Well after dropping 8 and half grand on a new air conditioner we have to decided to look into a home warranty plan. How’s that for doing things backwards! Anyways we have heard that one guard is a good one (we also have an in-ground pool). Curious on your thoughts and company Recommendations. Thank you very much!
Used One Guard for years and pretty satisfied until I tallied up the totals and wondered if I woulda done better to just bank the money and keep on hand, but of course, I haven't had a major expense like yours, just smaller ones and most of those would've been close to the price of the service call fee One Guard charges for everything in addition to the annual fee. Their service call fees for annual HVAC tune-ups exceed what you can get from local companies and you get to pick them and not play luck of the draw with whomever One Guard sends out. The whole insurance thing is like going to Vegas--ya just never know if you're gonna get lucky or not. However, like in Vegas I decided the House always seems to win because of the loopholes so finally decided to drop it esp. since researching home insurance companies and finding some with riders for mechanical breakdowns so I decided to go that route and keep my fingers crossed.
Can't comment on any particular company, but over the years I've heard dozens of horror stories about how the warranty company failed to repair/replace the broken item (fridge, dishwasher, AC, etc). So review the contract carefully, make sure it states exactly what the policy covers/doesn't cover and what fees they can charge in addition to the monthly/annual premium. If the broken item is deemed unrepairable or past an expected lifespan will it be replaced with one of comparable features? Most of the horror stories I've heard revolved around unfulfilled expectations in this area. For me personally, SCJ's idea of banking the premium is a better way to go -- but at some point in the future I'll likely have lost enough brain cells to just just want someone to handle it and so a good warranty policy would be the best choice at that point even if it costs more.
I have never had a warranty program that saved me a dime. I know some have done okay with them, but i agree, bank the payment and most often you will be ahead of the game. There’s a reason they shove them at you and it isn’t because they are looking out for your best interests.
Julianna, we use One Guard and never regretted having the service. They have replaced a stove and a dishwasher, and we have always had an air conditioning person on the premises the next day to repair what needed to be done. We have also had toilets and other plumbing issues taken care of as well. We have had them for around 10 years and have the to of the line contract. The $69 service fee has always been minimal compared to the amount of service we have received. Just another opinion to add to the pile.
To me it only makes sense when you buy and the seller pays the premium. I have used them several times and saved money in that first year because I didn’t pay the premium. But after that I didn’t renew. One Guard did work well for me that first year but I didn’t always like the people they sent. You also pay a service charge for a visit in addition to the yearly fee. Sometimes that charge is the same as the charge if you chose the vendor. Depends on the problem.
