What's Dish's policy on replacing Dish's/LNB's due to weather damage?

[sjvirchow]

Here in Nebraska, mother nature is crazy. One minute it could be sunshine, next minute, hail storms. So in the event that mother nature has her way with our dish, knocking it off of alignment, or it being damaged by a hailstorm, what's the replacement policy on something like that, since the thunderstorms are just 'round the corner...

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

In theory, DISH does not cover "acts of God". However, there are methods in dealing with this kind of thing. Are you personally affected currently, or is this an "in case something happens" type thing?

 

[sjvirchow]

This is a "in case something happens" thing.

 

[dnero]

If you are home owner may want to check your home owners insurance they might cover that depending on your coverage and deductible cant hurt to ask.

 

[Frank Jr.]

In theory, DISH does not cover "acts of God". However, there are methods in dealing with this kind of thing. Are you personally affected currently, or is this an "in case something happens" type thing?

Even if you have the service plan?

 

[Tampa8]

Have you read the service plan? No, it doesn't, and specifically says so. I read it before deciding to get it or not.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/legal/ServicePlan.pdf

 

[boba]

Acts of God can still be covered depending on the wording used to describe the circumstances that led to the problrm.

 

[Tampa8]

I can agree there are "loopholes" or circumstances not provided for that can sometimes come up. But honestly, have you read it? It goes to great lengths to exclude them. But sometimes it's all in how it is presented when you describe what is wrong. So yes, I would have to agree.

 

[sjvirchow]

Are the receivers covered under the service plan for something like a lightning strike?

 

[TonyT@DISH Network]

Without going too far into it, here is the deal.. If it is hurricane, tornado, lightning, neighbors tree crushing it, or even a super hurriphoonado, it is not covered. Those are "Acts of God". However, power failure on a receiver is covered so long as the receiver is not physically damaged (smashed etc). A "dish upgrade" is also subject to the cost of a tech visit only with a service plan (just like any other tech visit).

Acts of God = NO
Service visits/upgrade = YES
RA receiver for "power failure" = YES

Just to be clear though, a "power failure" is not caused by "my cat vomited in the vents of the receiver" (a call I have personally gotten twice), and it is not an Act of God (more like an Act of Gato). Physical damage like this is NOT covered no matter what. Cat vomit, flood damage, etc. all fall into "physical damage" categories.

Honestly, there is no reason to "present" the issue any differently then it actually is. The guys that repair the gear open the case and clean it out. If they see water, fire, puke, Cheerios, or any other sign that "God was here", they will charge for either the repair (flat rate) if it can be repaired, or the replacement (market value) of the receiver if it is not repairable. This is all disclosed at the time of replacing things like receivers.

With regard to outside: if lightning strikes your dish, put out the fire first and then worry about the replacement dish and outside equipment. For those of you here in the forum, shine the DIRT signal. We can help (except for the fire part).

 

[DishSubLA]

The "Acts of God" clause in many warranties is there to protect the company for being liable for a large scale disaster--as Tony @Dish has eluded--that could cost tens-of-thousands, even millions to cover. For example, a tsunami or a tornado or even a series of tornadoes making its way across 2 states that has resulted in hundreds or thousand of Dish systems irreparably danged is not going to be covered and the company will invoke "Acts of God" clause because it is too much money (more than they are willing to spend) for them to cover all those systems. Essentially, the "Acts of God" clause can be interpreted as a "if we feel like it and we are in the mood, we might cover at our discretion."

On the other hand, a single customer, or perhaps just a few customers, who suffer a lighting strike that kills something in the system is extremely likely to be covered in the Dish extended warranty (the monthly plan) as it represents chump change to fix under the extended warranty to make customer is happy and affirm to the customer how wonderful the extended warranty is.

Of course, if one really wants it covered, it is best just to state the system isn't working and don't go into the details of diagnosing that it was a lighting strike that my not be covered as you could be wrong; it may have been a coincidence. That is the real advice. There is always a clause in warranties that permits the company to exercise discretion in invoking other clauses such as "Acts of God."

 

[jb3683]

What is the policy if the dish takes a hit by lightning, knocks out the lnb and the dish was not grounded? Aren't the installers suppose to ground the dish's?

 

[csmith5111]

What is the policy if the dish takes a hit by lightning, knocks out the lnb and the dish was not grounded? Aren't the installers suppose to ground the dish's?

If a dish takes a hit by lightening grounding isn't going to save it.

 

[csmith5111]

Case and point

 

[Mike500]

I don't know what the big deal is. The dish and lnb can be had for less than $100 new delivered Also, even if you hve the most expensive receivers, you're talking about a thousand dollars. Many subscribers pay that in Dish Network programming in a year.

And, the likelyhood of everything being destroyed in amost not likely at all.

There are much more important things to be concerned about.

 

[Claude Greiner]

The protection plan covers just about everthing except for lightning and physical abuse.

I get alot of calls from customers who will tell me their Dish got struck by lightning, and the fact of the matter is that you can't prove that lighting actually struck the dish unless you actually got a Dish or satellite receiver that is all burned up by a Direct lightning strike.

It amazes me how many people think their Dish got struck by lightning when it really didn't, and as soon as its mentioned to the customer service the warranty is now void.

 

[KazooGuy]

Not sure why I didn't have a problem, but two years ago I had a tree sturck in the back yard and it took out the modems of both my 722 and 211 units. Called up Dish and they shipped me two replacements for nothing. Dropped the damaged ones in the boxes and sent them back with the supplied UPS labels. Didn't even ask me to cover shipping of either!

 

[Frank7004]

You people make the biggest deals out of the stupidest crap. Really, if I show up to a house, I'm not going to say....well sucks for you, lightening hit your dish, I'm outta here.

 

[skyviewmark]

I wish a lot of customers would read the service plan before calling.. Customer caused damage isn't covered either.. "Grandpa ran into the dish with the Lawnmower and destroyed the dish"... Sorry not covered...

 

[eurosport]

...or even a super hurriphoonado...

Word for the day: "hurriphoonado" ...That's Awesome! :up