[Tara]

Has anyone purchased a home warranty for appliances, HVAC system, etc.? Is it worth the expenditure?

I’m considering whether a home warranty is a good financial decision for covering major appliances and HVAC repairs or replacements.

Some say it provides peace of mind and saves money on unexpected breakdowns, while others argue that the coverage is limited, claim approvals can be difficult, and paying out-of-pocket might be a better option in the long run.

If you’ve had experience with a home warranty, did it actually help you save money and hassle, or was it more trouble than it was worth?

Are there specific companies you recommend or advise against?

I’d love to hear real experiences before making a decision!

[Jackie]

I’d just have a home maintenance savings account for repairs. I believe we were told to save 5% of the homes value yearly and increase for increased value.

It’s paid for new appliances, deck, roof, new hvac, heating system, water heater and new flooring without the pain of deductibles and finding contractors who accept the home warranty policies.

My friends who’ve had them in our rural area haven’t had good luck getting them to pay.

[Billie]

I bought one once. My dishwasher went and they just came out a million times to fix it. They would not replace it.

It was a nightmare.

[Dana]

Most businesses, ours included, won’t work with home warranty companies. They don’t pay as agreed and won’t repair/replace per contractors recommendations.

You’ll usually end up with months of back and forth before you get an acceptable repair.

Almost like insurance companies coming between the doctor/patient relationship.

[Ellen]

ours JUST expired and THEN our heating system went so.. dunno.. we were s.o.l.

[Laura]

Don’t do this!!! My water heater was going out, had it fixed but it didn’t last. They were unable to find someone in my area for long enough that I had to replace it myself.

Of course that canceled that claim but how long do they expect you to go without hot water?

Then the water pump went out.

Same thing happened, we wound up paying for all that. Will not do that again and I will tell everyone I know about my experience even if they don’t ask!!

[Annie]

We had a one-year warranty written into our purchase agreement when we bought our houses. First house it didn’t help much.

Second house, we discovered that the central AC ran, but wasn’t cold.

Entire system ended up needing replacement.

The warranty only covered the outdoor elements, but the company doing the service gave us a good discount to do the furnace at the same time. $10000 system for a $60 house call and about $2500.

So, for us, it was worth it one time.

[Virginia]

Total ripoff in my experience. What little was covered took forever to get done.

[Shirley]

First, you have to pay a certain amount of money like a deductible. Then it only covers a very narrow number of things and only to a certain extend.

Add what you paid for the warranty and you are likely paying more than if you just fixed it.

[Author]

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