Home Warranties
If your agent offers you the opportunity to buy a "Home Warranty" when you are ready to close on your new house - CONSIDER IT!
This is a fantastic offer that is only for new home buyers (and sometimes home sellers), regular home owners (folks who have owned their home more than a few months) can't get this policy. American Home Shield has a fantastic selection of options for new home owners, and there are other providers out there too. Let me know if you'd like a brochure and I'd be happy to send you one! (Disclosure: I DO NOT MAKE ANY COMISSION or anything of value if you buy a home warranty, so this is my own unbiased opinion.)
How does it work?
If a home system or appliance breaks down or stops working, you call the home warranty company.
Your home warranty company will call a service provider it has a business arrangement with.
The service provider will call you to make an appointment.
The service provider will fix the problem. If an appliance or system is malfunctioning and can’t be repaired, depending on your contract coverage, your home warranty company will pay to replace and install the appliance.
You will pay a small trade service fee (usually less than $100).
What’s not covered? Check your specific policy, but in general:
Outdoor items such as sprinklers
Faucets
Refrigerators, washers, dryers and garage door openers
Spas and pools, unless specific coverage requested
Permit fees
Haul aways
What can cause denial of a claim?
Improper maintenance
Code violations
Unusual wear and tear
Improper installation
General coverage includes
Air conditioning
Dishwashers
Doorbells
Furnace/heating systems
Water heaters
Ductwork
Garbage disposals
Inside plumbing stoppages
Ceiling fans
Electrical systems
Range and oven
Telephone wiring
The price of a new water heater alone can cost more than an annual policy!
Your responsibility is to read thoroughly and understand your warranty before you agree to the terms. Be sure to clear up anything you don’t understand before you sign anything.