AppleCare+ vs. SquareTrade

[Shanewilliams]

At what point does Apple require you to pay the deductible though?? For example, I've been in with my wife's 3GS and they replaced it under Applecare due to the case cracking on the bottom. So, I now get my 4S and go in with it for a similar issue, whats to keep them from charging me the deductible for it because I have applecare+ and replacing it for free for the person that doesn't have applecare+??

I hope this makes sense to someone other then me!

Also, Can the regular Applecare be used on the iPhone 4S?

 

[shortys408]

I wonder if this means no more good will repairs.

 

[benjamintm]

Edit: The only thing I find confusing is the website https://www.squaretrade.com/pages/learn-more-warranty-buyer states:

Coverage Amount
For replacement payments: You are covered up to the maximum value you paid for the item. Once we pay out that amount, your Care Plan is considered fulfilled. If you would like coverage on your new item, you need to purchase a new warranty for it.

For Repairs: The Care Plan is good for multiple repairs, up to the maximum value of your item. Once the cost of repairs meets the full purchase price of the item, your Care Plan is considered fulfilled.

See my earlier examples. Long story short(er): you pay ST $99, that gives you up to the cost of replacing the phone in coverage. For an iPhone 4S 64GB, I assume the unsubsidized price of $849. SquareTrade will cover you up to that amount in total repairs (less the deductible if applicable . If the repairs are more then the amount of coverage you have left, they send you a check for whatever coverage amount is remaining.

Ben

 

[benjamin9876]

This is inferred from past conversations with them. Basically when you pay them $99, it gives you $849 (iPhone 4s 64GB) in insurance.

Here are some examples:

• If you break your phone and the repair is less then the $849, they will repair it for the lesser amount and then deduct it from the $849 (plus your deductable). So if it costs $100 to fix the screen because you dropped it, you will have $699 in insurance ($100 repair + $50 deductible). If you broke it again and it was $700 in damage, they would write you a check for $649 (the remaining $699 of insurance minus $50 deductible).
  
• If you dropped your phone just once and it would cost $850 to repair, they would write you a check for $799 ($849 - $50 deductable).
  
• If your phone died through no fault of your own and it cost $850 to repair, they would write you a check for $849 as there is no deductible if you didn't cause the problem.

Now compare that to AppleCare+:

• If you drop and break your phone once, you get a replacement. Drop and break it a second time, you get a replacement. Drop and break it a third time, no replacement.
• If it dies 10 times because of faulty hardware, they will replace it 10 times.

Overall, I think AppleCare+ is a better deal, but I'll find out as I now have an iPhone with SquareTrade and will have one with AppleCare+.

Ben

what if everyone smash their phone to dead at the end of two yr warrantys?
everybody getting $849 ???
then i dont know how this company make money from ...really...
i know not everyone will do that, but if you can get pay $849 after 2 yrs,
can you really resist the good?

 

[benjamintm]

what if everyone smash their phone to dead at the end of two yr warrantys?
everybody getting $849 ???
then i dont know how this company make money from ...really...
i know not everyone will do that, but if you can get pay $849 after 2 yrs,
can you really resist the good?

They deal in bulk with the assumption is that most people are inherently good and won't cheat the system. There will always be people who will cheat, but most won't so it more then balances out in SquareTrades favor. If it didn't, then they wouldn't offer the warranties.

Ben

 

[balwx]

Caught me before I could correct myself.

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Depending on your AMEX card (Visa Signature as well) AMEX will match your manufactures warranty.

For example, my iPhone 4's home button stopped working a week after my warranty ran up and I filed a claim. Within 3-4 days I received a letter and credit to my account for the price I paid for the phone.

Thanks for the information Auero & Ben.

 

[sweetbrat]

See my earlier examples. Long story short(er): you pay ST $99, that gives you up to the cost of replacing the phone in coverage. For an iPhone 4S 64GB, I assume the unsubsidized price of $849. SquareTrade will cover you up to that amount in total repairs (less the deductible if applicable . If the repairs are more then the amount of coverage you have left, they send you a check for whatever coverage amount is remaining.

