When calling a contractor
While we’ve received great feedback about our ‘Choose Your Own Contractor’ approach to warranty service, we’ve also heard that some contractors don’t ‘work with warranty companies’. To that end, we’ve put together this handy list of points you can use to guide your conversation when hiring the contractor of your choice.
When sharing that you’re using a home warranty
It’s important to understand your contractor may hesitate if they’ve had an unpleasant experience with another home warranty company. Be sure to clarify that they’ll be working for you, not us, and that this home warranty will help pay the contractor through one of the flexible and prompt payment options listed below for approved claims. Knowing they will get paid quickly helps a lot.
We aim to save BOTH of you time and money
After your contractor has diagnosed the problem, ask them to speak with us over the phone with you, while at your home, before any repairs are completed. If your contractor would rather not take the phone, you can place us on speakerphone and our customer service will still be glad to help! Here’s why:
- We need (and trust) your contractor’s professional opinion, because we base our claim decision on it. All we need from them is the make, model, and serial number of the unit, what caused the failure, and their price for repair or replacement. That’s it.
- This helps to prevent any need for a second service call (and a second fee) as approval is required prior to any repair or replacement.
- It allows us to ensure you have all the details to make an informed decision on how you will proceed once a determination has been made. Whether you spend your approved reimbursement on repair, replacement, upgrades, etc.—it is up to you.
We know time is money
Our goal is to be as efficient as possible. To that end, we are available 24/7/365—to make sure we’re here whenever you and your contractor need us.
Approved payments are prompt with flexible options
After the work is completed and we’ve received the detailed invoice, your contractor gets paid in one of three ways:
- Immediately by APHW credit card over the phone
- By check in the mail (Typically received within 10 business days*)
- You pay them, and we reimburse you. (We reimburse you by check in the mail or ACH Direct Deposit)
You may have to pay up front and be reimbursed
We understand that the idea of a warranty is to take some of the sting out of paying for unexpected repairs—however contractors are not obligated to accept approved payments directly from us, because they do not work for us—they work for you. This is why our flexible payment options include ways to get your money back to you fast.
Finishing touches
In a survey we conducted, 88% of our responding customers said that our Choose Your Own Contractor policy is important and 95% were satisfied with the work their contractor did (2022 APHW Satisfaction Survey). After everything is complete, tell your contractor if you’re happy with them, especially for being willing to talk to us, as much of their business is gained through referrals. Be sure to let them know if you might be referring them as well—and that we refer their services, too.
If you have any questions about our process or need assistance locating a contractor, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 800.648.5006. We’re available 24/7/365 to help.
*Timeframe is approximate and does not reflect holiday or weather-related delays.