AppleCare so worth it!!!

[Prise]

I think that the advantage is that AppleCare covers most of the Apple peripherals that you use with your Mac, therefore if you indeed run into problems during the coverage you can get it replaced.

By the way, cool avatar! Dark Castle was my very first game on my first Mac--the old venerable Mac SE with a whopping 20MB HD.

Maybe I've been lucky, but in 20 years of using PCs and Macs, I've never had one fail after the warranty period, or an extended warranty provided free of charge on my credit card.

Of course, I've changed HDs, upgraded optical drives, and changed power supplies. All very simple, and hardly worth buying insurance for, since it's more efficient to do it myself. Not to mention, most of us even remotely tech savvy can do a better job on simple part replacements than the Geniuses.

Regarding peripherals, I tend to buy the most cost effective part. For instance, I'll opt for an OEM optical drive, as opposed to buying Apple's. At $26, if it broke, I'll just replace it and won't even bother with the warranty claim process, much like all of my peripherals.

 

[TPadden]

I surmise that in some cases, the reasons for suggesting Apple Care as a must would be predicated on the following: (1) recommending it as a necessity is a form of positive reinforcement for the individual who purchased it.....

I surmise you don't have to go past your first reason at the individual level. All insurance is based on macro vs micro risk. It is based on the fact that whoever assumes the risk on the macro level makes money by paying out less than it takes in. The "house" always wins but an individual player may smile when they walk away from the table.

Insurance 101 isn't "flawed" logic!

 

[koa]

Apple care with student discount can be bought via the online education store when first purchasing your computer. If you bought a computer w/out AppleCare, and if you are less than a year from purchase, you can still get AppleCare via online or in the store at full price. If you want the education discount post purchase for AppleCare, then you must order it via 1-800-MY-APPLE.

I bought a Macbookpro from Best Buy, then went to the Apple Store and bought AppleCare at the education discount price of $183. Your "full price" comment is a bit confusing.

Also, I'm sure other credit cards do this but I have first hand experience with AmEx extending warranty. Year 1 is covered by the normal Apple warranty. Year 2-3 covered by AppleCare. Year 4 is covered by AmEx and duplicates the Apple warranty of year 1. AmEx is very liberal, does not require you to fix your device, they will credit your card for the repair and let you decide what works best for you. You can even fix it yourself. Toward the end of fourth year AmEx credited me over $800. for repairs for a Powerbook G4 sleep light, battery and charger. Only bought a new charger and battery and didn't fix the sleep light.

Also, you are covered for 90 days from date of purchase for theft and accidental damage with AmEx.

To be clear AppleCare starts from device date of purchase not date of purchase of AppleCare.

Averaging the cost of AppleCare over the fourth year brings the cost down to about $47. per year with AmEx. To me the $4. per month is worth it.

 

[Prise]

AmEx is very liberal, does not require you to fix your device, they will credit your card for the repair and let you decide what works best for you. You can even fix it yourself. Toward the end of fourth year AmEx credited me over $800. for repairs for a Powerbook G4 sleep light, battery and charger. Only bought a new charger and battery and didn't fix the sleep light.

Also, you are covered for 90 days from date of purchase for theft and accidental damage with AmEx.

Right, which is why I've always placed my Mac (and, electronics purchases in general) on AmEx cards passing on extended warranties.

By the way, the 90 day accidental coverage is great, since it basically covers everything except for fraud. However, it's limited to $1,000 per occurrence.

 

[saturnotaku]

By the way, the 90 day accidental coverage is great, since it basically covers everything except for fraud.

Depending on your homeowner's insurance, you might be able to take out a "personal items policy" on your computer. For my MBP, it costs about $35/year through State Farm, though we have other personal items (wife's jewelry) and two cars covered so there probably is some discount on the coverage. Regardless, the policy would cover accidental damage and theft.

 

[JupiterDoc]

AppleCare+

I believe AppleCare+ is so good & important, I think Apple should include it already bundled in on every purchase.

 

[TPadden]

I believe AppleCare+ is so good & important, I think Apple should include it already bundled in on every purchase.

...... and require a health care certificate from the purchaser that certifies they are OCD free or in remission.

 

[Stunned Monkey]

I believe AppleCare+ is so good & important, I think Apple should include it already bundled in on every purchase.

Apple products are already premium priced. Not sure that adding $250 to the price of every notebook to cover a three year warranty would be met with much enthusiasm from the masses.

 

[marc55]

Also, I'm sure other credit cards do this but I have first hand experience with AmEx extending warranty. Year 1 is covered by the normal Apple warranty. Year 2-3 covered by AppleCare. Year 4 is covered by AmEx and duplicates the Apple warranty of year 1.
Averaging the cost of AppleCare over the fourth year brings the cost down to about $47. per year with AmEx. To me the $4. per month is worth it.

Could you please explain how AmEx will cover an Apple MacBook Pro for the 4th year?

