Never done the APple Care + thing for my last 6-7 iPhones. Been lucky but I have saved enough now where if I had to repalce a phone, I would still be ahead!
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AppleCare+ Is A Giant Ripoff!
- Thread starter mastercheif91
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I get AppleCare since our company reimburses for it. The only time I've used it was when my son was younger and decided to throw my wife's phone.
The OOW replacement cost is the same at Apple whether it's for accidental damage or not. How does AMEX determine what's a "non-accidental damage" claim and what's not? Seems to me there is a LOT of leeway for them to just deny the claim. That's a $180 mistake counting on it if they do (vs. having AC+, $101 even if it is considered AD).
Regardless, for ~$4/month I'm good no matter what, and I can pay in crisp $100 bills (and some ratty 20's).
I don't know what the AMEX figures are, but I do know that Apple is widely recognized as basically being "no questions asked" for warranty work. I'd have to imagine, especially for free, that AMEX is a bit more stringent. I could be wrong, but it doesn't matter because I'll never have to worry about it anyway.
AC+ has me good no matter what happens (provided I save the carcass =)).
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THIS THIS THIS!
People really think if they drop their phone only the screen is going to be damaged and the rest will stay pristine. It just doesn't happen that way in MOST drops (even in a case). I sure couldn't live with significant cosmetic damage to my device (even with a pristine screen), and I doubt most other people would either.
The point being, the $109 "screen" replacement is only going to apply for people with very specific damage to their phones. It's great for them, not so much if ANYTHING else happened to the casing/camera lens/charge port/etc/.
Of course, with AC+, you'd be good. Maybe AMEX too, dunno
Unless you abuse the program or are a repeat claim offender, Amex is also "no questions asked" as they assume the customer is telling the truth.
Case in point, the sleep/wake button stopped working on my wife's iPhone 4S and I put in a call to Amex. They reimbursed me the full $299 plus tax we paid in the next billing cycle and I used that to cover the $199 plus tax OOW replacement cost (so I actually came out ahead). Didn't have to file a paper or online claim and they didn't request a review. Just took my word that the sleep/wake button was stuck.
Ditto for when my kid's fish tank broke. They simply credited me the full purchase price plus tax and I went ahead and bought a new one.
Nice. I still wouldn't risk it as my only insurance, but it doesn't mean it isn't nice.
The only trouble I see is if you have multiple issues or even multiple phones with only one incident each using the same AMEX account. As you mentioned, if it becomes a repeat claim (as can easily happen) all bets are likely off with what they will want to see/cover.
No doubt they are very good, but AC+ is accessible to everyone with $99, requires no documentation or waiting periods for the claim to go through, and also allows for as many claims as you need in that 2 year window.
There's also no third party involved. Just Apple.
Maybe there's no reason to be skeptical, and maybe AMEX just covers everything willie nillie, but googling "AMEX denied warranty claim" turns up things like :
http://creditcardforum.com/american...n-express-extended-warranty-claim-denied.html
Not saying Apple never denies a claim either, but relying on "free" or "included" coverage from a third party just feels like an expensive fight waiting to happen (especially if you need it more than once).
So what's the game plan if it does?
You're already out $40 for the case, so another $109 for a screen then? Assuming it's only the screen. And a new case? Another $40?
I've seen a lot of drops in cases that result in damage to the phone. It's just reality unfortunately. Even OtterBoxes and LifeProofs fail.
Naked and AC+. I don't drop my phone 4-5 times, but if I did I would consider a $40 case too (fair enough), but still backed up with AC+.
No documentation required in my case and if I wanted, I could've bought the OOW replacement unit right away and filed the claim after the fact (no waiting). Amex is well aware of Apple's repair history and it's decided on a case by case basis. My wife and I have had iPhones since the original and only one needed warranty work in the 2nd year (covered by Amex). The other two times involved warranty work within the 1st year. Pretty low incidents of repair so it'll be difficult to reach the max $50,000 per account cap per calendar year.
Worthless thread as the OP never bothered to update after the rep informed him there appeared to be an error on Amex's end.
