设备服务计划: Read the Fine Print

许多公用事业公司提供 家电服务计划 that provide repair coverage on furnaces, 中央12bet, 热水器, 洗衣机和烘干机, 范围/烤箱, 还有许多其他家用电器. 在这些计划下, the customer pays the company a yearly fee and the company agrees to repair any appliances covered under the plan. In the event of a covered repair, customers are not charged for parts, labor, or a service trip. 然而, as with any maintenance or service plan, you should read the fine print carefully to make sure you understand the costs, 条款, 以及这些计划的局限性.

Before purchasing an appliance service plan, consider the following points:

• 成本
  Always consider whether the yearly cost is worth the advantage of having coverage in the event of an appliance breakdown. Companies offer a variety of service plans. 成本 vary, depending on the type of coverage each plan offers. 例如, a basic plan covering only a furnace can cost around $70-85 a year. A deluxe plan covering all major appliances might cost over $220 a year.

• Covered 服务 And Non-Covered 服务
  Always ask for a complete list of covered services and parts, and what is not covered. Some services and parts you might expect to be covered may not be covered. 例如, a furnace tune-up and safety check is not covered under most standard furnace service plans.

• 服务员工
  Some utility companies use employees other than their own for service calls (contractors). Ask the company if its contractors are licensed, bonded, and carry appropriate insurance. Request a list of the company's approved contractors.

• 限制责任
  Carefully review the 条款 and conditions of the plan. An appliance service plan limits the company's liability if it is unable to respond to a service call or successfully repair a covered appliance. 例如, 在大多数的计划, companies will not pay for repairs when the company hasn't responded to a service call promptly due to workload emergencies and weather conditions and the customer has to have someone else repair a broken appliance. 在一些计划, if the company's cost to repair an appliance exceeds its current market value, 公司不会修理它. Ask for a copy of the 条款 and conditions of the plan and review it carefully.

密歇根州的部门. 的劳动 & Economic Growth - Michigan Public Service Commission