The purchase of any extended warranty is always somewhat of a gamble. In some cases, it can pan out in your favor, and in other cases you might purchase coverage and then never need it.
By some arguments, if your system has not had any hardware problems within the first year of purchase, then you might not need additional coverage for defects; however, there are instances where issues can creep up on you over time.
This is especially true in recent years, as Apple’s software and some hardware quality has fallen a little, bringing more bugs and problems that users have to contend with.
Checking Your AppleCare Coverage
For most of its products, Apple offers an automatic 1-year warranty that covers repair and service charges, with an extended and optional AppleCare service that gives you an additional two years of coverage.
Unfortunately, even though your system may be coverable through the three years following its purchase, Apple does not allow you to purchase this warranty at any time; it must be purchased in the first year of ownership, while still under the default 1-year warranty.
If you need to find out whether you’re covered under Apple’s extended AppleCare plan, then you have several steps to take:
- Locate your Mac’s serial number (sometimes called a model number), which can be found printed on its chassis, or by selecting About This Mac from the Apple menu.
- For iOS systems, go to Settings > General > About and scroll down to the Serial Number entry.
You can then head over to https://checkcoverage.apple.com/ to see whether you’ve currently got AppleCare for your device.
Even if you have not purchased extra AppleCare, using this site will help you determine your support options.
This site will tell you how much coverage your system has, and whether or not you are eligible for purchasing more.
Some people might be interested in purchasing AppleCare even thought their systems are out of warranty.
By default, Apple will deny giving you extra coverage at this point; however, there are some exceptions.
If your system is just barely out of warranty by about a month or less, then you can likely argue a case with Apple.
While not guaranteed, you can check with an Apple Store, or call AppleCare directly and if your system is in full and working order without any cosmetic damage, then with a little convincing you might be able to get a representative to agree and allow you to purchase an extended the warranty for your system.
One suggestion here is to be persistent, where if you are unsuccessful with one approach, then try again at a different Apple Store, or at a later date at the same one, or by calling Apple’s support lines again to talk with a different representative.
