Is Insuring Your iPhone 5S Worth It?


iPhone 5S

iPhone 5S

Source

It used to be that the only things that needed insurance were houses, cars, and other really expensive purchases. The idea of insuring something as “trivial” as a smartphone would have been an overkill a mere 5 years ago, but times, they are a’changing.

While we do see more people with iPhones on the streets these days, the fact remains that this phone is among the most sought after by crooks. And why not? It certainly gets them good money in the black market. In key cities in the US, police have pinpointed the iPhone to be the most stolen smartphone. No surprise there, yes?

And as Apple continues to release new model after new model, more and more, people are starting to look at ways to ensure that their money goes down the drain if something happens to their iPhone.

Enter the question of insuring your brand new, shiny iPhone 5S. (Note: I use this model only because it’s the newest one, but the entire discussion obviously applies to other iPhones as well.)

Reasons you ought to consider insuring your iPhone 5S

This is going to be quick, as I am sure you can imagine all the scenarios easily.

  • As already  mentioned, the iPhone catches the eye of thieves. The chances of getting pickpocketed or mugged with your iPhone being the target are not negligible.
  • You never know when disaster may strike. I’m not talking about disasters of Pacific Rim proportions (although you can’t really discount that these days, can you?), but simple accidents like the iPhone slipping out of your hand and falling onto the hard concrete floor the first day you use it without a protective case. Or maybe you’re in the loo, and you just can’t bear to put the phone down because you’re in the middle of an epic scene in that ebook you’re reading. You know all sorts of things can happen to your phone in there, don’t you?
  • You may get a lemon. Trust me on this. I love Apple products, but I have gotten more than my fair share of lemons – from a white MacBook (with a shell/base that came off) to a MacBook Pro (with a logic board that conked out a couple of weeks after regular Apple warranty ran out). This can easily happen to your iPhone as well.

Is the cost worth it?

I think we can all agree that insuring your iPhone 5S is a desirable thing. The question is whether the cost of insurance is worth it. There is always the standard one year warranty, but it does not cover accidental damage. Then there’s AppleCare+, which costs another $99 and must be purchased within a month of buying your phone. This covers accidental damage.

There are other options, though: third-party insurance providers, which offer a wide range of coverage. That means different pricing schemes – cheaper or more expensive than AppleCare+, depending on the details – but you might also get better replacement deals.

At the end of the day, you’ve basically paid for a phone worth several hundred dollars. So yes, if you think about it, another $7-$10/month for insurance is worth it.

Sara Wells is a tech blogger and iPhone aficionado. She writes on behalf of Protect Your Bubble iphone insurance brand and other companies.


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

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