Insurance on AW?

[ckuttner]

I’m about to leave the world of Fitbit (Versa) and enter the exalted world of AW6, 44 mm. I have had recent heart valve replacement surgery, and both my cardiologists want me to get the AW to monitor my atrial fibrillation.

As I await delivery, and realizing that $380 is a fairly big investment, I’m considering alternative ways to get insurance against smashing the watch into a doorway or whatever. Applecare+ is $79 for 2 years, Squaretrade something like $55 for 2 years, Upsie $44 for 3 years. I’m leaning toward the latter, but welcome input from the crowd.

Yes, I know that statistically, the insurance is silly, I have spent much on Applecare or Verizon for our phones without ever needing to file a claim, but it is nice for some peace of mind.

 

[jaybar]

I would just get Apple Care. Do the monthly option. If something happened to the watch, it gets costly to monitor. Hope recovery goes well.

 

[MisterSavage]

I would just get Apple Care. Do the monthly option. If something happened to the watch, it gets costly to monitor. Hope recovery goes well.

Yep, I get AppleCare+ for $4 a month.

 

[ckuttner]

Thank you both....hmm, that is $48 per year, more than three years of Upsie. But am I correct in assuming that the monthly can continue as long as I still own the watch, as in 4 years or whatever?

 

[jaybar]

It can continue as long as you don’t cancel it. I would assume you might also want to cancel if Apple no longer supported the watch.

The other thing to consider is these are not like mechanical watches. They are not long term keepers. Some features will no longer work, even though the watch may be supported. Battery will decline. New features will be added which may not work on the watch. The watch may slow down significantly.

I would consider 2-3 years as viable.

Also, if you plan on keeping the watch for that longer period, then I would opt for the SS or Ti b/c of the sapphire Crystal and more rugged case.

 

[MisterSavage]

Thank you both....hmm, that is $48 per year, more than three years of Upsie. But am I correct in assuming that the monthly can continue as long as I still own the watch, as in 4 years or whatever?

It's not a straight comparison. AppleCare+ is through the company that makes the product. I've had Apple even bend the rules and help me after my AppleCare had expired. I want to deal with Apple's customer service if I had a problem. That's worth $4 a month to me.

 

[Runs For Fun]

I would go with AppleCare. Other insurances won't do repairs or if they do they go through a third party which I wouldn't trust with Apple products. Though there's not a whole lot that can be repaired or replaced on the Apple Watch. I would still rather deal with Apple's customer support than anyone else. They have always been great when I've had to call them.

 

[ckuttner]

Thanks again to all of you. I think I may well want a premium plan to go with my premium watch.
I’ll share a story of how Apple has worked with me: I neglected to get AppleCare on my iPad, and was having a problem perhaps two years after the warranty had expired—so AppleCare would not have helped, anyway. I was needing Safari, and it had disappeared from my iPad, which was odd.
I posted the question on Apple support forums, a person there contacted me via chat and we went through the various approaches I’d tried and others I needed to do. This escalated to a call from an Apple engineer for 20 minutes on a Sunday night. The workaround was to clear it and add in one app at a time...but yes, great support from a company whose stock I have, in theory, done well with, if only I’d sell it occasionally!

 

[zipster]

I had Squaretrade for my iPhone X a few years ago. It was cheaper than Applecare and I was able to take it into Apple to get it fixed -- I later was reimbursed by Squaretrade once I filed a claim.

However, I ended up getting going for Applecare monthly for my watch. I probably could've used Squaretrade again, though.

 

[someoneoutthere]

I would encourage you to get Apple Care on your new Watch. You can have your first two years covered at $79 and switch over to the monthly option BEFORE your two year coverage expires IF you decide to keep your Watch over two years. That way, at least your first two years of coverage would be cheaper than going by the month from Day 1. You can continue paying by the month as long as you own your product once you switch to the monthly option.

Apple Watch repairs are different than iPhone repairs as some people mentioned earlier about their iPhone repair experience through Squaretrade. Pretty much the only "replaceable" components on the Watch are the battery and the screen - the rest of the internal issues typically are fulfilled with a replacement unit so Apple Care would come in handy for sure. Plus, you can get ahold of Apple Care and have them personalize the setup of your new Watch and have them walk you through new features and settings to you liking whereas other "insurance" options do not provide technical support.

Hope it helps & enjoy your new Watch!

 

[ckuttner]

Thank you!! What a great group. I appreciate the recommendations.

 

[44267547]

No matter what you choose, AppleCare/‘insurance’ is almost necessary, given it’s the one product from Apple that is subject to damage when you least expect it.

 

[Runs For Fun]

No matter what you choose, AppleCare/‘insurance’ is almost necessary, given it’s the one product from Apple that is subject to damage when you least expect it.

