Factors to consider before purchasing Applecare +?

[gnasher729]

<SIGH
<SIGH>
I seem to hear this attitude a lot here. That's ok I guess, personal preference and all.

But try applying that argument down at your state DMV (MVD). "Honest, I don't need car insurance. I've never been in an accident and I'm pretty careful. Nothing will happen! No really, I'm willing to gamble that I won't hit anyone and that no one will hit me!"

Yes, I know, there's really no comparison because the state requires you to have car insurance and we're talking about phones, not cars. But my point is that as careful as you may be – there's always someone/something else out there. Consider it as a warranty/insurance protecting you not from yourself, but from others and/or your environment.

With car insurance the problem is that you can cause enormous damage with a car, much more than you could ever pay for yourself, so you are forced to pay for third party insurance to make sure innocent victims will get compensated. Even if you were not forced, driving a car you can quite easily create damage that would bankrupt you.

With things like an iPhone, the question is: Can you afford to pay for the damage? If the answer is yes, don't pay insurance. The insurance will make profit (and will have overheads), so on average you are better off taking the risk.

The reason you are required to have insurance on a car isn't because of your property. It's because of the potential damage you do to another persons property (or life for that matter). $20,000 damage in an accident isn't exactly disposable income for nearly anyone. You total another person's car, they shouldn't have to foot the bill.

$20,000 is cheap. You are thinking about the car; think about injuries. You hit a 20 year old who will live in a wheelchair for the next 50 years. That's real money. Having to pay $20,000 hurts, but injuries could cost millions.

 

[siurpeeman]

I know Amex will replace your damages phone

if i'm not mistaken, that's only covered in the first 90 days.

*edit*
90 days for accidental damage, though it extends the original warranty by another year.

 

[SC54HI]

Off hand do you know if Tmobile offers this or no? I know most offer insurance where you pay monthly.

Looks like they do: http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/addons...umhandsetprotection&tp=svc_sub_eqpmntprotnovw

 

[Izaiah]

Yeah, T-Mobile offers handset insurance through Asurion.

At $11.99/mo x 24 months you're looking at $287.76. Not including Asurion's deductibles, which are much higher than Apple's. Prior to getting my iPhone I shattered the screen on my HTC Sensation and the deductible was $130 to replace it. Plus, the whole waiting for them to ship you the new device and mailing the old one back dance. The only difference is that Asurion will cover loss/theft and Applecare+ won't, so it depends on if that's important to you.

Personally, I'm going with Applecare+ this time around. Loss and theft aren't big risks for me, but accidental damage is.

 

[lordofthereef]

$20,000 is cheap. You are thinking about the car; think about injuries. You hit a 20 year old who will live in a wheelchair for the next 50 years. That's real money. Having to pay $20,000 hurts, but injuries could cost millions.

I just picked a number, man. I thought that should be pretty clear in the rest of my post, you know, where I actually do mention injuries? But thanks for the, uh, correction?

 

[92jlee]

Does anyone know if the UK has an out of warrantee price? I wish we had AppleCare +

 

[Boogsephine]

Off hand do you know if Tmobile offers this or no? I know most offer insurance where you pay monthly.

Yes, T-Mobile offers the PHP Bundle and PHP Insurance. The difference in the two is the bundle ($11.99/month) covers everything and has a $175 deductible + $5 processing fee. Loss, theft, damage, water damage and a service warranty which you pay $5 if something that wasn't caused by you goes wrong (ie. home button stops working).

The PHP Insurance is everything listed above minus the lifetime warranty / service warranty. The deductible is still $175 (+5 processing fee) on the phone if you break it, lose it and so forth.

I didn't get it on mine because I did the math on the PHP Bundle and 2 claims per 2 years (same as AppleCare+).

$12 x 24 = $288
$175(+5) x 2 = $360
Total for 2 claims and carrying the monthly insurance = $648

With AppleCare+, $107 + $53.50 (2) = $214 tax included on prices

I've never lost a phone in my life (knock on wood) but I've done some damage to them and I always have my phone in a case and with a screen protector on it. Having the ability to track the phone, lock it and wipe it using iCloud as well as having all of my stuff backed up numerous times, I feel that the AppleCare+ will do me better over the course of 2 years.

I work for T-Mobile as well and have never had insurance on any of my handsets. Given there are a lot of times that the vendors give me my handsets for free, dealing with Asurion is about as much fun as having my wisdom tooth removed (2 days ago). I'm not saying don't get the insurance through T-Mobile but if you feel you won't lose your phone or you have it completely paid off (not splitting up payments through T-Mobile), I think AppleCare+ would be a better suit for most people.

----------

Yeah, T-Mobile offers handset insurance through Asurion.

At $11.99/mo x 24 months you're looking at $287.76. Not including Asurion's deductibles, which are much higher than Apple's. Prior to getting my iPhone I shattered the screen on my HTC Sensation and the deductible was $130 to replace it. Plus, the whole waiting for them to ship you the new device and mailing the old one back dance. The only difference is that Asurion will cover loss/theft and Applecare+ won't, so it depends on if that's important to you.

Personally, I'm going with Applecare+ this time around. Loss and theft aren't big risks for me, but accidental damage is.

I skipped right over this post! I kind of summed it up above as well. Asurion bumped the prices of the deductibles up as well. Tier 3 phones (Galaxy S3, Galaxy S2, Sensation, etc.) are now $150 + $5 processing fee and we all know they're going to be refurbished phones.

What I forgot to mention in my post is if people don't have an Apple Store near them, Asurion might be the only option to them if they don't want to be without a phone for a few days. I know the AppleCare+ can process everything by mail but the consumer is still out of a phone..

