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Upgrading / downgrading contract

Paul_Mark
over 6 years ago
Hi, I'd like to get the Safety Plan for year round emergency use and then upgrade the plan temporarily when I'm heading out on 4x4 trails. Am I correct that if I upgrade the plan there is no change but will I be charged if I subsequently downgrade back to the Safety Plan?

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  • 0 over 6 years ago
    That is my understanding. Your monthly bill will also be higher for the months when you are enrolled in the higher-level plan.
  • 0 over 6 years ago
    Yes. For contract plans, upgrading is free (and will take effect immediately).You will be charged downgrade fee when you downgrade. It is my understanding that the downgrade will also take effect immediately, not at the end of billing period. As per official Terms:To downgrade an Annual Service Plan to a less inclusive Annual Service Plan, a change plan fee will be charged to you. Any downgrade of an Annual Service Plan will take effect immediately and your account will be credited on a prorated basis for any applicable price difference, less applicable fees.

    As an aside: There are no upgrade or downgrade fees on Freedom plans. But they cost more, there's a yearly fee (equivalent to downgrade fee on contract plans) and downgrade only takes affect at the end of billing period. Given this, if you only change your plan couple times a year, but you want a year round service, you're probably still going to come ahead on contract plans. But you should do your own math.
  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Of course, this is a standard response to any emergency. You should be fine if you plug in any disaster and use the six categories.

    Tools will vary depending on the disaster and the job; a hoe vs. a spade vs. a shovel vs. a snow shovel, axes vs. splitting axe vs. chainsaw, and so on...

    I believe that you should always have a good folding knife, a small pocket sized flashlight, a bandanna/handkerchief, and a lighter on your person or within easy reach. I read a proration related article at the news insides.

    Other times will necessitate the carrying of additional tools, such as a fixed blade knife, a handgun, a head lamp, gloves, a tool belt, a stapler, and so on.

    If you have a garden, animals, or livestock, you'll need supplies to repair or replace your fence.

  • +1 over 2 years ago


    Hello, there is no charge to upgrade or downgrade the service. However, you would be charged the plan price for upgrading to a higher plan. Please see the following material: 
    Changing an inReach Subscription Plan
    Billing, Invoice, and Charges on Annual Plan - Frequently Asked Questions

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Garmin-Leslie

    Since Garmin dropped downgrade charges, it's really simple to upgrade / downgrade annual plan, which is a welcome change. That said, there's still a confusion about when downgrade takes effect, and the FAQ linked above doesn't help - if I go to my account and select downgrade, it says it will be effective immediately (and indeed, that was my experience last time I downgraded).

    Yet the FAQ says:

    If you downgrade your plan, it takes effect the next bill cycle. You can cancel the pending downgrade any time before the next bill cycle begins.

    I believe the FAQ is wrong in this case. This is only true if you just upgraded. You cannot downgrade the plan for 30 days after you upgrade, but after that, the change is again effective immediately. I could be wrong here, but there's definitely a discrepancy between FAQ and plan change page. Still it's a relatively minor point. 

  • +1 over 2 years ago

    I should clarify that it is different depending on what type of plan you are on, Annual or Freedom. I assumed Annual due to the "year round" terminiology used above. 

    Billing, Invoice, and Charges on Freedom Plan - Frequently Asked Questions

    Do I Have to Pay to Move Up or Down a Plan?

    No, there are no additional fees to move up or down a plan.

    When Moving Up or Down a Plan, When Does the Change Take Effect?

    Moving up a plan takes effect immediately. Moving down a plan will take effect at the end of the current billing cycle. 

    Billing, Invoice, and Charges on Annual Plan - Frequently Asked Questions

    Do I Have to Pay to Move Up or Down a Plan?

    No, there are no additional fees to move up or down a plan.

    When Moving up or Down a Plan, When Does the Change Take Effect? 

    If you upgrade your plan, this takes effect immediately for the remaining duration of the current bill cycle and is prorated accordingly.

    If you downgrade your plan, it takes effect the next bill cycle. You can cancel the pending downgrade any time before the next bill cycle begins.