What is AppleCare+?
AppleCare+ is Apple’s extended warranty and accidental damage protection plan for iPhone. It provides additional coverage beyond the standard 1-year limited warranty that comes with every new iPhone.
Specifically, AppleCare+ extends the limited warranty from 1 year to 2 years from the original purchase date of your iPhone. This provides an extra year of hardware repair coverage through Apple for manufacturer defects.
Additionally, AppleCare+ adds up to 2 incidents of accidental damage coverage. This covers repair or replacement costs if your iPhone is damaged due to an accident like liquid spills or drops. Each incident is subject to a service fee.
So in summary, AppleCare+ extends the iPhone’s warranty period to 2 years and provides accidental damage protection for up to 2 incidents. This gives iPhone owners extra peace of mind compared to the standard 1-year limited warranty. More details on exact coverage can be found on Apple’s website.
Types of Damage Covered by AppleCare+
AppleCare+ for iPhone covers the following types of accidental damage:
- Accidental damage from drops or spills
- Cracked screen damage
- Liquid damage
Specifically, AppleCare+ covers damage from liquid spills and submersion in water up to 30 minutes and up to 2 meters. This includes damage from drinks, water, rain, sweat, and more. As long as you have possession of your iPhone when the liquid damage occurs, AppleCare+ will cover the repair costs.
Accidental screen damage from drops is also fully covered. AppleCare+ allows you to get your iPhone’s cracked screen repaired by Apple for a service fee. AppleCare+ covers an unlimited number of screen repairs for cracked screens due to drops or impacts during the coverage period.
In addition to liquid and screen damage, AppleCare+ covers any other accidental damage from drops or spills that affects your iPhone’s function or external enclosure. So if you drop your iPhone and the back glass cracks or the camera lens gets damaged, AppleCare+ will cover the repair.
In summary, AppleCare+ provides extensive protection against common accidental damage like cracked screens and liquid spills. As long as the damage is accidental and your iPhone is operable, AppleCare+ will cover the repair for a service fee.
Sources: https://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/applecare/applecareplus/docs/applecareplus_uk_ipid.pdf, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251645446
Cost of AppleCare+ for iPhone
The cost of AppleCare+ coverage for iPhone varies depending on the model:
– For iPhone 6s and earlier models, AppleCare+ costs $69 for 2 years of coverage.
– For iPhone 7 and later models, AppleCare+ costs $129 for 2 years of coverage. This includes the iPhone 7, 8, X models and newer.
– For screen-only damage, AppleCare+ costs $29 for 2 screen repairs over 2 years. This reduced option is only available for the iPhone SE (1st and 2nd gen), 8, 7, 6s models.
These prices are paid upfront at the time of enrollment. AppleCare+ must be purchased within 60 days of getting a new iPhone. After 60 days, customers can still enroll but will need to have their iPhone inspected and pay an additional fee.
Source: https://www.apple.com/support/products/iphone/
Getting an iPhone Repaired with AppleCare+
If you have an iPhone with AppleCare+ coverage and experience accidental damage, you can get your iPhone repaired by following these steps:
- Schedule a repair appointment at an Apple Store or authorized service provider.
- Pay the deductible fee per incident. For iPhone screen damage, the fee is $29 for screen damage. For any other accidental damage, the fee is $99.
- Apple will repair or replace your iPhone and aim to return it within a few days. Express replacement is also available in some cases for a faster turnaround.
AppleCare+ covers you for up to two incidents of accidental damage, with additional fees per repair after that. Having AppleCare+ can save you hundreds compared to an out-of-warranty iPhone repair.
AppleCare+ Water Damage Repair Cost
One of the main benefits of AppleCare+ is coverage for water damage repairs. With AppleCare+, iPhone owners pay a service fee to get water damaged iPhones repaired rather than needing to replace the entire device.
For iPhone screens damaged by water, AppleCare+ covers the repair with a $29 service fee. This is significantly lower than the $129-$279 cost of a screen replacement without AppleCare+ coverage.
For other water damage beyond the screen, such as to the logic board or battery, AppleCare+ covers the repair for a $99 service fee. Without AppleCare+, repairing water damage to internal components often requires replacing the entire iPhone at full cost.
AppleCare+ covers up to two incidents of accidental damage over the two year coverage period, including both screen and water damage. So iPhone owners can get water damaged phones fixed at a reduced price up to two times with an active AppleCare+ plan.
Overall, AppleCare+ provides substantial savings compared to paying full replacement cost for a water damaged iPhone. The service fees to fix water damage with AppleCare+ are typically $250-$350 less than replacing an iPhone without coverage.
Typical Water Damage Repair Cost Without AppleCare+
Getting an iPhone repaired for water damage without AppleCare+ coverage can be quite expensive. According to Flipsy, you can expect to pay the following for professional third-party water damage repair without AppleCare+:
- $229+ for iPhone 6s and earlier models
- $329+ for iPhone 7 and later models
The cost can vary significantly depending on the iPhone model and extent of the water damage. More extensive damage that impacts multiple components will cost more to repair. Older iPhone models generally have lower repair costs since replacement parts are cheaper.
