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UK insurance or apple care?

R

ri0ku

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
952
0
Hey guys was wondering if anyone could give me some advise.. I have never bought insurance or apple care before. I own the iPhone 5 and now am thinking about getting insurance or apple care (obviously insurance would give me more cover)

Could anyone recommend me anything? or give advise as to what the best thing to do is?

I am very careful with all my things. My iPhone 4 had to go into the store about 9 months into owning it because the home button broke, but never really had to have anything repaired outside of warranty.

But thinking this time since I bought the phone out right and spent a good penny on it I think I should get myself a little back up.
 
I get free insurance through my Barclays account. I have only had to use them once and they were total crap!
The policy covers lost or stolen, my wife lost her phone, which was then taken by someone! We tracked it on find my phone until the phone was turned off

We told the truth on the claim form, they said we were negligent and refused to pay out!

When my 5 arrives, I'm going to look for some decent handset insurance
 
In the UK the regulations state that high value electrical items come with a 2 year warranty as standard.

If your iPhone develops a manufacturing defect in the first 2 years (for most people the length of time before they upgrade also lol) Apple have to fix it by law.

Accidental damage or something you did? - You're on your own there buddy!
 
iFanboy said:
In the UK the regulations state that high value electrical items come with a 2 year warranty as standard.

If your iPhone develops a manufacturing defect in the first 2 years (for most people the length of time before they upgrade also lol) Apple have to fix it by law.

Accidental damage or something you did? - You're on your own there buddy!
Click to expand...

Not completely true. You have to prove that the fault or what caused the fault was present at the point of sale for that 2 year warranty to apply. Its by no means 100% that they will honour it in the second year.

Theres also stuff like apple sending a replacement phone and collecting yours at the same time so your not without one on applecare which they wont do otherwise. If you have an apple store nearby than thats a non issue tho.
 
Kissaragi said:
Not completely true. You have to prove that the fault or what caused the fault was present at the point of sale for that 2 year warranty to apply. Its by no means 100% that they will honour it in the second year.

Theres also stuff like apple sending a replacement phone and collecting yours at the same time so your not without one on applecare which they wont do otherwise. If you have an apple store nearby than thats a non issue tho.
Click to expand...

Sorry, that's wrong.

The iPhone is locked up with the internals not accessible. If you take a clearly untampered undamaged iPhone back to apple within 2 years that is not working you can ask them to fix it. They can't and won't refuse because the fact the internals are not working in the absence of evidence of anything you did is conclusive proof that the phone was not of the required quality at the point of sale.

However, it won't even get to that stage unless you're a complete dick to the store staff.
 
iFanboy said:
Sorry, that's wrong.

The iPhone is locked up with the internals not accessible. If you take a clearly untampered undamaged iPhone back to apple within 2 years that is not working you can ask them to fix it. They can't and won't refuse because the fact the internals are not working in the absence of evidence of anything you did is conclusive proof that the phone was not of the required quality at the point of sale.

However, it won't even get to that stage unless you're a complete dick to the store staff.
Click to expand...
I've read many stories from people on this site that are the opposite of what you are saying. People have courteously asked for things to be fixed and Apple has denied them. One thing in particular that comes to mind is the iPhone 4 home button, which I believe is a well known issue.
Apple support seems great here in the USA, but that doesn't always seem to be the case in other places.
 
iFanboy said:
Sorry, that's wrong.

The iPhone is locked up with the internals not accessible. If you take a clearly untampered undamaged iPhone back to apple within 2 years that is not working you can ask them to fix it. They can't and won't refuse because the fact the internals are not working in the absence of evidence of anything you did is conclusive proof that the phone was not of the required quality at the point of sale.

However, it won't even get to that stage unless you're a complete dick to the store staff.
Click to expand...

You have got it completely wrong. There is no UK regulation that requires a 2 year warranty. There is EU directive, but countries don't have to adopt them in the same ways.

The UK has the sales of goods act which states that products should last a reasonable time, up to 6 years depending on the item. Within 6 months the retailer has to prove that a fault wasn't inherent, after 6 months the consumer has to prove that the fault was inherent usually by getting an independent report produced. The cost of the report will be refunded by the retailer if the fault is found to be inherent.
 
dave420 said:
I've read many stories from people on this site that are the opposite of what you are saying. People have courteously asked for things to be fixed and Apple has denied them. One thing in particular that comes to mind is the iPhone 4 home button, which I believe is a well known issue.
Apple support seems great here in the USA, but that doesn't always seem to be the case in other places.
Click to expand...

Well the remedy is easy - if apple fail in their obligations you can report them to trading standards or go to the small claims court.

In the UK massive companies cannot decide to pick and choose what consumer laws they feel like adhering to.

If you go to apple and ask them to repair a manufacturing defect within 2 years and they refuse, and then you just walk away it's you're own fault.
 
iFanboy said:
Well the remedy is easy - if apple fail in their obligations you can report them to trading standards or go to the small claims court.

In the UK massive companies cannot decide to pick and choose what consumer laws they feel like adhering to.

If you go to apple and ask them to repair a manufacturing defect within 2 years and they refuse, and then you just walk away it's you're own fault.
Click to expand...

Helps if you actually know what the laws are, you are spouting rubbish at the moment.
 
flipshot said:
Helps if you actually know what the laws are, you are spouting rubbish at the moment.
Click to expand...

Oh boy - fun fact! I'm actually a Solicitor specialising in Litigation :)

While barrack room lawyer's such as yourself familiarise yourself with the dry law and think that you both understand it and know how it applies in practice, I'll keep acting for clients in the real world where real considerations come into play.

Do you seriously think there is this long rigid process that both sides stick to in practice even though that means Apple having to spend the cost of giving you 4 free iPhones in defending their decision not to repair?

Do you think small claims litigations hinge on technicalities in the same way that multi track claims would?

In the real world, 2 year warranties for expensive electrical products are enforceable. In the real world, in the absence of evidence of damage or user caused problems such as dents, water damage, or evidence of accessing the sealed internals, Apple will offer a repair and adhere to their obligations. If they don't contact trading standards and get a solicitor to send a letter and the remedy will be provided.

The courts have HUGE discretion in small claims cases. Factors in play, different financial positions (apple -vs- you), the cost of the product, the absense of evidence of user caused problems - and the courts will certainly grant a remedy.

Multi track litigation between companies over £20,000 pieces of equipment for example is somewhat different of course - but this thread is specifically about consumer issues with apple products needing repair in practice - which my advice is spot on with.

Now jog on :)
 
Anyone know why they don't offer AppleCare+ in the UK?

----------

Check out ProtectYourBubble.com

Covers you against everything for the same price as AppleCare. Just have to pay £50 for a new one that's the only downside.
 
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