What is the Waiting Period for a Home Warranty?

Most home warranty providers stipulate a mandatory home warranty waiting period before you can schedule a service call to your home. If you purchase a home warranty plan from Liberty Home Guard, the waiting period can be 30–60 days, depending on the plan you are enrolled in. This is fairly standard across the home warranty industry.

Waiting periods may frustrate some people, but they exist for good reason. Let’s take a closer look at how home warranty plans work and why waiting periods are necessary.

How Do Home Warranty Plans Work?

Home warranties provide homeowners with a convenient and affordable method of repairing and replacing equipment that fails due to normal wear and tear. Here’s how the process works under an active plan.

• When something in the home breaks down, the policy holder submits a service claim to the warranty provider.
• The policy holder pays a predetermined service fee. The warranty provider then dispatches a licensed technician to the home.
• The technician assesses the problem and repairs the appliance or system. If the item is unable to be repaired, the warranty provider will replace it.

All the waiting period does is delay the policy holder’s ability to submit a claim after purchasing a plan. As we’ll see below, this is to protect the warranty company and their customers.  

Why Are Home Warranty Waiting Periods Necessary?

Home warranty companies mandate waiting periods for the same reason that insurance companies do. Removing the ability to immediately submit a claim upon purchasing an agreement reduces the risk of fraudulent claims and allows the warranty company to provide services to those who sincerely need it.

Also, in addition to home warranty pre-existing conditions clauses, waiting periods reduce the risk of people taking advantage of policies to replace appliances or systems that are already faulty. Rarely are items with pre-existing conditions covered by home warranties.

These safety measures are meant to protect warranty companies and honest policy holders. Waiting periods are in fact a sign of a healthy, trustworthy company. Policies that don’t require waiting periods are usually too good to be true. It pays to be skeptical of such “home warranty no waiting period” offers.

How Long Do Home Warranties Last?

Many homeowners find themselves wondering how long home warranties last. There is no one answer, as the terms of a contract can differ from plan to plan. We at Liberty Home Guard try to be as flexible and accommodating as possible for our customers. Some of our policies are month-to-month. Others are annual, and still others are multi-year. In short, a home warranty plan can last as long as you want it to.

When a home warranty policy expires, it’s usually possible to extend it. Waiting periods often do not apply to renewed contracts, but bear in mind that a waiting period may be required if you sign up for a new policy. For example, you may need to wait 30–60 days before scheduling a service call if you adjust your plan to include additional appliances and systems. There could also be an extended warranty waiting period if you purchase an extended policy after an existing warranty expires on a piece of home equipment.

Find the Right Plan with Liberty Home Guard

Every situation is different. Whether you’re looking to purchase a brand-new policy or renew a home warranty for existing homeowners, Liberty Home Guard is happy to talk you through the process. Call us at (833)-544-8273. You can also review some common home warranty questions and answers to learn more.