A friend of mine was telling me how his Home Warranty helped him pay
for a new AC unit. So I started looking into adding such a warranty
to my house. In researching companies on the web it seems that almost
all of them have dozens and dozens of complaints and reports of them
refusing to pay for repairs because of the "lack of maintenance
records", esp for any big dollar items like AC. I got "on line"
quotes from a couple of them and literally within a minute or two of
my hitting the enter key with my info my phone was ringing.

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?

On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:34:01 -0700, Ashton Crusher
wrote:

Anyone on here have any experiences?

Save your money.

Now, if a seller pays for a one year warranty when I buy a house why
should I turn it down.... It didn't cost me a cent.

Save money for the "emergency" fund.

On Jul 2, 6:59*pm, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:34:01 -0700, Ashton Crusher
wrote:

Anyone on here have any experiences?

Save your money.

Now, if a seller pays for a one year warranty when I buy a house why
should I turn it down.... It didn't cost me a cent.

Save money for the "emergency" fund.

Agree. Over the years, most of the stories here
have not been good. Essentially, what you're paying for
is insurance. Now most people need insurance for
their house, because if it burns down, they can't cover
the cost themselves. But if a dishwasher or over goes
kaput, if you own a house you should be able to cover
it yourself. Even a new furnace, if you can't cover it,
you can likely finance it if necessary.

And then you're free to deal with these problems as
YOU see fit. Maybe you want a new oven instead of
fixing the old one, etc.

Ashton Crusher wrote in
:

A friend of mine was telling me how his Home Warranty helped him pay
for a new AC unit. So I started looking into adding such a warranty
to my house. In researching companies on the web it seems that almost
all of them have dozens and dozens of complaints and reports of them
refusing to pay for repairs because of the "lack of maintenance
records", esp for any big dollar items like AC. I got "on line"
quotes from a couple of them and literally within a minute or two of
my hitting the enter key with my info my phone was ringing.

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?

Neighbor across the street when I was in NC a few years back. AC failed. It
was shot but company the warranty company sent kept patching it (suspect
that was directed by warranty company). Single woman with 1 year old mid
summer. Temps running 98-102 on 3rd failure. Contacted one of the "on your
side" news stations. They jumped on it. Guess they liked the single woman
with 1 year old angle. It got fixed. She suffered a lot.

On 7/2/2012 3:34 PM, Ashton Crusher wrote:
A friend of mine was telling me how his Home Warranty helped him pay
for a new AC unit. So I started looking into adding such a warranty
to my house. In researching companies on the web it seems that almost
all of them have dozens and dozens of complaints and reports of them
refusing to pay for repairs because of the "lack of maintenance
records", esp for any big dollar items like AC. I got "on line"
quotes from a couple of them and literally within a minute or two of
my hitting the enter key with my info my phone was ringing.

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?

A new AC unit is probably about the only item expensive enough for the
warranty to ever makes sense. Of course usually they'll just replace the
defective component, i.e. the compressor. In areas where you run the A/C
most of the year, i.e. south Florida, and the A/C often breaks, you
might save money over paying full retail price for repairs or replacement.

It's a mistake to think of a home warranty as insurance. The difference
is that the average consumer has no way of getting the same service for
the price the home warranty company is paying. In the latter case, the
company is paying the service provider at a far lower rate than what you
would pay, and paying them to do the minimum required to repair the
broken item. When you're paying yourself, you're paying at a much higher
rate, and the repair company will try to up-sell you because the cost of
a replacement might not be much more than the cost of a full-price repair.

My brother in Florida has a home warranty policy. He's gotten numerous
A/C repairs, as well as repairs on other appliances, and on his pool
pump. I think he had a 30 year old electric dryer which made horrible
noises, but which the warranty company kept repairing to a point where
it dried the clothes (after all it's really just a motor and a heating
element, both of which are cheap).

They will try to find ways to deny payment, which is why you see all the
complaints.

On Jul 2, 8:44*pm, SMS wrote:
On 7/2/2012 3:34 PM, Ashton Crusher wrote:

A friend of mine was telling me how his Home Warranty helped him pay
for a new AC unit. *So I started looking into adding such a warranty
to my house. *In researching companies on the web it seems that almost
all of them have dozens and dozens of complaints and reports of them
refusing to pay for repairs because of the "lack of maintenance
records", esp for any big dollar items like AC. *I got "on line"
quotes from a couple of them and literally within a minute or two of
my hitting the enter key with my info my phone was ringing.

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?

