If you buy from a decent jeweller, they will probably clean and maintain the ring in perpetuity for free or nominal cost. It's worth it to them so you'll come back for eternity rings, earrings and anniversary presents and recommend them to your friends. If you are spending enough to consider getting a warranty, then I'd recommend going to a place with locked doors and very polite men in expensive suits and ask them what would happen if the ring needed cleaning or minor repairs. Whenever we are near the place I bought my wife's ring we drop it in for a clean and polish and it looks like new in an hour or two.
Also bear in mind that if it is a solitaire worth thousands then the band is a small part of the cost of the ring even if it is platinum. You could probably replace the entire band and reset the stone for around the price of your warranty.
As far as replacement due to loss or major damage is concerned, it can probably be covered by your house insurance. For example under my insurance I can cover items less than £2,000 as long as I have the receipt, and named items over that amount cost a very small additional sum (I can't remember the exact amount but it was something like £20 for up to £5,000 of coverage).
Anyone shopping for a DIY home security system has probably stumbled upon Ring. The company has an ever-growing lineup of cameras and video doorbells that are consistently ranked among the best available — and since they’re easy to set up and offer tons of functionality, it’s no surprise they’re so popular.
One thing to keep in mind when looking at Ring products is that you’ll be on the hook for more than just the sticker price. Ring offers a monthly subscription service known as Ring Protect. Many of the best features for its cameras and video doorbells are locked behind this subscription plan, meaning owners who don’t sign up will be missing out on important functionality.
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But is a Ring subscription required to use Ring cameras or doorbells? And how much do these plans cost? Here’s a closer look at the service to help you decide if signing up is a wise decision.
We’ll cut to the chase — a Ring Protect subscription is not required to use Ring products. That means after installing your video doorbell or camera, you can dive right in and start monitoring your home. However, that’s not the end of the story. Ring locks heaps of functionality behind a paywall, meaning some of the enticing features that made you purchase your Ring product might only be available to Ring Protect members.
Without a Ring Protect plan, you’ll have access to the following features:
You might gain additional functionality based on your specific product, but the three features above are available on most Ring products without a Ring Protect plan. But for most additional features, you’ll need to join a Ring Protect plan.
Ring Protect Basic costs $4 per month or $40 per year for a single doorbell or camera. That pricing is changing on March 11, with a monthly plan costing $5 and a yearly plan costing $50.
As a subscriber, you’ll gain the following abilities:
We’d recommend opting for this plan, as it’s reasonably priced and offers tons of useful features (especially the 180-day video history). If you don’t join this tier, you simply won’t be getting much value out of your Ring doorbell or camera.
The devices are expensive on their own — and it’s unfortunate you need to pay to access all these features — but it’s worth budgeting an extra $4 per month if you really want to benefit from everything your Ring product has to offer.
Ring Protect Plus costs $10 per month or $100 per year. It gives you video recording rights for all your Ring devices, making this a great option for homes with multiple Ring cameras on the property. Aside from all the features in Ring Protect Basic, you’ll also benefit from extended warranties for all your devices.
Ring Protect Pro costs $20 per month or $200 per year. It offers many features that probably aren’t necessary for the average household, although it does turn your hardware into a more robust security system. Here’s what Ring Protect Pro brings to the table, beyond everything listed above:
If you need robust home security, but don’t want to spring for a professionally installed system, then this could be a great alternative. But for most homes with a few security cameras or a video doorbell, you might not need all these extra features.