No one wants to spend a small fortune if their water heater or some other essential home appliance breaks down. But what can you do? These things happen and even the highest quality devices won’t work forever.
Home warranties exist specifically to solve this particular problem and protect homeowners. These plans are similar to insurance, but they cover your appliances and home systems (plumbing, electricity, etc.). With the right home warranty plan, you’ll be able to save a lot of money as well as make your repairs of any appliance-related issues much more convenient.
Why Do You Need a Home Warranty?
The average appliance repair cost nationwide ranges between $104 and $237, which might not seem like too much. However, the word ‘average’ is the catch here. You see, the problem is that some common repairs, like drain cleaning or water filter replacement, are very cheap. However, when a major appliance or a home system breaks down (think of a compressor blowing up inside your AC unit), repair costs can be so high, you might as well buy a new device.
It’s the cases like this that a home warranty protects you from. This type of coverage will protect you in case of any major appliance breakdown and the warranty provider will be your one point of contact for dealing with any contractors. This means that they will be the one to find and contact the contractors, whom they will direct you your door right away.
Home warranty plans can be very flexible in their coverage. Mostly, they provide cover for:
- Electrical systems
- Plumbing
- HVAC
- Electrical appliances (fridge, microwave, washing machine, etc.)
- Pools and Jacuzzis
- Bathtubs with motors
- Garbage disposals
- Ceiling fans
Bear in mind that home warranty plans will cover only specific types of repairs. You should also read the fine print carefully to check if the plan covers an entire appliance. Some of them don’t offer protection for parts that break down most often.
Home Warranty Vs. Home Insurance: What’s the Difference?
The difference between a home warranty and home insurance is rather obvious when you consider the fact that they cover different things. A warranty covers mechanical breakdowns of appliances and home systems and an insurance policy covers the damage from perils.
Simply put, your warranty contract will pay for repairing a broken washing machine, while an insurance policy will cover the cost of water damage.
Top 3 Home Warranty Companies in Montana
1. HomeServe USA
When looking for a trustworthy home warranty company in Montana, HomeServe USA is a popular choice. Its reliability is proven by its A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. It also has multiple positive reviews on popular consumer forums, like Yelp.
HomeServe USA has been operating since 2003 and offers 24/7 service. It also connects you with contractors ready to attend to your emergency immediately. Therefore, you will be able to get the issue fixed fast. The only downside of this home warranty provider is that their plans are rather rigid, so you might not one something that fits your collection of appliances and home systems perfectly.
2. Select
Select is a rather popular choice among home warranty providers in Montana. It offers a wide range of coverage and is considered trustworthy by both customers and independent reviewers.
One of the greatest benefits of using a plan from Select is that there are options that will cost you under $30 a month. However, the claim filing requirements are very restrictive, so you’ll miss your chance to use the warranty you pay for if you aren’t careful in following instructions.
3. The Home Service Club
The Home Service Club is one of the top home warranty providers in the country and a winner of several awards. You can definitely trust this provider. However, that trust comes at a price. The Home Service Club’s plans are rather expensive, but they are extensive as well, so you’ll be able to cover everything you need.
Note that the waiting period the company has is 10 days. But it does have a 90-day service recall.
Home Warranty Risks: Why You Need to Choose the Best
Choosing an unreliable home warranty company is not only a matter of wasting your money on the monthly deductible. Although, home warranty scams are not uncommon. But this bad call might cost you a fortune for a different reason. Should the company provide subpar contractors, you will be dealing with a bad fix that will break down all over again. When this happens, you will, most likely, have to pay out of pocket.
What’s worse, bad contractors can do even more damage. Or, you might lose valuable time before the home warranty company processes your claim (or pretends to) and sends in a contractor. The damage to your property might be extensive by this point. For example, a plumbing issue might cause water damage and mold infestation. Those cost tens of thousands to get rid of. Your home warranty won’t be paying for that. Therefore, choose wisely and be sure to research every home warranty company thoroughly.