In truth, you’re never going to truly get out of paying for major appliance and system repairs. However, as a new homeowner, you should be aware that it’s possible to pay almost nothing or even nothing for a repair so long as you invest in a good home warranty.

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Says Cinch Home Services – home warranty in Texas specialists – what exactly can you have covered by your home warranty plan? Generally speaking, home warranties cover your major systems and appliances. The warranty you contract for will depend on your budget and your individual needs. Some warranties will go beyond the basic plan that offers you a comprehensive hybrid of systems and home appliances.

For instance, if you’ve moved into an older home where the individual manufacturer’s warranties have run out on systems and appliances, you might want to invest in a home warranty that covers the following:

–Clothes washers and dryers

–Dishwashers

–Cooktops

–Ice makers

–Built-in microwaves

–Built-in food centers

–Ranges

–HVAC systems

–and more…

But now that you’ve signed a contract for a home warranty, you might be wondering how to go about filing for a claim once the inevitable happens and an appliance breaks prior to a dinner party, or the AC breaks down in the middle of a heat wave.

According to a recent report by U.S. News and World Report, when a system or appliance that’s covered by a home warranty breaks, you can immediately file a claim by phone or online to get it repaired or replaced ASAP. Says a home warranty expert, there’s no contractual limit on the amount of claims a homeowner can make so long as it falls into the prevue of the signed agreement.

Lots of consumers are said to receive major value from their home warranties. The warranties guarantee that the claim dollars paid out to consumers all over the U.S. are proof of the warranty’s value. With that in mind, here’s how you can go about filing a claim and what to expect from your home warranty policy.

The Steps To Take In Filing A Home Warranty Claim

Says U.S. News and World Report, if your water heater, plumbing, refrigerator or other systems or kitchen appliances should suddenly break down, here are some of the immediate steps you need to take:

–You should completely understand your coverage and verify it.

–Request by phone or online platform a service visit to file your warranty claim.

–You’ll need to pay nominal service fee and for repair expenses that are not covered.

Understanding And Verifying Your Home Warranty Coverage

Your home warranty contract will need to spell out precisely what systems and appliances are covered, and which are not. You can expect your contract to be separated by sections which include a coverage overview that will illustrate the many issues the warranty will address, including overall coverage expectations. It will also address how the warranty company will manage repairs, coverage exceptions, and management of replacements and repairs. You should also find your payment procedures and policies fully explained in the outline.

You need to review the price you will be paying for a service visit. This is the cost that’s associated with a technician every time he’s called to your home. The cost generally is said to start at around $75 in 2023, but you should expect to pay more in the future if stubborn inflation remains an issue. The cost of the technician will influence your estimated cost of repairs or replacements should you need to utilize the home warranty services.

It’s important that you review your covered limits for the specific systems and appliances that require repair. For instance, if your refrigerator fails and the home warranty company’s coverage limit for the item is $1,000, you will need to pay out-of-pocket for any further expenses.

Also, it’s important to note that home warranty companies are said to limit the compensation for certain components of a given appliance or system, such as the replacement of Freon. Be aware that home warranties never cover portable AC window units.

When you’re verifying your coverage, you need to examine whether your systems and appliances were in good working order prior to their failure. Home warranty companies cover breakdowns due to normal, everyday wear and tear. This means that if you have a system or appliance that’s got a nagging history of breakdown, the company might end up declining to pay for yet another repair under a “pre-existing conditions” clause.

Requesting A Service Visit To File A Home Warranty Claim

Your first step in requesting a service visit is to call your home warranty company. As mentioned above, some companies offer an online portal to accomplish this same thing. But in all instances, you can choose to call your home warranty company’s customer service line the minute a covered system or appliance fails.

The emergency service phone number attached to your home warranty contract is available on the contract itself or you can find it on the company website near its online service request portal.

As soon as you request a home warranty service call, this will automatically trigger the warranty claims process. Some home warranty companies are said to perform a preliminary diagnosis while you’re still on the phone to determine if the issue can prevent the expense and effort of an actual service call. If so, this will save you money.

It’s important to be very specific when describing the breakdown issue. You should also be prepared to answer any questions about the system or appliance that has failed. The information required will include the item brand, its general condition, and age.

The repair of damage is said to be cheaper than a total system or appliance replacement such as an HVAC system or refrigerator. Replacement can take considerable time also. This is why most home warranty companies will, generally speaking, attempt to repair rather than replace an item that’s broken down.

However, should the cost of repair be more than the cost of a replacement, the company will either elect to replace the failed system or appliance or offer you a cash settlement to put toward the replacement. But if the replacement system or appliance costs more than your settlement amount or coverage limit, you’ll need to come up with the difference in out-of-pocket cash.

Your home warranty company might also choose to repair certain components of a system or appliance if the parts are readily available. You also have the option of seeking a second opinion to diagnose any given system or appliance problem from another contracting professional to assist you with determining the right course of action that suits your needs and wants.

You might not be able to get out of paying for major system and appliance breakdowns completely, but investing in a home warranty can, in the end, save you a ton of money for a monthly fee of only about $30.