With the introduction of the Pixel 4 and 4 XL, Google is making some changes to its Preferred Care plan. Firstly, you can now buy Preferred Care even after you’ve purchased a device. The “remorse period” applies up to 15 days after your device has been shipped.
Google has also made some price changes this time around. The deductible has been hiked by $20 to $149 for the Pixel 4 XL. The deductible for the regular Pixel 4 is $129, the same as that of the Pixel 3 XL. The regular Pixel 3, meanwhile, sees the deductible drop by $30 to $99.
The Pixel XL, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel Slate, Pixelbook, and the Pixelbook Go owners will also have to pay $99 per claim. The Pixel 3a XL owners will have to pay $89 as deductible, whereas the Pixel 3a, Pixel 2 and the Pixel owners can avail the same benefits for $79.
Google Preferred Care plan
Google’s Preferred Care offers two years of accidental damage coverage and one year extended warranty to a number of Google products, including the Pixel 4, 4 XL, Pixel 3a, 3a XL, Pixel 3, 3 XL, Pixel Slate, Pixelbook, and Pixelbook Go. Preferred Care costs $149 per device for the Pixel 4, 4 XL, Pixelbook Go, and Pixel Slate. The plan is priced at $129 per device for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, $89 per device for the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, and $249 per device for the Pixelbook.
Preferred Care is currently available for devices purchased from the Google Store in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico only. It covers your device for up to two incidents of accidental damage that includes drops, spills, and cracks. Device repair or replacement is handled by New York City-based Assurant.
Google also has a same-day screen repair service in place in partnership with uBreakiFix. You only need to pay the deductible for these walk-in repairs. For the Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL, 4, and 4 XL, you can even save up to $50 off their designated deductible.
Google Fi has a similar but cheaper plan
Google Fi also offers a similar insurance package for your Pixel smartphones. Called Device Protection, it is a monthly subscription service. The monthly charge is set at $8 for the Pixel 4 duo, $7 for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, and $5 for the rest of the eligible Pixel devices.
The deductibles are much cheaper than the Preferred Care plan, though. You’ll need to pay $79 and $99 per claim for your new Pixel 4 and 4 XL, respectively. The uBreakiFix screen repair costs for the Pixel 4 duo have not been announced yet. The screen replacement rate for the Pixel 3 and 3 XL is set at $39 and $49, respectively.
The Google Fi Device Protection plan covers your phone for up to two incidents of accidental damage in any rolling 12-month period. You also get extended manufacturer’s warranty for as long as a device is enrolled.