To Insure or Not to Insure...DJI Care vs. Alternatives

Final thoughts...

As previously stated, the NAM policy explicitly excludes any coverage of:

1. Battery
2. Props
3. Transmitter
4. Charger

In most catastrophic crashes, the battery is ejected and damaged. If the bird goes down into water, even if recovered, the battery is certainly destroyed. So, every covered claim for a catastrophic crash under NAM will cost the policy holder a minimum of $110 to replace the battery and another $10 to replace the props. Batteries, props, and even the transmitter, are all fully covered under DJI's free 1 year manufacturer's warranty, when no pilot error is involved in a crash. The transmitter and charger will always survive the crash, but extra ones are included in all purchases.

So when comparing the NAM policy to buying another aircraft, another new aircraft will come with a second transmitter ($180 current resale value), a brand new P3 battery ($110), two sets of new props ($20), and another new P3P charger ($70). If you shop around, and, instead, buy a lightly used uncrashed P3P for $500 with all the original equipment, you get $270 worth of extra parts, in addition to the lightly used uncrashed P3P that you need, that can be resold, or kept, reducing the cost of the needed aircraft with gimbal and 4K camera and battery to a mere $230.

A Gold NAM two year P3P policy costs $329 alone, plus $120 per crash, as calculated above, for a new replacement battery and new props after each catastrophic crash, as they are not covered. If you have just one covered catastrophic crash, that's $449 in total to repair a crashed aircraft that you can replace with an uncrashed one for $230 net, including a needed replacement battery. If you self-insure and never crash, or only have free DJI covered warranty crashes, you also save the full $329 NAM policy cost, and have no 15 day waiting period. You get to fly right away!

You decide: $230 net for an uncrashed, "lightly used" replacement P3P, if you self-insure and catastrophically crash your aircraft, or $449 under a two year NAM Gold policy, to repair a catastrophically crashed P3P with refurbished parts, assuming you can even recover the aircraft, and you must prepay $329 of that today, and wait 15 days to fly.
 
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Final thoughts...

As previously stated, the NAM policy explicitly excludes any coverage of:

1. Battery
2. Props
3. Transmitter
4. Charger

In most catastrophic crashes, the battery is ejected and damaged. If the bird goes down into water, even if recovered, the battery is certainly destroyed. So, every covered claim for a catastrophic crash under NAM will cost the policy holder a minimum of $110 to replace the battery and another $10 to replace the props. Batteries, props, and even the transmitter, are all fully covered under DJI Care, or even the manufacturer's free 1 year warranty, when no pilot error is involved. The transmitter and charger will always survive the crash, but extra ones are included in all purchases.

So when comparing the NAM policy to buying another aircraft, another new aircraft will come with a second transmitter ($180 current resale value), a brand new P3 battery ($110), two sets of new props ($20), and another new P3P charger ($70). If you shop around, and, instead, buy a lightly used uncrashed P3P for $500 with all the original equipment, you get $270 worth of extra parts, in addition to the lightly used uncrashed P3P that you need, that can be resold, or kept, reducing the cost of the needed aircraft with gimbal and 4K camera and battery to a mere $230.

A Gold NAM two year P3P policy costs $329 alone, plus $120 per crash, as calculated above, for a new replacement battery and new props after each catastrophic crash, as they are not covered. If you have just one covered catastrophic crash, that's $449 in total to repair a crashed aircraft that you can replace with an uncrashed one for $230 net, including a needed replacement battery. If you self-insure and never crash, or only have free DJI covered warranty crashes, you also save the full $329 NAM policy cost, and have no 15 day waiting period. You get to fly right away!

You decide: $230 net for an uncrashed, "lightly used" replacement P3P, if you self-insure and catastrophically crash your aircraft, or $449 under a two year NAM Gold policy, to repair a catastrophically crashed P3P with refurbished parts, assuming you can even recover the aircraft, and you must prepay $329 of that today, and wait 15 days to fly.

Are you purposely misleading people? We were all content to let this thread die... except you.. why? You had the last word and everything. I find it hard to believe that in all the research you have done on NAM that you did not notice they also offer add-on coverage for the controller and battery.

