Sometimes it pays to be a curmudgeon. In this case....nearly a thousand bucks!

I started having problems with my iPhone 12 a few days ago. I put in a claim through the insurance company my carrier uses. They go...no problem...We'll send you a new one. 

Two days later...they sent me a refurbished phone...and a bill for my $200 deductible. UNACCEPTABLE.

So I got on the phone with customer service...and got no satisfaction. Then I asked for a supervisor. We argued for about ten minutes.

Finally...she says...ok...we can send you a check for a new phone you will have to buy yourself.  

The amount of that check? $980 and no deductible! Well worth the 20 minutes of complaining I put in!

Moral of the story: NEVER take "no" for an answer!