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HomeServe HomeServe USA scare letter on exterior electrical wiring warranty, Internet
I received an official looking letter saying that"you may not be protected from liability of an exterior electrical emergency." It further describes the electrical emergency as problems with the electrical weatherhead or meter box. It then outlines the so called benefits of their service for only $59.88 per year (but it only covers 11 months because there is a 30 day waiting period after you buy the service before it is effective.)
It then has a disclaimer that says that they only cover normal wear and tear and DO NOT cover "accidental" emergencies.
This is a rip off aimed at the elderly and uniformed. I have stalled weatherheads and meter boxes. I know from experience, that about the only thing that can go wrong after the initial installation meets building codes, is some sort of accident or act of god.
Even worst, I called Tucson Electric (TEP). They said they work with this company! Look at the other internet complaints on this company before you buy their warranty!!!
1 Updates & Rebuttals
HomeServe USA Representative
Stamford,Connecticut,
HomeServe Exterior Electric Service Plan
#2UPDATE Employee
Mon, April 29, 2013
Hi Kit, thanks for your comments. Most homeowners arent licensed electricians like you and arent prepared to find a licensed qualified electrician to assist when an urgent repair is needed, or have ready funds available to pay for the repair when in a jam. Thats where optional coverage like what HomeServe offers can be valuable to folks including your neighbors in Tucson. In fact over 1.3 million homeowners nationwide have turned to HomeServe for various types of home repair service contracts. With 600,000 jobs done over the last 3 years and 96% customer satisfaction ratings; our customers really appreciate having the service plans.
You are right; our Exterior Electric Service Line Coverage only costs a few dollars a month and coverage doesnt become effective for 30 days. We have the 30 day window in the first year for 2 important reasons: there is no pre-inspection of the equipment and customers have 30 days to review the materials to make sure the coverage is right for them, if not there is a full money back guarantee. We offer Exterior Electric Service Line Coverage to electric utility customers around the country. Here are just some of the situations we find and repair under the service plan: a) rusted meter base and conduit exposing the service entrance wiring which can cause a short or pose safety issue, b) a deteriorated weather head where the gasket has worn out causing rain or other elements to run down the inside the conduit and short the meter base, c) insulation that has deteriorated off of the service entrance cabling posing risk of electrical short, d) frost heave in the ground causes the conduit running from the meter box down and into the ground on buried service lines to pull away and expose the service wires, or e) degraded aluminum service entrance conductor.
As you can see there are a number of situations where the Exterior Electric Service Line Plan has come to the rescue of homeowners. Thanks for letting us clarify the coverage for others considering it.