Who's going without insurance?

[Brandonjr36]

Hey guys I decided not to go with insurance on either mine or my gfs iPhone 7's is it a good idea? We both have cases mine is the thin spigen case, just really don't see the point in giving $10 a month each then having to give a deductible if I break it. I'm usually pretty careful with my phones.

 

[areyes163]

I know a ton of people who get insurance on their devices and I initially got AppleCare. I have since canceled it as I never get insurance. I don't keep my phone long enough though. I normally keep my phones a month or so. But even if I keep it longer I would have to completely destroy my phone or break my screen twice to make the insurance worth it for me. So that's why I declined.

 

[1981d]

You can usually get a better deal just doing out of warranty replacement at Apple Store.

Edit- I see that OOWR is $319 for an iPhone 7. That's cheaper than your insurance deductible plus the monthly payments

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I've gone without AC since 2007 and relied on extended warranty protection by Amex. I've filed a couple of claims and they made me whole plus some. I've never dropped or shattered any of my iPhones though.

This year I have no choice because AC+ is mandatory with the iPhone Upgrade Program, but that's okay because items still under installment billing aren't eligible for Amex's Extended Warranty.

 

[DesertSilver]

You can usually get a better deal just doing out of warranty replacement at Apple Store.

Edit- I see that OOWR is $319 for an iPhone 7. That's cheaper than your insurance deductible plus the monthly payments

Can you share with you got the OOWR pricing?

And is it verified that it works by just going to the Apple Store with a busted iP7 and walking out with a new one after paying $319?

 

[EDH667]

I never get cell phone insurance. I purchase them using my American Express for the additional coverage and also charge my AT&T bill on my Wells Fargo credit card each month which provides theft and damage protection for my phones on up to 4 lines.
[doublepost=1475181902][/doublepost]Out of Warranty Pricing.

https://support.apple.com/iphone/repair/other

 

[dagored]

I have not purchased insurance in the last 6 years. (six phones - 3 for me and 3 for the wife) What would that be for 6 phones -$600? Phone never breaks, lucky I guess. I figure whatever I pay out of pocket now is acceptable.

 

[P0stalTek]

I bought Applecare+ for the wife because she is a klutz, and I get tired of seeing her carrying around a smashed screen as if I don't buy her nice gear

I have AC+ too, but only because I'm on IUP.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

And is it verified that it works by just going to the Apple Store with a busted iP7 and walking out with a new one after paying $319?

Yes, in fact, that's how Amex Extended Warranty works. You go to the store with the defective iPhone and pay the OOW replacement cost to replace it on the spot. Amex will reimburse you up to the amount charged to card in the next billing cycle.

Keep in mind that Amex won't work with installment plans like IUP, Next, etc. However, other eligible credit cards (such as Citi Costco Anywhere Visa) do work with installment plans and will reimburse you up to the accumulated amount charged to the card via the monthly payments.

 

[Mrbobb]

Never personally bought any insurance or extended warranty for electronics. In 30 years I have one break into my car and took the stereo. I figure the math says this expense as some quarter report, is throwing money away. YMMV. Insurance for the house and liability for the car, yes.

 

[1981d]

Can you share with you got the OOWR pricing?

And is it verified that it works by just going to the Apple Store with a busted iP7 and walking out with a new one after paying $319?

It has been a while since I had to do this. Once my wife spilled coffee all over her 4s. I took it to the Apple Store and swapped it out for a new one, only had to pay $199.00, which was the same amount as the deductible on the insurance. And I did not have to pay $7-$11 a month extra for nothing. The only time that insurance is a better deal if if the phone is lost or stolen, since OOWR requires a device trade in.

 

[mattopotamus]

You really need to ask yourself:
"do you think you will completely destroy a phone?"
"Do you think you will break more than 1 screen?"

If the answer to both of those are no, you do not need insurance and are better off self insuring.