A new AC unit is probably about the only item expensive enough for the
warranty to ever makes sense. Of course usually they'll just replace the
defective component, i.e. the compressor. In areas where you run the A/C
most of the year, i.e. south Florida, and the A/C often breaks, you
might save money over paying full retail price for repairs or replacement..

It's a mistake to think of a home warranty as insurance. The difference
is that the average consumer has no way of getting the same service for
the price the home warranty company is paying. In the latter case, the
company is paying the service provider at a far lower rate than what you
would pay, and paying them to do the minimum required to repair the
broken item. When you're paying yourself, you're paying at a much higher
rate, and the repair company will try to up-sell you because the cost of
a replacement might not be much more than the cost of a full-price repair..

My brother in Florida has a home warranty policy. He's gotten numerous
A/C repairs, as well as repairs on other appliances, and on his pool
pump. I think he had a 30 year old electric dryer which made horrible
noises, but which the warranty company kept repairing to a point where
it dried the clothes (after all it's really just a motor and a heating
element, both of which are cheap).

They will try to find ways to deny payment, which is why you see all the
complaints.

My friend bought a warranty policy for a used house that he bought.

They replaced the furnace (bad heat exchanger), 2 garage door openers
and repaired 1 garage door.

He said it was worth the money, but not neccesarily the hassle. He had
to fight them tooth and nail to get the jobs done. They claimed the
furnace problem was pre-existing because the inspection report said
the furnace was "serviceable" but noted that the homeowner should
consider replacing it soon.

He and the inspector had to convince them that the inspector would
never have passed the furnace if the heat exchanger had been bad at
the time of the inspection.

The garage doors were another hassle since they paid the serviceman
for one GDO and the repair of the other door, so that's all he fixed.
When he called to find out about the other GDO, they had closed the
claim and he had to fight them to reopen it so he could get paid for
the other GDO.

All in all, a real PITA.

On 7/2/2012 6:34 PM, Ashton Crusher wrote:

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?

I bought one once from a famous big-box electronic superstore. They
screwed me on a claim. I will NEVER EVER buy another extended warranty
of any sort.

On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:34:01 -0700, Ashton Crusher
wrote:

A friend of mine was telling me how his Home Warranty helped him pay
for a new AC unit. So I started looking into adding such a warranty
to my house. In researching companies on the web it seems that almost
all of them have dozens and dozens of complaints and reports of them
refusing to pay for repairs because of the "lack of maintenance
records", esp for any big dollar items like AC. I got "on line"
quotes from a couple of them and literally within a minute or two of
my hitting the enter key with my info my phone was ringing.

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?


Get your head straight man! Think about this for just a second. Are
these companies in business to help you or to make profit from you?

Take the premium and put it in the bank. After a few years, you'll
have enough money to repair or replace anything covered.

There are differences though, YOU get to choose the service company.
YOU get to choose the replacement unit if needed. YOU get to choose
the quality level you want. Do you want to make those choices or some
adjuster on the phone that is looking to get a big bonus this year by
saving his company money?

I've been a homeowner for 46 years. At today's rates, that means I'd
have spent over $18,000 in premiums. What would my return be? Maybe
$3000. Two years ago, I replaced my oil fired boiler. It was still
working so the home warranty company would not pay me anything, but
I'm saving enough on fuel to pay for it. I've had a couple of other
appliance repairs out of pocket.

I said $3000 because that is about what I spent to replace a couple of
appliances with top of the line stuff. The warranty company would
either repair them or give me a low end product.

I cannot think of an investment that is worse than extended warranty
or home coverage. Very few people come out ahead on them short term,
but long term, still better to bank that money.

On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:44:18 -0700, SMS
wrote:




My brother in Florida has a home warranty policy. He's gotten numerous
A/C repairs, as well as repairs on other appliances, and on his pool
pump. I think he had a 30 year old electric dryer which made horrible
noises, but which the warranty company kept repairing to a point where
it dried the clothes (after all it's really just a motor and a heating
element, both of which are cheap).

They will try to find ways to deny payment, which is why you see all the
complaints.


Numerous repairs on an AC? I have to wonder if it should be replaced
or if a better paid repair tech would fix it right the first time.

I've been in this house for 31 years. I've had two service calls and
replaced four worn or broken appliances (washer, dryer, dishwasher,
garbage disposal) in that time. I'm still thousands of dollars ahead
by "self insuring".

Oren wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:34:01 -0700, Ashton Crusher
wrote:

Anyone on here have any experiences?

Save your money.

Now, if a seller pays for a one year warranty when I buy a house why
should I turn it down.... It didn't cost me a cent.

