Curious to know what is the Waiting period for a Home Warranty? We got you!
A home warranty is an excellent investment for homeowners. After all, it helps protect one of your most valuable assets – your home.
But what is the waiting period before it kicks in? How long do you have to wait before your policy goes into effect? Read on to find out the answer to these critical questions.
What Is Waiting Period for Home warranty?
It is the time between when you purchase a home warranty policy and when it goes into effect. This can vary from a few days to several months.
The waiting period allows the home warranty company time to process your application and get everything in order.
After all, they need to ensure that you’re a good fit for their program and that you agree with the terms and conditions of your policy.
Read: What Appliances Are Covered In A Home Warranty Generally?
Why Is There a Waiting Period in the First Place?
The main reason for the waiting period is to protect the home warranty company from fraud.
You see, there have been cases in the past where people have bought a home warranty, filed a claim, and then canceled the policy.
The home warranty company is then stuck paying for the repairs, even though the policy has been canceled.
To prevent this type of fraud, home warranty companies instituted waiting periods. This way, they can cancel any fraudulent claims before they have to pay out any money.
How Long Is the Waiting Period?
The average waiting period is 30 days, but it can vary from company to company.
Some home warranty companies have shorter waiting periods of 14 or 21 days, while others have longer ones of 60 or 90 days.
So, for example, let’s say that you buy a home and get a home warranty on September 1. During the waiting period of 30 days, then your policy won’t go into effect until October 1.
Yes, of course, you can file a claim during the waiting period – it just won’t be covered by the home warranty.
So if something goes wrong with your home before October 1, you’ll have to pay for the repairs yourself.
What Does a Home Warranty Cover?
What if I Need to Use My Home Warranty Right Away?
In some cases, you may need to use your home warranty right away – for example, if your furnace stops working in the middle of winter.
If this happens, you can usually buy a “rush” service from the home warranty company. For an extra fee, they’ll expedite your claim and get someone out to your house right away.
Of course, you’ll still have to pay the service fee – which is the amount that you pay for each repair or replacement – but this is usually much cheaper than paying for the repairs yourself.
How Many Days Do You Get To Cancel Home Warranty?
It is essential to know the terms and conditions of home warranty cancellation so that you can get a refund in case you decide to opt for cancellation.
Different companies have different time periods for cancellation. More than 50% of companies offer 30 days to cancel and get a refund; others may offer 10-20 days or maybe just 3 days to make up your mind.
Upon crossing the cancellation time limit, you may get some part of the amount back or, in some cases, nothing. So it all comes down to the kind of company you choose and their cancellation policy.
How Much Time Do You Get To Submit a Claim With A Home Warranty Company?
Different companies have different time frames when it comes to submitting a claim with them.
2/3rd of the home warranty companies give only one day, 4.5% of them give three days, 1.5% will give you 15 days, and another 1.5% will offer 30 days.
Make sure you read all the terms and conditions of your home warranty plan to avoid any issues later.
What is the Repair Timeframe of Home Warranty Companies?
You may want to get certain equipment fixed as soon as possible, especially if you are facing any inconvenience.
Different home warranty companies have different time frames for repair and replacement.
40% of home warranty companies send repairmen within two days, 7.5% of companies send the repairmen within a day, and 1.5% of companies take 15-30 days.
So make sure you have read the repair timeframe terms and conditions of your home warranty company.
Bottom Line
A home warranty is a fantastic investment, but you need to be aware of the waiting period before it goes into effect. Usually this is 30 days, but it can vary from company to company.
Before buying a home warranty, make sure to ask about the waiting period, so you know what to expect.
FAQ’s
What should I do when my home warranty is about to expire?
If you like your chosen home warranty company and its service, then you can simply renew the services again by contacting them.
You can let the expiry term lapse if you think you do not need a home warranty anymore.
Or you can even explore more options and maybe buy a home warranty plan from a different company.
Does the cost of home warranty varies with contract length?
Yes, a longer-length warranty period ideally costs way less than a yearly plan.
If you compare the price of a home warranty plan bought individually for five years to that of a five-year plan, you will find a huge price difference between the two. And the latter would be much cheaper.
What happens when the repair done by the home warranty company fails again?
Many home warranty companies offer labor or parts guarantees in case of recurring problems. In such cases, companies send the repairmen for no additional costs.
A few companies, such as cinch, choice home warranty, Sears, etc., offer a workman ship guarantee for a length of 90-180 days, while some don’t.
Shefali Jain is a Content Editor & Writer at National Planning Cycles.
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes.