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AppleCare, Asurion & Extended Warranties — Worth It, by Device

Published August 2026 · Last verified August 2026

Three Kinds of Protection PlanThey sound alike at the register - here is who offers what.AppleCare+From Apple itselfCovers accidentswith a set feeCan add theftand loss coverCarrier (Asurion)Added to yourphone bill monthlyCovers loss, theft,and damageDeductibles applyStore planSold at checkouton TVs, appliancesOften overlaps awarranty you haveUsually skippableYou may already own coverage - through the maker and your credit card.Illustration - a schematic; details vary by device and setup.
The three protection plans you get pitched, and who actually offers each.
Worth It? By DeviceThe honest answer depends on what breaks and what it costs to fix.Often worth itPhones you carryand drop dailyLaptops that travelScreens that costa lot to repairUsually skip itTVs and bigappliancesSmall, cheap gadgetsAnything your cardalready protectsCheck your credit card's free purchase warranty before you pay for another.Illustration - a schematic; details vary by device and setup.
Which devices make a protection plan worth buying, and which don't.

Every time you buy a phone, a laptop, or a TV, someone asks if you want to add a protection plan. Sometimes it is a smart buy and sometimes it is pure profit for the store. The trouble is, they ask at the register when you are tired and just want to leave. Let me help you decide ahead of time, by device, so you never overpay or under-protect. No jargon. No judgment. No rushing.

Bill Davis
Bill's Home Tech · Atwater, Ohio
Want the full deep-dive?
The AppleCare, Asurion & Extended Warranties: Worth It, By Device Guide
PDF · plain English · no ads · made by Bill
Cost
Free — no purchase needed
Time
About 20–30 minutes
Difficulty
Beginner-friendly · one step at a time
Bill's hotline
(330) 200-8042

Every time you buy a phone, a laptop, or a TV, someone asks if you want to add a protection plan. Sometimes it is a smart buy and sometimes it is pure profit for the store. The trouble is, they ask at the register when you are tired and just want to leave. Let me help you decide ahead of time, by device, so you never overpay or under-protect. No jargon. No judgment. No rushing.

What's inside this guide

The printable PDF walks through 18 short chapters, in plain language. It also includes an everyday cheat sheet and at-a-glance pictures.

  1. What These Plans Actually Are
  2. AppleCare Plus, Explained
  3. Carrier Insurance (Asurion), Explained
  4. Store Protection Plans
  5. The Real Cost Over Time
  6. By Device: Phones
  7. By Device: Tablets and Laptops
  8. By Device: TVs and Big Appliances
  9. By Device: Watches and Small Gadgets
  10. Theft and Loss Coverage
  11. The Warranty Hiding In Your Credit Card
  12. The Free Warranty You Already Own
  13. When It Is Worth It, When To Say No
  14. Watch Out: Fake Warranty Scams
  15. How To File A Claim Without The Runaround
  16. What They Cover, And What They Do Not
  17. Buying From The Maker Versus A Third Party
  18. When To Just Call Me

Get the printable guide

Everything above is a quick summary. The full, printable guide — the same words, laid out to read and keep by the computer — is a free PDF.

Download the printable PDF →

Last verified August 2026. Information accurate as of October 18, 2026.

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✍️ Every guide researched, written, and reviewed by Bill — your local Portage County tech.

Any prices or outside products mentioned in this guide can change over time — the details here were last checked August 2026 and this page is accurate as of October 18, 2026; please confirm current pricing before you buy. See how often we review our guides →