If you’ve bought a home, congratulations. However, that’s not the end. You need to select a home protection warranty that suits your needs.

Photo by Taylor Simpson on Unsplash

This warranty is vital because it’ll help you save on any future maintenance costs that may arise if your Appliances and systems break down or wear and tear. 

The process of selecting a plan can be quite complicated, and if you don’t have the right knowledge about home warranties, you may end up with the wrong plan. That’s why you need to know how to find the best home protection company that can offer you the best services. This article highlights what to look at in the best home warranty provider.

1. Coverage

Home warranty Companies offer different coverages. Some companies offer one plan for home systems and another plan for appliances. Others give plans that include both appliances and systems. Therefore, before you sign a contract with any company, go through their plans thoroughly. Identify if they cover the items you need the plan for and check their prices. 

Plan prices vary depending on companies. You need to get coverage that you can afford to finance. That may mean settling for a cheaper plan. However, even if you get a cheap plan, it’s vital not to compromise on quality. The plan should cover most appliances and have great servicemen who can fix your appliances or systems if they break down.

1. Companies Within Your Locality

Warranty providers cover different localities. Some have offices in the entire country, while some may cover only selected states. You need to find a warranty provider that’s near your residence. If they’re many companies offering services within your area, do some research and find the best one. 

Companies that come from your locality will attend to your emergencies pretty fast than those outside your area. You don’t want to stay with a problem for many hours waiting for a contractor flying from far. Additionally, it would be disastrous to seek cover from a company that doesn’t service your state. Fortunately, several warranty companies offer their services in the entire country. That makes it easier to find a suitable one to attend to your systems and appliances if broken. 

The headquarters of a warranty company is also vital when making considerations. It’s recommended that you contract service providers who have their headquarters within your state. That way, in case problems arise, you can easily access their offices and discuss them face to face with the officials at the headquarters instead of calling or sending an email.

1. The Number Of Plans

Some companies give only two plans: one for the appliances and another for the systems. However, a good warranty provider needs to have several plans for both appliances and systems. Search for a company that offers combined or hybrid plans. These are cheaper and provide coverage for many items.

You also need to look for a company that has customizable plans. That will enable you to buy plans for items not covered by the other plans. The main reason for a home warranty is to cover as many items as possible at a lower price. If you find such a company, go for it. However, if a company has expensive plans but offers quality services, don’t hesitate to pay the expenses because it’ll save you thousands of dollars in maintenance costs in the long run.

1. 24/7 Customer Service

Breakdowns don’t select the time to strike. They can happen at night, in the morning, or in the afternoon. They also don’t care whether you can access a contractor or not. Due to this, you need to find a warranty that has 24/7 customer service support. This way, you can make a service request even in the middle of the night and access contractors quickly.

Unfortunately, some companies advertise that they have 24/7 support though they don’t keep their promises. Reading other customers’ reviews can help you know how efficient or poor their customer services are. Apart from that, you can directly call the company and ask them if they work throughout the day and night.

1. Online Quotes

Some home warranty companies don’t like writing prices of their plans on their websites, probably because several factors determine prices. Others don’t even offer a price range. To know if a company’s quote is within your budget, you need to ask for a free quote. Find a company that gives you a free quotation tool because that’s an indication that they’ve got your interest at heart. 

Companies that don’t include price ranges and refuse to give you an online quote are suspicious. Maybe they’re operating illegally without a license or have expensive plans that most customers may not opt for if they knew it earlier. So the best way to find customers is to keep the prices away from them and get them to sign a contract before adding other fees. These companies can inconvenience you and make you go above your budget. 

1. Terms And Conditions

All home warranty companies should include their terms and conditions on their websites. However, that’s not the case. Some may not have their terms on their websites because of a variety of reasons. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t offer great services. To know more about their coverage exceptions, limitations, and restrictions, request for a sample contract. 

You can find the terms and conditions of companies that have them on their websites under the FAQ section. It’s vital to go through them to know the services offered, the time taken for the contract to be operational, and how prompt they respond to emergencies. Select the company that has the best terms and conditions.

1. Customizable Deductibles

Although your warranty provider covers repair expenses, you’ll still pay a service call fee. This fee varies from one company to the other. Some may have a fixed fee, while others may offer different ranges to choose from. If you select an expensive fee, you’ll get a cheaper overall plan. However, you need to select deductibles that you can afford to pay. It wouldn’t be nice to strain your relationship with your warranty company because you may need them to do some maintenance next time.

1. Reputation

A company’s reputation is what makes or breaks it. Fortunately, it’s easy to find companies with good reputations from your friends or relatives who have experience with home warranties. It could be that they’ve purchased a warranty themselves or they know people who have. 

Such people can give you referrals and tell you about companies you shouldn’t sign a contract with. Apart from that, online reviews can also help you to identify the best company. From the companies’ ratings and customer comments, you’ll know which company is preferred by most homeowners. 

When looking for reviews or referrals, ensure that you’re careful about where you find them. If it’s from your friend or relatives, ensure you can trust their opinions. On the other hand, if they are online reviews, ensure they’re unbiased and not malicious in any way. That, you’ll find your ideal company. 

1. Pre-existing Conditions

Though most companies don’t cover pre-existing conditions, some companies may offer customizable plans for them. It would be unfortunate to realize that some of your systems or appliances have problems you didn’t recognize early enough. Maintaining such items from your pocket could be costly and drain you financially. 

If you can find a company that can cover pre-existing conditions, go for it. However, that company should also have competitive plans that cover other appliance or system damages. It would be needless to have two warranty companies, one covering pre-existing conditions and the other covering appliances and systems.

Final Words

A home warranty plan is one of the best protection that you can have for your appliances and systems. Nobody knows when major appliances or systems may break. But with a home warranty, you can be courageous that even if they break, they’ll be quickly repaired or replaced. However, you need to know how to find the right warranty provider.