the second biggest cause of damage to Tablets, Phones and e-Readers is due to water and liquid spills on tablets and phones that can happen due to the most common habit or need for multitasking – Eating or drinking while interacting with a phone or tablet.
3. Full Water Immersion: This appears to be a very rare occurrence, unless you happen to be working near water or end up dropping your Kindle device in the bath tub. Full water immersion can result in total damage to your device.
4. Antenna/Charging Port Failure: You are covered in case the poor Wi-Fi reception on your device is due to a problem with the Antenna or you are experiencing problems while charging your device due to a problem with the charging port.
5. Touch Screen Failure: Any problem or malfunctioning of the touch screen that makes the device unusable is covered by SquareTrade.
6. Battery Failure: In case the battery of your Kindle device is unable to hold charge or drains too quickly, you are covered by Square Trade’s Warranty and protection plan for Kindle.
7. Mechanical and Electrical Problems: Square Trade Warranty protects you in case your Kindle Fire Tablet or Kindle e-Reader develops problems to its screen, buttons or internal components after Amazon’s one Year Limited Warranty expires.
8. Good Coverage: SquareTrade extended Warranty pays for 100% of the cost of parts and labour with absolutely no deductibles or hidden fees. It also pays for the cost of shipping your device both ways.
SquareTrade Warranty Cancellation and Refunds
An attractive feature of SquareTrade Extended Warranty for Kindle devices is that you can cancel the coverage at any time you change your mind or see no great value in paying for an Extended Warranty.
Cancelling the coverage within first 90 days gets you a full refund. After this period, SquareTrade will return any unused part of the Protection plan on a pro-rated basis.
For example, you will get 50% of your money back in case you decide to cancel a 2–year Protection plan for your Kindle Fire Tablet after 12 months with no claims.
What is Not Covered By SquareTrade Warranty
SquareTrade Warranty and protection plan for Kindle e-Readers and Kindle Fire Tablets does not provide coverage in case your device is lost, stolen or damaged due to misuse.
After looking for information about this topic we discovered that SqureTrade does not cover theft in order to keep the cost of its Warranty competitive.
SquareTrade Warranty For Kindle and Fire Tablets: Availability
You can but SquareTrade Warranty for Kindle E-Readers and Kindle Fire Tablets from Amazon. The Warranty or Protection For Kindle and Kindle Fire Tablets is generally available in terms ranging from 1 to 3 years.
- 2 Year Protection Plan Plus Accident Protection For Kindle Paperwhite
- 2 Year Protection Plan Plus Accident Protection For Kindle Fire HD8 Tablet
Conclusion
In case you are looking for an extended Warranty, it makes a lot of sense to go for SquareTrade considering its solid reputation, transparent business model and the type of coverage that it offers at competitive rates.
If you are uncertain about whether or not to purchase an Extended Warranty, you need to take a look at your past and see if there are incidents of damage to devices due to contributing factors like – Hardwood Floors, Large Family, Outdoor use and Kids with lots of energy.
Another way to look at this would be to go by the cost of the device and evaluate the impact on your finances in case a device is accidentally damaged and you need to replace it.