Ben

I think you're making a big assumption. It says "You are covered up to the maximum value you paid for the item." So if you bought it without contract, they yes, it should cover $849. But if you bought it under contract, then the price you paid was $399. They said what you PAID for the item, not what it's typical retail price is. There's a big difference between being covered for $399 and being covered for $849.

If it really will cover $849, I guess it's not so bad...it would cost you $149 for that $849 worth of coverage. But if it really only covers up to the cost you actually PAID, that's $149 for $399 worth of coverage. At Apple, it would cost you $148 no matter what the cost is to fix or replace it. Yes, through Apple you can only use the accidental damage claim twice, but I'd rather know that my phone could be replaced under the warranty and not have to worry if I have enough money left in the coverage to get it fixed.

If you're really interested in Squaretrade, I'd call them and verify how much you're actually covered for.

 

[ZipZap]

I think you're making a big assumption. It says "You are covered up to the maximum value you paid for the item." So if you bought it without contract, they yes, it should cover $849. But if you bought it under contract, then the price you paid was $399. They said what you PAID for the item, not what it's typical retail price is. There's a big difference between being covered for $399 and being covered for $849.

If it really will cover $849, I guess it's not so bad...it would cost you $149 for that $849 worth of coverage. But if it really only covers up to the cost you actually PAID, that's $149 for $399 worth of coverage. At Apple, it would cost you $148 no matter what the cost is to fix or replace it. Yes, through Apple you can only use the accidental damage claim twice, but I'd rather know that my phone could be replaced under the warranty and not have to worry if I have enough money left in the coverage to get it fixed.

If you're really interested in Squaretrade, I'd call them and verify how much you're actually covered for.

Everyone should pay particular attention to the point above. Squaretrade is a deminishing coverage plan. The cost of each claim reduces your coverage. I have spoken to them many times about this. You send them a receipt when you register the plan and your coverage is up to the amount you paid. If you did not buy the phone at full price you dont get full price coverage.

Now consider the cost of repairs under accidental damage, and the co-pay --- the apple plan is the better deal.

 

[blind363]

I just called SquareTrade and the rep said the covered value is 599.99 for the new Iphone

 

[sweetbrat]

I just called SquareTrade and the rep said the covered value is 599.99 for the new Iphone

For which version? 16GB, 32GB or 64GB?

I'm curious how they got $599.99, as most of the info I've seen says that a 16GB iPhone 4S without contract will likely cost $649.

 

[cruisencode]

American Express basically adds another year onto the warranties of items purchased with an AMEX card. I don't have the exact details, but I believe it also covers loss, theft, or damage (I could be wrong). Here is the FAQ.

As always, check the Terms and Conditions.

I started the process when I though my water sensors had been tripped on the iPhone. I submitted a claim, they called me, we talked about the problem, they said they needed an Apple quote before processing the claim. When I took it into the Apple store, they looked at the strips and said they were fine. Overall the process with AMEX is more cumbersome, but it's also free.

Ben

I don't see anything in the Amex FAQ that mentions accidental damage, loss, or theft. It seems like it is just an extended warranty.

 

[blind363]

For which version? 16GB, 32GB or 64GB?

I'm curious how they got $599.99, as most of the info I've seen says that a 16GB iPhone 4S without contract will likely cost $649.

he didn't say and I was in a rush and didn't ask I assume its for the 16gb although idk if it goes up based on the size since the price of the coverage doesn't change based on size

 

[benjamintm]

I don't see anything in the Amex FAQ that mentions accidental damage, loss, or theft. It seems like it is just an extended warranty.

AMEX offers two benefits to their users, depending on the card. The first is called Purchase Protection, which covers you for the first 90 days. It includes theft and accidental damage. Here's the FAQ.

They also offer an extended warranty. It's terms are a bit more nebulous to me, but as I read it, it basically extends your product warranty by a year. I'm not sure if that covers accidental damage. You can read it's FAQ here.

I've bought SquareTrade in the past. I purchased AppleCare+ for my iPhone 4S. I have used my AMEX to buy them all. I think in one way or another I have my bases covered .

Ben

 

[benjamintm]

I just called SquareTrade and the rep said the covered value is 599.99 for the new Iphone

They quoted me $499 when I was originally looking to buy ST for my iPhone 4 32GB. When I asked if it would cover, they said that it would, though I doubted it at the time. When I talked to them, they said that they will cover the cost of an iPhone at what ever cost it is at the time of the claim.

