Is an Extended Warranty Worth the Investment? Here’s What You Need to Know

One lovely afternoon, I stopped into a toy store with one of my grandsons to get a little something. Yes, I am one of those grandmothers. We found the cutest toy Shaving Kit, perfect for bath time. The price was under $10. At check out, and without missing a beat, the sales clerk inquired if I would like to add an extended warranty for just $4.79. Seriously. I laughed. She winced. I apologized but really, I couldn’t help it.

An extended warranty sounds like a good thing, and that’s because that’s the way it is designed.

While I cannot say that every extended warranty would be a ripoff, that’s the way I want you to start thinking of them.

Every time you are offered an extended warranty, think: Rip-Off! Then if you have doubts, make that warranty prove to you otherwise. Ask questions.

• Who is standing behind this extended warranty?
• If I should make a claim, who will come to my house to repair, fix, or replace it as required? Or will I have to find a repairman, pay for repairs and then hope to get reimbursed?
• What is my remedy if this illusive extended warranty company suddenly disappears?
• Where can I review this 3rd party extended warranty provider’s current reviews? 
• Failure Rates

Manufacturer’s Warranty

Products for which there is an extended warranty option always come with a manufacturer’s warranty. We know that if a product is going to fail, most of the time, it happens at the start of that product’s life, not in the time after the original warranty expires. That means you do not need the extended warranty. As a rule, rely on the warranty that comes with the product. Then rely on your own independent research. 

Profit Margins

Ever wonder why retailers are so diligent in offering extended warranties? Wonder no more. It’s all about—now, here’s a real shocker—money. Extended warranties average a 70 percent profit for the retailer. Plus, if they can get you to finance the cost of the extended warranty, the retailer ends up profiting even more. 

Suppose you buy a $750 extended warranty on a new automobile and include it in the amount to be financed. Here’s an estimate of the dealer’s profit: The dealer will receive $764 from you, including the interest you will pay on the financed extended warranty after taking into consideration the 30 percent payout on claims. Now do you see why retailers push their extended warranties? 

Here’s a Novel Idea

Instead of buying extended warranties, set up your own “Repair & Maintenance” savings account for all of your fixed assets cars, boats, RVs, appliances, toy shaving kits, and so on. Now make payments to your own extended warranty program every month. That way, if you do need major repairs once the regular warranty expires, you will have the money set aside and ready to go. 

On the other hand, if it turns out you never require major repairs (statistics are in your favor, by the way), the “extended warranty” funds become your profits, not the retailers’.

On a Personal Note

There are only two products I have, and I will continue to buy the extended warranty because both of these are notorious for failure after the manufacturer’s warranty:

• Apple products (iPhone, iPad, MacBook, iMacPro, and so on). Maybe I am the only one who beats up my electronic devices, but that’s a fairly solid rule for me.
• Treadmills. My experience and research suggest treadmills and the like are also notorious for breakdown with extended use.

Your Turn

You should create your own well-thought-out, very short list of items for which an extended warranty may be a wise decision. Then stick to it.

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