Also, where can I find these "lightly used" P3P or P3A for such great prices, please link them so others can purchase if they desire. Or is this a "shop around for a few weeks and you will find one!" type of statement you are making? You have made this statement over and over... with your "lightly used" and "$500" (even mentioned $400 for a used P3A) remarks.. cough it up gadget guy :)
 
Batteries, props, and even the transmitter, are all fully covered under DJI Care

Clearly started on DJI website: DJI Care - Keep Flying
II. Exclusions

This plan does not cover:
1) Lost or partially lost aircraft and accessories.
2) Stolen or abandoned aircraft and accessories.
3) Damage caused by flight under unsuitable flight conditions.
4) Any repair fees resulting from or following water damage.
5) Repair fees for battery, propellers, remote controller or other accessories.
6) Deliberate losses.
8) Direct or indirect losses caused by force majeure.
9) Repair requests for damage incurred outside the period of validity.
10) Indirect loss and/or anticipated profit in any form.
11) Extra fees resulting from technical enhancements or performance improvements.
12) Personal injury and/or property loss to the customer or any other people caused by the aircraft.
13) Any legal fees related to DJI Care’s warranty coverage.

Just let this thread die out GadgetGuy. You replies are not helping anyone!
 
I have both DJI Care and a personal article policy via State Farm.

I've exercised the DJI Care once already. In fact, I'm expecting the drone back tomorrow. My experience? The front and back ends (read that mostly as "shipping crap") has been sort of cludgy. The actual repair (from when they checked it in, to when they shipped it back) was basically 24 hours, so that was great. Final score awaiting the condition of the drone when I get it tomorrow. We'll see...

State Farm - this cost me ~$80/yr. No deductible replacement of drone and accessories under any circumstances (crash, swim, lost, whatever). On the surface this seems like a great deal. We'll see how it shakes out if I need to file a claim. I'm a 30 year State Farm customer and have never had a problem. This is the first "outside the usual" (cars, houses, life) policy I've ever had.
I really just want to hear back from this guy???


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Also, where can I find these "lightly used" P3P or P3A for such great prices, please link them so others can purchase if they desire. Or is this a "shop around for a few weeks and you will find one!" type of statement you are making? You have made this statement over and over... with your "lightly used" and "$500" (even mentioned $400 for a used P3A) remarks.. cough it up gadget guy :)

The OP previously said he didn't want the thread to die. See Post #43. He begged us to continue to contribute all relevant information. Thanks for bringing up the add-on coverages available.

Add-on coverage for the transmitter at extra cost is of little use. DJI already covers it for a year for free, and it rarely ever fails. It is also never lost in a crash. Extra add-on insurance for the battery, at an additional cost, only adds to the upfront investment for NAM coverage, but would seem to be necessary, for anyone already purchasing NAM coverage, so I would highly recommend it.

As to where to find replacement aircraft for the year old P3P, the Classified section of this very forum, forum members, and eBay, and elsewhere are great resources. Think of everyone that owned a P3P (several hundred thousand were sold) and decided to upgrade to a P4. Many of them were and are selling them for a song. Others will, too, as the prices keep falling, and the P4 elicits more interest. Some preowned sales even included upgraded transmitters and a plethora of extra batteries, and even cases. Microline has been selling brand new P3P's for $699 for weeks, and the prices will only go lower on any remaining P3P's in the channel, as time goes on. These are fast depreciating assets, whether new or used. Even the P4 will likely drop into the $700 range by next year, after the release of the P5 and P6. The Inspire line just experienced a 35% price reduction within the last week. Lots of opportunities to pick up some great mature aircraft at a bargain, whether new or lightly used! :cool:
 
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Clearly started on DJI website: DJI Care - Keep Flying
II. Exclusions

This plan does not cover:
1) Lost or partially lost aircraft and accessories.
2) Stolen or abandoned aircraft and accessories.
3) Damage caused by flight under unsuitable flight conditions.
4) Any repair fees resulting from or following water damage.
5) Repair fees for battery, propellers, remote controller or other accessories.
6) Deliberate losses.
8) Direct or indirect losses caused by force majeure.
9) Repair requests for damage incurred outside the period of validity.
10) Indirect loss and/or anticipated profit in any form.
11) Extra fees resulting from technical enhancements or performance improvements.
12) Personal injury and/or property loss to the customer or any other people caused by the aircraft.
13) Any legal fees related to DJI Care’s warranty coverage.

