If your dishwasher has stopped working, you might be wondering if it is covered by insurance. After all, if your dishwasher is busted, how will you clean dishes? Unfortunately, many home insurance policies do not cover a dishwasher repair or replacement. Insurance companies typically exclude the following from their policies: appliances (other than those specifically listed), roofing materials and damage caused by weather and water systems. For more information about what can and cannot be claimed under a standard home insurance policy, read this article.
1. Getting your dishwasher fixed through insurance
It’s always a good idea to check with your insurance company to find out if you’re covered for appliances. Some insurance policies cover appliances that are part of your home’s standard features, while others cover only appliances that are separate and optional.
In general, it’s a good idea to have only one person perform all of your dishwasher repair. That user should be the person who enters the dishwasher into the machine and lets the machine trundle away to clean the interior. This is because the flushing cycle is the most destructive to the delicate interior of a machine. If you replace the flushing motors yourself, you’ll need to do so professionally — and be ready for a $2,000 repair bill.
With household appliances, the best advice is to replace the cranking pulley. This is the industrial-grade, heavy-duty gear that turns the dishwasher and rotates the drum. Alternatively, you can also buy a replacement wheel pulley from your appliance manufacturer. Don’t be afraid to ask your appliance manufacturer for the parts .
Unfortunately, some manufacturer’s warranties don’t cover the new, replacement pulley. This is typically because cleaning, adjusting and tightening the old pulleys is a difficult job that involves grinding, tapping and twisting, and not everyone can physically see the gears inside the dishwasher. Problems with the cranking pulley can also result in wear and tear to the rotating drum that causes the drum to stop spinning. Most warranties only cover the original cranking pulley.
2. Dishwashers and insurance
Dishwashers can save you a lot of time and energy. You can load them up before you go to bed or work and when you get home, all your dishes will be clean. They’ll also make it a lot easier to keep your kitchen clean because you won’t have to spend as much time hand-washing dishes.
There are a few things that you can do to make your dishwasher less of a burden. Obviously, although pricey, saving money on your insurance is a great way to reduce your home’s damage. One way to lower your dishwasher insurance is to make the dishwasher easier to clean. This means either insulating it or replacing it with a dishwasher that takes less time to clean. Another option is to have a professional clean it instead of doing it yourself. If either of these are too expensive for you, you may want to look into purchasing an automated dishwasher that can clean your dishes for you.
Stainless steel or aluminum ware will not be harmed by a home dishwasher. However, the food trapped in these types of containers can create a lot of energy costs. Therefore, you should make sure to keep clean dishes out of your dishwasher as much as possible. If you have a dishwasher but can’t seem to keep it running, it might be time to invest in better cleaning equipment or consider hiring an electrician to fix it.
3. When to call home insurance about a dishwasher repair
Most home insurance policies require that you give your home insurance company 30 days’ notice before you make any repairs or modifications to your home. So, you should call your home insurance company and give them 30 days’ notice before you call a repairman.
The best way to determine coverage is to call your insurance company to find out if they offer “repair under warranty” coverage. “Repair under warranty” is a type of insurance that will pay you in the event an existing condition is caused by defects in the work you are going to warranty. Unfortunately, repair under warranty coverage can have serious requirements.
It is also important to understand that if your home insurance policy does not include repair coverage for your dishwasher (even if it qualifies for repair under warranty), you are still responsible for paying for the repair if you choose to replace the dishwasher. You may be asked to pay for the entire repair, the cost of parts, shipping and any labor costs incurred during the repair. This means you could be out $1,400 — $2,400 (if your home insurance company doesn’t cover the cost of in-home repairs), not to mention potential damage to your home, caused by an undiagnosed electronic fire risk.
If you chose a contractor for the job, and he claims the problem is caused by a magnetic field, electrical fault or software glitch, and not by the dishwasher, he is probably going to need to take your dishwasher in to have his issues confirmed by professional mechanics. Regardless of the reason for the problem, finding a reputable, on-time and proper repair shop can be overwhelming.
4. How to make an insurance claim for a broken dishwasher
A dishwasher is one of the most important, and expensive, appliances in your home. If you’ve recently broken your dishwasher, you probably want to know how to make a claim. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as calling your insurance company and saying, “Hey, my dishwasher broke.I need to get it fixed”. Most insurance coverage will accept a claim only if your claim is specifically linked to the repair or replacement of a specific appliance.
It’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to pursue insurance coverage for a dishwasher repair or replacement. Here are some issues to consider.
Is a repair or replacement covered by insurance? Before you decide to fix or replace a dishwasher yourself, it’s a good idea to go through an insurance claim with the largest network for appliances. Come up with a good solution for the specific problem. For example, if your dishwasher is smoking in the pan, you might decide to use this repair instead of hiring a professional plumber. Remember, you need to outline exactly what happened, your sources of information, and whether you had proof that the problem existed. It’s also a good idea to back up your claims with proof (e.g., receipts, service documents) as well. You can review the claims history for your insurance company on Prezzy, Aadvantage, Directv or Goalkeeper.
Depending on your state of residence, there might not be a centralized insurance provider for dishwashers in your community. Ask your insurance agent or call your local insurance office to see if they offer coverage for dishwashers. Insuring a dishwasher can cost money, so when possible, it’s a good idea to find the coverage that is affordable for your household.
5. What if the repair is more expensive than a new dishwasher?
If the repair is more expensive than a new dishwasher, it may be a good idea to just buy a new one. The price of a new dishwasher has come down a lot in recent years, so you can get a great new one for the same price as a repair.
