AppleCare does not cover lost or stolen phones

AppleCare+ covers accidental damage, hardware failures, and battery degradation, but it explicitly excludes phones that are lost, stolen, or missing. If your iPhone disappears, AppleCare will not replace it. You will need to contact your wireless carrier, file a police report if it was stolen, or purchase a replacement phone yourself.

The distinction matters because many people assume AppleCare is comprehensive device protection. It is not. AppleCare covers what happens to a phone you still have — a cracked screen, water damage, a failed battery. It does not cover what happens when you no longer have the phone at all.

If your phone is lost or stolen, your carrier may offer a replacement through their own insurance program, or you may be able to use Find My iPhone to locate it before filing a claim anywhere.

Key Takeaways

  • AppleCare+ covers accidental damage and hardware failures but explicitly excludes lost, stolen, or missing devices.
  • Your wireless carrier, not Apple, typically handles replacement for lost or stolen phones through their own insurance or device protection plans.
  • If your phone is missing, use Find My iPhone when ready — you may locate it before deciding whether to file a claim or buy a replacement.
  • Carrier insurance plans usually charge a deductible ($25 to $50) and may require a police report if the phone was stolen.

What AppleCare+ actually covers

AppleCare+ covers two categories of damage: accidental damage and hardware failures. Accidental damage means you dropped the phone, spilled liquid on it, or sat on it — anything that happened because of something you did. Hardware failures mean the phone stopped working on its own, the battery no longer holds a charge, or a component failed without external cause.

For accidental damage, AppleCare+ charges a deductible per incident — typically $29 for screen damage and $99 for other damage. For hardware failures, there is no deductible; Apple replaces or repairs the phone at no additional cost beyond your AppleCare+ subscription.

The coverage period runs for two years from the date you buy AppleCare+. After that, you lose coverage unless you renew.

Why lost and stolen phones are excluded

AppleCare+ excludes lost and stolen phones because Apple cannot verify what happened. If your phone vanishes, Apple has no way to confirm whether you lost it, someone stole it, or you are filing a false claim to get a free replacement. Insurance companies and device manufacturers use this exclusion across the industry for the same reason.

Theft and loss claims are also much more expensive to cover than accidental damage. A lost phone is a total loss — the entire device must be replaced. A cracked screen is a repair. Covering theft and loss would raise AppleCare+ prices significantly for everyone.

If your phone was stolen, a police report documents the theft for your records and may be required by your carrier's insurance program, but it will not change Apple's position on AppleCare+.

What to do if your phone is missing

Before you assume your phone is gone, use Find My iPhone to locate it. Open Find My on another Apple device or go to iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID, and select Find My iPhone. The map will show your phone's last known location.

If the phone is nearby and powered on, you can play a sound to help you find it. If it is far away or powered off, you can mark it as lost, which locks the device and displays a message on the screen with a phone number for someone who finds it to call you.

If Find My shows your phone is truly gone and you cannot recover it, move on to contacting your carrier about replacement options.

Carrier insurance and device protection plans

Your wireless carrier — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or another provider — offers its own insurance or device protection plan separate from AppleCare+. These plans typically cover lost, stolen, and damaged phones. The monthly cost is usually $8 to $15, and the deductible for a replacement is typically $25 to $50.

To file a claim with your carrier, contact them directly through your account or by phone. They will ask for proof of loss or theft. If the phone was stolen, they usually require a police report number. If it was lost, they may ask for details about where and when you last had it.

Approval usually takes a few business days. Once approved, the carrier ships a replacement phone to you or allows you to pick one up at a store. Some carriers offer overnight shipping for an additional fee.

Check your carrier's website or your monthly bill to see whether you are already enrolled in a device protection plan. If you are not, you can usually sign up, but new plans often have a waiting period before they cover loss or theft — typically 14 to 30 days.

The cost of replacing a lost iPhone without insurance

If you do not have carrier insurance and AppleCare+ does not cover the loss, you will pay full retail price for a replacement. A new iPhone ranges from roughly $400 for an older model to $1,200 or more for the latest flagship device.

You can buy a replacement directly from Apple, from your carrier, or from a third-party retailer. Buying from your carrier sometimes offers a discount if you are in the middle of a contract or upgrade cycle, though this varies by provider and plan.

Some people choose to buy a used or refurbished iPhone instead, which costs less but comes with less warranty coverage. A refurbished phone from Apple includes a one-year limited warranty; a used phone from a third party may have no warranty at all.

Whether to add carrier insurance after losing a phone

If you just lost a phone and do not have insurance, you cannot file a claim for that loss with a newly purchased plan. Most carriers enforce a waiting period — usually 14 to 30 days — before a new plan covers loss or theft. This prevents people from buying insurance only after their phone goes missing.

However, adding insurance now protects your replacement phone. Once the waiting period passes, your new device is covered if it is lost, stolen, or damaged.

Whether to buy carrier insurance going forward depends on your risk tolerance and how often you replace phones. If you frequently lose devices or live in an area with high theft, insurance pays for itself quickly. If you rarely lose phones and can afford to replace one, you might skip it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use AppleCare+ to replace a phone I lost last month?

No. AppleCare+ explicitly excludes lost and stolen devices. Your only option is to contact your wireless carrier about their device protection plan, or to purchase a replacement phone at full price.

What if my phone was stolen — does AppleCare+ cover that?

No. AppleCare+ does not cover theft. Your carrier's insurance plan may cover it if you have one, but you will need to file a police report and provide the report number to the carrier.

Can I buy AppleCare+ after my phone goes missing to get a replacement?

No. AppleCare+ must be purchased within 60 days of buying the phone. Even if you could buy it now, it would not cover a loss that already happened.

Does Find My iPhone help if my phone is stolen?

Find My iPhone can show you where your phone is if it is powered on and connected to the internet. If a thief has it, you can mark it as lost to lock it remotely. However, Find My does not recover the phone or prevent you from needing a replacement.

How much does it cost to replace an iPhone through my carrier?

The deductible is typically $25 to $50 if you have device protection insurance. Without insurance, you pay full retail price for the phone, which ranges from $400 to $1,200 depending on the model.