Just let this thread die out GadgetGuy. You replies are not helping anyone!
All good information. Thanks for the correction. Post #62 has been edited to reflect it. However, all items under #5 are already fully covered under the free one year DJI manufacturer's warranty, should the aircraft crash due to anything other than pilot error. I don't recommend DJI Care either, compared to the cost of a buying a complete replacement aircraft in a fast depreciating market. But, as has been said before, as long as everyone fully understands all their options and choices, and makes a fully informed decision that is right for them, it's all good. :cool:
 
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All good information. Thanks for the correction. Post #62 has been edited to reflect it. However, all items under #5 are already fully covered under the free one year DJI manufacturer's warranty, should the aircraft crash due to anything other than pilot error. I don't recommend DJI Care either, compared to the cost of a buying a complete replacement aircraft in a fast depreciating market. But, as has been said before, as long as everyone fully understands all their options and choices, and makes a fully informed decision that is right for them, it's all good. :cool:

Here is a link to what DJI covers under the 1 year warranty (as well as the amount of time it is covered). They do not cover Props or other accessories as your post implies. Also the battery is only covered for 6 months (or 200 charges) not a full year.
 
Just don't crash! ;)
@GadgetGuy a number of times you refer to the best insurance is the free warranty. That is not any form of insurance it's like every other electronics warranty policy. It basically breaks down to if it works out of the box it's good. Not much will be covered under warranty. There is tins of exclusions like water. Wear and tear. Abuse etc. . I'm not saying any insurance is the answer either but I would not put so much faith in warranty alone.
 
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I insured mine through my homeowners policy. Amica. Covers lost, broke, stolen. P3P, RC, 5batteries, case, chargers. $37/year.

If it's a flyaway or a possible DJI problem, I'll try them first. If they say no, it's off to Amica.
 
@GadgetGuy a number of times you refer to the best insurance is the free warranty. That is not any form of insurance it's like every other electronics warranty policy. It basically breaks down to if it works out of the box it's good. Not much will be covered under warranty. There is tins of exclusions like water. Wear and tear. Abuse etc. . I'm not saying any insurance is the answer either but I would not put so much faith in warranty alone.
With all due respect, I am speaking from personal experience. I have had two free DJI warranty crash replacements on a single P3P, one after two weeks, and one after 9 months of ownership. In both cases, all damaged parts, including replacement batteries and props, were also replaced free, and DJI covered shipping both ways. YMMV. :cool:
 
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Here is a link to what DJI covers under the 1 year warranty (as well as the amount of time it is covered). They do not cover Props or other accessories as your post implies. Also the battery is only covered for 6 months (or 200 charges) not a full year.
Alone, that is true, but if working props and/or a working battery is destroyed in a DJI manufacturer's warranty covered crash within 1 year, DJI will replace them, too. That has been my personal experience with DJI in two warranty covered crashes over the last year, based upon my purchase of a single P3P aircraft. :cool:
 
Home contents added mine to insurance inc controller, iPad and accessories to £1k. This cost £51 for the year, and was used 4 weeks later when I smashed it into a signpost.. (Muppet [emoji849]) they paid up no probs for a new replacement, and I still have the old one which is repairable [emoji106] I'd say try your home insurer on the off chance, waaaay cheaper than DJI, no sending it in, no arguing as large insurers feel the service is worth the odd insurance hit..


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Who is your insurance?
 
Have to just say this was one of the most annoying threads I've ever read.


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Btw gadget guy. Who would wanna insure you anyway? Two crashes in a year. Jeez lmao


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Btw gadget guy. Who would wanna insure you anyway? Two crashes in a year. Jeez lmao


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Maybe you missed the part about both crashes being covered under warranty due to manufacturing/software defects, with over 200 successful flights in between them! :rolleyes:
 
You are wrong. I have a P3A and the gold policy for 2 years came to $215 (after discount code). No deductible, no shipping as you have implied; I am NOT an experienced pilot. Also the P3P and P3A are not much different besides the 4k cam. So not sure what you are getting on with there. I understand your point but still know that for me $215 was a much better choice than buying a Phantom as a backup and spending $500+ more than I need to in order to get back flying again.
Curious as to what happened and how the claim process went with NAM? Looking around and this seems to the best option. Also any idea where to get a promo code ?

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