Am I Already Covered By a Home Warranty?

When you own a home, you look for ways to cut costs when it comes to your monthly electricity, natural gas, and water bills. Your family tries to be as budget-conscious as possible and always shuts the lights off when leaving a room. You don’t leave the water running when you’re brushing your teeth. You even have a programmable thermostat so you can set the temperature in your home to be warmer/colder during the day when nobody’s home. All these things can help you save money, but have you thought about enrolling in a home warranty program to also save on repair costs?

What is a home warranty?

Many people have heard of home warranties, but they may not be exactly sure what they are or what they cover. There are a wide variety of home warranty plans available, and they’re designed to cover your major appliances (including heating and cooling systems), as well as your service lines, electronics, and more. For an affordable monthly (or yearly) fee, you’re protected in case of an unexpected issue. If the problem is covered by your warranty plan, you can call the warranty provider and have them dispatch a technician to your home to diagnose and treat the issue.

Your warranty plan will have a coverage limit and special terms and conditions. When the problem falls within these limits, the repair can be made without any additional out-of-pocket cost for you to worry about. This could help you to save quite a bit of money over the course of a year when it comes to repair bills.

A home warranty differs from a standard homeowners insurance policy — a homeowners policy typically doesn’t cover repairs or replacements needed for common household appliances or water, sewer, natural gas, or electric lines.

Could I already be enrolled in a home protection program?

Now that you know what a home warranty is, you may also wonder if you’re already covered by one. It’s not uncommon for real estate companies to offer a home warranty plan with the sale of a new home. If you’ve recently moved into a new place, check with your realtor to see if you’re already covered by a warranty program before you decide to enroll in another. If you’re enrolled in a warranty plan, ask for a copy of the plan’s terms and conditions (or find them online) so you’ll know which problems are covered and which aren’t. This is for your awareness, and also so you can decide if a different warranty program may be better for your needs than the existing plan.

In addition to being enrolled in a home protection program by your realtor, you may have newer appliances that are still covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. These are generally limited, however, and do not last more than a few years. After that time, it’s your responsibility to cover any necessary repairs or replacement. Look into this, too, before you sign up for an additional home warranty plan.

Want more information about our home warranty programs?

At American Water Resources, we offer homeowners like you a variety of protection programs for water lines, sewer lines, plumbing, heating and cooling systems, and more.

Visit us online and enter your ZIP code to see what warranty plans are available in your area. Have questions about what’s covered by a plan? Give us a call any time to speak with a customer care representative.