The incident limits of SquareTrade and AppleCare+ can significantly impact the overall cost of ownership for your iPhone 15 Pro Max:
SquareTrade Incident Limits
- SquareTrade covers up to 4 incidents of accidental damage per plan term[1]- This includes a 2-year plan for $124 or a 3-year plan for $129[1]
- With the 3-year plan, you're still limited to 4 incidents total[1]
AppleCare+ Incident Limits
- AppleCare+ limits coverage to 2 incidents of accidental damage per 12-month period[1][4]- As of September 2022, AppleCare+ allows unlimited claims for accidental damage during the coverage period, subject to the service fee for each incident[4]
Cost Comparison
- The $29 screen repair deductible under AppleCare+ is significantly lower than typical out-of-warranty screen repair costs of $379 or more[4]- However, with the 2-incident limit per year, multiple claims could exceed the upfront cost of AppleCare+
- SquareTrade's higher incident limit of 4 per term provides more flexibility, but the $50 deductible per claim is higher than AppleCare+[1][4]
Conclusion
The incident limits are an important consideration when comparing the overall cost of ownership between SquareTrade and AppleCare+. SquareTrade's higher incident limit provides more flexibility, but AppleCare+'s lower deductibles can be more cost-effective if you only need to file a claim once or twice. Carefully consider your usage and accident history to determine which plan best fits your needs and budget.Citations:
[1] https://www.appledystopia.com/reviews/applecare-vs-squaretrade-page-1/
[2] https://www.apple.com/support/products/iphone/
[3] https://www.ipadforums.net/threads/applecare-plus-versus-squaretrade.68028/page-2
[4] https://buybackboss.com/squaretrade-vs-applecare/
[5] https://simplyfixable.com/blog-detail/an-overview-is-applecare-worth-the-investment-for-your-apple-devices