We’ve all heard the jokes about scammers “trying to reach us about our extended car warranty.” As annoying as those calls might be, don’t write off the concept of an extended warranty just yet – especially when it comes to recreational vehicles.
Your RV will go through a lot during its first years of ownership. Obtaining an RV extended service plan is a great way to make sure you don’t face huge expenses when things go wrong.
Essentially, a recreational vehicle warranty serves as a protection plan when your RV breaks, encounters mechanical failures, or simply isn’t working correctly. In addition, with a warranty in your back pocket, you aren’t forced to deal with these complications and their expenses on your own.
An extended warranty for an RV will typically last for around three years. So if you’re hitting the road on lots of epic RV excursions in the near future, you could save yourself from many headaches and hefty repair bills by looking for a policy today.**. So take a look before you begin your hunt for the best option.
1) Find a Warranty Provider That Offers Roadside Assistance
Although a recreational vehicle warranty won’t cover the same things as RV insurance, there are extended warranty providers that can hook you up with roadside assistance services. So when your RV winds up stuck on the side of the road, you’ll be happy that you did your research on warranty coverage.
A worthwhile extended warranty for an RV will offer:
• Locksmith services • Battery jumpstarts • Towing services • Tire services • Travel expense reimbursements
However, not all extended warranties are equally as valuable.
As you shop around for the right one, question the providers about their roadside assistance policies. You’ll want to find a warranty that is both affordable and comprehensive, especially when it comes to those emergency roadside situations.
2) Talk About Your Budget Upfront
If you want to find the best RV extended warranty provider, you shouldn’t beat around the bush when pricing. Instead, tell the providers you chat with about your budget upfront. There’s no room for vagueness in these kinds of contracts.
As Consumer Reports programs director Chuck Bell said,
“Figuring out if a plan is fairly priced or a good value is difficult because they are complicated legal agreements. Dealers may also charge steep markups on the contracts, at different rates for different customers.”
We don’t say that to scare you away from recreational vehicle warranties but rather help you prepare for the research and decision process. Just like you negotiate with car dealerships, you’ll need to talk numbers from the get-go with any provider you evaluate.
To ensure you’re getting the best deal, don’t just discuss overall payments. Ask about:
• Payment plans • Installment • Upfront costs • And transfer fees
The more you know about the price of an extended warranty for an RV, and the more providers you compare, the more confident you can feel about your final warranty decision.
3) Don’t Evaluate Any Providers Without an Insurance Company Backing Them
This is an important tip, but one that many people don’t know about.
When you’re shopping for an RV extended warranty, you want to find a provider that a reliable insurance provider backs. Additionally, you’ll want to know that the insurance provider has at least a B rating with the Better Business Bureau.
Why? Because the insurance company is the one that will make sure you get paid in the event of a warranty claim.
Although most states do not regulate extended service contracts like they do insurance policies, you’ll want to find a provider that is backed by an insurance company that specializes in recreational vehicle policies. This will ensure that you are taken care of in a timely, professional manner whenever you need to file a claim.
Be wary of low-quality recreational vehicle warranties that are only backed by risk retention groups. Unlike actual insurance companies, these groups are not as strictly regulated by the state. Their coverage is therefore exempt from many usual regulations to protect policy or warranty holders.
Long story short, you want a provider you can truly rely on, and legitimate, highly rated insurance companies typically back those. If you don’t know who backs a warranty provider, ask before you agree to anything.
4) Look at Online Reviews and Testimonials
Speaking of finding a reliable recreational vehicle warranty provider, it’s always a good idea to do some digging through past client reviews and testimonials. This kind of information will help you learn how:
• The warranty provider treats real customers. • The company has handled certain situations in the past. • Others see the company and its credibility.
As you look through online reviews, please pay attention to how the RV extended warranty provider responds to their customers’ feedback. Do they seem to care and make amends when there are problems? Or are they MIA?
Additionally, if you struggle to find reviews, testimonials, or references online, ask the provider to send you some. If they hem and haw, or flat-out refuse to do so, turn tail and find another provider that will be more upfront with you about their history.
5) Don’t Be Afraid to Make Comparisons
Lastly, don’t be afraid to evaluate several different companies before making a decision.
We provide RV extended warranties ourselves, but we always encourage our customers to do their research before making any decisions. Make phone calls to competitors. Discuss your different plan options. Ask for many price quotes.
Comparing services is an essential aspect of any wise purchase decision, and buying an RV extended warranty is a big deal. You want to feel confident that you’ve indeed found the best plan and provider out there.
Overall, as you begin your hunt, we encourage you to hold providers to high standards. Ask them about their credentials, insurance backing, past clients, and more. If you do, the cream will rise to the top of your search.
Need a quote for an RV extended warranty? Ask us today.
Getting a free price estimate from our team doesn’t take long. Fill out this form in less than a minute, and we’ll contact you shortly with a complimentary service plan quote.
If you have further questions about RV extended warranties and their coverage, let us know. Our team at RVing Solutions is happy to help you understand the ins and outs of a recreational vehicle extended warranty. Give us a call at 844-294-9937 or send us a message at [email protected].
Published June 25, 2021