Because they really are not all the same!
Q: What is the difference between a Warranty Insurance and an Engineer Aftercare Warranty Guarantee?
A: There is very little difference in the cover provided to the customer, the compliance for the provider is the main difference. New vehicles generally come with a ‘Guarantee’ from the manufacturer whereas an insurance policy has an underwriter that takes your premium in return for taking the ‘Risk’ of a claim. One of the things to watch for is where is the ‘Underwriter’ based? Because if its somewhere like Gibralter, Isle of Man or another offshore place it may not be covered by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and getting hold of someone can be tougher. A ‘Guarantee’ will generally be covered by the Motor Ombudsman Scheme not the FCA.
Q: A warranty isnt worth the paper it’s written on and all warranties are the same anyway?
A: Not true! Although, it is fair to say some warranty providers have the wording so blinkered, it seems like they do everything possible not to payout. Read the cover provided before you buy, a fair claim should and will usually be paid by a quality warranty provider. Check wording such as ‘£2000 claim limit’ which looks attractive, but read on and find ‘One claim per year’! Let your alarm bells ring because a quality provider will have probably a lower £1000 claim limit, but with unlimited claims in any one year. So, if you claim for your electrics, you can still get your cooker fixed six months later.
Q: What is a warranty supposed to do?
A: A warranty is designed to provide cover for a manufactured part that developes a fault and or stops working, so things that naturally wear out and need replacing wont be covered. Items such as brake pads wont be covered, but if the mechanism fails to work due to a fault, that would be. The warranty will usually only cover manufacturer fitted parts and accessories in the first build, aftermarket items such as satellite dish or motor movers wont be included.
Q: My warranty says any ‘Vat registered’ engineer can repair my Caravan or Motorhome. Is that OK?
A: In some cases this is true, but not with Engineer Aftercare Warranty, because if a garage repairs lots of cars and good at that job, will they be trained to service your gas, heating and cooking system ensuring its safe. Or, will a car mechanic understand and repair your shower pump or tow section properly? We dont think so, a commercial base to a Motorhome needs to be serviced and repaired by a van servicing workshop, thats why Engineer Aftercare uses Halford Commercial as well as ‘VAT registered’ commercial workshops only. And only Approved Workshop Scheme members as approved by manufacturers, for your Habitation section
Q: Do I get more if I pay more for my warranty?
A: Not necessarily. Its about the cover not the cost, so look at what is provided as the first thing to compare, then if cover is the same look at the cost of the product. Either an Insurance policy or a Guarantee will provide the peace of mind you are looking for, but the cover is the important bit
Q: I had a previous claim and could not speak to someone to help me, are they all like that?
A: No! Some warranty providers have up to 5 different companies involved in the chain of setting up and administering your warranty cover. For instance, there might be a retailer you buy from, then another to set cover up and send out the documents, then another to deal with customer service, another to handle a claim and finally another insurer or business to actually pay out.. And you only gave your money to just the one! Ask the warranty provider. what happens if you claim and is it the same company to handle everything. That’s why with Engineer Aftercare there is just one, our partner Autoguard MBi sorts everything out once your warranty is in place
Q: Do I really need to have an annual service and or Habcheck?
A: Yes, we recommend for your comfort and safety you keep your vehicle serviced by an approved workshop, but a warranty will require you to ensure your vehicle is properly maintained if you need to make a claim. A commercial section to a Motorhome should go for hundreds of thousands of miles, but it will still need servicing to minimise things failing. A Hab check not only checks for water ingress but will also ensure your gas heating and cooking systems are safe
We trust you feel a little better informed now on this important aspect to owning a Caravan or Motorhome, if you have any further enquiries just get in touch and we will be happy to assist you.
Martyn Raybould MD