If you know me, at some point you've probably asked me which iPhone to buy, or whether I have one to sell you. Buying a new iPhone usually isn't fun: there are so many choices and they're so expensive! So here's my opinion. Take it or leave it.
Option 1: your carrier
You left your phone on the roof of your car and drove off, or dropped it off the dock. The easiest fix is to go to your carrier and put a new phone on your plan. Most of the time (not always, but MOST of the time) you'll pay full price, spread out over your bill.
"But I pay for insurance, so I'm good." Here's what I've seen. Carrier insurance runs around $9 or more a month, and when you file a claim you pay a deductible to get a "replacement." That replacement is a used phone fixed up by a third-party company, not Apple. I know because they put stickers inside every phone they fix, and people bring those phones to me when they don't work right.
So you break your screen, go to the store, they wipe your phone and send it off, and a few days later you get a phone "just like yours" with no idea of its history or how many aftermarket parts are in it. If you're lucky, it works.
Option 2: AppleCare+
Buy your phone from Apple and add AppleCare+. Screen repairs and other damage are a small fee, and if you need a replacement it's refurbished by Apple, and they do an excellent job. If you're buying a brand new phone and you're known for breaking them, this is the option I'd pick. In a phone's first year, a replacement screen alone can cost a lot.
Option 3: buy a year-old phone and skip insurance
Here's my main point. If you're OK not having the newest phone the day it comes out, buy an iPhone that's been out a year or more and don't pay for insurance at all. After the first year, parts get much cheaper, and most problems can be fixed for under $100.
I usually find the best deals about three generations back. Those phones run the same software, last about three years, and when you upgrade you can sell them for about half what you paid.
