Apple Upgrade Program lost/stolen iphone & Applecare

[MarkDeMoss]

I signed up for the Apple Upgrade program on the first day the iphone 7 was available for pre-order with the intention of trading it in as soon as the highly anticipated iphone 8 is released. Well, my iphone 7 was lost/stolen within a couple of weeks of having it. I wasn't in the best state of mind when I lost it. I had taken my best friend to the ER who is battling a horrible cancer. It was late and I was exhausted. I'm still trying to recover it, but as each day passes the likelihood seems be be narrowing.

Yesterday, I went to an apple store to buy a new one only to find out they're sold out. Then I learned all stores in my state were sold out. Online had a 3-4 week ship time for the identical phone (7 plus 256gb matte black). They told me that I should try my luck with my carrier to see if they have any and then transfer the Applecare+ on your lost/stolen phone. They said I had 30 days to transfer the Applecare+. I lucked out and found the identical phone at my carrier, they had two left (and the other stores in the area were sold out, so I definitely got lucky). I bought it contract free and then today I called 800-MYAPPLE.

The first representative said that it cannot be transferred. I then said, your website says it can be.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202712

She transferred me to a senior tech support rep, who also told me it couldn't be done. He eventually said, well I can't do it, but the department that would be able to is Agreement Admin department. He put me on hold and after 45 minutes, I explained was able to talk to an agreement admin person. She said, I understand your first iphone 7 was purchased under the Apple Upgrade Program and you bought the second one through your carrier and you don't want to lose your early place in line for Apple Upgrade Program. She got it instantly. So all she needed was proof of purchase for the new device. I snapped a picture of the receipt and Applecare plus was instantly transferred.

Now I don't know if I'll have problems come iphone 8 trade in with Apple. I'll continue paying the $45/month (I have no other choice anyway) and hopefully I won't have any issues.

My point in writing all of this is two-fold:

1. letting people know that if this happens to you, that you can transfer your Applecare+ to your new device so long as it is within 30 days.

2. I do wonder what happens to people that have their iphones lost or stolen after the 30 day window. Sure, I could pay off the $1050 due with Apple Upgrade program and just sign up again with a new phone, but that would have put me in a window of time when the iphone 8 will likely be sold out. Basically, I wonder if Apple has a protocol to keep people in line so long as they have the exact phone model with the required Applecare+ on trade-in day. I guess I'm wondering if people are being needlessly penalized in this way.

 

[JulesJam]

Now I don't know if I'll have problems come iphone 8 trade in with Apple.

Did you pay full retail for the replacement iP7 from you carrier or did you finance it through your carrier?

 

[MarkDeMoss]

Did you pay full retail for the replacement iP7 from you carrier or did you finance it through your carrier?

The full price 0% finance option. So $969.99/24 (pay $40.41 month going forward). I paid $82.86 (tax and $20 fee) out the door.

So I'll be paying $45/month to citizen one bank ($40 for the lost/stolen phone and $5 for Applecare) and $40 to my carrier for the replacement. I have until October 22nd to change my mind, but I don't really see any other options out there. Not from buying from Apple. I did explain what I did to the agreement administrator and it made sense to her.

I guess I could pay it off today. I gotta pay for two full retail phones regardless of what I do. I wonder if anybody has had carrier insurance replace their iphone (i.e. Outside of applecare).

Seems either they'll just be happy that I'm current with my citizen payments and providing the identical phone with applecare, or they'll take issue that it's not the original issued serial number. And if the latter is the case, then I'd hope they'd make an option for people to replace their lost/stolen iphones without losing their original place in line. At least that is what seems fair to me.

 

[JulesJam]

Seems either they'll just be happy that I'm current with my citizen payments and providing the identical phone with applecare, or they'll take issue that it's not the original issued serial number. And if the latter is the case, then I'd hope they'd make an option for people to replace their lost/stolen iphones without losing their original place in line. At least that is what seems fair to me.

The problem is that you don't own the replacement phone - it is still being financed and I believe that Apple is interconnected with the carrier databases enough that they will know that is still a carrier financed phone and won't accept it for trade in. If you want to trade it into Apple, I think you are going to have to pay it off with your carrier. And even then, they may not accept it.

 

[takasugi]

You might want to check with Apple but I'm pretty sure you can't trade in your carrier phone when you go to upgrade. It pretty much says it in the agreement that if you lose your phone you are SOL.

 

[Jaggrey]

I wonder if anybody has had carrier insurance replace their iphone (i.e. Outside of applecare).

This is one of those key differences between AppleCare and carrier insurance. If you lose your phone with carrier insurance you pay the deductible (I think it's around $200) and that's it.

