what does icloud have to do with fixing a screen

i took my apple phone in for repair two weeks ago as the screen had cracked. i took it in on a saturday. the guy whom helped me, Colleen, just said that they need the phone. after a week he calls my brother saying that they cant insure my phone. i went on Sunday and they said the technical team does not work on Sundays. i called him on Monday and he said that he needsto deactivate my icloud in order for us to claim at teh insurance. id dint ask anything as im not a technical expert as i didnt understand what does icloud have to do with fixing a phone screen. My brother went on Wednesday and he said his still waiting fr the password. i called him today and he still does not have a password to deactivate my icloud. again i say, what does icloud have to do with fixing my screen. i am totally appauled and perpelexed that my phone couldnt be fixed in two weeks.