How to Get the Most From a Home Warranty

Having a home warranty can relieve you of the financial strains involved in out-of-pocket payments for repairs and replacements of home components. Some home warranties come with the purchased home. These are often difficult to use or access. This kind of situation often frustrates many consumers. Despite the difficulties, it is not impossible to get your claim. Here are some strategies for getting the most from your home warranty plan.

Perform Your Research

Every Florida home warranty plan has its own characteristics. Shopping around for the right company is ideal before you sign up for a home warranty plan. This means studying the company’s reputation well. The research includes the various coverage plans each coverage offers. You can even ask your real estate agent everything you want to know about the policy and the company behind it.

Study Your Contract Well

Doing this before calling your provider will inform you about the coverage of your home warranty plan. Knowing everything about your coverage will allow you to tell your provider the specifics of your problem. One example is a kitchen flooding from a leaking dishwasher. Calling your provider about the flooding will end up in a denied claim. Telling your provider about the malfunctioning dishwasher instead will be better. It will result in an approved claim since this appliance has coverage.

Always Call Your Warranty Company First

Informing your provider first of any breakdowns in your home is important. Hiring someone else first will nullify your claim. Some home warranty providers have 24/7 support teams. You can only call someone else if your provider cannot send a repair technician for an entire week. The same applies if your provider puts you on hold for an hour or so. Things could become worse while you wait for your provider to send someone. Inform your provider that you cannot wait that long and that you need to hire an outside repair technician before the problem escalates.

Practice Persistence

Keeping your contract handy while on the phone with your provider’s agent can help push your claim. Reading the parts of the contract relevant to the problem can help support your claim. You can call for the supervisor if the agent is not helping at all. Following up on the matter via email or letter can strengthen your case.

Being there when the repair technicians arrive is crucial. There are cases when the technician relays that the issue is not covered at all without even performing a thorough assessment. The technician will still charge the fee. Being present with your contract in hand will inform the technician why the problem is covered. Calling the supervisor first before paying anything is important. Doing this will prevent paying for an unresolved problem.

Inquire About a Cash Payment

Some warranty companies offer cash payments instead of providing replacements for broken-down appliances. The cash payment you receive may not cover the real replacement cost of the appliance. Yet, if you do get the cash payment, you can choose the installer and model you prefer. It may cost more to get this replacement item, but you could choose a more experienced installation professional and a better upgrade.

Ask About Choosing Service Providers

Look at your provider’s list of service providers first before agreeing to allow any of them into your home. Reading reviews about them can give you an idea of how they do their jobs. Browsing through these reviews while talking to your provider will speed up the process. Ask your provider to send a better provider if the one mentioned earlier turns out to be a terrible one.

Do Not Schedule a Service Visit if the Problem Does Not Have Coverage

Scheduling a repair visit for a problem without coverage will cost you the visit. The repair technician will still charge you whether the repairs push through or not. Things will not change if your repair technician arrives. Your item will still not have any coverage at all. It will only result in you losing money.

Getting the Most Out of Your Home Warranty Will Prevent Headaches

Being clear with your provider about the problem you have will make things easier for both parties. Doing your part by knowing your coverage will let your warranty company know that you are aware of your contract. Persistence can help your claim to go through. This could then result in saving money while solving your problem.