Is It Worth Getting The Allstate Protection Plan For Costco Electronics? Here's What Buyers Say

As one of the most well-known wholesale clubs around today, Costco has built a reputation as quite a one-stop shop. You can find an incredibly wide array of essential and non-essential items within its walls. Groceries, toys, car parts, you name it, the store likely has something in stock for you. Not to mention, it even offers gas and, as such rides have become more common, numerous Costco locations have added EV charging stations. On top of all of this, Costco has a range of services pertaining to its products that can sweeten the deal for those debating if they should get a membership.

One such service connects to the range of electronics Costco offers at its stores. As anyone could tell you, electronics can be finicky, and the last thing you want to do is buy a computer, television, or similar pricey item with no protection. That's where the Allstate Protection Plans through Costco come in, allowing you to submit claims 24/7, have items replaced if they fail with normal use, have them covered for spills, drops, and other mishaps depending on the plan, or potentially have your items repaired. If you make an electronics purchase, they can be added on at multiple-year intervals and range in price based on the item. Of course, the question is, are these protection plans worth it?

On paper, these Allstate Protection Plans through Costco seem like no-brainers. As far as what customers who've purchased and used them think, the general consensus is that they're well worth the added cost.

Looking over the many reviews of Costco's Allstate Protection Plans, specifically those on electronics, most agree they're worth buying. When unexpected trouble arose, they paid themselves off in no time.

For instance, Costco website user Kmodi recalled utilizing the 3-year Drops & Spill computers ($500 and above) protection plan twice. One laptop failed, they were given a full refund, with their second being successfully repaired in no time. User NoVAHousehold opted for the 2-year tablet and camera (under $300) protection plan for a Samsung tablet and had to use it for a charging repair, which happened way quicker than anticipated: "They said it would be 1-2 weeks before it could be diagnosed or repaired and then shipped back but we actually got it back in a week. The charging port had gone bad. They replaced it and it's charging fine now."

The 3-year TV (over $1,000) protection plan has been a game-changer for customers, too. Costco user Kona Living said of their experience making a claim about a busted QLED TV from the strange product-maker Samsung, "Within 6 hours claim was approved and since I live on an island where there is no Samsung Athu Service Center and it would too expensive to ship for repair the Square Trade/Allstate refunded the purchase. Awesome service will never by TV without this insurance!!" User jmattioli7 had a great experience with the 3-year TV ($500-$1,000) protection plan, having no trouble filing the claim, getting along great with customer service, and getting their full refund quickly.

Evidently, many stand by Costco's Allstate Protection Plans. However, that's not to say such services have been a guaranteed help for everyone.

Though many accounts paint the Costco Allstate Protection Plan as a must-have add-on, some would disagree. There are numerous instances of it not delivering in the ways buyers hoped.

Going back to the 3-year Drops & Spills computers ($500 and over) protection plan, it left hundreds of customers unimpressed. "I found the CD/DVD drive would not open. This was not a problem when the computer was sent in. Additionally, all of the photos, videos and documents were deleted," user Tam14 shared, noting that it took around a month to even get their computer back. User Disappointed Consumer faced a similar issue, having sent their HP laptop in for an HDMI port repair. When they got it back, their Windows 10 Pro operating system was gone, ultimately resulting in them having to repurchase it.

Pivoting to the 3-year TV (under $500) protection plan, it too didn't meet expectations for many buyers. One user, Mojo, said that they had issues with their LG TV and repeatedly reached out to Allstate, only to be met with unhelpful questions and refusal to be given help from a technician. The aforementioned 3-year TV (over $1,000) protection plan doesn't have a spotless record either. Costco customer Sarah tried using it after their LG TV gave out, only for the replacement they were offered to be from a different brand and lower-priced than the one they paid for. Thankfully, it wasn't LG's massive $35,000 Smart TV. "A lot of hassle on my defective TV and they ended up not 'covering it.'" commented John, highlighting that coverage can be hit or miss.

Overall, the bulk of buyers were happy with their Allstate Protection Plan coverage through Costco. At the same time, the negative anecdotes can't be ignored.