Data recovery specialists can do a remarkable job of getting data back from failed or damaged hard drives, but you’ll often pay a hefty price for the privilege. As such, the newly introduced data recovery insurance option from Kroll Ontrack and Covertec sounds like a sensible investment.
For $50, you get three years insurance covering recovery on a specified device, to a maximum of $1,000. (Once you’ve made a claim, you’ll need to take out a new policy.) For critical business or personal data, it seems like a pretty good bet; it’s certainly a lot better than getting stuck with a massive bill when you can’t afford it.
Stove
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 1:50 PMMost HDD recovery operations that need a professional data recovery outfit. I do a fair bit of low-grade data recovery work, and even something like getting a matching drive to swap the logic board can set you back $200-$300.
A few quotes from their site I’m not happy with:
‘Statistics show that only 15% of Hard Drive Data is recoverable after being opened and exposed to dust and air particles.’
‘Successful recovery means that the supplier is able to recover 1% or more of the data
from the original faulty electronic media.’
‘Accidental damage means physical damage that occurs as a result of a sudden,
unforeseen and unexpected event. The event must arise from a single identifiable
incident.’
For the list of things they won’t insure you against, check here: http://www.covertec.com.au/faqs/data-recovery-insurance-policy
So in summary: this is a pretty good deal if you regularly drop your phone in the pool or worry your laptop might get dropped (by you, you cant lend it). Good backups insure against far more than that and cost about the same.
Kent Davis
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 2:08 PMFor $50, you could instead get a spare drive to back up to.
Also, $1000 of data recovery doesn’t go far.
Paul
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 3:12 PMI am going through the process now.
Personal USB datadrive which has most of my life on it had a failure involving a rather large dalmatian
This was a backup from my failed mac book pro from about a year.
You would think i would have learned
Quoted bill – $2200.
S%#t happens.
kanthan
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 4:42 PMi think its a way for them to drum up more business. Get you to put that $1k towards a full recovery. Any real recovery, would cost thousands.
$1k recovery just means that the data is accidently erased or formatted, and they will attempt to get it back. Anything involving physically pulling the drive apart will send that bill sky rocketing.
Stove
Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 6:27 PMah, sorry…it only covers ‘accidental damage or electronic breakdown.’ If things have just been deleted or formatted, you’re on your own.
Julian
Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 8:02 AMJust to clear things up – you do get a full recovery.
Cheers
Julian