Think the iPhone Duo is expensive? Skip Apple's insurance plan and 1 mishap could send your real cost soaring

According to the iPhone maker, the Duo’s estimated service costs with AppleCare+ insurance include $19 for cover layer damage, $29 for back glass or outer display damage, and $99 for inner display or other accidental damage. Replacement after a theft or loss will cost you $149, while battery service is free.

Those without AppleCare+, however, are in for some serious sticker shock if their device ever needs repairs. Cover layer damage, for example, leaps from $19 to $49, while outer display and back glass damage rises to $509 from a combined $58 under the insurance plan.

But the price jump in the “other,” or accidental, damage category is the one that could leave you with serious insurance-related regret.

Repairing accidental damage could be costly

For the uninsured, the cost for repairing accidental damage of the iPhone Duo skyrockets from $99 to $1,499 — and this is for a device that starts at $1,999 for the 256GB model.

Moneywise reached out to Apple for comment but didn’t hear back before publication.

Repair costs for foldable smartphones, meanwhile, tend to be higher than regular devices because foldable models include more complicated elements like hinges and flexible panels.

For example, an inner screen repair on Samsung’s latest foldable device, the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, could run you $479, while the same repair on a Galaxy S26 Ultra costs $289. And issues from cracked screens to broken hinges can prove common in such devices due to the nature of their foldability.

Add to that a 2024 Allstate report that found 78 million Americans damaged their smartphones the year prior — with the top repair needs revolving around broken screens, charging ports and water damage — and the idea of splurging for a bit of insurance suddenly doesn’t seem like the worst idea.

Repairing a damaged phone isn’t always worth the cost

T-Mobile recommends a simple calculation to determine whether it’s worth paying to repair a damaged phone, or if it makes more sense to simply replace it.

According to the calculations, if you can fix the phone for less than 20% of the device’s market value, it’s worth paying for the repair. Otherwise, if you’re going to spend 20%-50% of the cost of a new phone on repairs, you may as well skip it and get a fresh device.

And given that the $1,499 repair price tag comes to roughly 75% of the cost of the cheapest iPhone Duo, those skipping the insurance should probably prepare themselves to either protect that foldable device like their life (or next month’s rent) depends on it, or be prepared to shell out for a new one the first time they accidentally drop their Duo in the toilet.