Household appliances never seem to break down at the right time, do they? Your washing machine inconsiderately decides to pack up a week before payday, while your fridge chooses to give up the ghost just before your guests arrive for the weekend.
An extended warranty can help protect you from unexpected repair bills so you don’t have to worry about desperately scrabbling round for the cash. But how do you get one and is it worth the cost?
What is an extended warranty?
Most household appliances come with a standard manufacturer warranty that lasts 1 to 2 years and covers you if your appliance breaks down during this time (you’ll usually need to register the product with the manufacturer to activate it).
An extended warranty simply builds on this, meaning that repair costs will still be covered for another 2 to 4 years after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired. An extended warranty might even offer extra cover for things like accidental damage.
Where can I buy an extended warranty?
You can buy an extended warranty from the retailer or manufacturer at the time of purchasing your appliance. You can also buy one through a specialist third-party provider – there are some comparison sites that allow you to compare policies easily.
Your warranty will typically cover mechanical and electrical breakdown, but as we’ve mentioned, some policies also cover accidental damage. You can buy an extended warranty for a range of white goods including your fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, and tumble dryer.
When considering whether to get an extended warranty, it’s really important to check what isn’t included in the policy so you don’t get any nasty surprises later on. Common exclusions include cosmetic damage and delivery and installation costs if you need a new appliance. Not all policies cover parts and labour costs either.
Some policies also impose time limits for the repair, so you might end up waiting four to six weeks before the appliance is repaired. That’s not going to help you when your guests’ arrival is imminent!
When does it make sense to get extended warranty?
You might want to think about getting an extended warranty if your new appliance is expensive to repair or replace – think American-style fridge freezers, for example – or if you don’t have much in the way of emergency savings.
If the policy offers decent benefits such as unlimited repairs, quick call-outs or replacements if the appliance can’t be fixed, you might also feel it offers value for money.
Extended warranties can be useful for appliances that you use regularly too – for example, if you have a large family, the laundry pile never ends and you use the washing machine every day.
When does extended warranty not make sense?
An extended warranty might be less valuable if the appliance is relatively cheap and you might end up paying more for the warranty than a replacement appliance. You might also feel it’s not worth it if you have a decent pot of emergency cash saved up that you could use for any repairs or replacements if needed.
Remember, too, that you’ll initially be covered by the manufacturer’s standard warranty, so it’s worth checking how long this lasts. Some manufacturers offer longer warranties than the usual 1 to 2 years, while some retailers might add their own warranty on top of the manufacturer’s.
In addition, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 already gives you some protection. It states that white goods and other appliances must be:
Of satisfactory quality
Fit for purpose
As described.
If your appliance does not meet these conditions within the first 30 days of owning it, you have the right to a full refund.
If a fault develops after 30 days but within the first 6 months, you have the right to one repair or replacement from the retailer, and it’s up to them to prove it wasn’t faulty when you bought it.
However, after 6 months, you’ll need to be able to prove that the fault is a manufacturing defect, rather than general wear and tear. This can be more tricky, so it’s important to report a product fault as soon as you can.
Finally, if you bought the appliance on credit card, you’re covered for purchases of more than £100 and up to £30,000 under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This means your credit card company is jointly liable with the retailer if the item is faulty or not as described, or if it simply doesn’t turn up.
Do I need an extended warranty if I have home contents insurance?
Possibly not but it’s worth checking the small print of your home insurance policy to be sure. Yes, it’s a boring task but it will tell you exactly what you’re covered for. For example, not all policies automatically include accidental damage or breakdown cover – you usually need to pay extra to have these included. But you will be covered for theft, water or fire damage.
Also keep in mind that if you make a claim on your home contents cover, you usually need to pay an excess and the cost of your premium will rise at renewal. So you may find that an extended warranty is a better solution.
Should you buy cover or “self-insure”?
Ultimately this is your call to make. But it’s worth considering that appliances have improved a lot over the years and are becoming more reliable and cheaper.
For this reason, it might make more financial sense to stash away a set amount each month into an interest-paying easy access savings account. You can then use this money for a repair or replacement if needed, something that’s often known as “self-insuring”.
On the other hand, if the money isn’t needed, you have a nice bit of extra cash to use for something else instead, rather than having wasted it on a policy you didn’t need.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Defaqto. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Rachel Wait is a freelance journalist and has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade, covering everything from insurance to mortgages. She has written for a range of personal finance websites and national newspapers, including The Observer, The Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Evening Standard. Rachel is a keen baker in her spare time.
See full bio
Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
How likely would you be to recommend Finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
