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SquareTrade vs. AppleCare +

lorenwade

lorenwade

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Aug 27, 2008
1,951
0
Square Trade is better than AppleCare + in every way that I can see.

  • SquareTrade offers everything AppleCare + does.
  • If you go get the $35 SquareTrade discount right now, SquareTrade is much cheaper.
  • SquareTrade offers monthly payments if you don't want to spend the $99 ($65 with coupon) up front.
  • SquareTrade offers up to four replacements instead of two.
  • SquareTrade will allow you to replace it at the Apple Store and they (ST) will reimburse you.

What's your thoughts? Am I missing something crucial?
 
Squaretrade will reimburse you? How long will that take?

The reason I love Applecare is its so hassle-free, you take your iPhone into an Apple Store and its gets fixed, no chasing payments up etc.
 
daveishere said:
Squaretrade will reimburse you? How long will that take?

The reason I love Applecare is its so hassle-free, you take your iPhone into an Apple Store and its gets fixed, no chasing payments up etc.
Click to expand...

I agree about the hassle free thing, but looking at the list above I'm thinking the square trade might be a better option.
 
damn that is beast that they reimburse you. That is the main reason I did not go with them....having to wait a few days.

also, can you post a link to the discount?
 
Anyone else have firsthand experience with SquareTrade?

How can they afford this? What's the catch?

Hopefully there aren't any, but I've learned to be a bit skeptical in my 30 or so years. (And why in the world haven't I heard of this before!?)
 
willmtaylor said:
Anyone else have firsthand experience with SquareTrade?

How can they afford this? What's the catch?

Hopefully there aren't any, but I've learned to be a bit skeptical in my 30 or so years. (And why in the world haven't I heard of this before!?)
Click to expand...

I mean if they get enough people they really cover themselves. I wonder what percent of people cash in on applecare+....at most 15%? Insurance is a very profitable game :)
 
lorenwade said:
Square Trade is better than AppleCare + in every way that I can see.

  • SquareTrade offers everything AppleCare + does.
  • If you go get the $35 SquareTrade discount right now, SquareTrade is much cheaper.
  • SquareTrade offers monthly payments if you don't want to spend the $99 ($65 with coupon) up front.
  • SquareTrade offers up to four replacements instead of two.
  • SquareTrade will allow you to replace it at the Apple Store and they (ST) will reimburse you.
Click to expand...


But right now I'm looking at the costs of insuring a 16GB 4S:
  • It's on sale for $99, and it's usually $125. (Usually more expensive than AC+ but same now.)
  • There's a $50 deductible per claim (Same as AC+).
  • You're without your phone for 4-5 business days (Worse than AC+) or you have to wait for reimbursement
  • Up to 4 incidents are covered (Better than AC+)
  • Have to buy within 30 days (Same as AC+)

Sound about right?
 
willmtaylor said:
But right now I'm looking at the costs of insuring a 16GB 4S:
  • It's on sale for $99, and it's usually $125. (Usually more expensive than AC+ but same now.)
  • There's a $50 deductible per claim (Same as AC+).
  • You're without your phone for 4-5 business days (Worse than AC+) or you have to wait for reimbursement
  • Up to 4 incidents are covered (Better than AC+)
  • Have to buy within 30 days (Same as AC+)

Sound about right?
Click to expand...

Ahh, that makes sense. I missed the "normally $124". But still, with the $35 coupon you can get right now, it's even cheaper.

Did you read my post? You're not without a phone for 4-5 days. You can go right to the genius bar, pay to replace it, and they will reimburse you.

If you prefer the convenience of your local Genius Bar or repair shop, take it there. Either way, we'll cover your costs. -SquareTrade
Click to expand...
 
lorenwade said:
Ahh, that makes sense. I missed the "normally $124". But still, with the $35 coupon you can get right now, it's even cheaper.

Did you read my post? You're not without a phone for 4-5 days. You can go right to the genius bar, pay to replace it, and they will reimburse you.
Click to expand...

That coupon does make it cheaper, so that's nice. (However, coupons aren't always around.)

Also, I did edit my post to reflect the reimbursement (it's even in your quote of me).

Thanks for starting this thread. It's good to consider, and I hadn't even heard of these guys.
 
willmtaylor said:
That coupon does make it cheaper, so that's nice. (However, coupons aren't always around.)

Also, I did edit my post to reflect the reimbursement (it's even in your quote of me).

Thanks for starting this thread. It's good to consider, and I hadn't even heard of these guys.
Click to expand...

My bad bro, misread it.

And, yeah, my pleasure. Personally, I'd rather have my phone instantly, and be reimbursed later. Haha.
 
lorenwade said:
My bad bro, misread it.

And, yeah, my pleasure. Personally, I'd rather have my phone instantly, and be reimbursed later. Haha.
Click to expand...

Do you mind if I add this/your SquareTrade info. to my thread about all of the different warranty options? I'll give credit where credit is due.
 
I buy squaretrade for all my apple products, it's absolutely great. Had my iPad replaced 3 times (don't ask).
 
I have had good results with SquareTrade. My last iPhone developed a battery problem. SquareTrade offered for either me sending it to them or the reimbursement route for me to deal with Apple. I chose the Apple repair route because I've read some negative things and have seen pictures (here and otherwise) about what ST did with repairs when they got them to do themselves. Kind of scary.

