DJI’s after sales service plan can offer a cheap and easy form of drone insurance, but it’s not for everyone.
If you’ve been toying with the idea of buying a DJI drone like the amazing new DJI Mavic Mini 3 Pro, you may have noticed DJI Care Refresh being offered at the checkout in DJI’s Store. What is it? In simple terms, DJI Care Refresh is a limited insurance policy that massively reduces the cost of replacing your drone if it flies away or is damaged beyond repair, and also reduces the cost of repairs. But is it something you should invest in? Buying a new drone is always exciting, but with it comes great risk. No one ever wants to think about the downside of owning drones, but when you’re talking about the cost involved with DJI’s flying cameras, you can’t ignore the investment. Despite the amazing technology available in drones such as collision avoidance, this doesn’t guarantee that your drone won’t crash. Losing your drone completely or even crashing it and having to pay for a replacement or repairs can certainly be expensive. So it makes sense to have some form of insurance policy to protect you against loss or damage if this is something you’re worried about. Many people don’t use any form of drone insurance, and many experienced pilots crash, so it ultimately comes down to your risk threshold. But with something like DJI Care Refresh that can be added to a drone at the point of purchase, covering your drone can be extremely easy. Here’s our breakdown of what DJI Care Refresh is whether it’ll be worth it for you. DJI Care Refresh is an after-sales service plan that’s essentially an insurance policy providing cover against accidental loss and damage to your drone in flyaway situations, alongside accidental damage. You also receive discounts for repairs and can take advantage of a factory maintenance service that’s a bit like a car service to make sure your drone is functioning correctly. The plan is different to a standard warranty because the latter only covers you for manufacturer faults alongside flyaways and crashes that are a result of a manufacturer fault. DJI Care Refresh includes accidental damage cover in limited situations, so it ultimately provides cover that sits between a warranty and standard drone insurance. The alternative to DJI Care refresh is to get drone insurance from one of the many insurance companies offering this cover. For example, in the US there’s Skywatch (opens in new tab), while in the UK it’s worth checking out the likes of Coverdrone (opens in new tab). You can opt for insurance on a pay-per-flight basis, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly intervals, with the yearly option providing the most value for money. Standard drone insurance can be much more cost-effective than DJI Care Refresh and provides additional cover, so it’s worth looking at both options before you activate your new DJI drone, because there is a time limit for binding Care Refresh to your recently activated drone. Anyone who buys a new DJI drone in the US, the UK and Australia is eligible for DJI Care Refresh, and it’s available in many other regions (see full list below) including the EU.
