ASURION Musical Instrument Plan Review: Conditional 6.8/10
Eight months. That’s how long Reddit user hopeful_syllabub1845 said they waited after Asurion received their Xbox controller: “it’s been a little over 8 months now and still no word back from asurion.” Against that, multiple Amazon reviewers describe refunds arriving “within minutes” of a phone call. The reality of the ASURION Musical Instrument Protection Plan looks less like a simple warranty and more like a process lottery. Verdict: Conditional buy, 6.8/10.
Quick Verdict
ASURION Musical Instrument Protection Plan: Conditional
| What users highlight | Evidence from user feedback | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fast claims (best-case) | A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “within minutes, she authorized a full refund… within an hour… issued an Amazon gift card.” | Gigging musicians needing quick turnaround |
| Slow/blocked claims (worst-case) | Reddit user hopeful_syllabub1845 said: “a little over 8 months now and still no word back.” | Anyone who can’t tolerate downtime |
| Refunds often exclude tax | A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “the tax i’d paid wasn’t covered.” | Buyers in high sales-tax areas |
| Confusion identifying the right plan | A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “they don’t state which item is covered by which policy.” | Heavy Amazon shoppers with many plans |
| Manufacturer-warranty “handoff” frustration | A reviewer on ComplaintsBoard.com wrote: “they blame it on ‘manufacture warranties’… so really the 2 year… plan is a 1 year plan.” | People buying coverage expecting day-one service |
| Some report packaging costs | A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “i had to pay to package… which cost me $100.” | Buyers of large PA systems/awkward gear |
Claims vs Reality
Asurion’s own plan language promises speed and simplicity: “most claims approved within minutes” and “you pay $0 for repairs – parts, labor and shipping included.” Digging deeper into user reports, those promises can be true—sometimes dramatically so. A verified buyer on Amazon described the “hardest thing” as finding the right policy email, but once found: “within minutes… authorized a full refund… within an hour… issued an Amazon gift card.”
But the same “easy claims” marketing collides with stories of prolonged silence and failed logistics. Reddit user hopeful_syllabub1845 said tracking showed the controller arrived, then “it took 5 days for my order to process,” and after that: “a little over 8 months now and still no word back.” In another Reddit thread, a commenter described labels and links that “never arrived” or were “a broken link,” adding: “they did everything they could to make sure that i couldn’t complete the process.”
Coverage messaging also gets muddy when manufacturer warranties enter the chat. One ComplaintsBoard.com reviewer recounted being told to call the manufacturer first because the product was still under the maker’s warranty, despite having purchased coverage: “i paid for a 2 year… plan… so really the 2 year… plan is a 1 year plan but your paying for 2 years.” While officially the Amazon listing states “malfunctions covered after the manufacturer’s warranty,” multiple users interpret the handoff as shrinking the practical value window.
Cross-Platform Consensus
Universally Praised
The most consistent upside is speed when the process clicks—especially for working musicians or buyers who need a replacement fast and can’t afford extended downtime. A recurring pattern emerged across Amazon reviews: file a claim, get a label, ship the item, receive an Amazon gift card quickly. A verified buyer on Amazon said: “my claim was literally resolved within minutes,” framing it as the “least painful warranty process” they’d experienced. For someone relying on gear for church or events, another verified buyer described a kind, guided phone experience: “the associate was very kind… and they would issue a refund immediately on a amazon gift card.”
Refund outcomes also show up as “full purchase price” in many success stories—at least for the item price. A verified buyer on Amazon wrote: “within minutes… authorized a full refund ($179)… within an hour… issued an Amazon gift card for $179.” Another verified buyer connected the protection plan directly to out-of-warranty timing: “out of warranty is when trouble started and the extended warranty kicked in!”