And theft is a huge issue in the hole the Apple Care Plus leaves. If they included even a hefty $199 deductible for theft like the carriers have with asurion, than Apple care may be worth it.
But to be out $179 just to fix iphone and not cover theft is a big issue with me.
Rather just pay the $7/month with $199 deductible with ATT. It becomes $150 after 6 months and $99 after 12 months and I believe even lower after 12 months. And their service covers theft.
If you lose iphone or get it stolen, you are out Apple Care Plus since it's not transferable.
That's easy to control if you keep it on your person at all times (and not in a stupid location like the back pocket in a busy area). Accidental damage and warranty defects, not so much.
exactly or even worse water damage you drop it in a puddle, pool, something gets spilt on it...now AC+ sounds pretty cheap
It's refundable. They refund whatever portion you have not used. But whatever works for you.
I've had Amex reimburse me within 7 business days (directly credited to my Amex account) for out of warranty iPhones and iPad.
Power button damaged, not working on iphone 4S after 16 months. Reimbursed full cost
Blue screen of death with iphone 5 after 20 months reimbursed full cost
Ipad 2 upper right hand screen touch display not working after 17 months. Full reimbursed.
All receipts are kept online so easy to search for in my email box. File claim online with Amex. Have Apple receiot. They didn't ask for apple repair receipt with iphone 5.
Amex makes it painless. Easy.
Now. Something like my $2400 27 inch imac. I do pay Apple care for extension of warranty. $129 (education discount) for 2 years of extra warranty is worth it. When we know imac repairs can easily be $400-500.
But with Apple care plus you are paying at miniumum $179 to repair/replace a $650/750 device. And the replacement cost to get refurb is $269 for iphone 5S. Or I think $349 for iphone 6 plus now. Forgot how much for iphone 6 out of warranty replacement.
Power button damaged, not working on iphone 4S after 16 months. Reimbursed full cost
Blue screen of death with iphone 5 after 20 months reimbursed full cost
Ipad 2 upper right hand screen touch display not working after 17 months. Full reimbursed.
All receipts are kept online so easy to search for in my email box. File claim online with Amex. Have Apple receiot. They didn't ask for apple repair receipt with iphone 5.
Amex makes it painless. Easy.
Now. Something like my $2400 27 inch imac. I do pay Apple care for extension of warranty. $129 (education discount) for 2 years of extra warranty is worth it. When we know imac repairs can easily be $400-500.
But with Apple care plus you are paying at miniumum $179 to repair/replace a $650/750 device. And the replacement cost to get refurb is $269 for iphone 5S. Or I think $349 for iphone 6 plus now. Forgot how much for iphone 6 out of warranty replacement.
$299 plus tax for iPhone 6 OOW replacement. So it makes sense to get at least the 64 GB (which is $299 plus tax under contract) so you can be made whole by Amex in the case of a warranty defect during the 2nd year.
The standard one-year warranty also covers accessories. Those of us who upgrade yearly can get them replaced with or without AC+.
There is two years warranty as standard in the EU for anything and everything??? You Euro's are some bums!!! lmao. jk
Your story doesn't make it a no brainer at all. You keep phone's a little over a year, this is something covered under the normal warranty, and you already had a new phone coming. You're essentially paying 52$ for a few weeks extension of the normal warranty. Most of the time a phone is not going to break in such a tiny sliver of time making this actually a relatively worse value. How many of your yearly iphones has this scenario happened? I almost guarantee you are still coming out behind even after this modest payoff 5 iPhone generations in.
Does Amex cover water damage and other accidental damage?
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Would Amex pay for a replacement phone if apple care won't?
Amex covers first 90 days accidental damage (water damage included) AND THEFT.
I wanted to point out that Amex will only reimburse the lesser of what you paid for the phone or the actual cost of repair or replacement.
So if u buy subsidized price at $199 and lose iphone within 90 days. U only get $199 back. Also it's a very gray area with these Att next Verizon edge programs. Since you technically aren't using Amex and put zero down. Amex won't cover you at all.