By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
The.Comedian/flickr
You know how many credit cards say they they double the manufacturer’s warranty? It’s the reason why I pay for major appliances with credit, not my debit card or a check, and why I almost always turn down an extended store warranty. I’ve read about the warranty doubling in promotional materials but, until today, I never knew what this perk really meant and how it worked. Here’s what I found out.
I purchased a rather expensive window air conditioner from Sears one year and three days ago. I purchased this item from Sears only because I could not find this A/C unit anywhere else that included free shipping. I knew Sears did not have a friendly return policy. I did not buy an extended warranty because I knew my Discover card included an extended warranty.
Now it is 368 days later. I discover that
an important part of the A/C unit has disintegrated and needed to be replaced. I called Sears and was told “3 days past warranty. Nothing we can do. Call your credit card company.”
I was so proud of myself. I actually found the copy of the credit card statement that showed when, where, and how much I spent for the air conditioner. I called the credit card company. They kindly gave me the phone number of the insurance company I had to call to file a claim.
I called the insurance company. The guy on the phone let me know that it would take 15 minutes to complete the phone call. I said, “OK.” He wanted my name, all my contact information, the day, place and price of purchase. He also wanted the model number and the serial number of the unit. He also wanted to know what day my unit broke. He then told me that I would be receiving an email with paper work that I needed to fill out, a claim number, and a website for further instructions. To fill out the claim, I would need all the above information he already took, plus the original receipt, the original manufacturers warranty in writing, a picture of the unit, and a written estimate of what it would cost to fix the unit. I would then submit those and they would consider the claim. I would hear from them within 4 to 6 weeks! If they decide to pay the claim, they send me a check.
Wow! That certainly is NOT easy. Had my unit broken 3 days earlier, I would have had a part sent to me for free and/or I could have taken it directly to Sears for a fix. I’m lucky that my air conditioner still functions. Otherwise, the extended process to redeem the extended warranty would render the warranty useless to me because I don’t want to go without air conditioning in the middle of summer. I’d buy another unit or pay for the repair myself.
Hummm. I’m not really all that enthused about my extended warranty through my credit card anymore.
Of course, I do not know how this story is going to end. The good news is that I have found my original receipt (I have a great filing system) and the original manufacturers warranty. I submitted my paperwork — but I’ve still got at least 4 to 6 weeks before I hear back from them.
Have you ever used your extended warranty option on your credit card? What happened?
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
American Express also provides extended manufacturer’s warranty. I’ve only called them once with a problem I had with a cordless phone I purchased. I gave them purchase details by phone. Apparently, they confirmed the transaction in their records and almost immediately sent me a check for the full purchase price. That was several years ago, so the procedure could be quite different now, but I’ve always been pleased with Amex customer service. I have American Express Blue Card now. There is no annual fee and I receive Membership Rewards for all of my purchases.
Good for you, Bobbi! I hope the people reading this will realize the importance of a “good filing system”! You would have needed most of the information the credit card insurance company required to have your a/c unit repaired by Sears, too. I’ve purchased garden hoses w/lifetime warranties & 5 years later, when the hose breaks, I take it, the cardboard warranty (with receipt stapled to it) back & get a replacement. I’ve done the same w/watch battery “lifetime” warranties. When I asked the jeweler how they can afford to do it, I was told, “we don’t expect anyone to hold onto the receipt.” That’s what the warranty/insurance companies hope for … that the claimant won’t have the paperwork. That’s the really important part of your report. Keep all the relevant paperwork ,,, especially on large ticket items! I bet you’ll get your check 🙂
Thanks for the great info. I have always been vaguely aware of this perk when purchasing via credit card, which, in turn, gave me an equally vague sense of security. However, after reading your experience, I hope I never have to use the extended warranty. Still, some purchases/repairs can be worth jumping through all those hoops. At the least, it’s a factor to consider when deciding whether to make a purchase.
@Carol Lee Thanks for the “atta girl” on having the required paperwork. I’m pretty good about this sort of thing, but now I’m going to be even better. I’m going to dedicate a drawer in a filing cabinet to warranty paperwork. I was not ever really sure of what I needed to save, but now I know.