If you are a brand new Apple Watch proprietor, you are seemingly doing all your greatest to not scratch, break or lose the machine. But as soon as the novelty wears off and also you let your guard down, that miniature iPhone you put on in your wrist can shortly turn into a sufferer to each object you unintentionally swing your arm into, leading to all types of harm, comparable to a cracked display.
When you are already paying between $400 and $800 for an Apple Watch, chances are you’ll be hesitant to pay much more for an prolonged guarantee or insurance coverage. And despite the fact that your watch comes with a restricted one-year guarantee, it will not cowl an unintended damaged display. For that sort of restore, you will want insurance coverage.
Below, we have in contrast the prices of getting your Apple Watch repaired with and with out insurance coverage that will help you determine which kind of insurance coverage — if any — is greatest for you, from AppleCare and insurance coverage out of your cellphone service like Verizon to an insurer comparable to Asurion to even your bank card firm. For extra, this is our tackle the brand new iPhone 15 and the brand new Pixel 8.
Read extra: Is Your Phone’s 1-Year Warranty Really Enough?
Apple guarantee vs. insurance coverage: What’s the distinction?
Apple features a restricted one-year guarantee with every Apple {hardware} product you purchase, and that features the Apple Watch. With as many as 200 million watches bought, based on some estimates, that is quite a lot of warranties.
However, that free guarantee solely covers “defects in supplies and workmanship.” Here’s what’s not lined.
- Batteries or protecting coatings.
- Cosmetic injury, together with dents and damaged plastic on ports.
- Damage brought on by accident, abuse, misuse, hearth, earthquake or different exterior causes.
- Defects brought on by regular put on and tear.
- Loss or theft.
If you do not have insurance coverage, for these sorts of repairs you are by yourself. If you do buy insurance coverage — whether or not by means of Apple or a third-party insurer — the entire above is usually lined in your Apple Watch apart from loss or theft. You can discover protection for loss and theft too.
Out-of-pocket restore prices with out insurance coverage for an Apple Watch
Apple Watches aren’t low cost, and neither are the repairs — and restore costs can differ, relying on which mannequin you could have. For occasion, a restore on an Apple Watch Ultra might run you $499, whereas an Apple Watch Series 8 restore may price you $299.
If you are questioning about the price of fixing a cracked display, for instance, you may get a restore estimate from Apple. You’ll must know the precise sort of Apple Watch you could have, just like the Apple Watch Series 9 GPS Aluminum 41mm, for instance.
Apple Watch restore prices with AppleCare Plus
You can count on to pay a number of hundred {dollars} to restore your Apple Watch with out insurance coverage, however if you are going to buy AppleCare Plus — Apple’s prolonged guarantee and tech help service that covers unintended damage– the price goes down considerably.
Note, in most areas and international locations that you must purchase Apple’s prolonged guarantee inside 60 days of your Apple Watch buy. The buy interval can differ from seven days to a yr, relying on the place you reside, so test your area’s particular timeframe.
Here’s how a lot AppleCare Plus protection prices for every Apple Watch mannequin.
- Apple Watch Ultra 2: $5 a month
- Apple Watch Series 9: $4 a month, with an choice to pay $79 complete for 2 years
- Apple Watch SE: $2.49 a month, with an choice to pay $49 complete for 2 years
- Apple Watch Hermès: $5 a month, with an choice to pay $149 complete for 3 years
With AppleCare Plus, you will additionally pay a $69 or a $79 service charge for a restore, relying on the watch mannequin you could have.
- Apple Watch: $69
- Apple Watch Nike: $69
- Apple Watch Ultra: $79
- Apple Watch Edition: $79
- Apple Watch Hermès: $79
Apple Watch restore prices with third-party insurance coverage
If you’re on the lookout for one thing past AppleCare, you may take a look at protection by means of an insurer. While some supply safety such as you’d get with AppleCare Plus, others have broader plans that cowl all of the tech you could have in your house or condo.
Just for the watch insurance coverage, Allstate, for instance, affords safety plans by means of retailers based mostly on the price of the watch that cowl unintended injury however not loss or theft. If you store at Sam’s Club, for instance, you may get two years of safety for $60 for an Apple Watch that prices lower than $400, with no deductible.
Instead of insurance coverage particularly in your watch, Asurion affords protection in your complete assortment of in-home tech — together with your TV, laptop computer, gaming console, safety cameras and your Apple Watch — referred to as Home Plus. Costing $12 a month for the primary three months after which $25 every month after, the plan covers restore or alternative (as much as $2,000 per declare) with a $99 service charge.
Note, loss and theft aren’t lined, however your home-owner’s or renter’s insurance coverage might cowl that. You can also’t embrace your cellphone in there. For that you will need to try Asurion’s cellphone insurance coverage, which you may get for $5 a month for the primary three months after which $10 every month after.
Apple Watch restore and alternative by means of cellphone service safety
Your cellular phone service may supply Apple Watch insurance coverage. Verizon, for instance, has its Mobile Protect plan that goes for $14 to $17 a month and affords free display alternative and free watch alternative for manufacturing defects. The plan has $99 deductible for loss or theft.
AT&T additionally affords watch insurance coverage and allows you to insure one machine for $14 or $17 a month or bundle as much as 4 units — together with a watch, cellphone, laptop computer or pill — for $45 a month as a part of its Protect Advantage. As with Verizon, along with unintended injury, the plan covers loss and theft.
Do bank cards present insurance coverage?
Some bank card corporations supply further safety and insurance coverage on new purchases made with their card. For occasion, some supply safety that insures your new purchases towards injury and theft for as much as 120 days. If one thing occurs inside that point, you may file a declare along with your bank card issuer to get the merchandise changed or reimbursed.
It’s a good suggestion to test along with your bank card issuer to see if they provide safety earlier than you make the acquisition.
Editor’s word: CNET and Asurion have an promoting partnership. This story is editorially unbiased from that relationship.