Kitchen appliances such as refrigerators, hobs, dishwashers, cookers, freezers, washing machines, and tumble dryers are designed to make our lives easier and a lot more convenient. We have learned to rely on them in our everyday lives. But what if one of these appliances suddenly breaks down and needs to be repaired? It can cause tremendous disruption to our daily lives, and it can be an expense that we definitely don’t need. The worst thing is that these breakdowns can occur at the most inappropriate time, a time when we simply cannot afford an appliance breakdown, whether financially or due to our daily situation.
The best thing you can do to avoid such an inconvenience is to opt for appliance insurance. Appliance insurance is readily available from numerous providers nowadays, and you can take advantage of great coverage for virtually all your domestic and kitchen appliances. But you should also be aware of what it can really do for you. Here are some quick facts on appliance insurance – and how it can truly benefit you.
Why you need it
If you buy an appliance for the first time, it will most likely come with a warranty, which often lasts for a year. But once the warranty is done, you may be offered an extended warranty. You could opt for this, but it may not come as cheap as dedicated appliance insurance, and it may not cover all the appliances you want, either. Appliance insurance can serve as an excellent replacement for an extended warranty because it gives you coverage for appliance breakdowns requiring repair or replacement, and at a very affordable price, at that. If your appliance suffers a breakdown or needs repair due to a mechanical or electrical failure, you can be sure that the appliance insurance policy will cover it.
The difference between an extended warranty and appliance insurance coverage
Extended warranties can be taken out for various appliances, and you will probably be offered this once the one-year warranty of an appliance is up. But as already mentioned, extended warranties are often more expensive than appliance insurance. And here’s another fact which bears thinking about: it takes more effort to get an extended warranty for your appliances because you have to do it per individual appliance. On the other hand, with the right appliance cover, you can opt to insure several appliances all at the same time, in one go. This offers more convenience in terms of time and effort, not to mention expense.
The items which can be covered by appliance insurance
You may be wondering which items you can cover if you choose to have appliance insurance. The good news is, you can include a wide variety of ‘white goods’ (another term for kitchen appliances) covered, and these include such items as cookers, hobs, ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, freezers, and combination refrigerator-freezers. It also includes other appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, washer-dryers, and tumble dryers, as well as other major kitchen appliances, depending on the insurance provider.
What to consider
When choosing appliance insurance, you should take note of the age of your appliances. Appliance insurance is usually a better deal if your appliances are on the relatively new side; older appliances may not be eligible for coverage. Consider the value of your appliances as well; the more valuable they are, the more likely they are to be covered. Also, when looking for an insurance provider, ask them about the number of callouts they allow (unlimited is ideal), and make sure the insurance provider also covers the particular brand of appliance you have.
