AppleCare vs. statutory warranty: what actually covers what, and is it worth it?
AppleCare+ is paid insurance that mainly covers accidental damage (a cracked screen, liquid spill) with an excess charged for each repair. Statutory liability for defects, on the other hand, is a free right by law and covers defects the phone already had at handover or that appear through normal use — not damage you cause yourself. So these are two different things, not competitors. With a phone bought from us, you get 2 years' warranty for free, so it's only worth considering AppleCare+ if you also want cover against your own clumsiness. For most people, a good case and tempered glass is the cheaper option.
AppleCare+ is paid insurance that mainly covers accidental damage (a cracked screen, liquid spill) with an excess charged for each repair. Statutory liability for defects, on the other hand, is a free right by law and covers defects the phone already had at handover or that appear through normal use — not damage you cause yourself. So these are two different things, not competitors. With a phone bought from us, you get 2 years' warranty for free, so it's only worth considering AppleCare+ if you also want cover against your own clumsiness. For most people, a good case and tempered glass is the cheaper option.
In this article
- Two things people still mix up
- Comparison: what each option covers
- How your rights for defective goods work in practice
- When AppleCare+ is worth it and when it isn't
- How to check whether a specific iPhone has AppleCare
- Cheaper alternatives that make sense
- How we handle it
Two things people still mix up
In discussions, AppleCare and warranty are used almost as synonyms, yet they work completely differently.
Seller liability for defects is a right you have by law, free of charge, automatically, and with every seller. It covers defects the item already had at handover or that appear during use through no fault of yours — a non-working speaker, a faulty charging port, a display that starts flickering, a battery that fails prematurely. It doesn't cover mechanical damage that you cause yourself.
AppleCare+ is a commercial insurance product that you buy separately. Its main added value is exactly what statutory rights don't cover: accidental damage. You crack the screen, drop the phone in the bath, bend the frame. AppleCare+ gets the repair done for a fixed excess instead of the full repair price.
In other words: the warranty deals with the phone being faulty. AppleCare deals with you breaking it.
Comparison: what each option covers
An overview of typical situations and who handles them.
| Manufacturing defect (non-working button, speaker, port) | Statutory rights with the seller — free of charge. AppleCare+ also covers this area, but you don't need to pay extra for it. |
|---|---|
| Battery fails prematurely through no fault of yours | Handled as a defect with the seller. With us, covered under the 2-year warranty. |
| Cracked screen after a drop | Not covered by statutory rights. Covered by AppleCare+, but with an excess per repair. |
| Water damage, liquid in the port | Not covered by statutory rights. Covered by AppleCare+ as accidental damage, with an excess. |
| Bent frame, dented back cover | Not covered by statutory rights. Covered by AppleCare+ as accidental damage. |
| Theft or loss | Neither covers this. Only a separate AppleCare+ plan with theft and loss cover, at a higher price and excess, or your own insurer's policy. |
| Battery wear from normal use | Not covered by the statutory warranty (this is natural wear). AppleCare+ covers a replacement if capacity drops below the stated threshold. |
| Price | Statutory rights: free, automatic. AppleCare+: a monthly or one-off payment plus an excess for each event. |
How your rights for defective goods work in practice
The basic rules that apply when buying from a business.
- Time limit for claims: With us you have 2 years from receiving the phone to claim a defect. This applies to all iPhones and accessories.
- Claims are handled by the seller: You don't need to go abroad or find an authorised service centre. You resolve the defect wherever you bought the phone.
- Repair process: The seller resolves the defect by repair or replacement. If that's not possible, or the defect recurs, a price reduction or withdrawal from the contract follows.
- Resolution deadline: Standardly 30 days, unless agreed otherwise. Always keep your receipt — with us, the order number is enough.
- What the warranty doesn't cover: Mechanical damage, contact with liquid, unauthorised interference with the phone, and natural battery wear from normal use.
When AppleCare+ is worth it and when it isn't
The decision comes down purely to the ratio between risk and cost. Add up the annual cost of the insurance plus the excess for one screen repair. If that figure comes close to the cost of an uninsured repair, the insurance only pays off if you actually break the phone.
Worth it when:
- You're buying the most expensive Pro Max variant, where screen and back glass repairs are the most costly.
- You take the phone to construction sites, workshops, cycling or the mountains, and drops are a real risk.
- You have small children who play with the phone.
- You've already cracked a screen once. Statistically, it repeats.
Not worth it when:
- You're buying a cheaper model, where the repair cost is lower than two years' worth of premiums combined.
- You carry the phone in a case with raised edges and tempered glass. A good case and glass combo for a few hundred crowns covers most everyday drops.
- You haven't broken a phone in the past five years.
A separate note for a pre-owned phone: if you saved several thousand crowns compared to the price of a new one, it makes more sense to treat that saving as your own "insurance fund" than to spend it immediately on insurance.
How to check whether a specific iPhone has AppleCare
Especially useful for a second-hand phone. The remaining cover transfers to the new owner.
1. Check directly on the phone
Settings → General → About → the coverage line. You'll see whether cover is active and until when.
2. Check using the serial number
The serial number is in Settings → General → About. On Apple's coverage check page, enter the serial number and it will show the support status and any AppleCare.
3. Check the IMEI
At the same time, check that the phone isn't blacklisted. We have a step-by-step guide in a separate article about IMEI.
4. Proof of purchase from the seller
For claiming statutory rights, the proof of purchase from the seller is what matters, not AppleCare. With us, the order in our system is enough.
Cheaper alternatives that make sense
What to use instead of insurance if it seems too expensive to you.
- A good case with raised edges: The cheapest and most effective protection. A raised rim around the display and camera decides whether a drop ends in a scratch or a crack.
- Tempered glass: A sacrificial piece of glass for a few hundred crowns instead of a display costing several thousand. You can even replace it yourself.
- Electronics insurance from your own insurer: Many home insurance policies can add mobile electronics cover even outside the home, often cheaper than the manufacturer's insurance.
- Your own reserve fund: Set aside the amount you'd spend on insurance. If you don't break the phone, it stays yours.
- A strong warranty from the seller: With us you get a 2-year warranty on every iPhone and accessory, at no extra charge, with claims handled at any of our stores.
How we handle it
We give 2 years' warranty on every iPhone and accessory, at no extra charge. You can make a claim online or in person at any of the eleven iLoveServis stores — no need to send anything abroad or look for an authorised service centre.
Every unit goes through a thorough technical check, battery health is always 86–100%, and you can see the measured value for a specific phone before you buy. You can choose from six conditions — Sealed, Like New, A, A-, B and C. Delivery takes 2 working days, or you can collect the phone at selected stores.
And because we do the repairs ourselves, the story doesn't end when we hand over the phone — if something happens even after the warranty ends, we'll sort out the repair on the spot.