Yahoo News Does AppleCare care about the electronics travel ban? Maybe!
There's no nice way to say it: The new travel restrictions on electronics suck, and they're going to make flying more of a pain in the ass for passengers.
If you're flying to the U.S. from the affected Middle East and North African airports, you won't be able to bring any electronic devices larger than a smartphone on flights. This means tablets, laptops, etc. will need to be placed in checked luggage, which increases the chance of them getting damaged during transport.
For many Apple users, the big question is: Will AppleCare cover damage for iPads or MacBooks damaged in checked baggage?
SEE ALSO: The new air travel device restrictions have arrived—here's what you need to know
The answer is maybe, sorta. Apple's got different warranty policies for iPads and MacBooks, and what's covered really depends on the extent of the damage.
While Apple has no special policy to address iPads and MacBooks that are accidentally damaged because of the new restrictions, the company still encourages customers to reach out to its customer support if they encounter issues. Devices damaged as a result of forced check-ins will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
iPad coverage
For iPads, you get your standard 1-year limited warranty, which covers "defects in materials and workmanship when used normally in accordance with Apple's published guidelines."
However, the limited warranty doesn't cover "damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, fire, liquid contact, earthquake or other external cause." In other words, if your iPad is physically damaged while in your checked baggage, that's considered accidental damage and it's your own fault.
That said, you can buy AppleCare+ and extend your warranty coverage to two years of service (which covers all iPad malfunctions) and get "two incidents of accidental damage coverage." You'll still need to pay a $49+tax service fee for each accidental damage incident, but at least Apple will repair your iPad if you, say, drop it and crack the screen.
If you don't have AppleCare+ and your iPad is out of warranty, prices for replacing a damaged screen will vary by model from $199 (iPad mini, iPad mini 2) to $599 (12.9-inch iPad Pro).
MacBook coverage
Apple's MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptop computers have a similar policy to the iPads. You get a 1-year limited warranty that covers the same defects in materials and workmanship, and the warranty doesn't cover any accidental damage.
You can buy an AppleCare Protection Plan for your MacBook and extend coverage up to three years, but it won't cover any accidental damage, either. If something malfunctions internally and Apple determines it's related to the battery, processor, RAM, etc., Apple will repair it, but any physical damage — like spilling soda all over your keyboard or cracking the screen — will be an additional cost.
Pricing for out of warranty repairs for MacBooks will vary based on the extent of damage.
Buy third-party insurance
AppleCare might not cover any accidental damage for laptops, but that doesn't mean there aren't other options. SquareTrade offers protection plans for laptops that do cover drops, spills and other malfunctions Apple would turn a blind eye to. Best Buy's Geek Squad Protection and Asurion also offer protection plans that are similar to SquareTrade's.
Get traveler's insurance
You can also consider traveler's insurance, which usually covers lost, stolen or damaged property. Coverage policies will vary depending on the individual provider, so be sure to double check to see if they do or don't cover damaged electronics.