For buyers who dread paperwork, several Amazon reviewers emphasize the low-friction feel. A verified buyer on Amazon said: “quick gift card by email with shipping label… i did not have to jump through hoops.” Another put it even more bluntly: “super easy to make claim, return the defective item & receive payment for replacement.” In those accounts, the plan functions as a fast reimbursement pipeline—particularly helpful for instruments and accessories where repair may not be practical.
Key praised themes (from Amazon reviews):
- Fast authorization and fast gift-card reimbursement in successful claims
- Clear next steps (label, ship, reimbursement) when the claim proceeds normally
- Perceived value when gear fails after the manufacturer warranty window
Common Complaints
The biggest red flag isn’t denial—it’s process breakdowns and long silence. Reddit user hopeful_syllabub1845 said their replacement flow effectively stalled: “if you read some post in this reddit most people have the same story… when they contact asurion they will ether say nothing or say something went wrong on your side of it.” For musicians or parents buying “peace of mind,” that kind of uncertainty can be worse than a straightforward “no.”
Another recurring problem is logistics friction: labels, links, and “do it again” loops. In the “Is Asurion any good?” Reddit thread, one commenter said: “i was mailed three labels that never arrived and then was given a broken link… they did everything they could to make sure that i couldn’t complete the process.” On Sitejabber, Catherine M. described sending receipts repeatedly and getting stuck in an upload loop: “the email to upload the receipt kept going in a continuous loop of ‘unavailable’… the call would either be dropped or not answered.”
Money details also frustrate people—especially when the reimbursement is not what they expected. A verified buyer on Amazon reported: “i got refunded $4.00 less than what i paid,” and said the reason “was not explained.” Multiple Amazon reviewers also warn that tax may not be included. One verified buyer wrote: “they do not cover the tax just the price you purchased it for,” echoed by another: “the tax i’d paid wasn’t covered.”
Common complaint themes (Reddit, Amazon, ComplaintsBoard.com, Sitejabber):
- Stalled claims and lack of follow-up communication
- Shipping label / document submission failures and repetitive requests
- Confusion and dissatisfaction around reimbursement amounts and tax
- Manufacturer-warranty handoff creating “I paid for coverage, but they sent me elsewhere” frustration
Divisive Features
Even when claims succeed, some users describe the experience as “easy” only after finding the right paperwork. A verified buyer on Amazon said: “the hardest thing i had to do was find the right asurion policy… they don’t state which item is covered by which policy.” For occasional buyers with one plan, that may be trivial; for frequent Amazon shoppers with multiple plans, it becomes a scavenger hunt through emails and dates.
Packaging and shipping are another dividing line. The marketing says shipping is included, yet one verified buyer on Amazon said they had to pay for packaging a large PA system: “couldn’t find a box big enough… which cost me $100… even though the actual shipping was covered.” Smaller instruments may avoid this issue entirely, while bulky gear owners could feel blindsided.
Trust & Reliability
“Scam” language appears most sharply in community threads when claims stall. Reddit user hopeful_syllabub1845 framed it as a warning: “if you bought asurion insurance for any electronic good luck to ya!” In the “Is Asurion any good?” Reddit thread, a commenter concluded: “i’ve basically been paying for a scam,” describing a two-year effort to complete returns and recommending escalation through Amazon: “you need to deal with amazon - not asurion.”
At the same time, verified-purchase Amazon reviews frequently describe the opposite: “no fuss,” “quick and painless,” and “resolved within minutes.” The reliability story, based on user reports, seems less about whether Asurion can pay and more about whether the workflow functions cleanly for your specific claim, item type, and documentation trail.
Longer-term timelines show the contrast most starkly: one Reddit user recounts “8 months” with no resolution, while multiple Amazon reviewers describe resolution in “minutes” or “within a week.” That gap is the core trust problem: outcomes appear unpredictable across user experiences.
