If you purchased an insurance policy along with your new cell phone from Jump.ca a year or so ago, and the policy was held by GWG Insurance of Toronto don’t be surprised if you can’t collect your insurance policy if your phone gets stolen, goes missing, or gets broken. Regrettably, I speak with the voice of experience.

In November 2012 I purchased a Galaxy S3 from the Jump.ca store at the Cornwall Centre, complete with a $7 per month insurance policy, in case the phone is ever stolen, broken, or what not. Around the 23 of July this year, it was stolen (The Regina Police Service and the North American cell phone system, through SaskTel, have the phone’s serial number so anyone trying to register the phone on any cell phone network will have some explaining to do, preferably to an RPS officer with the badge number 5293). So if you see anyone with a red 16 G S3, you might want to ask how he or she got it.

A day or so later, I contacted Jump.ca about launching an insurance claim. The guy at the store printed off the bill of sale, highlighted the toll-free number of GWG Insurance, and their fax number, and told me to call them. So I did. The person at the other end of the line told me they needed a $95 deductible before they send me my replacement phone. So I did, via registered mail (I have a phobia about using credit cards on the internet). For three or four days, I called GWG Insurance in Toronto, asking if they got the $95. Nope, said the people answering the phone. Either it’s in the mail room, or Canada Post hasn’t delivered it.

So I phoned Canada Post. It was delivered to the address specified on July 26.

So I called GWG Insurance in Toronto again, on July 31. Oh, they might not have cashed it, the person at the other end of the line told me. And then they have to get approval from the head office in New York. (New York? This was the first I had heard of it).

So on August 1, I called GWG Insurance’s toll-free number again. This time I got a recording: “THIS NUMBER IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE OR HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED.”

What the …

On the off chance that the loss of phone service had to do with the phone system going AWOL during a holiday weekend, I called on Tuesday. I got the same message. You can hear for yourself when you call 1.877.293.6843.

After the first time I got the recorded message, I got back in touch with Jump.ca, asking what the hell was up. The assistant manager of the Cornwall Centre store told me that he understood why I was frustrated but both parties had entered into the insurance agreement in good faith, and that for some reason or other, Jump.ca no longer provides cell phone insurance coverage with GWG Insurance.

So, who should I be angry at? The rapscallion who made off with my cell phone? Sure, but who is he or she? Jump.ca? They just sold me the phone. I could have said no to the insurance policy (that way, by my calculations, I could have had an extra $237 towards my replacement phone ($7 for 21 months plus the $95 deductible). (UPDATE: the manager of the Cornwall Centre operation sold me a new smartphone, cutting a deal and acknowledging the inconvenience) GWG Insurance? I would be if I could find them in Toronto.

Then again, there appears to be a lot of people throughout North American who are also mad at GWG Insurance. And, like me, they don’t seem to be getting anywhere with their complaints to the company, either.