For RV owners, using an extended warranty is a simple, straightforward process. The repair facility and the plan administrator do most of the work to get you back on the road.
Using your warranty requires three simple steps:
- When you discover an issue, take your RV to a repair facility. If continuing to drive or tow the RV will cause additional issues or damage, pull over. Have the RV towed or have a mobile mechanic come to the RV—most warranty companies offer roadside assistance as a benefit of coverage.
- Let the facility know you have a warranty. They’ll communicate with your warranty administrator from there.
- Pay the deductible when repairs are completed. You’ll also need to pay for any non-covered issues.
Below are two example scenarios to illustrate how RV owners use and benefit from their warranties.
Scenario: Engine Trouble
Bob’s Class A diesel motorhome has broken down on the side of the road. His check engine light came on followed by a dramatic drop in his engine’s performance. Bob knows that if he keeps driving, he may do irreparable damage to the engine, so he pulls off to the side of the road and calls his warranty company.
Most companies offer roadside assistance benefits. His company has 24/7 concierge service. They dispatch a tow truck to bring his RV to a repair facility. The warranty company pays the $450 cost of the tow truck.
At the repair facility, Bob tells the mechanic that he has an extended warranty on his RV. Bob determines that the issue is a faulty engine valve. RV mechanics frequently work with warranty companies, so they are familiar with how they work. Larger facilities and dealerships may even employ a warranty liaison.
The repair facility sends an invoice for $2,650 to warranty’s administrator, who reviews it. Since valves are covered under Bob’s plan, the warranty company pays the repair facility directly for repair costs. All Bob has to pay is his deductible, which is $100. Bob is back on the road.
Scenario: Slide-Out Malfunction
Cindy’s motorhome has been parked in an RV campground for a week, but when preparing to leave, she discovers that one of the slide-outs on the coach will not retract. It’s not safe to drive with the slide-out area extended, so she can’t leave the campground.
She calls her warranty company. Since her RV is effectively disabled, her company lets her know that they will cover the first $200 of the service fee for a mobile mechanic to come to the campground and repair her vehicle (the amount each company will pay towards a service fee varies, from around $200 down to $50). The roadside concierge service helps Cindy locate a mobile mechanic.
The mechanic arrives and determines that the slide-out guide needs to be replaced. He contacts the administrator, who reviews and approves the repair. Cindy pays her $200 deductible to the mechanic—his service fee is only $150, so she doesn’t owe the mechanic anything else. Cindy leaves the campground, safely en route to her next destination.
A Few Details
When using the warranty at a repair facility, the deductible is paid for each visit, not for each issue, so many RV owners wait until several issues must be addressed in order to minimize their out-of-pocket expenses.
When an RV is in the shop for covered repairs, customers can also have non-covered repairs done to cut down on trips to the mechanic. In this case, the RV simply pays the deductible for covered repairs and full price for the non-covered repairs.