 

[MarkDeMoss]

The problem is that you don't own the replacement phone - it is still being financed and I believe that Apple is interconnected with the carrier databases enough that they will know that is still a carrier financed phone and won't accept it for trade in. If you want to trade it into Apple, I think you are going to have to pay it off with your carrier. And even then, they may not accept it.

I'm not quite awake so don't hold what I say with much grit....

When you sign, you are signing to pay it regardless of what happens, the carrier does not want it back until you have paid half of it, then you can upgrade it to a new phone.

The carriers allow one upgrade every 30 days per device so long as half of each device is paid. And that's half with the device, u might get a trade or u just have to pay off the other half. So upgrade is based on paying for that specific serial number but the change to new phones seems better with the networks due to their third party insurance program.

If apple upgrade program gives no good options for lost/stolen, including carrier insurance, then I say the networks have the better overall deal. You will pay more, $11 month versus $5 with apple, but the carriers cover i think everything.

 

[JulesJam]

When you sign, you are signing to pay it regardless of what happens, the carrier does not want it back until you have paid half of it, then you can upgrade it to a new phone.

If the phone is carrier financed and a model that is eligible for the annual upgrade program, after you pay off 50% of the DPP you can trade in the phone for another eligible phone. Or you can continue to make payments on the DPP until you pay it off in full and then you will own the phone free and clear.

At least that is how it works on Verizon. I think ATT is the same.

So upgrade is based on paying for that specific serial number but the change to new phones seems better with the networks due to their third party insurance program.

For Verizon, you have to trade in the exact IMEI that was financed unless you got a CLNR through Verizon, a replacement through Asurion, or a replacement through AppleCare+.

If apple upgrade program gives no good options for lost/stolen

AC+ does not cover lost/stolen devices.

The one time we had an iPhone stolen that was covered by AppleCare+, we had them refund us the money for the remaining portion of the AC+ policy and purchased a new AC+ policy for the new phone we bought to replace the stolen phone.

I say the networks have the better overall deal. You will pay more, $11 month versus $5 with apple, but the carriers cover i think everything.

First, you pay communications taxes on the $11/mo so it comes to over $12/mo where I live. Second, the Asurion deductible for accidental damage/lost/stolen devices is very high - $200 for most iPhones unless you just crack your screen then it is $100. But you get up to 2 claims per year.

You pay sales tax on the AC+ so it works out to be about $5.70/mo where I live. With AC+, the accidental damage deductible is 1/2 that of Asurion and less than 1/2 if you just crack your screen, but you only get 2 claims for the duration of the 2 year policy whereas with Asurion you get 2 claims per year.

Here is how it works with Verizon. Total Mobile Protection from Verizon is $11/mo and includes extended warranty, Asurion Wireless Phone Protection insurance and tech coach. All warranty claims w/in the first year are covered by the manufacturer. If you have a warranty claim w/in the first year, Verizon will give you a CLNR device or you can deal with the manufacturer directly yourself. For iPhones you should only deal directly with Apple yourself w/in the first year. This is because the Verizon CLNRs are crap. Nothing at all like the refurbs you get through Apple directly. The CLNRs are often in unacceptable condition, not even refurbished.

The extended warranty provides deductible free warranty replacements after the first year everywhere but Florida but again, these are the crappy Verizon CLNR devices.

For accidental damage, lost or stolen devices you have to go through Asurion and there is a large deductible. $200 for the flagship iPhones last I checked except for cracked screens I believe they now charge only $100 deductible and have you take the phone to an authorized repair center.

Tech coach is a complete waste of money unless you are feeble minded - all it is is the ability to call and ask Verizon reps how to use your device including apps on the phone. For $2/mo less you can get Total Equipment Coverage (for $9/mo), which also includes the extended warranty and Asurion WPP.

So you should NEVER pay $11/mo for TMP, it is a rip off, unless you are feeble minded and need tech coach. The most you should pay Verizon is $9/mo for TEC.

However, you can also just pay for the Asurion WPP for $7.15/mo.

Over the course of 2 years if you paid for TEC including the tax (again no one should ever pay for TMP), it is about $240. For that $240 you get loss/theft coverage in addition to accidental damage coverage but the deductible is $200/$100. AC+ is only $137 with tax for 2 years, no loss/theft coverage but the deductible is only $99/$29.

I buy AC+ on my family's iPhones and then self-insure for loss/theft. You also can pay your Verizon bill with a Wells Fargo credit card and get stolen device coverage for the first 4 devices listed on your bill for free with only a $25 deductible.

I'm not quite awake so don't hold what I say with much grit....

The point I was making is that you can't trade in the carrier financed phone to Apple to upgrade under the Apple iUP.