iPhone 11 Pro AppleCare+ - cannot claim unless original owner?

[NewBench]

So I bought a used 11 Pro which the seller sold as having 11 months of AppleCare+ left. I was always under the impression that the AppleCare+ was attached to the device and not to the owner (i.e. anyone owning the phone could claim on that policy).

I spoke to the AppleCare team today who state that this is not the case - if I want to make a claim the AppleCare+ has to be in my name as Apple store staff are meant to verify ID to confirm the person claiming is the owner of the AppleCare+.

Is there any way around this?
Am I the only one who though it was just attached to the device?

Was also told that the ownership of the AppleCare+ policy can only be transferred once - so if you sell it on again, you can't transfer it.

 

[MisterMillz]

Talk to your local store. I bought a phone in the past with the previous owner having purchased AppleCare+. Scheduled a Genius Bar appointment, got my phone replaced and walked out. No problems.

 

[jbachandouris]

AppleCare+ is attached to the device not the owner.

The only exception is the monthly AppleCare+ plan which is tied to the purchaser's Apple ID.

The person you spoke to was mistaken.

 

[NewBench]

AppleCare+ is attached to the device not the owner.

The only exception is the monthly AppleCare+ plan which is tied to the purchaser's Apple ID.

The person you spoke to was mistaken.

Weird - I spoke to the AppleCare+ Agreement Administration team, the guys who actually deal with policies/terms of AppleCare+ and they said the opposite - that they should verify you are the owner of the agreement by asking for ID etc.
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Talk to your local store. I bought a phone in the past with the previous owner having purchased AppleCare+. Scheduled a Genius Bar appointment, got my phone replaced and walked out. No problems.

Will definitely try it when (if) the time comes, got nothing to lose by trying.

 

[kevink2]

There is a documented procedure to transfer AppleCare to new owner.

 

[Shadowbech]

see if you can contact the original owner and have them transfer the owner ship. i remember i had to transfer owner ship when i sold the iPhone 6 plus back in that day.

 

[NauticalDan]

Technically, I think the policy does have an owner attached, and they legally are obligated only to honour it for that person.

But I've been told at the Apple Store the unofficial official policy is to not check and they just provide the service if the device is covered. But I guess millage may vary on that.

 

[now i see it]

The insurance is tied to the device- not the owner. Just scroll through used Apple computers for sale on eBay. Having time left on Apple Care is always a big selling point and those devices are always more in demand than the ones without