Well today I was working on my computer in my Office playing some music while I was working on a Server for a client and then a big Pop happened and my Circuit Breaker in my house blew. UPS gives a F02 error code and when I plugged my computer directly into outlets is sparks and smokes. Called APC and they are sending me a replacement UPS and I have to claim my computer. I told them that I assemble my own computers and the phone representative stated they will most likely replace all the components inside the computer because the UPS comes with insurance and when they have claimed customers that buy brand name computers they just cut a check for the amount they paid for it. I am happy that NewEgg keeps all my invoices online so I was doing a part for part price comparison and I think I can get a decent upgrade out of the deal. Current System (That Was Fried): ASUS M4A79T Deluxe Motherboard AMD Phenom X4 965 8GB DDR3 1333mhz Ram by OCZ XFX Radeon 5770 1GB 120GB OCZ Agility 3 SSD Antec 850W Power Supply If they will claim dollar for dollar I should be able to get a decent upgrade Potential Upgrade: ASUS Sabertooth 990FX Motherboard AMD FX-8120 (Possibly FX-8150) 16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 Radeon 7770 1GB 240GB OCZ Agility 3 SSD Antec 900W Power Supply The total of the components come in a bit less than what I built a couple years ago and I am thinking the case does not need to be replaced so fingers crossed everything goes well with the claims process and thankfully I have a recent backup of my computer on my Home Server which was on a different UPS and off at the time. If they cut me a check for the whole amount maybe I will use the money I spent on the case and upgrade the video card to something a little more powerful.
unless the wires to the case leds & switches got melted then case is alright except for some burnt electrical smell.
I really doubt it that they will pay dollar to dollar for a replacement. I would most likely guess they will give u a computer close to your specs. Why would any insurance want to pay for a price that was years old when the same computer could be bought cheaper these days.....(think about it). Companies would be losing a whole load of cash if doing that for everyone. I will say that you would get a cheap ass computer like the same one that you built and fried. Also why would you even want 16GB ram, that is just plain useless and silly I say (plus a waste of money). Anyways be ready to be dissapointed as insurance companies that I know would not pay dollar to dollar amounts. Insurance always tries to cut coners wherever they can so they will try and get the cheapest computer possible and pay you that amount of cash.
Well the representative on the phone stated that when the have replaced computers for other customers in similar situations they got a new computer for the dollar amount they paid for the one that fried. He did say it was fair market value but he clarified that since they cannot get refurbished parts to replace the computer components that they usually pay out close to what the computer was worth at the time of purchase. I guess I will find out once I file the claim. As the ram goes I will decide that later but I have 8GB now and when working in my Graphic Design/Photo Editing and Video Editing and DVD/Blu-Ray authoring programs I can use a lot of Ram. I have also been known to run a couple Virtual Workstations within the primary OS so 16GB may seem silly to some but not to power users.
Nope. No storms or electrical work being done. Just a regular day. Turns out all it damaged was the power supply. I replaced it because APC wanted the computer diagnosed. I am glad that it didn't fry the whole computer. APC said they would reimburse me the cost of the power supply and even the one that I bought if I cannot return it.