Does a home warranty cover electrical issues?
Key takeaways:
You probably don’t think much about the electrical systems in your home — that is, until something goes wrong.
Since everything from our light switches to our Wi-Fi depends on it, a home’s electrical system is crucial to both the function of our daily lives and the safety of our family. That’s why it’s so important to make sure coverage is there when issues arise.
A home warranty plan is a good safety net when an electrical system is in need of repair or replacement. This article will explain the following:
- How a home warranty can protect you when your home’s electrical systems need repair
- The specific types of electrical issues covered by a home warranty
- How to access your coverage when you need it
What is home warranty coverage?
A warranty contract is an annual contract with a home warranty company that covers the cost of repair or replacement of your home’s major appliances and systems.
Home warranty coverage is different from a homeowners insurance policy because it covers you for problems resulting from daily wear and tear rather than major incidents or disasters. A home warranty plan provides coverage for unexpected home repairs that would otherwise make a serious dent in your monthly budget.
While plans vary based on where you live, the warranty company you choose and the type of coverage you require, a home warranty plan usually covers the following:
- Kitchen appliances, such as your dishwasher, refrigerator, cooktop, freestanding ice maker, range and range exhaust hood
- Your clothes washer and clothes dryer
- Major appliances, like your water heater
- HVAC systems (i.e., heating, ventilation and air conditioner systems)
- Major systems, such as plumbing and electrical
- Other items, including ceiling fans, doorbells and sump pumps
Types of electrical issues a home warranty can cover
A home warranty offers coverage for the components and parts of your home’s electrical system, including:
- Direct current (DC) wiring
- Lighting fixtures
- Built-in exhaust/vent/attic fans
- Electrical panels
- Circuit breakers or fuses and switches
- Electric appliances, such as an electric water heater
- Electric motors and mechanical parts and components of your appliances
Home warranties also cover the electrical parts of your plumbing system that are contained within the main structure of your home, including pumps and motors or permanently installed sump pumps. Motors and electrical systems of built-in amenities, like a whirlpool bath, may also be covered.
Additionally, the electric and mechanical components of your kitchen appliances can be covered under your service contract. Home warranty coverage protects your appliances after the manufacturer’s warranty plan expires. A home warranty plan also protects you long after a builder’s warranty expires on your newly built home or your manufacturers’ warranties expire, and it goes above and beyond what your homeowners insurance is capable of.
While regular warranty coverage is primarily to protect against the normal degradation of your home’s pre-existing electrical systems and components, add-on coverage may also be available to cover new systems and updates. For example, Cinch Home Services offers optional coverage that includes upgrades and modifications to your home’s electrical system.
Electrical issues that may not be covered by your home warranty
A warranty policy usually does not cover electrical issues resulting from causes other than normal wear and tear, such as circuit overload, lightning strikes, power failure or power surges. Damage to electrical systems from accidents or natural disasters would fall under your homeowners insurance and not your home warranty.
Home warranty coverage is also typically for your home’s internal electrical systems only. Wiring, motors, external panels and dial boxes located outside the perimeter of the main foundation or a detached garage may only be covered if you purchase additional coverage. External heating and air conditioning units are an exception to this and are included under regular contract terms.
Home warranties are also conditional on proper maintenance and do not apply to pre-existing conditions. Damage that results from failure to keep up with regular maintenance on your appliances may result in an invalid claim. For example, if you never clean the filters or perform maintenance on your water heater, refrigerator or washing machine, your service contract may not cover any of the repair costs when the appliances break down.
Repair issues resulting from the failure of other home systems may not be covered either. For instance, if you have damage to electrical wires due to plumbing issues, warranty coverage may not apply.
When to contact your home warranty company for electrical issues in your home
Contact your home warranty company as soon as you notice or experience issues with your electrical systems or appliances. It’s important to make a claim for the damage as soon as possible because most warranties only cover mechanical failures within the coverage term the issue occurred in. That means that if you notice an issue today, you should not wait a month — let alone a year — to file a claim.
At Cinch, our award-winning customer service team is available to help you with inquiries and claims 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so your appliances and systems can be serviced and back up and running.
How to submit a home warranty claim for electrical issues
Each home warranty company will have its own claims process, so check your service contract for specific details on how to file a claim.
But generally, you can make a warranty claim either online or over the phone through the customer service department. Simply report the issue you are experiencing, and the warranty company will immediately refer you to a service provider in your area. The service provider will then schedule an appointment, assess the issue and move forward with how to service the issue.
At Cinch, we make an effort to connect you with a service provider within just 2 hours of your service request if it’s made during normal business hours and within 24 hours if it’s outside business hours. We can also expedite your request if it is an emergency situation or if the repair need is so severe that it may affect your family’s safety or the ability to stay in your home.
Once the repair service is arranged, you will pay a small, up-front fee to the service contractor who does the repair, and your warranty coverage will take care of the rest of the cost.
We rely on electricity in our homes to keep our important systems and appliances running and to make our lives more comfortable. Securing home warranty coverage that covers electrical issues not only protects your home and family from inconvenient and even possibly dangerous repair issues, but it also protects your pocketbook from the unpredictable cost of service associated with everyday wear and tear.
Plus, with a home warranty, you can be confident you have a plan and are covered even when your homeowners insurance, manufacturers’ warranties and builder’s warranty don’t apply.
* Subject to plan terms and conditions.
*The information in this blog library is intended to provide general guidance on home warranties, and on the proper maintenance and care of systems and appliances in the home. Not all of the topics mentioned are covered by our home warranty or maintenance plans. Please review your home warranty contract carefully to understand your coverage.
*Our blog library may link to third-party sites that offer products, services, coaches, consultants, and/or experts. Any such link is provided for reference only and not intended as an endorsement or statement that the information provided by the other party is accurate. We are not compensated for any products or services purchased from these third-party links.