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More on Safeware Insurance

We’ve covered insurance and Safeware before, but it’s probably worth repeating. The ultimate conclusion, incidentally, was that you’re probably much better off with personal property insurance from a provider like State Farm. These plans cover all property you travel with, PDAs, cameras, iPods, and laptops (provided you’ve saved your purchase receipts), for only a little more than Safeware. Safeware’s restriction on even warranty repairs seems particularly frustrating. That said, many Powerpagers have been happy with Safeware. Click ‘read more’ for the full story.


We’ve covered insurance and Safeware before, but it’s probably worth repeating. The ultimate conclusion, incidentally, was that you’re probably much better off with personal property insurance from a provider like State Farm. These plans cover all property you travel with, PDAs, cameras, iPods, and laptops (provided you’ve saved your purchase receipts), for only a little more than Safeware. Safeware’s restriction on even warranty repairs seems particularly frustrating. That said, many Powerpagers have been happy with Safeware.

Ty Silzer writes:

Just wanted to lend a friendly tip to all my fellow pPage readers out there in Internetland who may be getting or have already received new machines of late . . .

Safeware + AppleCare pretty much gives you an invincible machine. While we all know that AppleCare covers defects that arise from normal use or problems that may have possible slipped through QC (and some ‘minor’ user errors), SafeWare covers all the abnormal occurences that can happen to your machine (such as tripping on the ethernet cord).

I’m not a SafeWare employee, and there may be similar deals (possibly better) out there to be found–but I am a satisfied customer.

A little more info:

1) If you’ve ever had to repair your machine prior to being insured, you’re pretty much out of luck. Even if it’s a normal warranty repair, they won’t insure that machine until 3 years after the repair (assuming you have no more repairs). At the current rate of computer lifespans, this makes it very impractical.

2) I haven’t had a machine to insure for a while (just recently got my GHzBook), but my rate for $5000 of coverage was $75 annually with a $50 deductible. I’m sure rates have gone up some.

3) Peripherals are covered by this as well. Except for PDA’s.

4) Prices will vary a bit depending on whether you’re insuring a laptop vs desktop vs PDA (or some combination), your vocation, and what state or country you reside in.

5) It covers most everything AppleCare doesn’t: theft, fire, power surges, lightning, spilled coffee in the keyboard, accidentally dropped notebooks and natural disasters like: earthquakes, hurricanes and floods.

6) But it doesn’t cover: Equipment rented or leased to others; Equipment held for sale or lease; Depreciation; Insects, vermin, corrosion, or rust; Wear and tear; gradual deterioration, mechanical breakdown; Dust, dampness, dryness, cold or heat; Delay or loss of market, income or interruption of business; Intentional or dishonest acts by insured or anyone else with an interest in the insured property; War; Nuclear hazard; Repair or service, including installment of property, and error in machine programming or instructions to the machine; Illegal trade or confiscation by any governmental authority; Extra expenses, data programming, data reconstruction, data recovery or program installation or reconfiguration. You’ll notice some of these things AppleCare does . . .

Not bad, huh? Almost total peace of mind of anything that can happen to your machine. If there is anything better out there like this, be sure to hit that feedback button below.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.