I would definitely agree. I was never big on AppleCare but with the watch it is a must just because of the nature of it being so exposed to the environment. My S3 got pretty beat up despite my best efforts to protect it.

 

[kat.hayes]

Does AppleCare cover it being "pretty beat up"? Does it cover if it gets scratched or just if the screen cracks or if it stops working?

 

[jaybar]

If your watch is “beat up”, AC does not cover watch replacement, or repair, b/c it is user wear. I think you get two incidents of accidental damage, but there is a high repair/replace cost It might be prudent to purchase a new watch, if the accidental damage repai/replace cost is high.

 

[lclev]

I am on my 5th apple watch. My current is a Watch 6. I accidentally flung my Watch 4 against a tile wall in the shower - a klutz move trying to remove it and got hung up on the band catch. I smashed the screen and since I was in the shower, got the works wet inside. I called apple, got a return authorization, paid $79 and 48 hours later had a new Watch 4. Every time I have had to use apple care the service has been excellent.

 

[someoneoutthere]

Does AppleCare cover it being "pretty beat up"? Does it cover if it gets scratched or just if the screen cracks or if it stops working?

Depends on what you mean by "pretty beat up." If they determine that you intentionally damaged your Watch, they may deny service. If you dropped it on tile floor and cracked the screen (think honest mistakes/oopsies) that's a different scenario - you could make an accidental damage claim. Scratches are NOT covered as long as said scratches do not impact the watch's functionality.

Here's an abstract straight from the Apple Care Terms & Conditions website:
Apple will not provide Hardware Services or ADH Services in the following circumstances: (a) to protect against normal wear and tear, or to repair cosmetic damage not affecting the functionality of the Covered Equipment; (b) to conduct preventative maintenance; (c) to replace Covered Equipment that is lost or stolen; (d) to repair damage caused by reckless, abusive, willful or intentional conduct, or any use of the Covered Equipment in a manner not normal or intended by Apple; (e) to install, remove or dispose of the Covered Equipment or the equipment provided to you while the Covered Equipment is being serviced; (f) to repair damage caused by a product that is not Covered Equipment; (g) to repair any damage to Covered Equipment (regardless of the cause) if the Covered Equipment has been opened, serviced, modified, or altered by anyone other than Apple or an authorized representative of Apple; (h) to repair pre-existing conditions of the Covered Equipment if you purchased the Plan after you purchased the Covered Equipment; (i) to repair any damage to Covered Equipment with a serial number that has been altered, defaced or removed; or (j) to repair damages caused by fire, earthquake or other external causes.

You can read the whole thing at: https://www.apple.com/legal/sales-support/applecare/applecareplus/1020/101320_applecareplus_us.pdf

 

[44267547]

Does AppleCare cover it being "pretty beat up"? Does it cover if it gets scratched or just if the screen cracks or if it stops working?

Wear and tear , [A.k.a. cosmetic superficial damage] is not covered under AppleCare. You have to use simple logic, that any watch when worn on your wrist, rather be an Apple Watch or a mechanical watch, it’s impossible to stay pristine unless you rarely wear it or it’s covered away from any type of external objects.

 

[MisterSavage]

I am on my 5th apple watch. My current is a Watch 6. I accidentally flung my Watch 4 against a tile wall in the shower - a klutz move trying to remove it and got hung up on the band catch. I smashed the screen and since I was in the shower, got the works wet inside. I called apple, got a return authorization, paid $79 and 48 hours later had a new Watch 4. Every time I have had to use apple care the service has been excellent.

48 hours! Wow, that is better than I would have ever expected.

 

[ckuttner]

Thanks again to everyone. My AW6 arrived yesterday, I bought the two-year Applecare+. As to wear and tear, I bought clip-on plastic face protectors. I’ve used those for quite a while on my Versa, and I think I’ve saved my screen many times.

 

[44267547]

Thanks again to everyone. My AW6 arrived yesterday, I bought the two-year Applecare+. As to wear and tear, I bought clip-on plastic face protectors. I’ve used those for quite a while on my Versa, and I think I’ve saved my screen many times.

Just a heads up on those clip on face protectors, remove them every so often, as you will want to clean the display, as debris/dirt gets trapped inside, which will cause scratching on the display itself. As much as those can be a protectant, they can also be an inconvenience in that regard.

 

[lclev]

I had so many of those clip ons fall off I gave up on them. Also the stick on type I decided I did not care for although they do work. I have not had an issue with scratching the screen. Other than the one that I accidentally threw against the shower wall - and nothing would have protected the screen from that — I have not had issues with screen damage. Also the one that hit the wall, while badly damaged, still worked!