When you buy a new appliance for your home today, it comes with a manufacturer’s warranty, which is mandatory. However, the coverage it offers is rather limited, so you will need to extend it in order to protect yourself from spending a huge chunk of money on emergency repairs. The decision what the best kind of protection is for a homeowner today usually boils down to extended or home warranty plans. You should make the choice depending on what your biggest needs are and from researching home warranty reviews.
Manufacturer’s Warranty Vs. Extended Warranty Vs. Home Warranty: What’s Best?
Manufacturer’s warranties are good and necessary, but they only protect you from the problems with the appliance itself caused by possible manufacturing defects, check Bosch for example. Therefore, if your new shiny electric appliance breaks down because of a severe jump in the power grid, you will have to pay for repairs out of your own pocket.
This kind of coverage is definitely insufficient, so it’s no surprise that homeowners are looking for more comprehensive options. In this case, you have extended and home warranties.
Extended warranties can be offered by manufacturers or retailers that sell various appliances. They will have wider coverage and usually they have a reasonable price. However, like the manufacturer’s warranty, these plans only cover one appliance. This means you will need to purchase one of those for every important electrical device in the house. And some things, like plumbing, won’t be covered at all.
Home warranties, on the other hand, are plans that over comprehensive coverage for multiple appliances and home systems that range from an oven to electrical wiring and plumbing. And when you buy this plan, it’s the warranty provider you contact in case something breaks down. The company itself will find and sent contractors your way, so the homeowner saves a lot of time and stress.
Top 5 Home Warranty Providers in America
1. Home Security of America
Home Security of America, better known as HSA Warranty has been operating since 1984, which makes it one of the industry veterans. Incidentally, it’s the most important quality you should be looking for in a home warranty provider.
This company is praised by many customers for a prompt response and it provides reservice if the repairs failed. That is another important advantage in a home warranty provider. HSA offers coverage for all most common home systems and appliances and the plan activates 15 days after signing instead of the usual 30.
2. Select Home Warranty
Select Home Warranty is the provider you want to consider if you want to catch some great terms during their yearly promotions. There is also the perk of being able to cancel your plan for free within the first 30 days after its purchase.
One of the biggest advantages of this particular company is the wide range of plans it offers. This allows every homeowner to find the most comprehensive protection for their appliances and systems at the best price.
3. Choice Home Warranty
Choice Home Warranty also has a 24/7 customer support service as well as free cancellation during the first month. It’s also one of the market veterans and offers reservice as well as emergency repair services.
Choice is one of the biggest home warranty companies in America and has a multitude of both positive and negative reviews. However, the fact that the company remains strong after all these years speaks for itself.
4. First American Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and generally has a good reputation as a reliable and honest provider. It’s been in business since 1984 and today it’s one of the biggest companies in the industry.
First American has mixed reviews, but its B+ rating with the BBB is one of the best in the industry. The company is also praised for having a very comprehensive Premium Plan and cheap optional coverage.
5. Total Home Protection
Total Home Protection is one of the very few providers in the industry who can boast very clear and well-defined Terms and Conditions. This is the company that won’t have you confused and cheated through the contract fine print.
It’s a rather new business, which makes many people wary. However, so far it has shown to be reliable and satisfied customers often praise good communication provided by the company.
In Conclusion
With so many expensive appliances and sophisticated systems in a modern home and their average repair costs, you definitely need to have them covered with some kind of warranty as repairs can cost a fortune. The manufacturer’s warranty included by default is good, but you need to think beyond the 6-24 months of coverage it provides. You also need to understand that it doesn’t cover you from all kinds of trouble.
Home warranties offer a holistic type of protection and can cover all the most important appliances and systems in the house with a single plan. They also provide a single point of contact for all repairs as it’s the warranty provider who looks for all contractors. Overall, if you are looking for simplicity and comprehensive coverage, this type of plan is for you, but be sure to get it from a reliable provider.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.