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If you’ve recently purchased a home or are looking to streamline your home repair budget, you may be considering a home warranty. This type of service contract is one of the best ways to protect your budget and avoid costly repairs or surprises. But what exactly does a home warranty cover?

It depends. Most home warranties cover some combination of systems and appliances in your home, but exact coverage details will vary based on plan and provider. With so many different types of home warranties, how can you find the one that’s best for you?

First, let’s explore the basics.

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Protect Your Home’s Major Systems and Appliances with a Home Warranty

Home warranties make your life easier by coming to your aid when things wear out, break down, or stop working. For an upfront annual fee, your home warranty company will handle repairs and replacements for most major home systems and appliances, when caused by standard use or wear.

As we mentioned, coverage will vary depending on which plan and from which provider you buy it. But typically, home warranties cover most of the major systems in your home, such as:

  • Heating
  • Air conditioning
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical

This includes things like hot water heaters, leaky pipes, fuse boxes, and more.

Many plans also include a home appliance warranty for major components including:

  • Washers & dryers
  • Refrigerators
  • Stoves/Ovens
  • Other built-in appliances like garbage disposals, garage door openers, and smart home technology (doorbells, thermostats).

Some providers also let you purchase optional add-ons, like coverage for your pool, hot tub, or second refrigerator.

Watch for What Home Warranties Don’t Cover

It’s important to note that home warranties don’t cover every single repair in your home. Some situations like fire and other disasters are better served by home insurance (more on that in a minute). Also, home warranties won’t cover your appliances if you don’t maintain them properly.

Be sure to check your contract for other exclusions like:

  • Seasonal maintenance
  • Cosmetic repairs
  • Solar panels
  • Premium products

Luckily at fixHomz, our terms are always clear and we offer options for ongoing maintenance, extended product warranties, and IT services on demand. Or go a-la-carte.

Ask How Your Home Warranty is Different

There are many different types of home warranties. Some are more systems-focused, while others only cover appliances. Some have deductibles; others don’t.

Smart home warranty companies also recognize the diverse needs of today’s homeowners by offering customizable plans that let you select the protection options that fit your needs. This means you only pay for what you actually own.

At fixHomz, we go beyond the basics. In addition to covering your major home systems, we offer extended product warranties and on-demand services to keep your home healthy throughout the year.

From troubleshooting and configuration of your smart home tech and devices to the inspection of smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and cleaning of HVAC filters, we’ve got you covered.

Simple Claims Process for a Life Made Easy

The idea behind home warranties is to relieve the stress of home repairs or replacements. Simply call the company when something breaks down, and they’ll send a licensed service technician to your home to check it out. From there, they’ll tell you whether the item needs repair or replacement, and how much of the cost is covered by your home warranty plan. All you need to pay is the service call fee.

With fixHomz, getting help is easy. You’ll get access to our free online portal so you can file your claim through the web, on the phone, or via online chat and get a quick response.

Our goal is to get your home back up and running as quickly as possible.

Home Warranties Don’t Replace Your Home Insurance--They Enhance It

Now that you understand what a home warranty covers, and the types of home warranties available, you may be wondering--What’s the difference between a home warranty and home insurance? Do I need them both?

Home insurance covers damages to the structure of your home caused by fires, floods, and other natural disasters. It may also cover your personal property if it is damaged or stolen in an emergency such as a fire or break-in. A home warranty, on the other hand, covers the systems and appliances within your home. More specifically, it covers repairs or replacements of those systems and appliances caused by normal use or wear.

For example, let’s say your home floods with water due to a malfunctioning water heater. Your home insurance will cover the damage to your home caused by the water, and your home warranty will either cover a new water heater or repairs to your existing one.

Many people confuse or conflate the two, but the reality is, there’s not much overlap. So if you want to have complete peace of mind that your home is protected against whatever may come, you need both.

At fixHomz, we offer a variety of home warranty plans to protect the systems and products you use every day. With fixHomz you can:

  • Cover your entire home or pick only the protection you need
  • Add and remove coverage as you need it
  • Request service on-demand

Save time, protect your budget and say goodbye to stress with our product care and home service warranties. Learn more about our home warranty plans.

 

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