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Why insurance?

I'm confused is it a good idea for someone to buy insurance with their iPhone? Even if they have never done anything bad to that phone? And if I did how much more would it cost me than to just get that phone fixed. I understand if I drop it in the water, but what about a minor crack? does the insurance fix that to? I'm new to all of this so I would like it if someone could shed some light on the subject.

Comments

kaebfly

If you are generally careful with your phones and you feel like you could afford the cost to repair or replace if needed then no, you don't have to get insurance. If your crack the screen (doesn't matter how minor or major) then you would need to get it replaced. You can look on Apples website to see the price for screen replacement on your model. You can also check with local iPhone repair shops to see their prices. That may be less than the deductible of insurance or about the same. But if you want your device to remain under warranty (assuming the damage happens within the one year warranty) then you would need to go through Apple or their authorized repair shops.

Ultimately it's a very personal choice if insurance is something you need. I don't have it because I went years paying for it and never used it. I decided that it was better for me to pay myself the money and if a need ever arouse I could use that money to repair/replace.

kaebfly

It's $109 for iPhone 6 with Apple. $129 for the 6+. $79 if you have AppleCare+.

kaebfly

https://www.apple.com/support/iphone/repair/screen-damage/

Weth

Insurance is not usually a good financial move, but more for the piece of mind. With insurance with Verizon, through asurion, the monthly cost is $11 and for any damage the cost is $199 copay. They do not fix the phone, you get a refurbished replacement. To put that in dollars, if you break your phone 1 year into owning it, that is $11x12 month plus $199 copay or $331. You could just save that money and if needed, put it toward a used phone on swappa or similar service. If you don't break the phone, you are ahead $264 after 2 years. There is also AppleCare+ for $99 one payment and that includes damage and manufacturing defects for 2 years. If damaged, the copay amount for replacement is $79. It does not cover loss or theft, which Asurion will cover.

Personally, I never get the Asurion option. To me it just doesn't make financial sense. I have gotten AppleCare+ on a few phones where the users are rough on phones. That has paid off. But usually, I go without insurance and "self insure"

Verizon_Support

Great question Ryann_belter324. Insurance can indeed be a great option. Pricing for having a phone fixed will always depend on what damage there is and the type of phone involved. For example, a screen and LED on an iPhone can easily run a couple of hundred dollars. In some cases, phones are not repairable so insurance would be irreplaceable. Insurance would absolutely cover for a cracked screen, lost or stolen phone, accidental damage, etc. Glad to give you the full scoop.
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Momma23dogs

Interesting how different the answers are....

I Chose not to get insurance on any of my phones. In 22 years and many phones I calculated I saved between $5,000-$7,000 by NOT insuring. That would easily replace all my current devices.

One thing to note, like any insurance there is a deductible of $99-$199 and after 2 claims Asurion cancels coverage on that device.

USMC_Veteran

Ryann_belter324, I have the iphone 6 Plus and used to work as AppleCare for a little over a year so with that said I would NOT get a Apple product without AppleCare. Verizon insurance is nice too because it keeps options open for you.

Having AppleCare+ for your phone allows you to call Apple for anything to do with actual phone (not network) related issues. So anything happens with your phone and you dont understand or not sure how to do something or whatever AppleCare will walk you through a fix or replace the phone. You have that for the first year and an additional year after that.

Hope this helps

rcschnoor

ryann_belter324 wrote:

I'm confused is it a good idea for someone to buy insurance with their iPhone? Even if they have never done anything bad to that phone? And if I did how much more would it cost me than to just get that phone fixed. I understand if I drop it in the water, but what about a minor crack? does the insurance fix that to? I'm new to all of this so I would like it if someone could shed some light on the subject.

As has been pointed out, insurance is a personal decision. For many it is worth the money if your phone normally does not last for the time you need to use it(usually minimum of 2 yrs). For others, it is simply throwing your money away.

With 2 lines I have had for 20 yrs and 2 additional lines I have had for 8-10 years, I would have had only 1 occasion to use insurance. That would have been insurance payments of $6000+ and 1 deductible of ~$150. As it is, I normally have 3-4 old phones on hand to replace any phone I might break which is what I did the ONLY time I would have needed insurance. So in essence, had I paid for insurance, I would have thrown away $6000+ in the time I have been using cell phones.

I know others with multiple lines who place at least 1 insurance claim/year. They obviously need the insurance. I don't. In fact, when they had too many claims on a specific line and had the insurance cancelled I gave them one of my old phones to use until they were eligible for an upgrade.:smileyhappy:

onthebass

Hi Ryann,

Everyone has pretty much answered your question. I just wanted to chime in because I am appalled at the way Asurion works. I cracked my screen and they said they would replace my phone for a $200 "deductible." Deductible in the classic insurance sense means that you pay for the cost of repairs up to the deductible amount, not you pay the whole deductible no matter what. So an $89 screen repair, which I just got done today at a local shop, would cost me $200 if I used Asurion. What Asurion is running is a phone swap program. In the case of damage you pay them $200 and they will swap your phone for another refurbished phone, no matter what the damage is. So they get your phone and $200, amazing deal for them. It might be beneficial in the case of a stolen phone, but if you check ebay you can probably get your phone for around $200, and it will be insured by ebay who I have more trust in. You will also know exactly the condition of the replacement phone you are getting. There are tons of complaints about them sending subpar quality refurbished replacements (Top 784 Complaints and Reviews about Asurion).I also find it disturbing that their "deductible" amount changes without warning--if you can find it in the first place--and you are on the hook for what they deem to be the latest. When I signed up it was $169 and I was recently surprised with their increase to $200. Lastly, you think you are going to get a phone overnight, but they bog you down with making you download paperwork, filling it out, scanning it, and then submitting it for review...and yes once they approve the claim then they will overnight it.

kaebfly

You generally have it right...Asurion swaps phones for you. That has never been a secret. The only negative to going to get your phone repaired on your own is if it's still under warranty. Apple will void your warranty if you have any repair done by a unauthorized repair facility. Most local shops that offer the services to repair screens and batteries are not authorized (Apple has a very specific list of shops that may or may not be in your area if you don't have an Apple Store nearby) so if later you need warranty assistance with Apple and they open they open the device they will see that parts not authorized by Apple were used and will void remaining warranty time. However, if you're out of warranty then yes, it's often cheaper and more beneficial to pay for repairs yourself.

The eBay insurance you mentioned is misleading. eBay doesn't insure your device purchases. They have buyers protection that only ensures that you receive what you were expecting based on the sellers listing. They won't cover defects or issues that occur after the fact or that were disclosed in the listing. They won't cover you cracking your device if it was not received that way but shown as cosmetically free of cracks in the listing (example). Unless you are purchasing some other protection plan or warranty via eBay it's not "included" when you buy a device from a seller...unless of course the seller is offering some sort of warranty.

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