Any APPLECARE+ experience for iMAC

[drew.bowser]

Does anyone have any actual experience with a claim? Would love to hear about and if you have ever had any issues.
[doublepost=1498589726][/doublepost]More specifically, Accidental Damage.

 

[nyc2pdx]

Not accidental damage, but for my first iMac (2009 27"), after a year or so, I noticed what appears to resemble a liquid stain down the middle of my screen. Only appeared on light colored backgrounds. I had Applecare, so I took it into the Apple Store and once they confirmed it, took it no questions asked. A week later, i went and picked it up to find they replaced the screen, and logic board. Repair would have been $1600. My price? $0.

My thought is that iMacs are not easy to fix, and cost an arm and a leg to buy, and to fix. For $169, I have piece of mind that I will not have to worry about it at all for 3 full years.

I've also called Applecare and received support when my Airport Extreme went belly up...Applecare for iMac covers all connected Apple devices too. Since the Extreme was connected to the iMac, it was covered, and I got a new Airport Extreme out of it.

I never do extended warranties...except on Apple products because I know they honor it, and honor it without question.

 

[colodane]

My experience is limited to my present 2011 iMac. I had some issues with the keyboard which were handled nicely - replacement. Fortunately no need so far to repair the computer itself.

But I have used the included phone tech support at least 4 times. Very helpful, responsive and professional.

I'm planning on a new iMac this year and will definitely get AppleCare again. I do not get it for my iOS devices.

 

[SHKLMRE]

I don't have an iMac (yet) but Apple care for it is MUCH cheaper, so at $169 it's a little easier to swallow just for comfort of knowing youre safe for the 3 years. I bought it for my 2013 MacBook Pro, and with a week left on the warranty I took it in for a faulty HDMI port... Apple ended up replacing the battery, entire housing, screen, keyboard, and logic board basically giving me a brand new feeling and operating laptop that I bought 3 years ago. That experience forever sold me on AppleCare. And with accidental damage being covered now, it's amazing.

 

[KentuckyApple]

Not accidental damage, but for my first iMac (2009 27"), after a year or so, I noticed what appears to resemble a liquid stain down the middle of my screen. Only appeared on light colored backgrounds. I had Applecare, so I took it into the Apple Store and once they confirmed it, took it no questions asked. A week later, i went and picked it up to find they replaced the screen, and logic board. Repair would have been $1600. My price? $0.

My thought is that iMacs are not easy to fix, and cost an arm and a leg to buy, and to fix. For $169, I have piece of mind that I will not have to worry about it at all for 3 full years.

I've also called Applecare and received support when my Airport Extreme went belly up...Applecare for iMac covers all connected Apple devices too. Since the Extreme was connected to the iMac, it was covered, and I got a new Airport Extreme out of it.

I never do extended warranties...except on Apple products because I know they honor it, and honor it without question.

I have the same model. I had multiple hard drives replaced free of charge as well as the screen, like you. I would never buy another Apple machine without buying AppleCare

 

[Floris]

Not accidental damage, but for my first iMac (2009 27"), after a year or so, I noticed what appears to resemble a liquid stain down the middle of my screen. Only appeared on light colored backgrounds. I had Applecare, so I took it into the Apple Store and once they confirmed it, took it no questions asked. A week later, i went and picked it up to find they replaced the screen, and logic board. Repair would have been $1600. My price? $0.

My thought is that iMacs are not easy to fix, and cost an arm and a leg to buy, and to fix. For $169, I have piece of mind that I will not have to worry about it at all for 3 full years.

I've also called Applecare and received support when my Airport Extreme went belly up...Applecare for iMac covers all connected Apple devices too. Since the Extreme was connected to the iMac, it was covered, and I got a new Airport Extreme out of it.

I never do extended warranties...except on Apple products because I know they honor it, and honor it without question.

I bet with usb-c this is different now.. 'all connected devices'.
Yeah, their 5K LG, and everything else you can connect to usb-c.
I guess you mean 'any APPLE connected devices' ?

 

[nyc2pdx]

I bet with usb-c this is different now.. 'all connected devices'.
Yeah, their 5K LG, and everything else you can connect to usb-c.
I guess you mean 'any APPLE connected devices' ?

It did cover devices like my Airport Extreme, which is wifi...and the keyboard which is bluetooth, so I don't think it needs to be a physical corded connection. But yet, it is implied that it only covers Apple products

 

[Floris]

I just got the response from Apple Care, it's 60 days for me too, before the iMac purchase they told me next year shouldn't be a problem. Glad i double checked, guess i will buy it in july.

 

[SaSaSushi]

I just got the response from Apple Care, it's 60 days for me too, before the iMac purchase they told me next year shouldn't be a problem. Glad i double checked, guess i will buy it in july.