For severe water damage that requires replacing major components like the logic board, costs can approach $500-$600 without AppleCare+ according to Apple Support discussions. Getting the damage repaired by Apple directly without warranty coverage would involve replacing the entire phone.
The bottom line is that water damage repairs on iPhones without AppleCare+ can easily cost $200+ and sometimes upwards of $500 depending on the model and damage. Having AppleCare+ can help significantly reduce these costs.
AppleCare+ vs. Third Party Insurance
When choosing between AppleCare+ and third party insurance plans like phone carriers or dedicated insurance companies, there are some key differences to consider in terms of cost, coverage, and ease of use.
Monthly costs for AppleCare+ tend to be lower compared to third party plans. For example, AppleCare+ costs $7.99/month for iPhone 12 and newer models, while AT&T’s insurance plan costs $15/month (cite 1). Deductibles for damage repairs are also usually lower with AppleCare+ ($29 screen repair, $99 other damage) versus carriers ($99-249 for screen, $149-299 for other damage) (cite 2).
In terms of coverage, AppleCare+ covers two incidents of accidental damage, with each incident subject to a service fee. Many third party plans offer unlimited damage claims, but service fees are generally higher. AppleCare+’s coverage is limited to 2 years, while third parties often offer lifetime coverage as long as you keep paying the monthly fee (cite 2).
A key advantage of AppleCare+ is the ease of use getting repairs through Apple Stores and authorized service providers versus the mail-in process often required for third party insurance claims. Apple also uses genuine Apple parts for repairs (cite 3).
Overall, AppleCare+ is generally the cheaper and more convenient option for iPhone coverage, though third party lifetime plans could make sense for accident-prone users who plan to keep their phone past the 2 year AppleCare+ coverage period.
Is AppleCare+ Worth it?
When considering whether to purchase AppleCare+ for your iPhone, you’ll want to weigh the costs versus the benefits. AppleCare+ extends the standard 1-year limited warranty and 90 days of complimentary technical support to 2 years from the original purchase date of your iPhone. It also adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage or $99 for any other damage.
To determine if AppleCare+ is worth it for your situation, consider the likelihood of you damaging your iPhone within the 2 year coverage period along with the typical repair costs. According to Apple, screen repair without AppleCare+ starts at $129 and other damage at $269. Compared to the $29 or $99 fees with AppleCare+, there are significant savings. However, if you rarely damage your phone, you may find AppleCare+’s cost of $149 for the iPhone 13 mini or $199 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max difficult to justify.
You’ll also want to weigh AppleCare+’s cost against potentially needing to purchase a brand new iPhone if yours is lost, stolen or damaged beyond economical repair. This may sway the decision for those prone to accidents or who are hard on their phones. For moderate to heavy use where damage is likely, AppleCare+ can pay for itself in one or two incidents.
Ultimately the decision depends on your personal situation. For those wanting peace of mind against expensive repairs or full replacements, AppleCare+ is generally worth it. But for light or careful users, the extra cost may not justify the limited benefits.
Extending AppleCare+ Coverage
AppleCare+ can only be extended once, for an additional 1 year of coverage. The extension must be purchased within 30 days of the original AppleCare+ plan expiring. The cost to extend AppleCare+ is the same as the original AppleCare+ purchase price.
According to Apple’s support page, “Within 30 days of the end date of your coverage, go to Settings > General > About. Then tap AppleCare+ Coverage Available and follow the onscreen instructions to extend your coverage.” [1] This will allow you to extend AppleCare+ for one additional year past the original expiration date.
Extending AppleCare+ coverage keeps the same service fees and damage coverage as the original plan. It simply pushes out the expiration date by 12 months. This gives you more time to take advantage of AppleCare+ benefits like reduced repair costs and technical support.
AppleCare+ Alternatives
There are some options beyond AppleCare+ for insuring and protecting your iPhone from damage and defects. Here are some of the most popular AppleCare+ alternatives:
Self-insuring with a Protective Case
One of the most cost-effective alternatives is to self-insure by investing in a high-quality protective case for your iPhone. A sturdy case with ample bumper protection can prevent many drops and scratches. Cases range from $10 basic covers up to $50+ for more rugged and waterproof options. While a case won’t cover catastrophic damage, it’s a good first layer of protection.[1]
Third Party Insurance Plans
Several companies like Upsie, Mulberry, and Lori offer third party insurance plans that provide similar coverage to AppleCare+ but at lower monthly or yearly rates. They cover damage from drops, spills, cracked screens, defects, etc. and allow for replacement or repair of devices. Plans start at $7-15/month depending on your iPhone model. These companies may provide more flexible plans and deductibles than AppleCare+. However, you’ll be dealing with third party servicers instead of Apple for repairs.[2][3]
Credit Card Extended Warranty Benefits
Many credit cards provide extended warranty benefits that can add up to an extra year of warranty coverage from the original purchase date. This can help protect against defects past the 1 year included Apple warranty. However, it may not cover accidental damage like drops or spills. Check your credit card terms as policies vary.