As I read their warranty: "Extended Warranty" can extend the terms of the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty for up to one additional year", Which I take to mean: Since the "original" Apple warranty is 1 year, AmEx will provide an additional year of coverage, which would be year 2.

Since AppleCare is not the "original" warranty, I don't see how you would be able to add the 4th year after AppleCare runs out.

 

[mattbaar26]

Money was tight yet you were buying a top of the line 17 inch and a tb display?

 

[fskywalker]

Could you please explain how AmEx will cover an Apple MacBook Pro for the 4th year?

As I read their warranty: "Extended Warranty" can extend the terms of the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty for up to one additional year", Which I take to mean: Since the "original" Apple warranty is 1 year, AmEx will provide an additional year of coverage, which would be year 2.

Since AppleCare is not the "original" warranty, I don't see how you would be able to add the 4th year after AppleCare runs out.

Agree, Amex should only cover the second year from original purchase

 

[koa]

Could you please explain how AmEx will cover an Apple MacBook Pro for the 4th year?

As I read their warranty: "Extended Warranty" can extend the terms of the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty for up to one additional year", Which I take to mean: Since the "original" Apple warranty is 1 year, AmEx will provide an additional year of coverage, which would be year 2.

Since AppleCare is not the "original" warranty, I don't see how you would be able to add the 4th year after AppleCare runs out.

You can call the number on the back of your card and they will transfer you or give you the number for the warranty dept. so you can confirm.

What happens is, AmEx wants you to use up any existing extended warranty for claims before they start their coverage. Coverage will not exceed 5 years in any case so if you have an extended warranty for 5 years AmEx will not cover anything. Since AppleCare extends the warranty to 3 years, AmEx will cover anything in the fourth year that would have been covered by the original warranty on the Apple product that was purchased.

It works, like I said I've used it. It's easy especially on an Apple product that you can take to the Genius Bar and get a price quote to fix. Fax that to AmEx, once verified you bought the item using AmEx, they will credit you account the amount.

One thing I'm not sure about is if all AmEx cards now come with this feature already activated. Years ago I had to request the free service be added to my card.

 

[Buck987]

You can call the number on the back of your card and they will transfer you or give you the number for the warranty dept. so you can confirm.

What happens is, AmEx wants you to use up any existing extended warranty for claims before they start their coverage. Coverage will not exceed 5 years in any case so if you have an extended warranty for 5 years AmEx will not cover anything. Since AppleCare extends the warranty to 3 years, AmEx will cover anything in the fourth year that would have been covered by the original warranty on the Apple product that was purchased.

It works, like I said I've used it. It's easy especially on an Apple product that you can take to the Genius Bar and get a price quote to fix. Fax that to AmEx, once verified you bought the item using AmEx, they will credit you account the amount.

One thing I'm not sure about is if all AmEx cards now come with this feature already activated. Years ago I had to request the free service be added to my card.

This is correct. Every time I buy an apple product with my Amex card and mention the additional year of coverage the apple people tell me how if I add apple care I would have 4 years of coverage.


I believe you do not have to have it activated.


I asked who I purchased extra rental insurance.

 

[koa]

Apple products are already premium priced. Not sure that adding $250 to the price of every notebook to cover a three year warranty would be met with much enthusiasm from the masses.

Assuming Apple didn't try and make too much more by including AppleCare with the computer, it would seem it would be substantially less since the pool of policies should be much greater. Unless most people now purchase AppleCare. Also AppleCare is pretty heavily discounted in the education store now. $249 on a MacBook Pro drops to $183.

 

[Prise]

The Amex warranty is standard on all of their cards, though their Platinum ones have higher coverage limits.

The extended warranty extends "original" manufacturers's warranty for an extra year, not to exceed five years. In this case, Apple Care is considered the manufacturer's warranty, since it's offered directly from Apple. In other words, if you bought ABC Care, then AmEx would only extend Apple's original warranty, and not the extra 2 from ABC Co.

AmEx's extended warranty is ridiculously easy to claim, compared to other third party warranties.

 

[827538]

I was lucky, as a student here in the UK I recieved an addtional 2 years of warranty cover for my Haswell rMBP. So I'm now covered till Nov 2016 for free. Plus I recieved a 15% discount on the system, not bad. £1869 for 3 years cover and a high end rMBP!

 

[Fzang]

Personally, I reserve insurance purchases for those things that would be financially ruinous...health insurance, homeowners insurance, auto insurance...those things in which you could find yourself hundreds of thousands in debt if you end up being "the one."

Good, that is what I wanted to hear. I was afraid that you'd be one of those "accidents never happen to me, because I'm one in a million!"

Yes, I've never bought Apple Care either, but I wouldn't skimp out on my life insurance.

 

[JupiterDoc]

Apple products are already premium priced. Not sure that adding $250 to the price of every notebook to cover a three year warranty would be met with much enthusiasm from the masses.

Penny wise, ...
Pound foolish.