How To Choose A Home Warranty Plan

When you own a home, you might be inundated with offers to insure it. While there are some insurances you can't turn down, there are others that are a little vague in terms of whether you need them or not. Home warranties fall into this gray area. These warranties are getting a lot of press for their ability to help homeowners sell their homes, while also protecting them against unforeseen problems. If you are thinking that a home warranty might be a good opportunity for you, here are some questions to ask yourself as you choose between companies that offer these lifesavers.

Why Do I Need One and Do I Even Need One?

The fact remains that many are skeptical about the home warranty idea. It seems like something that simply is not necessary and it does not really help all that much. This attitude is quite common. A home warranty can help to cover the costs of repairs and replacements of major appliances in your home. If something breaks down, you will only have to pay a small deductible instead of the entire cost that you might have had to pay on your own. By paying an annual fee, you will be covered in the event of a number of problems. If you don't have a lot of money to spare or you are looking to sell your home, a home warranty makes sense to help offset costs that you cannot afford. Plus, when you advertise a home warranty as a part of a home sale, you might attract more buyers.

What Does it Cover?

A home warranty's coverage will vary from company to company. Some will simply cover major appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, etc. While other companies will also cover electrical systems and plumbing systems. Depending on the appliances you have in your home, different policies will help to cover things that you want to protect. Look to see what's covered to see if it applies to you and your needs.

You will want to also look at what they don't cover, as this list can be longer and often show you just how limited their services are.

How is Their Customer Service?

One of the biggest concerns with home warranties is that you might not be able to talk to actual people about your concerns. You will want to talk to a few people at the company before you sign up to see if it's easy to get a hold of someone and to talk with someone who can actually help you in the event of a problem. Often, it can be difficult to manage a home warranty if you aren't able to get a hold of someone that is knowledgeable.

You will want to look for phone operators that are available at all hours since problems can happen at any time, as can new questions. You will also want to be able to talk to a supervisor if necessary. Try calling their customer service number for information to see what your first impression is.

What are the Reviews Saying?

If you type in the home warranty provider's name into your favorite search engine along with 'review,' you should be able to find a number of reviews about the company. This will help you see if there are any complaints about the company that you need to be aware of before you sign up.

The price is another big factor in choosing a home warranty plan. You need to make sure you aren't going to have to pay a high deductible as this negates the money that you're saving by purchasing a plan like this in the first place.