Home warranty plans can absolutely make home ownership a breeze. Instead of having to dish out thousands of dollars every time an appliance or crucial home system breaks down, all you need to do is call your home warranty company and make a claim. However, with so many different options for home warranty plans, it can be tricky figuring out exactly what you need included in your home warranty plan.
Instead of wondering what you need to have included in your plan or accidentally paying too much for the home warranty insurance coverage that you do not need, check out the sections below to learn exactly what is important to have included in your home warranty plan.
What is a Home Warranty?
Home warranty is a plan that is put in place to protect your home systems and appliances. Many home warranty companies will offer separate home appliance insurance plans as well as home system insurance plans. The best home warranty companies also provide systems and appliances plans that will cover both your crucial home systems, such as your HVAC and heating, and your home appliances, such as refrigerator, dishwasher, dryer, and washer.
Once your home warranty plan is in place, you will make a payment for a small monthly premium for the home warranty services. If your systems or appliances break down, you simply make a claim with your home warranty company and a technician will be sent to your home to assess what needs to be done to get your system or appliance up and running again. New homeowners and seasoned homeowners alike will benefit from having a home warranty plan and put in place because they won’t have to pay thousands of dollars every time they need to get a system or appliance replaced.
What Do Home Warranties Actually Cover?
Home warranty plans will cover the basic systems and appliances in your home. The plans are often customizable and can cover only what you need covered. covered. In addition to with the most basic system appliances, you can also find coverage for other home appliances and systems. For a full list of what a home warranty covers when buying a house, check out the items below.
The appliances that are generally covered by a home warranty include:
- Clothes washing machine
- Refrigerator
- Stove, oven, and ranges
- Built in microwave oven
- Stove cook top
- Dishwasher
- Clothing dryer
- Garage door opener
- Ceiling fans
- Trash compactor
- Freestanding ice machines
- Smoke detectors
- Central vacuum
- Doorbells
- Humidifiers
The systems that are generally covered by a home warranty include:
- AC and cooling systems
- Heating system
- Plumbing systems
- Electrical system
- Garbage disposal
- Water heaters
- Ductwork
- Plumbing systems
- Instant water dispensers
In addition to basic systems and appliances, you can also add add-ons to your plan should you need them. Some of the common items that can be included in an add-on plan include:
- Pools and spas
- Well pumps
- Septic pumps
- Roof leakage repairs
- Standalone freezer
- Wine cooler
- Wet bar
- Water filters
- Ornamental fountain motors
- Solar water system and equipment
- External plumbing
- Booster pump
What Should I Have Included in My Home Warranty Plan?
When it comes down to it, you should really only have what you need included in your home warranty plan on your plan. If you just choose the most basic plan, you may be overpaying for certain systems and appliances that you don’t need. Granted, most of the most basic plans will cover the basic appliances and systems in your home, but you should still review them and make sure that the items that are covered actually apply to you.
For example, not all homes have air conditioning units. Additionally, many of the home warranty systems plans will have air conditioning units covered within their plans. If you do not have an air conditioner in your home, it may not be worth it to have a full systems plan in place because you don’t need that system covered. If this describes you, you may opt to choose an appliances insurance plan instead of the full systems.
If you opt for a full appliance insurance plan but still want to have some of your systems covered, you can choose some add-ons to have only those items covered in your plan. If you need to make a customizable plan, it’s best to contact a customer service agent for the best home warranty company that you choose to go through. If you are looking for more ways to find home warranty companies in your area, we recommend checking our expert reviews.
If you have more unique systems within your home, such as a pool, you can also opt to have additional add-ons added to your plan. In the section above we looked at the different systems and appliances that can be covered under some home warranty plans, so you should make sure to contact your home warranty provider to get those covered within your package.
Will a Home Warranty Cover My Pool?
Because not all people have pools on their property, not all home insurance plans will have them as an automatic system that is covered. However, most home warranty companies will have the option to add your pool and pool mechanical systems on to your plan. You can simply ask your customer service representative to add the full coverage to your plan when you purchase your home warranty. This also applies to spas and any other above ground setups that require mechanical parts.
Does a Home Warranty Cover My Well Pump or Septic System?
Septic pumps and well pumps are not automatically included in most home warranty plans. However, many of the best home warranty companies will offer them as add-ons. You can add your septic pump to your coverage plan and have it covered should have breakdown or need replacement. This also does the same for a well pump components and parts.
Does a Home Warranty Offer Coverage for a Roof?
Most home warranty companies do not offer coverage for your roof. However, you may be able to find an add-on that can help cover roof leakage. This is typically an extra perk that you will add on to your plan and it can help repair a roof if there happens to be a leakage. Yet, the add-on of the home warranty that will cover your roof does not cover the repair of an entire roof. Instead, will cover leakage to that occur. So keep that in mind when you choose this as an add-on.
Does a Home Warranty Cover Guest Units?
If you are a landlord or own multiple properties, you can have a home warranty you put in place for your individual homes. Additionally, you may also be able to get coverage for a guest units that are much smaller, such as 750 square feet or less.
These smaller guest suite unit add-ons will have the same amount of coverage as your main home. This means that the systems and appliances that are in place in the guest unit will be covered should they breakdown or need repair.
In fact, having a home warranty out on your guest units or tenant filled properties is ideal because instead of having to replace systems and appliances when they breakdown, you can simply call up the home warranty company and they will take care of the repairs and replacements for you. This can also be ideal for your tenants because it’s an easier process that requires a lot less communication. Finally, some states may offer tax deductibles for landlords who have home warranties out on their rentals.
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Does a Home Warranty Cover Home Electronics?
Not all electronics will be covered under a home warranty plan. However, many of the top home warranty companies will have the option to add an extra coverage plan for your home’s electronics. Typically, these electronic coverage plans will cover all your home electronics, including your television and computers, with the exception of your smartphone.
These coverage plans for your electronics will cover the normal wear and tear of damage and typically include coverage for an unlimited number of home electronics as long as you report them to the home warranty company. If you do have expensive electronics that you want covered and may be worth it to look into these home electronic coverage plans.
Is a Home Warranty Worth It?
If you are still on the fence about getting a home warranty for your home systems and appliances, you should know that having home warranty is absolutely worth it. What many people don’t know is that the difference between a home warranty and home insurance is that home insurance is required by your loan mortgage lender and a home warranty is not.
However, home insurance will not cover your systems and appliances if they breakdown.
Home insurance will only cover damage to the structure of your home that is caused by a natural disaster, fire, or theft. But if your refrigerator breaks down, your home insurance company will not cover the costs to have your refrigerator repaired or replaced. But if you were to have a home warranty plan, you could simply make a claim with your home warranty company and have a technician sent over to help fix your refrigerator.
So, a home warranty plan can be put in place to have the peace of mind knowing that your systems and appliances will be covered if they break down. Instead of having to worry about spending an entire paycheck on buying a new system or new appliance, you can pay a call service fee and monthly premiums to have all of that taken care of for you. So, home warranty plan is absolutely worth it.
Final Thoughts
And now that you know what you should have included in your home warranty plan, it’s time to start searching for the best home warranty company for your individual situation. Because finding the best home warranty can be difficult, our experts have done with a heavy research for you. They have reviewed all of the top home warranty companies currently available and created comprehensive reviews of each one.
So instead of spending hours online researching home warranty companies, check out our expert reviews by clicking any of the links above. You will be so glad that you have a home warranty out on your home and will protect your crucial systems and appliances.