Death and taxes are not the only sure thing in life. If you own your own home, chances are something is eventually going to break. If you’re lucky, it will be something small and relatively inexpensive like a wall-mounted electrical outlet (about $100 to repair and replace). But if you’re not so lucky, your AC system could go on the fritz, or your roof might have sprung so many leaks it’s all used up.
That’s where a home warranty comes in. What does a home warranty cover as opposed to home insurance? A home warranty (which is also know in the industry as a home protection or home service plan), is essentially a contract that provides replacement coverage or repair for your property’s major systems (such as plumbing and HVAC) and some appliances; depending upon the policy you choose.
Some homeowners feel paying for additional coverage isn’t necessary when they are already paying for home insurance. But when something major breaks that insurance doesn’t cover, they find themselves paying sometimes thousands of dollars out of pocket.
With that in mind, if something major breaks down, how do you go about filing a home warranty claim? According to a new report by Ask Money, a home warrant can cost upwards of about $1,400 per year. But it ensures you can use it when the need arises. If you don’t have the home warranty, it’s possible you’ll be spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars to pay for replacement and repair of major systems. Even replacing a refrigerator can run anywhere from $500 to $1200. Why not use your home warranty to pay the bill?
By understanding how to file a home warranty claim, you can get the service you desire fast and affordably. Here’s what you need to know about filing a home warranty claim in 2023.
Verify Your Coverage
Prior to contacting your home warranty service, you should verify what’s covered and what’s not covered. You need to check to make certain the appliance or home system is covered in your service contract.
Additionally, see if there are any limits, and confirm the required fees you’ll need to pay. It’s also a best practice to examine any caveats or exceptions regarding the overall condition of your home systems or expensive appliances before they fail.
Lot’s of home warranties contains stipulations regarding whether the system or appliances were properly maintained and kept in working order. If you have found that the systems have a history of issues since day one, especially before you bought your warranty plan, it’s quite possible the system will not be covered. In other words, you can’t apply for dental insurance and expect to be covered after your tooth has broken.
Contact the Warranty Company
When you have successfully confirmed your warranty coverage includes the failed system or appliance, you need to get on the phone with your warranty office. Typically, you can make contact via phone or an online portal via the company’s website.
After making contact with the warranty provider, give them all the pertinent information they will require regarding your breakdown. Let them know the specifics about the appliance or system that’s been affected along with the accurate nature of the problem. It’s possible the problem can be corrected via troubleshooting. If that’s the case, the warranty provider will likely guide you through the problem right over the phone or via Zoom call.
If this doesn’t work, a certified technician will be sent to your home as soon as possible, which leads us to…
Scheduling Your Service
Under normal circumstances, your warranty company will schedule you appointment as soon as it makes a thorough review of you claim. Wait times will vary per provider, but typically a technician will be sent within a day or two at most depending on the problem.
Upon arrival, the technician will examine the system breakdown’s core issue and then determine if a repair or replacement is required to solve the problem. When it comes to minor problem, the technician will have the tools on hand to correct it immediately. But if the situation is considered severe, another follow-up appointment will be scheduled to ensure the repair or replacement is handled efficiently and fast.
Home insurance is a necessity when you own a home, but it rarely covers major appliance or system breakdowns. For just a few bucks per month however, you can get a home warranty contract that can save you potentially thousands of dollars and a whole lot of headaches in the long run.