Apple just made its AppleCare+ breakage insurance cover more accidents. In some cases, twice and even three times as many.
The program now offers deeply-discounted repairs on two accidents for every twelve months of coverage. Previously, it only covered a total of two repairs.
Apple did not announce the change. Instead, it quietly updated its website with new language.
More AppleCare+ protection for iPhone, Mac and iPad
The version of this protection program for iPhone now offers “up to 2 incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months.” Previously, the program offered “up to 2 incidents of accidental damage coverage.” The plan still runs for two years after purchase of the handset, so the total number of discounted repairs has essentially doubled.
AppleCare+ for iPad uses this same language, and extends for the same two years after purchase.
The version of Apple’s breakage insurance program for Mac extends to three years, but it has also been updated to provide “up to 2 incidents of accidental damage protection every 12 months.” That makes AppleCare+ an even better deal for macOS devices because previously coverage was capped at two incidents of breakage.
At this point, the change doesn’t seem to be retroactive. The Apple Support app says that coverage purchased several months ago for an iPad Pro 2020 includes “up to two years of service and support for your product, including up to two incidents of accidental damage from handling, each subject to an excess fee.”
How to save on repairs
Apple devices come with a one-year limited warranty, and 90 days of tech support. AppleCare+ extends that by years. And, more importantly, adds breakage coverage.
Repairs aren’t free, but consider that it makes fixing a smashed iPhone 11 Pro Max screen cost only $29. Without this coverage, it’s $329.
Of course, the cost of AppleCare+ itself must be factored in. And price varies greatly from device to device, and between handsets, tablets, laptops, etc. As just a couple of examples to demonstrate the range, the cost of coverage for the basic iPhone 11 is $149. On the other end of the scale, covering a 16-inch MacBook Pro is $379. The service can be paid for month-by-month.
Many people might already be in AppleCare+ and not realize it. It’s required as part of the iPhone Upgrade Program.
Source: Apple