Save money for the "emergency" fund.


Hi,
Here new homes come with evry thing covered or 5 years warany by
government mandate. Is a house worth keeping or buying if it needs
warranty? Any how I never lived in a pre owned house. I always had
my house built on my lot, my plan, my specs. by my favored builder.
Never had any trouble with any house.

On 7/2/2012 7:25 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 17:44:18 -0700, SMS
wrote:




My brother in Florida has a home warranty policy. He's gotten numerous
A/C repairs, as well as repairs on other appliances, and on his pool
pump. I think he had a 30 year old electric dryer which made horrible
noises, but which the warranty company kept repairing to a point where
it dried the clothes (after all it's really just a motor and a heating
element, both of which are cheap).

They will try to find ways to deny payment, which is why you see all the
complaints.


Numerous repairs on an AC?

Not uncommon in Florida where the A/C is often on 24/7 for most of the
year to have a problem every 7 or 8 years. He's been in the house for
30 years or so.

On Jul 3, 3:16*am, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:34:01 -0700, Ashton Crusher
wrote:

A friend of mine was telling me how his Home Warranty helped him pay
for a new AC unit. *So I started looking into adding such a warranty
to my house. *In researching companies on the web it seems that almost
all of them have dozens and dozens of complaints and reports of them
refusing to pay for repairs because of the "lack of maintenance
records", esp for any big dollar items like AC. *I got "on line"
quotes from a couple of them and literally within a minute or two of
my hitting the enter key with my info my phone was ringing.

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?

Get your head straight man! *Think about this for just a second. *Are
these companies in business to help you or to make profit from you?

Take the premium and put it in the bank. *After a few years, you'll
have enough money to repair or replace anything covered.

There are differences though, YOU get to choose the service company.
YOU get to choose the replacement unit if needed. *YOU get to choose
the quality level you want. *Do you want to make those choices or some
adjuster on the phone that is looking to get a big bonus this year by
saving his company money?

I've been a homeowner for 46 years. *At today's rates, that means I'd
have spent over $18,000 in premiums. *What would my return be? *Maybe
$3000. *Two years ago, I replaced my oil fired boiler. It was still
working so the home warranty company would not pay me anything, but
I'm saving enough on fuel to pay for it. *I've had a couple of other
appliance repairs out of pocket.

I said $3000 because that is about what I spent to replace a couple of
appliances with top of the line stuff. *The warranty company would
either repair them or give me a low end product.

I cannot think of an investment that is worse than extended warranty
or home coverage. *Very few people come out ahead on them short term,
but long term, still better to bank that money.

Exactly so. Only home insurance is worth having.

On Mon, 2 Jul 2012 23:04:11 -0700 (PDT), harry wrote:

On Jul 3, 3:16*am, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 15:34:01 -0700, Ashton Crusher
wrote:

A friend of mine was telling me how his Home Warranty helped him pay
for a new AC unit. *So I started looking into adding such a warranty
to my house. *In researching companies on the web it seems that almost
all of them have dozens and dozens of complaints and reports of them
refusing to pay for repairs because of the "lack of maintenance
records", esp for any big dollar items like AC. *I got "on line"
quotes from a couple of them and literally within a minute or two of
my hitting the enter key with my info my phone was ringing.

Anyone on here have any experiences? .. either as a user or doing work
for them?

Get your head straight man! *Think about this for just a second. *Are
these companies in business to help you or to make profit from you?

Take the premium and put it in the bank. *After a few years, you'll
have enough money to repair or replace anything covered.

There are differences though, YOU get to choose the service company.
YOU get to choose the replacement unit if needed. *YOU get to choose
the quality level you want. *Do you want to make those choices or some
adjuster on the phone that is looking to get a big bonus this year by
saving his company money?

I've been a homeowner for 46 years. *At today's rates, that means I'd
have spent over $18,000 in premiums. *What would my return be? *Maybe
$3000. *Two years ago, I replaced my oil fired boiler. It was still
working so the home warranty company would not pay me anything, but
I'm saving enough on fuel to pay for it. *I've had a couple of other
appliance repairs out of pocket.

I said $3000 because that is about what I spent to replace a couple of
appliances with top of the line stuff. *The warranty company would
either repair them or give me a low end product.

I cannot think of an investment that is worse than extended warranty
or home coverage. *Very few people come out ahead on them short term,
but long term, still better to bank that money.

Exactly so. Only home insurance is worth having.

Gee, life insurance isn't worth having? Car insurance (liability, even?)?
What a dunce, harry.