Curious about home warranties? A home warranty is simply a one-year insurance policy for systems and appliances in your home.
When something fails in your home, instead of spending your time researching for the best specialist to come and make the repairs, you call the home warranty company. They arrange the repair using a licensed contractor and you pay a small co-pay. Think of it like an HMO for your home.
Home warranties are not always the fastest service, but they certainly reduce the amount of money you pay out when something unexpected happens. You can also be sure that all contractors sent to your home are licensed for the repair they are sent to make.
Like all insurance, if nothing goes wrong, it seems like a waste of money but when you have a few things go wrong at once and you only have to pay a small co-pay for each repair, it seems like money well spent.
When buying a home, you may buy a home warranty, or ask the seller to purchase one for you. It would begin on the day of settlement and continue for one year.
Homeowners may buy a home warranty at any time and they last for one year, but may require a brief delay before kicking in as a way to avoid people buying one once there is a larger issue that requires immediate repair coverage.
If you are getting ready to list your home for sale, you may buy a home warranty that provides free coverage while the home is on the market if you offer to buy a home warranty for the buyer of your home.
Each home warranty has its benefits and some may suit your home better than others. If you’d like to buy a home warranty, here are some links to three of the best home warranties in the DC Metropolitan Area:
Super Home Warranty – A tech company with a few pricing tiers for different home sizes, Super only partners with vendors with 4-star and 5-star ratings and they offering scheduling of maintenance and concierge services at their negotiated prices.
Cinch – Formerly HMS Home Warranty
If you have questions, let us know at Answers@Hollish.com