Air conditioners are one of the largest and most expensive appliances in a house. They include not only the main air conditioner (and often furnace) units, but also the ductwork that the air uses to reach all the rooms in the house. When an air conditioner breaks, it can mean expensive repairs or an even more expensive replacement for the homeowner. There are a couple different types of insurance that homeowners can purchase for their air conditioners, but the best protection may be thoroughly, frequent maintenance to ensure the air conditioner is operating correctly.
Homeowners Insurance
Homeowners insurance is a special type of house insurance that people buy when they first purchase their home. Homeowners insurance is typically required: lenders may not finalize a loan without a promise that borrowers will purchase the insurance within a month of owning the house. This type of insurance covers various damages down to the house and the possessions of the homeowner in case of perils--specific, unexpected events. Homeowners insurance covers at least fire and theft, and often many other events as well, but it only rarely covers appliances, and then with an extra charge required.
Home Warranty
A home warranty is a specific type of insurance that actually covers certain parts of the home instead of general damages. This type of insurance may also be required by organizations like title companies, but buyers can often decide if they want to buy a home warranty or not themselves. The warranty will almost always cover broken air conditioners that require repair or replacement--this is the sort damage that the warranties specialize in, but they are not the same as homeowners insurance.
Specific Perils
There may be cases where the homeowners insurance will pay for a broken air conditioner, especially if the ductwork that is part of the house is damaged. If a covered peril affects these areas of the house, the insurance company will include their damage in its payment as long as it is claimed. There are many exceptions, however: fires may damage ductwork, but few insurance companies will pay for damage cause by floods or slow-acting problems like mold.
Manufacturer Warranties
Homeowners should not forget about the advantages associated with manufacturer warranties as well. These warranties pertain to air conditioner repair within the first year or two of its use. If homeowners just bought an air conditioner with a manufacturer warranty, they should probably hold off on buying a home warrantee to save money by relying the product insurance itself. This may not cover a total replacement of the air conditioner.
Tags: insurance that, type insurance, ductwork that, home warranty, Homeowners insurance
