T-Mobile’s insurance now includes AppleCare for free in the US

If you use an iOS device on T-Mobile, the carrier is throwing in a neat extra: AppleCare is now included with your mobile insurance.

Basically, if you’ve signed up for T-Mobile’s ‘Jump’ or Premium Device Protection plans, both of which cost $12 a month, you’ll have access to AppleCare. For reference, AppleCare normally costs $129 on top of your device purchase, and includes:

• $29 screen repairs
• $0 battery repairs
• Service at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service providers
• 24/7 technical support straight from Apple
• Other stuff mentioned here

The big caveat to all of this is that it only applies to new iPhone buyers. That’s great if you were already planning to buy T-Mobile’s insurance, but a bit less so if you only care about the AppleCare portion. AppleCare costs $129 for two years of coverage; at $12 a month, T-Mobile’s insurance will cost you $288 over the same period.

That being said, you are getting more for your money. Most notably, AppleCare does not cover theft or loss, leaving you to pay full price; T-Mobile’s insurance has a deductible of “up to $175”, which is a much easier to swallow. Also if you’ve signed up for ‘Jump,’ you get to upgrade your phone more quickly too.

Ultimately it’s a way to get more people to buy phone insurance, but considering it genuinely includes better features at the same price, we’re not complaining.