Home Warranty Coverage - What Kind of Coverage To Look For

Not all home warranties are created equal. It's important to find the right plan for you-based on the type of coverage you need, the way you want to be covered, and how much you're willing to pay.

Comprehensive or Customized

If you're purchasing a home that's fairly new or that has all new appliances, you may not want coverage for all of those appliances. If you're buying an older home that's had few updates, you're probably going to want more comprehensive coverage. Some providers offer plans covering only select items while others offer coverage of every appliance or system in the home. Other companies offer plans that are completely customizable to your specific needs. While these plans may cover exactly what you need, it may also cost you more to customize a plan rather than simply going with a limited plan or a comprehensive plan. You want to find a plan that has the coverage you need at a price you're willing to pay.

Replace or Repair

Some companies will only repair broken items. This is fine for minor fixes, but sometimes things just need to be replaced. Find out exactly what the provider means by "covered." Sometimes companies have pre-existing conditions that may make your repair exempt from coverage. Find out before you buy. And if the company will replace something, find out if they replace the item with the same item or better. You don't want to end up with something worse than what you started with. It's also fairly common for providers to charge fees for having a repairman come to you house. Even though you're paying for the plan, there may also be an additional fee on top of that to have someone come out to your house. These fees can be minimal or expensive. Again, find out before you buy. It may not be worth paying for the plan and the fees. Then again, it might be.

Worth the Money or Not

That brings us to the amount of money you're willing to pay. Is it within your budget? Will it help relieve you of worry? A broken plumbing system is not a cheap thing to fix, and the financial strain will be felt instantly. You need to look into the cost of fixing these types of things and compare them to the cost of the warranty plan you're looking at, along with the fees added to the plan. If you can find a home warranty plan that fits your needs, is within your budget, and helps you feel more at ease, then it's probably something you really ought to do.