When it comes to purchasing a new home, you shouldn’t forget about home warranties. While home insurance will cover the building or structure itself, a home warranty will protect your appliances as well as the systems inside your home. Insurance may cover natural disasters or emergencies like fires and floods. However, getting a home warranty will give you coverage for the usual breakdowns and wear and tear when it comes to your appliances and systems.

If you are already a homeowner, you know firsthand how much of a hassle it is when your appliance or home system breaks down. Along with breakdowns are service errors that are oftentimes unavoidable. Having a home warranty will allow immediate, seamless, and efficient fix or replacement for your appliances and systems.

One appliance breaking down can cost you hundreds of dollars but a home warranty limits the cost of fixing appliances to a certain monthly fee or annual fee. Furthermore, home warranty plans don’t put a cap on the number of appliances repaired or replaced within a term. For as long as they are covered in the plan, you are ensured that you will get the needed repairs.

For those who are planning to sell their homes, a home warranty is a good investment to look at. It is a great perk to offer your potential buyers as it increases the marketability of your home. A home warranty gives your property an edge over others in the area. Should there be legal disputes that arise post-sale about the property and the systems inside it, a home warranty can offer protection against such.

If you are renting out your property, a home warranty can benefit you in a number of other ways. A home warranty plan will save you the trouble of worrying about unexpected costs for repairs or damages caused by your tenants. All you have to do is pay one flat fee and all repairs and breakdowns for your property are covered. It also saves you the trouble of having to search for qualified and competent contractors because a home warranty plan already provides you with access to contractors who are reputable, qualified, and competent.

Buying a house is surely the biggest and probably most important purchase in your life. So you’ve just bought the house of your dreams together with the perfect decor and furniture to make your house into a loving home. It has been a few months since you moved in, everything is unpacked and put away in their designated place inside your home, and you’ve been settled in. Here is where you turn your attention to rebuilding your savings account that got almost depleted from the purchase of your home. However, you’re unable to get your savings account rolling because, in just a few months of living in your dream home, you encounter unexpected expenses when an appliance or facility malfunctions, like a heater blowing out during the winter.

Given your new mortgage payment and a limited savings amount, you have to look into numerous financial options in order to pay for the unexpected expense for your new home. This is where having purchased a home protection plan beforehand can save you a fortune. Subscribing to a home warranty plan will cover these kinds of expenses in your home including most major systems and appliances that may be in need of repair or replacement.

Most home warranty plans include coverage for major appliances and home systems. These include central air conditioning and heating systems, humidifiers, interior electrical systems, refrigerators, kitchen ranges, ovens, cooktops, and built-in microwaves. Most home protection plans also cover dishwashers, water heaters, washers and dryers, and your home’s entire plumbing system. Lastly, garbage disposals, garage door openers, roof leaks can also be covered depending on the type of home warranty plan.

Different home warranty companies will work in different ways. Some will offer full coverage plans to all customers for one price while others will create targeted plans that have unique quotes that will cover specific items or systems in your home. When it comes to the latter type of warranty, it’s worth looking thoroughly around your home and making a list of the items you would like protected. Afterwhich, you need to talk this over with the company’s customer service so they can assure you of what kind of coverage you need. Even if a specific item is not listed and covered in their standard warranty plans, some company’s may still be able to accommodate that.

When you know that your choice of home warranty plan includes coverage for the appliances and systems that you need, you also have to check out their customer service. This is because the most important factor to consider is the kind of help you get when you need it. Lastly, another important factor is the contractor or contracting company who will be sent to your home in cases of repairs or replacements. You need to be assured that the people entering your home are competent, trained, and qualified. In order to be guaranteed this, you should ask the home warranty company what sort of training and monitoring systems they have with their contractors before signing up for any plans.

All homeowners, whether they be new or existing ones, can be offered home warranty plans. Usually, home warranty plans are offered when you are purchasing your new home. However, if you decide not to purchase a home warranty plan during that time, you can always secure your home insurance plan at a later date when it’s more convenient for you. Furthermore, getting a home warranty plan is not time-bound in the sense that there is no restriction as to when you can purchase your warranty plan.

However, it is always smart to decide on your home warranty at the soonest time so that you are able to access earlier the benefits that come with subscribing to your plan. This means that it is not advisable to start considering purchasing a home protection plan only when an appliance or a home system starts to break down. Instead, it’s better to purchase it as soon as possible for good measure.

A home warranty plan can cost you a couple of hundred dollars on average. This amount can be paid upfront or in a single payment at the time of the purchase of your home. The lump-sum payment for your home warranty is often collected when closing costs are due for your brand new home.

Purchasing a home warranty plan is not restricted to the homeowner alone. Instead, the seller, the real estate agent, or the homeowner’s family member or friend can purchase the home warranty plan on the homeowner’s behalf. During these cases, once a home appliance insurance claim is filed then the homeowner may be responsible for paying a deductible or service which often ranges from $50 up to $100. Additionally, different home warranty companies will have different contract agreements thus the fee amounts would vary.

When it comes to filing for claims with regards to your home warranty, the process is very simple. All you have to do prior to filing your claim is to review your insurance contract and verify that the item that needs to be repaired or replaced is covered by your insurance plan. Once this has been verified, you’ll need to go through the following simple steps:

First, you will have to contact your home insurance provider or company to file the claim. Second, the company will review their home warranty plans from their end in order to verify that you are subscribed to a plan that covers that item you are making a claim for. Third, the company will then schedule an appointment for you and a local contractor. Fourth, the local contractor will diagnose the situation and assess the damage. Afterwhich, they will make a recommendation should the item in question need to be repaired or replaced. Fifth, the necessary repairs and replacements will be carried out. Sixth, you will pay the cost in the form of a service fee to your warranty company. Afterwhich, the entire process is complete.

Most home warranty companies charge either a fixed monthly or annual fee, this in return will cover a wide range of items, appliances, and systems within your property. If an item breaks down or incurs damage, you really just need to make a call and get in touch with your provider. After this point, all you have to do is sit back while people complete the task for you.

Given the multitude of home warranty providers available to choose from, you’re faced with a plethora of plan options. But at the end of the day, deciding on the best home warranty company and plan should depend on how they meet the needs of your home. In selecting the right home warranty plan for you and your home, it is always smart to research thoroughly what each company can offer with their plans and what each plan can give you. For instance, for those who own older appliances in their home, it’s best to look into plans that have home appliance insurance.

With all of this in mind, the next thing to do is to look at the home warranty companies that are perfect for you and your home.