Asurion iPhone Insurance

Many Apple users are familiar with the fright of dropping their phone. And without some of the best insurance or warranties to protect it, you may face an immense cost for replacement or repairs. Protection is necessary, and many third-party companies like Asurion iPhone insurance plans offer protection contracts to rival the in-house offerings of Apple. Asurion claims its coverage goes beyond the typical warranties, offering more comprehensive coverage for theft, accidental damage, or loss. They also provide additional tools and resources, such as a speedy infrastructure to file online claims and a 24-hour replacement service for lost or stolen phones.

What to Know about Asurion iPhone Plans

iPhone users know that, upon purchase, Apple offers insurance on iPhones and devices like Apple Watch warranties. So, why would someone go through a third-party contractor, like Asurion, instead of going directly through the company that builds their phone?

First, it’s essential to know how Asurion works. As with many forms of coverage, like lawnmower insurance, Asurion is a recurring insurance policy that costs Apple phone users between $9-$14 per month.

Asurion plans are purchased through a user’s phone carrier rather than directly through the manufacturer, like AppleCare+ or AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss. It’s important to remember that the cost and scope of coverage vary depending on your phone carrier, as well as the model of iPhone you have.

Asurion’s offering includes full coverage, including theft, loss, accidental damage, and manufacturer malfunction. To file an insurance claim, log onto your online account, where you can fill one out within minutes. Asurion even offers phone replacements within 24 hours for phones that have been lost or stolen.

Lastly, Asurion iPhone plans to offer a data backup service where users can choose to back up all contacts, photos, and videos so that nothing is lost if something happens to the phone. Users can also choose to have the service upload data automatically. Likewise, Asurion adds an extra layer of data security to all information passed through the network cell service; it protects and blocks viruses and other types of harmful software.

Differences Between AppleCare+ and Asurion

Ultimately, the services between AppleCare+ and Asurion are very similar. However, some differences may be the deciding factor influencing you to go with a third party.

Basic AppleCare+ can either be paid upfront for $149 or in installments of $8 per month. Although this is less than the monthly coverage offered by Asurion, AppleCare+ charges deductibles for many common phone repairs, like battery & screen replacement.

One of the draws to Asurion is that they offer battery replacement free of charge, whereas Apple charges a deductible of $99. However, Asurion and Apple charge $29 deductibles for screen repair.

Another significant difference is that Apple charges additional fees for theft/loss coverage, while Asurion includes that on all its plans. Asurion’s replacement fee for a stolen or lost phone is $200, similar to Apple’s fee ($199). Still, the replacement device servicing is guaranteed much faster with Asurion, as they offer a 24-hour replacement. It’s also important to remember that AppleCare+ charges additional fees for theft and loss coverage; the basic $8-9/monthly fee goes to $13-14/month.

If you want to compare Asurion to other insurance plans, we have an article outlining AT&T’s protection advantage program.

Downsides of Asurion

Although it’s a comprehensive and straightforward system, Asurion’s main downside is that it can lock users into plans with their phone service companies for longer than desired. Also, if you choose to change your provider, you lose coverage.

Of course, you can pick it back up with another provider, but it’s not guaranteed that they will offer Asurion plans.