a quick word about this...
its INSURANCE. compare it to other types of insurance. if i get into a wreck with my car, i dont have the opportunity to "upgrade" to a better car for the difference plus the deductible, do i? phone depreciate, just like cars, except much, much faster. one other note, verizon has nothing to do with the insurance, save selling it. the company you should be angry with is called asurion.
about the insurance being a scam? well, i have no idea about that. the problem most people run into is that they dont think when i ask them, "do you want to insure your phone?" they dont ask me any questions about it. there is some very simple math you can do and save yourself (and me) a lot of headaches. two examples...
how much did this phone cost me today?
$0 $100
how much is the insurance going to cost me over the life of a two year plan?
$120 $120
whats the deductable on my plan?
$50 $50
if i break my phone before my contract is up, how much will it cost at retail to replace?
$150 $270
as you can see, its not always smart to get the insurance. anytime you buy a phone that can be replaced for less than about $170, youre losing money. if you come in and get an lg 3300, i will most likely advise you not to even bother.
enough of that. shawn, if you want to do that, then do it. the only way any company is going to change any of its policies (even the dumb ones) is when it starts to hurt. if it begins costing them money, you can be sure something about the way they do it will change. be forewarned, though, that you will lose your phone number. theres no way for you to keep it. sorry homie.