AppleCare+ Allegedly Denies Coverage For MacBook Mangled In Car Wreck
If you're thinking about adding an AppleCare+ protection plan to avoid pricey repair costs for your new device, be it an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or whatever else, be sure to read the fine print. Some of the wording is just ambiguous enough to give Apple an out for denying coverage, and according to a user on Reddit, that's exactly what the Cupertino company did with a claim for a badly damaged MacBook Pro.
The user (frk1974) shared a photo of the mangled MacBook Pro (see above), which shows a severely bent chassis, especially on the left-hand side. We're comfortable going out on a limb saying there's no feasible repair for this kind of thing, as the wreck almost certainly cracked the motherboard. It's also safe to assume that multiple other parts are casualties of the car wreck, including the display panel, keyboard, and so forth.
Here's where things get tricky. AppleCare+ does include accidental damage protection, but according to the owner of the MacBook, Apple refused to accept the claim.
"Sad story: my beloved MacBook Pro has been involved in a car accident.
I have the Apple Care+ plan for accidental damages.
They are not going to replace the Mac because it’s ‘too damaged’.
Money wasted…," the user wrote.
Before now, we've never heard of Apple denying a claim on the grounds of damage being too severe, but assuming the post is an accurate description of events, there are multiple reasons why it might have done so in this case. The biggest one is that the user admits they were the one who cased the car wreck.
The user clarified this point when someone asked if they could instead file a claim for the MacBook through their car insurance. It should be noted that the user lives in Europe, so the policies could be different than they are here in the United States.
"Unfortunately I can't because I was the driver that caused the accident. The insurance is covering third parts," the user wrote.
It's an odd situation, but as pointed out by MacWorld, which spotted the forum post, there are multiple sections in Apple's 17-page terms and conditions document (PDF) that it could cite as reasons for denying the claim. For example, one of the exclusions lists "reckless, abusive, willful, or intentional conduct, or any use of the Covered Equipement in a manner not normal or intended by Apple."
Another part of the document excludes "damage caused by fire, earthquake, or other external causes."
It seems like a stretch to apply any of these exclusions to the poster's situation, but being the one who caused the accident, it could be argued that the MacBook Pro owner was being too reckless. We're not saying we agree with that assessment, just that it's a possible out for Apple.
"According to the several Apple’s representatives I talked with, It’s not a matter of what kind of accident, but how bad is the damage," the poster stated in the forum thread.
If true, that's a crummy reason to deny a claim. An AppleCare+ plan for a 14-inch MacBook Pro costs $99.99 per year or $279 for three years, and $149.99 per year for $399 for three years of coverage on a 16-inch MacBook Pro.
On the bright side, the MacBook Pro owner escaped unscathed and emerged "totally fine" from the wreck, as far as bodily harm goes.
