Sarah walked out having paid $29 plus the $13.49 she pays monthly. Total cost for the repair? About $42.49. Without AppleCare+? $379 plus tax.

Six months ago, when she bought the phone, the Apple Store salesperson had gently pushed the monthly AppleCare+ plan. Sarah had almost said no—she was careful, never broke a phone before. But the salesperson had said, "Think of it as a seatbelt. You hope you never need it." So she’d signed up for $13.49 a month.

The morning started like any other for Sarah. Her coffee was brewing, her cat, Mochi, was weaving between her ankles, and she was scrolling through emails on her iPhone 14 Pro. She had a big presentation in two hours. Then, it happened.

She picked it up. A spiderweb of cracks radiated from the top left corner. A small shard of glass flaked off onto her finger. Her heart sank. The presentation deck, the client notes, the visual aids—all behind that shattered window.