When you sell or give away a Mac that has a current AppleCare agreement, you can transfer the AppleCare along with it. But what if you sell it back to Apple in the Reuse and Recycle program? In that case, you’re entitled to a pro-rated refund.
Last year, I sold a MacBook Pro back to Apple via their “Computer Reuse and Recycling” program. That MBP had a current AppleCare agreement with about a year left on it. In the process of chatting with an Apple rep about another AppleCare issue, I found out that in this case, I am entitled to a pro-rated refund. Apple says I should receive a check in about 2 to 4 weeks. (They normally credit the card one used for the purchase, but my credit card number changed, hence the check.)
So, if you sell a Mac back to Apple (actually it’s Apple’s PowerOn.com subsidiary), be sure to check if you still have remaining AppleCare coverage. You can do that by logging on with your AppleID at the Applecare Agreement Support page and select “View.” You may have a partial refund coming. It’s helpful to have your AppleCare purchase receipt handy, and call 1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273) after you receive your gift card from PowerOn.com.
Transferring a Plan
Of course, if you sell or give away a Mac that has AppleCare coverage to an individual, you can transfer that coverage to them — with conditions. In that case, you will want to pro-rate the coverage yourself and include the value in the negotiations for the price. For more information about how to do that, see the Applecare Frequently Asked Questions. That, in turn points to AppleCare Terms and Conditions, Section 6: Transfer of Plan:
6. Transfer of Plan
Subject to the restrictions set forth below, you may make a one-time permanent transfer of all of your rights under the Plan to another party, provided that: (a) the transfer must include the original Proof of Purchase, the Plan’s Certificate and all of the Plan’s packaging material, including printed materials and these Terms and Conditions; (b) you notify Apple of the transfer by sending, faxing or e-mailing notice of transfer to Apple Inc., ATTN: Agreement Administration, MS: 217AC, 2511 Laguna Blvd, Elk Grove, CA 95758, U.S., fax number 916-399-7337 or [email protected], respectively; and (c) the party receiving the Plan reads and agrees to accept the Terms and Conditions of the Plan. When notifying Apple of the transfer of the Plan, you must provide the Plan Agreement Number, the serial numbers of the Covered Equipment being transferred and the name, address, telephone number and email address of the new owner.
Apple makes it fairly easy to get the full value from your Applecare Agreement no matter how you sell your Mac, so make sure you follow up on these procedures provided by Apple.