Alternatives
Only a few alternatives are explicitly mentioned in the data, but they’re revealing. In the Reddit “Is Asurion any good?” thread, the original poster compared an Asurion offer to AppleCare, calling the Asurion tablet plan “a heck of a good deal compared to apple care.” The same thread includes commenters pushing back hard; one wrote “short answer: no,” and another advised that “extended warranties are a huge profit maker.”
Another named competitor is Allstate/SquareTrade on eBay (a separate protection plan listing). While that listing isn’t a set of user experiences about Asurion itself, it signals that buyers cross-shop protection plans across providers for similar “drops/cracked screen” coverage language.
Based strictly on what’s mentioned:
- AppleCare is used as the “more expensive but known” comparison point in user discussion.
- Allstate/SquareTrade appears as a competing protection plan option in marketplace listings.
Price & Value
Pricing varies widely by instrument price tier, which shapes perceived value. The Amazon listing for the higher tier shows $151.99 for a “4 Year Musical Instrument Accident Protection Plan ($1250 - $1499.99).” At the low end, another plan tier shows $8.99 for “($40 - $49.99).” For buyers of inexpensive instruments (like the Reddit user considering a $99 violin with a $15 plan), the plan can feel like a small bet—until the claim process itself becomes the cost in time and frustration.
Value also hinges on reimbursement details. Multiple Amazon reviewers highlight that reimbursement may exclude tax. A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “the tax i’d paid wasn’t covered,” and another echoed: “they do not cover the tax just the price you purchased it for.” Another value leak is packaging: one verified buyer said their oversized return cost them “$100” just to box it up.
Community “buying tips” embedded in stories tend to be procedural, not musical. A verified buyer on Amazon recommended (implicitly) keeping policy emails organized: “i searched my saved emails for asurion… used that date to identify the relevant policy.” And a Reddit commenter suggested escalation pathways when stuck: “deal with amazon - not asurion… i didn’t get anywhere until i complained to amazon and asked for a supervisor.”
FAQ
Q: Is the ASURION Musical Instrument Protection Plan easy to file a claim with?
A: Sometimes. A verified buyer on Amazon said: “within minutes… authorized a full refund,” while Reddit user hopeful_syllabub1845 said: “it’s been a little over 8 months now and still no word back.” Multiple accounts describe either fast gift cards or stalled workflows.
Q: Does Asurion reimburse sales tax?
A: Many users say no. A verified buyer on Amazon noted: “the tax i’d paid wasn’t covered,” and another wrote: “they do not cover the tax just the price you purchased it for.” Users generally describe reimbursement matching the item price rather than total checkout cost.
Q: Does the plan cover issues during the manufacturer warranty period?
A: User experiences suggest you may be directed to the manufacturer first. A reviewer on ComplaintsBoard.com wrote that Asurion told them to call the manufacturer because the item was “under a year” and the maker warranty was “still in affect,” which they felt made the paid plan effectively shorter.
Q: Will you always get the full amount you paid for the item?
A: Not always, according to some reports. A verified buyer on Amazon said: “i got refunded $4.00 less than what i paid… it was not explained.” Others describe full item-price refunds, like: “authorized a full refund ($179)… issued an Amazon gift card for $179.”
Q: What’s the most common “gotcha” users mention?
A: Tracking the right policy and handling return logistics. A verified buyer on Amazon said: “the hardest thing… was find the right asurion policy,” and another described paying to package a large return: “couldn’t find a box… cost me $100,” even though shipping was covered.
Final Verdict
Buy the ASURION Musical Instrument Protection Plan if you’re comfortable treating it as a reimbursement process that can be extremely fast when everything lines up—and you’re disciplined about saving receipts and policy emails. Avoid if you can’t risk administrative delays or need guaranteed, predictable turnaround; Reddit user hopeful_syllabub1845’s “8 months” wait is the nightmare scenario.
Pro tip from the community: keep policy confirmations searchable and tied to purchase dates—A verified buyer on Amazon said they had to “search my saved emails for asurion” and match it to the order date to find the correct coverage.