For some odd reason, SquareTrade wanted me to submit it for Apple to replace the entire phone at the out-of-warranty replacement cost. I wrote back and questioned that since the battery replacement fee is MUCH cheaper. (Even more odd is that a battery replacement gets you a phone swap anyhow and they didn't seem to know that.) They said that was fine with them.

I contacted Apple, did the battery claim, and paid for it. I submitted the paid Apple invoice to SquareTrade and they processed a reimbursement two days later. I couldn't have had it go any easier.
 
mattopotamus said:
...I wonder what percent of people cash in on applecare+....at most 15%? Insurance is a very profitable game :)
Click to expand...


Bottom line - ANY insurance plan is a profit center for the insurance company. If you really get to use it, a good deal for you. In the big picture, way more people do NOT use it, which is why insurance companies are rich.
 
willmtaylor said:
Oh come on! I gotta ask.
Click to expand...

A friend reached for it the first day I had it and it flew out our hands and broke. Second time my 3 year old cousin was playing with it, dropped it and it broke, third time my dad was angry with me, he threw it, it broke. The dad thing I don't mind, I was extremely disrespectful, and no, he didn't buy it for me and I'm not a child, 21 year old college student with crappy luck.

First time I mailed it in and got it back 4 days later which sucked because I had just got it, the second and third time I went to genius bar, they paypal'd me the money in 3 days. I highly highly recommend it.
 
mobutt said:
A friend reached for it the first day I had it and it flew out our hands and broke. Second time my 3 year old cousin was playing with it, dropped it and it broke, third time my dad was angry with me, he threw it, it broke. The dad thing I don't mind, I was extremely disrespectful, and no, he didn't buy it for me and I'm not a child, 21 year old college student with crappy luck.

First time I mailed it in and got it back 4 days later which sucked because I had just got it, the second and third time I went to genius bar, they paypal'd me the money in 3 days. I highly highly recommend it.
Click to expand...

Boy,that sucks, but what a testament for the company. Thanks for sharing.
 
I have squaretrade warranty on my iPhone 4 and I've had an okay experience. I once accidentally dropped my phone and the screen shattered. I then filed a claims with them and within a few hours it was accepted and I could take it to an apple store or mail it in. I opted to go to the apple store but here was the problem when I gave them the phone they resisted doing an out-of-warranty swap because the phones parts have to be accessible. So I was forced to send my phone in. So, I called Squaretrade the next morning and they overnighted me a new phone from this repair company in California. I got a new phone the next day and placed my broken iPhone in the box and shipped it back to the repair company. Everything was great until a week or two. Randomly the back casing of the iPhone fell over just out the blue. Screws were still in tack and everything on the bottom near the speakers. I called them and they said they will overnight me a new phone. They did and it was from the same company in California again and I did the same procedure. Everything was great again for a week or so and the same thing happened again! The backing casing came off. It was the weirdest thing so because I was very frustrated (I never dropped the phones they sent me or anything) I went to the Apple store to see what was up and if they could just give me a new phone that I could trust. Well they checked out the phone in their backroom and came back and told me that the phone was tampered with. They showed me some screws which were stripped and they again resisted to do an out-of-warranty swap but I told them I had a Square trade warranty and they gave me this phone. They told me to call them and complain and tell them to give me a new phone. Well I did just that and they did the same exact thing (send me a new phone from the same California repair company overnighted). I got it and, I've had this phone now for about 4-5 months and the back casing hasn't fell off! So frustrating though, but once I got everything working there has been no issues.
 
basketball762 said:
I have squaretrade warranty on my iPhone 4 and I've had an okay experience. I once accidentally dropped my phone and the screen shattered. I then filed a claims with them and within a few hours it was accepted and I could take it to an apple store or mail it in. I opted to go to the apple store but here was the problem when I gave them the phone they resisted doing an out-of-warranty swap because the phones parts have to be accessible. So I was forced to send my phone in. So, I called Squaretrade the next morning and they overnighted me a new phone from this repair company in California. I got a new phone the next day and placed my broken iPhone in the box and shipped it back to the repair company. Everything was great until a week or two. Randomly the back casing of the iPhone fell over just out the blue. Screws were still in tack and everything on the bottom near the speakers. I called them and they said they will overnight me a new phone. They did and it was from the same company in California again and I did the same procedure. Everything was great again for a week or so and the same thing happened again! The backing casing came off. It was the weirdest thing so because I was very frustrated (I never dropped the phones they sent me or anything) I went to the Apple store to see what was up and if they could just give me a new phone that I could trust. Well they checked out the phone in their backroom and came back and told me that the phone was tampered with. They showed me some screws which were stripped and they again resisted to do an out-of-warranty swap but I told them I had a Square trade warranty and they gave me this phone. They told me to call them and complain and tell them to give me a new phone. Well I did just that and they did the same exact thing (send me a new phone from the same California repair company overnighted). I got it and, I've had this phone now for about 4-5 months and the back casing hasn't fell off! So frustrating though, but once I got everything working there has been no issues.
Click to expand...
That's odd, my experience with out of warranty is that apple just does it, I had a jail broken iPad reached out of warranty.
 
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