Thanks for the post.

 

[basketlacey]

Thanks everyone for your input. As I said in the original post, I am usually anti-extended warranty. I think the $99 is somewhat reasonable based on some other prices I am quoted when checking out at Best Buy and the like. Its especially reasonable considering T-Mobile wanted $11.99 for their protection which I think is ludicrous because you would have practically purchased a second phone when the 2 years is up. I know it covers lost and stolen phones as well. I lose my phone all the time but only inside my house (couch cushion, some random flat surface somewhere, maybe still in the car?)


I definitely got a kick out of this comparison to car insurance. And eyoungren - you would totally crack up if you knew my driving record! I can do a bit of damage with a car!

I am still undecided about the applecare+ but leaning towards no. It seems like I have 30 days to decide so I can noodle on it some more.

 

[lordofthereef]

I am still undecided about the applecare+ but leaning towards no. It seems like I have 30 days to decide so I can noodle on it some more.

Just to add to this, make sure there is no physical damage to the phone, as at this point, they will require it to be looked at by an Apple store employee to add the coverage. Just something to be aware of.

 

[Ta0jin]

I don't see the big deal? It's $100 for the year and I can sleep safe knowing that if I drop my phone I don't have to drop (no pun intended) $229 on a replacement. And if I never use it well at least the $100 bought me peace of mind, and that's worth more to me than $100. Just imagine your brand new iPhone that you just got falls accidentally and the screen cracks or some other kind of damage. Now which sounds better to you, $49 or $229?

 

[eyoungren]

And eyoungren - you would totally crack up if you knew my driving record! I can do a bit of damage with a car!

You don't live in Phoenix do you?

I had to deal with my dad when I brought his car home damaged at 16. After that, I wanted no part of accidents!

Seen more than enough close calls and crackups involving others too!

 

[eyoungren]

I don't see the big deal? It's $100 for the year and I can sleep safe knowing that if I drop my phone I don't have to drop (no pun intended) $229 on a replacement. And if I never use it well at least the $100 bought me peace of mind, and that's worth more to me than $100. Just imagine your brand new iPhone that you just got falls accidentally and the screen cracks or some other kind of damage. Now which sounds better to you, $49 or $229?

Totally with you on that. But there are some people that are good at not being clumsy or having accidents (I'm not one of them) and have other means of insurance/warranty. So, to them the additional cost isn't warranted.

The other side of the issue is that you can't control what happens to you or what other people will do. So, even being careful - accidents can still happen. It's this side that I fall under. My environment is full of people who aren't watching what they are doing, much less care.

So, both sides of the discussion have been pointed out and the OP has that to draw on in making his decision.

 

[lordofthereef]

I don't see the big deal? It's $100 for the year and I can sleep safe knowing that if I drop my phone I don't have to drop (no pun intended) $229 on a replacement. And if I never use it well at least the $100 bought me peace of mind, and that's worth more to me than $100. Just imagine your brand new iPhone that you just got falls accidentally and the screen cracks or some other kind of damage. Now which sounds better to you, $49 or $229?

It isn't a big deal at all. It's just a discussion on whether its worth it or not. I should point out though, that your price comparison is a bit off. You drop your phone, you just paid $150 to replace it, not simply $50. So, the discussion is about whether or not that extra $80 is worth the gamble for most people, that's all.

 

[Ta0jin]

Yes it is $150 but it's not when you go to pay for a replacement and that's what I meant by the "which sounds better" line in my last post. For me I paid that $100 six months ago, that money is long gone from my checking account and I now have AppleCare+. Now say I drop my phone or someone knocks it out of my hand.... Out of pocket at that moment I only have to pay $50! Yes TOTAL it cost me $150 but that $100 isn't affecting my bank account when I go to pay for a replacement because it was gone when I bought the phone in November. I wasn't trying to be rude in my post and if it came across that way I apologize @lordofthereef and to anyone else who may have taken offense. I don't know your finances OP and maybe $229 isn't hurting your pocket but in my case I feel much better paying less than more.

 

[CrimsonKnight]

I purchased AppleCare + and I couldn't t have been happier. I hate cases, love the phone in my hand the way it was meant to be. Unfortantly I had it on my lap in the car, stepped out and it fell right on the screen. Bam!! Spiderweb cracks on my screen. I was bummed , but went to an apple store , got my replacement and walked out in 15 to 20 mins.

For me, the apple care plus makes sense.

 

[zachlegomaniac]

I purchased AppleCare + and I couldn't t have been happier. I hate cases, love the phone in my hand the way it was meant to be. Unfortantly I had it on my lap in the car, stepped out and it fell right on the screen. Bam!! Spiderweb cracks on my screen. I was bummed , but went to an apple store , got my replacement and walked out in 15 to 20 mins.

For me, the apple care plus makes sense.

Agreed. I spent something like $80 on a Lifeproof case when I got my 4s at launch (I work in a field where a real good case is necessary without insurance). One year later I finally liberated my phone from the case, and enjoy it a lot more.

I do not currently have AppleCare+, but when I get the 5s (or 6 or whatever they want to call it) I will buy AppleCare+ for $100 instead of spending almost that much on a bullet proof case. That way I can enjoy the phone the way it was intended/designed.

Also, I dropped my phone a few months ago and shattered the back glass. The cost to fix it, I believe, was $29 (not bad, but glad it wasn't the front!). That brings me up to $109 + tax additional on my iPhone 4s since launch. AppleCare+ is a no brainer for me, personally.

Finally, my wife has her phone in an OtterBox. It makes the Lifeproof case seem like a screen protector. I don't know how she even uses her phone (especially the keyboard) with that clunker on!

ZLM