Whatever Happens is a product support arranged by currys.
I have actually bought whatever happens also called products support for my laptop. I thought I would buy the five year cover because I was going to University to do a course that last four years, therefore, I could not see my self buying another laptop whilst I am going to University.
The whole truth is that my laptop which cost me £400 actually broke after 30 days so I couldn't get a replacement in currys where I bought it. So I therefore decided to buy the whatever happens a month after I had bought my laptop as I know that the labour cost for repairing a laptop could be hundreds of pounds.
The fiver year cover cost me £219, I thought this was a lot but knew it would be worth it in the long run. I therefore decided to go for their monthly option also called the 'easy pay'. It is called the easy pay because you pay ten pounds upfront for the five year cover and they will divide the rest of the payment over ten months which is interest free.
I therefore had to pay 20.90 every month for the last ten month (my repayments finished in august 2008).


When I got the whatever happens, I contacted the whatever happens people (also called the Tec guys) telling them the problem with my laptop. I was silly enough to call them when I was far away from home and did not have my laptop on me so they couldn't do much and told me to call them when I had the laptop in hand.
When I got home, I did not have credit and my mum wouldn't allow me to call '0845' numbers with the house phone as we don't have a BT land line. I therefore decided to go on their website and sent them an email with my whatever happens reference. To my surprise they got back to me the following day by email giving me the instructions of something I had to delete off my laptop, which was causing my laptop not to work.
(This was last year in 2007) A year later (today) I am taking my laptop back to currys again to try and fix the same problem, I can't contact them at University as I can't afford to call '0845' numbers with my mobile. I am hoping that they will fix my laptop again, which they quickly did the first time it broke.


However, I called them up on a Saturday their automated message answered me, I started listening being patient. The automated message seemed to go forever, telling you which button to press before I go through to someone. After long wait to go through to someone, it seemed to have put me through to the fridge technician rather than a laptop technician. I was rather annoyed, but the man who answered put me through to the laptop department. I thought it was going to go through straight to the operator, but the automated message started again! After minutes of listening it took me back to the fridge department again. That's when he told me that the Pc and Laptop department was busy . I was so angry, thinking why didn't he just tell me this the first round.
I however, called back on the Monday and they laptop technician, told me what to do, and my laptop was up and running again.


The cost of the whatever happens varies depending on how much the product cost,. As someone who works for one of the DSG companies I could tell you how the whatever happens works but the old system has been stopped this month. The old system you could not be covered against accidental damages if your whatever happens cost you less than £30 as this was an instant replacement (suggesting they wouldn't fix the product if it broke but they would just replace it only if it was due to technical faults. However, the new system which Started in November, allows every product to be covered against accidental damage no matter how much the whatever happens cover cost you.
If you don't have the money upfront you can always pay a £10 deposit on the day and spread the cost in ten months.
Another option is to pay monthly to cover the product e.g. pay £2.99 to cover your tumble dryer. As long as you keep paying the £2.99 each month you product will be covered.


Overall I do enjoy my whatever happens insurance cover, it really gives me a peace of mind. I never worry about eating or drinking near my laptop because I know that whatever happens to it, I will be covered. The price may sound quiet a lot, but for unlimited call outs, I can't complain.
I would recommend the product mainly to students as I know you are on tight budget and buying a new product because you damaged it, can be pain. I also recommend it to those who don't want to suffer from stress in worrying about their expensive camcorder dropping in water whilst they are on holiday because you are also covered worldwide, wherever you are. I have not had troubles with them except with the call centre that was busy. Of course coincidentally your product may not break, but you still got your peace of mind!
Sorry for sounding like a sales person but at the end of the day, if I thought it was crap I would be shouting telling you to avoid it.


==Note==

--The call centre is always busy on Saturdays, specially in the PC department, so if you don't want to be disappointed avoid calling them on Saturdays!
--They are closed on Sundays, but you can always send an email if it's a small problem which you think can be solved by following instructions via email.
--The price of the whatever happens varies with the product. Normally the more expensive the product is, the more you have to pay for the whatever happens.
--When you call them up it is always good to have the product in hand, as they will ask you to examine the product.
--If they don't fix the product in 21 days they will just replace you with a brand new one or give you a voucher to buy a new one, the engineer is also guaranteed to come to your house within two days unlike house insurance people.
--Any product under £20 and other various product products can not be covered.
--Its always good tov read the agreement because they are some parts which are not covered e.g. if the battery dies, or your fridge bulb.