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It can be a consumer protection super weapon, said Kevin Brasler, Checkbook’s executive editor. A credit card is one of the best ways to protect yourself against fraud and bad service. It has for 40 years been an innovator in providing consumers information to help them select high-quality services, including. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. Tip 1: Pay with a credit card whenever possible. Consumers’ Checkbook is an independent, nonprofit consumer organization. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. “We will stand by what they say,” he by Universal Uclick for United Feature Syndicate.BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.īBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. His advice: Check with your local real estate agents and ask them whether a warranty is a good buy. In fact, these contractors “overwhelmingly disdained” these types of warranties, the publication said.Ĭhartrand said that the only way companies can control the quality of the service offered is through their networks of local providers. Our community comprises our dedicated staff, who research prices and provide consumer advice, and our thousands of loyal members, who write reviews based on their real-life experiences. It found that of the 20 top-rated HVAC contractors it selected at random, not one participated in warranty programs. But although warranty companies say their contractors are pre-screened and do good work, Checkbook isn’t convinced. Rather, you call the warranty company, which dispatches the next-in-line repair service with which it contracts. Bank Mobile App Online banking Your monthly statement Your checkbook The U.S. You don’t choose the plumber, electrician or other contractor who comes to your home. How can I find my routing number The U.S.
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Because of the “thin coverage,” plus the $75 to $100 service charge per claim, the costs don’t add up in your favor unless you have a particularly bad repair year. Most policies don’t cover plumbing backups caused by tree roots or “foreign objects.” And if your floors or walls have to be ripped out to get to the problem, the nonprofit says, “don’t expect the warranty company to pay to make everything look nice again.” Ice makers, which break down often, usually are not covered. And some charged extra to cover plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.Ĭhartrand said warranty companies are expressly forbidden by most state laws to cover structural components.
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Of the half-dozen policies from the major warranty firms examined by Checkbook, none covered roofs, leaky windows or skylights, basement moisture problems or chimney repairs. Warranties do not cover the most expensive repairs you might face.
“But most consumers are not.”Ĭonsumers’ Checkbook found a number of other issues with these policies:
“If you are competent at handling repairs, you may not need a warranty,” he said. But Art Chartrand, counsel for the National Home Service Contract Assn., which represents the largest warranty companies, called the Consumers’ Checkbook report “silly” and said it was “full of extreme factual errors.”Ĭhartrand said the policies his members write are for the repair and replacement of systems because of normal wear and tear. Two major warranty companies were contacted for this story, but declined to comment. Not only do they appeal to would-be buyers, who believe they’re covered should the air conditioner break down or the refrigerator kick out during their first year of ownership, they also appeal to sellers, because they, too, are covered during the listing period.īuyers and sellers tend to put their faith in the warranties, but only until they are actually needed, according to the magazine, which notes that the files of consumer affairs agencies are “stuffed” with complaints about warranty companies. Nevertheless, warranties have become almost universal in today’s market.
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