Trying out Purchase Guard, Q0010 and NTUC's insurance policy for gadgets

Purchase Guard, an insurance policy for gadgets by Qoo10 and NTUC Income, is only applicable to products within two of Qoo10’s sub-categories: TV/Camera/Audio, and Home Electronics (found under the Digital & Mobile main category). We did done some cursory poking-around to learn more about Purchase Guard, and here's what we noticed.

We tested this by entering each sub-category and picking random items with a list price of S$100 or higher from third-party resellers.  This was a point of concern because the Qoo10 site originally (and incorrectly) stated it covered everything under the Digital & Mobile main category.

Not all items in the TV/Camera/Audio segment are covered too, but more often than not, the option to select the Purchase Guard is there. Also, the Mobile Phone sub-category isn’t covered as expected, but smartphones found under TV/Camera/Audio can be covered under Purchase Guard (this is either a mistake on Qoo10’s part, or these third-party sellers are up to funny business, so please be mindful of the risks involved).

Update (27^th July 2017): NTUC Income stated that they have plans to extend Purchase Guard to other Qoo10 sub-categories in the future. 

The two options available are 3-months coverage and 6-months coverage, both starting from date of purchase, with a free one week grace period to account for the for delivery time. Update (27^th July 2017): Qoo10’s website now reflects the correct coverage duration here. Purchase Guard options are independent of other warranties offered by the seller.

Note that the insurance cost varies from product to product. 

Update (27^th July 2017): NTUC Income told us that the Purchase Guard's premium is generally between "5% and 8% of the product’s retail price", and that it's further dependent on the coverage duration.

Finally, the insurance coverage is strictly for products that don’t work as advertised, or work at all. It’s not a complete product warranty, as clearly stated by Qoo10 and NTUC Income. Here’s what is actually covered, once you’ve selected your preferred protection. The following defects are not eligible for Purchase Guard claims, and please note that our list isn’t comprehensive (read the conditions, please):

• Superficial defects that do not affect the gadget’s functionality

• Wear and tear, scratches, stains, discoloration, atmospheric damage, pests, insects

• Defects arising from repairs

• Any accessory, add-on, or free gift related to the insured product

• Shipping costs

Beyond that, the process and expectations on the buyer’s part are pretty standard, as far as online purchases go (again, read the conditions first, and the FAQ here).

Safe shopping, and may the deals be ever in your favor.

This article was first published on Hardware Zone.