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Talk Back: Insuring your Mobile Mac

The phrase ‘What’s on your PowerBook’ takes on chilling meaning when an Apple laptop is lost, stolen, or damaged. We’re dependent on our computers as our life and livelihood, and homeowners insurance may not provide the kind of comprehensive coverage and quick replacement we need. We want to know what insurance you use, and if you’ve ever tested its coverage when disaster hits. Click on the feedback link and let us know. In the meantime, here are some ideas to get you started.


The phrase ‘What’s on your PowerBook’ takes on chilling meaning when an Apple laptop is lost, stolen, or damaged. We’re dependent on our computers as our life and livelihood, and homeowners insurance may not provide the kind of comprehensive coverage and quick replacement we need. We want to know what insurance you use, and if you’ve ever tested its coverage when disaster hits. Click on the feedback link and let us know. In the meantime, here are some ideas to get you started.

The first step in protecting your Apple computer is to make sure you have a support option when your computer fails. The easiest way to do this is, of course, AppleCare, which extends the warranty on your system via an annual fee. AppleCare will ship your entire laptop to Apple for free if something goes wrong via Airborne Express, saving you the trip to an authorized Apple reseller, though I certainly also recommend considering specialized service providers like NYC’s Tekserve — handy, too, if you won’t be around to meet the Airborne Express person! Some resellers, including Best Buy, offer a different option: instead of a service plan, they offer a full replacement plan, which can be useful if, for example, an LCD screen fails and you can’t wait for a replacement to arrive. Regardless, you’ll want some kind of ‘mechanical’ coverage, because many insurance plans cover only damage, loss, or theft in most cases, not breakdown of components of your system.

The converse is also true. Sure, you may already be covered under AppleCare warranty: but what if your machine gets stolen? Some of us, yours truly included, carry our PowerBook everywhere. Mine has been in 4 out of 5 NYC boroughs, and travels with me just about 7 days a week. One option available is insurance provider Safeware, which offers insurance “against damages caused by accidents, power surges, theft and more.” The quick quote on the site offered me an estimate of $64/yr premium on $2000 protection.

What has your experience been? What’s your worst horror story? Click that feedback link and get the conversation. We’ll follow up on your best tips with another story.

By Jason O'Grady

Founded the PowerPage in 1995.

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