If you are a new Apple Watch owner, you are probably doing your best not to scratch, break or lose the device. But once the novelty wears off and you let your guard down, that miniature iPhone on your wrist can quickly become the victim of every object you accidentally swing your arm into, leading to all sorts of damage, like a cracked screen.
When you’re already paying $400 to $800 for an Apple Watch, you may be hesitant to pay even more for an extended warranty or insurance. And even if your watch comes with a one year limited warranty, it won’t cover an accidentally broken screen. For this type of repair, you will need insurance.
Below, we’ve compared the costs of repairing your Apple Watch with and without insurance to help you decide which type of insurance – if any – is best for you, AppleCare and insurance from your carrier telephone service like Verizon to an insurer. like Asurion, even to your credit card company. To find out more, here is our point of view the new iPhone 15 And the new Pixel 8.
Learn more: Is your phone’s one-year warranty really enough?
Apple warranty vs. insurance: what’s the difference?
Apple includes a one-year limited warranty with every Apple hardware product you buy, including Apple Watch. With no less than 200 million watches sold, according to some estimatesThat’s a lot of guarantees.
However, this free warranty only covers “defects in materials and workmanship”. Here’s what’s not covered.
- Batteries or protective coverings.
- Cosmetic damage including dents and broken plastic on ports.
- Damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, fire, earthquake or other external causes.
- Defects caused by normal wear and tear.
- Loss or theft.
If you don’t have insurance, for these kinds of repairs, you’re on your own. If you purchase insurance – whether from Apple or a third-party insurer – all of the above are generally covered for your Apple Watch, except for loss or theft. You can also find coverage against loss and theft.
Repair costs payable by you without insurance for an Apple Watch
Apple Watches aren’t cheap, and neither are repairs – and repair prices can vary depending on the model you own. For example, a repair on an Apple Watch Ultra might cost you $499, while a repair on an Apple Watch Series 8 might cost you $299.
If you’re wondering about the cost of repairing a cracked screen, for example, you can get a repair quote from Apple. You’ll need to know the exact type of Apple Watch you have, like the Apple Watch Series 9 GPS Aluminum 41mm, for example.
Apple Watch repair costs with AppleCare Plus
You can expect to pay several hundred dollars to repair your Apple Watch without insurance, but if you purchase AppleCare Plus – Apple’s extended warranty and technical support service that covers accidental damage – the cost drops significantly .
Note that in most regions and countries, you must purchase the Apple Extended Warranty within 60 days of purchasing your Apple Watch. The purchase period may vary from seven days to one year, depending on where you liveso check the specific period of your region.
Here’s how much AppleCare Plus coverage costs for each Apple Watch model.
- Apple Watch Ultra 2: $5 per month
- Apple Watch Series 9: $4 per month, with an option to pay a total of $79 for two years
- Apple Watch SE: $2.49 per month, with an option to pay a total of $49 for two years
- Apple Watch Hermès: $5 per month, with an option to pay a total of $149 for three years
With AppleCare Plus, you’ll also pay a $69 or $79 service fee for a repair, depending on the watch model you own.
- Apple Watch: $69
- Apple Watch Nike: $69
- Apple Watch Ultra: $79
- Apple Watch Edition: $79
- Apple Watch Hermès: $79
Apple Watch repair costs with third-party insurance
If you’re looking for something beyond AppleCare, you can look into coverage through an insurer. While some offer protection like what you’d get with AppleCare Plus, others offer broader plans that cover all the technology you have in your house or apartment.
Just for insurance watch, Allstate, for example, offers retailers protection plans based on the cost of the watch and that cover accidental damage but not loss or theft. If you shop at Sam’s Club, for example, you can get two years of protection for $60 for an Apple Watch that costs less than $400, with no deductible.
Instead of insurance specifically for your watch, Asurion provides coverage for your entire home technology collection, including your TV, laptop, gaming console, security cameras and your Apple Watch, called Home Plus. Costing $12 per month for the first three months, then $25 each month thereafter, the plan covers repair or replacement (up to $2,000 per claim) with a $99 service fee.
Note that loss and theft are not covered, but your home or renters insurance may cover this. You can’t include your phone in it either. For this you will want to check of Asurion phone insurancewhich you can get for $5 per month for the first three months, then $10 each month after that.
Apple Watch repair and replacement via carrier protection
Your mobile carrier may also offer Apple Watch insurance. Verizon, for example, offers its Mobile Protect plan that costs between $14 and $17 per month and offers free screen replacement and free watch replacement in the event of a manufacturing defect. The plan has a $99 deductible in the event of loss or theft.
AT&T also offers watch insurance and lets you insure one device for $14 or $17 per month or bundle up to four devices – including a watch, phone, laptop or tablet – for $45 per month as part of its Protect Advantage. Like Verizon, in addition to accidental damage, the plan covers loss and theft.
Do credit cards offer insurance?
Some credit card companies offer additional protection and insurance on new purchases made with their card. For example, some offer protection that insures your new purchases against damage and theft for up to 120 days. If anything happens during this time, you can file a claim with your credit card issuer to get a replacement or refund for the item.
It’s a good idea to check with your credit card issuer to see if they offer protection before making the purchase.
Editor’s note: CNET and Asurion have an advertising partnership. This story is editorially independent of that relationship.