So if you accidentally destroyed your iPhone in 4 months, they would cover what ever it cost to replace the phone (let's say $849 minus the deductible). Now they may try to leverage some other way of driving down the cost (Apples Out-of-Warranty $199 option, maybe), but I can't answer for them.

But if you accidentally destroyed your iPhone in 1 year and 8 months, the cost of the replacement might be $599, so they'd pay $549 ($50 deductible again). Or again, they may use some way of pricing the phone for less.

As always, check with ST directly for the a more authoritative answer rather then my interpretations of their policies.

All in all, I consider the AppleCare+ a better deal. Two year AppleCare along with two phone replacements for accidents for $197 ($99 + $49 + $49) seems like a good buy.

Ben

 

[deeddawg]

This just in: AppleCare+ to End Informal Free Replacement Policy for Damaged iPhones

 

[archaicrelic]

Response to my email from ST...
"Thank you for contacting SquareTrade.

There is no set number of claims you can file on your iPhone. Instead, your warranty has a maximum dollar value of coverage, and your warranty will be completed whenever that amount is used up, or at the end of the two year term, whichever comes first.

In most cases, the maximum coverage amount on a SquareTrade Care Plan is equal to the purchase price of your item, but for iPhones (any model), it is preset at $599.99.

If you have an approved claim forrepair, the cost of that repair is deducted from the coverage amount. However if the phone's issue is something that is beyond repairable or if the repair would cost us more than the coverage value. We don't find it economical to repair the item then we would just reimburse you up to $599.99 and it's up to you to use the amount to get a replacement.

For example, your iPhone coverage starts at $599.99. If we pay $200 to repair the item on your first claim, your remaining coverage would be worth $399.99, and you'd have this amount to use for a future claim.

You are entitled to additional repairs on future claims if we determinethere is enough value left in your warranty to cover the cost of additional repairs; otherwise, we would pay you the remaining value ofthe warranty to use toward a replacement item.

Once the coverage value is used up, your warranty would be complete and SquareTrade would have no further obligation to assist you with additional repairs."

Going by the email and my phone conversation with them, you can have up to 3 replacements of your iPhone due to damage since Apple offers out of warranty replacements at $200 each. You can just pay the $200 at the Apple store, and then submit the claim to ST for reimbursement.

 

[amtrucker22]

My question is this.

If you do not buy applecare+ and you drop the phone and get it wet. Can you still take it to apple and have them replace it for $199? If so then it is a $50 bet (applecare+ is 99 + 50 replacement fee) that you will not have accidental damage to your phone in the first 2 years.

I have yet to damage any iPhone's I have bought but I was considering applecare+ for the 4s. Then I found out that apple will replace the phone (accident or not) for 199.

 

[Dtp8513]

Just called Apple.. When I got the virtual answering thing, i just kept saying things until it took me to a rep. 30 sec wait to speak to rep, got transferred direct to customer service, no wait.. put request to add apple care +

not sure why people are saying you cant add it after the fact.. it was the easiest part in this process so far..

 

[Corato]

AppleCare+ and Verizon order

Here is what I found out from Apple Support, via Live Chat


Hi, my name is Jessy F. Welcome to Apple!
Hello and welcome to the Apple Online Store! How may I assist you today?
- Hello, I am ______, I purshased 3 iphone 4s from verizon and there was no way to order AppleCare+; how do i buy it now
I'd be happy to explain.
To do so, once you get your iPhones, do not activate them, take them to an Apple Store, purchase AppleCare +, then you can activate your phone with AppleCare!
- can i make a genius bar appt, or is one not needed
You can do so if you would like, or you can just walk in!

 

[aloecool]

American Express basically adds another year onto the warranties of items purchased with an AMEX card. I don't have the exact details, but I believe it also covers loss, theft, or damage (I could be wrong). Here is the FAQ.

As always, check the Terms and Conditions.

I started the process when I though my water sensors had been tripped on the iPhone. I submitted a claim, they called me, we talked about the problem, they said they needed an Apple quote before processing the claim. When I took it into the Apple store, they looked at the strips and said they were fine. Overall the process with AMEX is more cumbersome, but it's also free.