You have 60 days from purchase to buy AppleCare+ (with accidental damage coverage) and 1 year from purchase to buy regular AppleCare (APP). If you want to buy the standard AppleCare, you can do so from third party sellers or you can call Apple and buy it from them directly. Just be sure to tell them you want to buy the AppleCare Protection Plan for iMac, not the new AppleCare+.

I purchased the standard AppleCare plan (not +) from a third party seller on Amazon for my 2017 iMac and had no problem registering it by calling Apple.

I could see paying extra for accidental damage coverage on a portable computer, but of the many AppleCare claims I've made over the past 11 years for iMacs, none have been for accidental damage.

 

[colodane]

If I may ask, what did you pay for the "standard" non + Applecare via Amazon 3rd party?

 

[SaSaSushi]

If I may ask, what did you pay for the "standard" non + Applecare via Amazon 3rd party?

Sure, I bought it from a third party seller (never used shrink-wrapped but probably from about 2010) on Amazon Japan for 9800 Japanese Yen (about $87 US at current exchange). That was a very lucky find though.

I think it's worth it even at the regular price of $169 (about $7 per month for the extra 2 years of coverage) but L.A. Computer sells it for $139 and you can probably find it even cheaper if you look around.

I would advise to get a retail package though and not to buy the license numbers sold on eBay.

Update: I see that the new AppleCare+ is $169 so definitely do NOT pay that much for standard Applecare. For that price you may as well go with the new plan that includes the accidental damage coverage. Those who don't need the extra coverage should definitely buy at L.A. Computer or somewhere else. Pay no more than $139 for standard.

 

[Floris]

Great info. But I am confused.
Apple Care Protection Plan = Mac systems
Apple Care + = iPhone stuff.

Right?

There's no "+" for the iMac as far as I can tell on their site.

 

[Taz Mangus]

Great info. But I am confused.
Apple Care Protection Plan = Mac systems
Apple Care + = iPhone stuff.

Right?

There's no "+" for the iMac as far as I can tell on their site.

There is also now AppleCare+ for Mac computers. I suspect that the regular AppleCare is being phased out for Mac computers and you will only be able to buy AppleCare+.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/AC_PLUS_IMAC-AUTO/applecare-plus-for-imac

If you go to apple.com, and look on the page for the iMac and scroll down to the bottom of the page this is what you will see:

 

[Floris]

And you're telling me if i can still get the APP and not the Plus, that I am better off? So I might as well take it from the dutch site (since i am dutch) since it's still showing without the + there?

 

[Taz Mangus]

View attachment 706794

And you're telling me if i can still get the APP and not the Plus, that I am better off? So I might as well take it from the dutch site (since i am dutch) since it's still showing without the + there?

If AppleCare+ is not offered on the Dutch Apple website than I think you answered your own question.

 

[Floris]

If AppleCare+ is not offered on the Dutch Apple website than I think you answered your own question.

Fair enough, lol.

 

[colodane]

Did some looking today and thought I'd share what I found.

As was posted here recently, LA Computer still sells the traditional AppleCare for iMacs at $139. It is reported that Apple will accept this when registering via phone. So that appears to be a valid option, at least for now. Guessing that at some point they will run out of these or Apple may stop accepting them.

I checked with BH Photo Video. They used to be a place to purchase the current AppleCare at a reduced price. But they are listing the AppleCare + for iMacs at $169 - just like Apple. They list the old "traditional" AppleCare for iMacs as "discontinued" and no longer sell it.

Its only a $30 difference, but annoying. For the first time I just now looked at the details the + (accidental damage) part of the new offering. It is far from actual full coverage insurance, with two major drawbacks: It only covers up to two claims over the life of the insurance. And there are co-pays with each claim for somewhere between $100 and $300. To me, it isn't worth the $30. My 2011 iMac hasn't moved more than two inches in the last 6 years from where it is now. I don't spill things on it and there are no kids or pets in the house. So the older version of AppleCare (a TERRIFIC value, in my opinion) would be my choice.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Its only a $30 difference, but annoying. For the first time I just now looked at the details the + (accidental damage) part of the new offering. It is far from actual full coverage insurance, with two major drawbacks: It only covers up to two claims over the life of the insurance. And there are co-pays with each claim for somewhere between $100 and $300. To me, it isn't worth the $30. My 2011 iMac hasn't moved more than two inches in the last 6 years from where it is now. I don't spill things on it and there are no kids or pets in the house. So the older version of AppleCare (a TERRIFIC value, in my opinion) would be my choice.

Thank you very much for posting this and I completely agree.

The standard AppleCare in the states is model number MD006LL/A. It's too bad to hear that B&H Photo stopped carrying it but in addition to L.A. Computer it seems that Adorama in NYC is still selling it for $149. I've purchased from L.A. Computer before and they are a quality outfit.