One thing I find annoying is this racket with the matress protectors.
Some mattress/furniture stores sell them for $70 for a Queen size. Macy’s doesn’t sell just the mattress protector. They want you to buy their mattress protection plan for something like $130. :S
I read that the Protect A Bed protectors are pretty good.
Looked online and found some selling them for $50 or $60 for a Queen.
So I checked out ebay and there were some Protect A Bed protectors on there for $40 for a queen with free shipping. 
One day I found the same exact item in Burlington Coat Factory for $19.99 for a Queen. B)
True story.
If you aren’t spending thousands of dollars on a mattress and feel you don’t need a mattress protector that comes with a pricey protection plan (which is different that the warranty), try shopping around.
I am gonna guess others here have posted similar stories.
Hi Strummer,
Like you … I think that these “insurance” plans are a real racket and are almost all pure profit. If you do have to make a claim on them … they will usually just send you out a cleaning kit. I would never buy these.
A mattress protector on the other hand is more important IMO and they can also make a difference in how your mattress feels and in temperature control as well. The thinner membrane type (like the protect-a-bed) can be good choices and are fairly inexpensive (although as you pointed out they can vary widely) but they are also less breathable than some other types (such as some of those listed in post #89 here) so they can be a factor in the sleeping temperature of your mattress (in combination with the type of foam used in the comfort layers, the ticking and quilting of the mattress, the protector, and the sheets and bedding you use).
If you found one that was good quality (preferably natural fibers or a viscose type of fiber) for 19.99 I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to buy it 
Phoenix