Ben

Good to know...so basically you get two years of coverage? One additional year beyond the regular one year offered by Apple?

 

[Joybulb]

I just called SquareTrade and the rep said the covered value is 599.99 for the new Iphone

This is correct. I called squaretrade and they said they realize that people are paying a subsidized price for the phone. They will cover the cost it would be to replace the phone at full price.

 

[ZipZap]

This is inferred from past conversations with them. Basically when you pay them $99, it gives you $849 (iPhone 4s 64GB) in insurance.

Here are some examples:

• If you break your phone and the repair is less then the $849, they will repair it for the lesser amount and then deduct it from the $849 (plus your deductable). So if it costs $100 to fix the screen because you dropped it, you will have $699 in insurance ($100 repair + $50 deductible). If you broke it again and it was $700 in damage, they would write you a check for $649 (the remaining $699 of insurance minus $50 deductible).
  
• If you dropped your phone just once and it would cost $850 to repair, they would write you a check for $799 ($849 - $50 deductable).
  
• If your phone died through no fault of your own and it cost $850 to repair, they would write you a check for $849 as there is no deductible if you didn't cause the problem.

Now compare that to AppleCare+:

• If you drop and break your phone once, you get a replacement. Drop and break it a second time, you get a replacement. Drop and break it a third time, no replacement.
• If it dies 10 times because of faulty hardware, they will replace it 10 times.

Overall, I think AppleCare+ is a better deal, but I'll find out as I now have an iPhone with SquareTrade and will have one with AppleCare+.

Ben

This needs to be documented someplace by squaretrade. Their printed terms clearly state that the value of coverage does not exceed what you paid.

Get them to send you terms that say otherwise or you "Inferred" thinking is simply invalid.

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This is correct. I called squaretrade and they said they realize that people are paying a subsidized price for the phone. They will cover the cost it would be to replace the phone at full price.

Get it in writing.

 

[benjamintm]

This needs to be documented someplace by squaretrade. Their printed terms clearly state that the value of coverage does not exceed what you paid.

Get them to send you terms that say otherwise or you "Inferred" thinking is simply invalid.

It's all documented on their site, in terms of how their process works. I did I inferred the full amount paid out based on talking with the representatives. The $599 someone quoted earlier is probably correct as that matches that is the maximum coverage for their "premium smart phones". I'm also willing to bet that they will send you a refurbished one instead of a check first and then that would be the end of the policy.

As I mentioned earlier, I think AppleCare+ is a better deal, but even with that I'll bet that they will offer refurbished models as replacements instead of brand new ones. When Apple replaced my iPhone 4, it was pulled from a brown box instead of standard iPhone box.

Ben

 

[iadam09]

I use square trade for my iPhone 4 and boy am I glad I got it. I don't like to use a case and I tend to be a bit clumsy. I've dropped my phone 3times to the point where it has been cracked.

The first time I had to send it to them which took about 4-5 days for it to come back. The second time they told me to go to apple and they would reimburse me, and the third time they did the same as the second. My claim always got approved same-day.

I had a replacement phone from apple same day mine got broken for the 2nd and 3rd claim.

Second claim: $199 was reimbursed
Third claim: $150 (apple now only charges 150 for replacement phones)

 

[nsfw]

I use square trade for my iPhone 4 and boy am I glad I got it. I don't like to use a case and I tend to be a bit clumsy. I've dropped my phone 3times to the point where it has been cracked.

The first time I had to send it to them which took about 4-5 days for it to come back. The second time they told me to go to apple and they would reimburse me, and the third time they did the same as the second. My claim always got approved same-day.

I had a replacement phone from apple same day mine got broken for the 2nd and 3rd claim.

Second claim: $199 was reimbursed
Third claim: $150 (apple now only charges 150 for replacement phones)

I don't get either of these plans. If you crack a screen can't you buy a kit online for less than $150? (the cost of insurance plus deductible)
If you drop you phone and it stops functioning can't you take it to an apple store and for $200 they will replace it?
Its a $50 gamble and you have to put $100 upfront for almost no reason. The majority of people won't have any issues.