 

[x-evil-x]

I've gone without AC since 2007 and relied on extended warranty protection by Amex. I've filed a couple of claims and they made me whole plus some. I've never dropped or shattered any of my iPhones though.

This year I have no choice because AC+ is mandatory with the iPhone Upgrade Program, but that's okay because items still under installment billing aren't eligible for Amex's Extended Warranty.

Do you have to pay for your phone bill monthly on the amex? I understand wells fargo does the same the same thing but i think they only cover up to 500$?
Now breaking a phone completely out of pocket would be that 320$ from apple which is less than 500. But what happens if it gets lost or stolen? 650-970$ phone

 

[mattopotamus]

Do you have to pay for your phone bill monthly on the amex? I understand wells fargo does the same the same thing but i think they only cover up to 500$?
Now breaking a phone completely out of pocket would be that 320$ from apple which is less than 500. But what happens if it gets lost or stolen? 650-970$ phone

No, but you have to pay for the entire phone up front if you want total reimbursement. Basically, they will reimburse you for the amount you charged on your amex. Say you do installments, but put $300 down. You would get $300 of coverage and it doubles the manufacture warranty. It is only for 90 days on accidental coverage though.

I didn't do a good job of explaining that. There is 90 days of basically applecare+ going through amex in the sense they will cover all types of damage. After 90 days you just have the manufacture warranty for 2 years instead of 1. For example, if your battery died 1.5 years in and apple charged you $200 for a new battery you would be covered assuming you charged at least $200 on a single amex transaction towards the phone. I do not think they cover OOW replacements. You couldn't destroy your phone a year in and get it replaced for $320 from apple and then have amex reimburse you since that is not part of the manufacture warranty that is extended.

 

[x-evil-x]

No, but you have to pay for the entire phone up front if you want total reimbursement. Basically, they will reimburse you for the amount you charged on your amex. Say you do installments, but put $300 down. You would get $300 of coverage and it doubles the manufacture warranty. It is only for 90 days on accidental coverage though.

I didn't do a good job of explaining that. There is 90 days of basically applecare+ going through amex in the sense they will cover all types of damage. After 90 days you just have the manufacture warranty for 2 years instead of 1. For example, if you battery died 1.5 years in and apple charge you $200 for a new battery you would be covered assuming you charged at least $200 on a single amex transaction towards the phone.

Makes sense. From what i gathered about wells fargo is they cover the phone even if you don't pay full price for it up front you just have to make payments to your monthly bill on the card.
Ill buy a macbook pro on my amex though for that extra warranty.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Do you have to pay for your phone bill monthly on the amex? I understand wells fargo does the same the same thing but i think they only cover up to 500$?
Now breaking a phone completely out of pocket would be that 320$ from apple which is less than 500. But what happens if it gets lost or stolen? 650-970$ phone

No, Amex doesn't require charging the monthly phone bills to the card. They only care about the amount you charged to the card when you bought your iPhone.

For example back then when we had subsidized pricing, if you pay the subsidized price of $399 for the middle-tier iPhone and it becomes defective in the second year. You swap it out for the OOW cost of $299 and Amex would reimburse you in the next billing statement.

Now you need to pay the full retail price upfront given that we no longer have subsidized pricing, and Amex Extended Warranty doesn't cover items still under installment billing so IUP, Next, etc. are a no go. However, other eligible credit cards such as Citi Costco Anywhere Visa have no such restriction and you can use these with installment plans.

 

[EDH667]

Do you have to pay for your phone bill monthly on the amex? I understand wells fargo does the same the same thing but i think they only cover up to 500$?
Now breaking a phone completely out of pocket would be that 320$ from apple which is less than 500. But what happens if it gets lost or stolen? 650-970$ phone

Wells Fargo pays up to $600 per occurrence for stolen or damaged if you charge your cell phone bill each month.
https://www.wellsfargo.com/credit-cards/features/cell-phone-protection/