By DAVE GUSSOW, Times Staff Writer
Published April 4, 2005
Indira Martinez refused to take no for an answer, even when told the $59 extended warranty she bought for her iPod was no good in Florida.
"I called too much. I cried," the Seminole High School senior said. "I was so mad."
Eventually, Apple Computer repaired her iPod and refunded the money she spent on the extended warranty. "I really got on their nerves," she said.
And she wondered: Why aren't Apple's extended warranties valid in Florida? Martinez, 18, says Apple told her it was because of a state law. It was similar to an explanation Apple gave the St. Petersburg Times in 1999 when it said only Florida-based manufacturers could offer warranty extensions directly. Another variation of the story that has made the rounds says the state does not allow warranties of more than a year.
None of that is true.
All Apple Computer has to do, says the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, is apply for a license under Chapter 634 of state statutes. Boiled down, Apple would have to pay a $500 license fee and the state would make sure the company met financial requirements.
It's voluntary, says Valerie Beynon, communications director for the state agency, and "they have simple requirements."
Why Apple won't get the license is not clear. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
Some well-known companies are on a list of about 100 companies that hold the licenses, including Microsoft, Gateway Inc., Best Buy and Circuit City.
Ranging from $59 for an iPod up to $349 for a PowerBook, the AppleCare Protection Plans offer consumers up to three years of additional coverage, with the promise "Get peace of mind from Apple."
Interest in Apple products has surged because of the red-hot iPod, as well as the company's computers, which are not as susceptible to the outbreak of viruses, spyware and other security issues that have plagued Windows users.
But the warranty situation has frustrated some of the company's loyal customers, who think it's the state blocking the company from offering extended warranties.
Virginia Chilcote of the Bay Area Mac Users Group says the group is exploring the possibilities of trying to qualify so it can offer AppleCare policies to its members. Extended warranties are available for business purchasers.
As for Martinez, she's happy her iPod is working again, but wishes Apple would offer extended warranties.
"They're not like some mom-and-pop thing," she said.
