Frigidaire Warranty
Frigidaire is such a fixture in the world of appliances that the name of the company gave root to the word ‘fridge’ in popular parlance. As such an established player, you’d expect Frigidaire to produce extremely high-quality products, and you’d be right. However, things do go wrong from time to time, particularly when you are producing appliances on such a large scale. When things do go wrong, that’s where a warranty comes in.
A warranty protects the customer from poor components, assembly, and workmanship. Frigidaire warranties are fairly standard in comparison with other appliance company’s warranties.
This guide will walk you through the key terms of your Frigidaire warranty so you can make the best decision when it comes to protecting yourself, your appliance, and your home.
WHAT ARE THE TERMS OF THE LIMITED WARRANTY?
All Frigidaire products come with a fairly standard one-year Limited Warranty. The exact details of this may vary slightly based on the specific appliance you are buying and the laws in your particular state, so you should be sure to check on your warranty card or owner’s manual. However, generally, the Limited Warranty is standard across Frigidaire models.
The terms of the warranty are as follows:
For one year from the date of your purchase (this is an important detail – for some companies, the warranty begins on the date of installation, or even the date of manufacture), you are covered for the following:
Defective materials
Defective workmanship
And only when the appliance is:
- Installed
- Used
- Maintained in the proper manner (i.e., in accordance with the instructions in your owner’s manual).
WHAT ARE THE WARRANTY EXCLUSIONS?
There are – of course – major exclusions to what your warranty will cover. Warranties are generally designed as a form of consumer protection against shoddy products – but they offer little else.
If any of the following are true, then you will not be covered under your Frigidaire warranty:
- The serial number of the appliance has been removed, damaged, altered, or is not legible in any way (i.e., they suspect that the serial number has been tampered with).
- Any product that has changed ownership since the date of purchase
- Any product that has been removed outside of the USA or Canada
- Any damage resulting from rust (either inside or outside of the appliance)
- Any appliance that has been purchased ‘As Is’
- Any food spoilage that results from a damaged product
- You have been using your appliance in a commercial setting
- You have used your appliance in a ‘non-standard way’
- You are requesting a service call for instruction on how to use the product
- You need the engineer to undertake work (such as the removal of shelves) in order to access the appliance
- The damage is cosmetic (i.e., not essential to the function of the appliance)
- You require servicing in a remote part of the country, or after hours servicing (in this case, Frigidaire will require you to pay a premium yourself)
- You have caused damage during the installation of the appliance
- You have had the appliance serviced by a non-authorized person (i.e., a professional not credentialed by Frigidaire or Electrolux).
As shown, there are plenty of things not covered and ways in which you can void your warranty. The best course of action, therefore, is to only use the product for its intended use and in strict accordance with the instructions in your owner’s manual. In addition, you should be sure to keep all paperwork stored safely so you can access it when needed.
The key paperwork to have to hand is the following:
1
Your receipt from when you purchased the product
2
Your owner’s manual and warranty card
3
Any receipts for work done on the product (with company letterhead)
It’s worth taking a picture of the above and storing the digital records because, without them, you’ll be unlikely to be able to prove your warranty is eligible.
REGISTERING YOUR PRODUCT
In addition to keeping the paperwork safe, one of your first courses of action should be to register your Frigidaire product directly with the company (via its website, using the following link (LINK HERE).
Frigidaire incentivizes the registration by offering entry to a prize draw of $1,000 for those who do so each year. In order to register your product, you’ll need your model and serial number, both of which will be found on the sticker affixed to your appliance.
After you’ve entered those and your name, address, and purchase information, your product is registered with Frigidaire.
The benefit of doing so – aside from the chance of winning $1,000 – is that Frigidaire will be able to contact you regarding your appliance. For example, if there is ever the need to undertake a product recall, then this can be communicated with you directly.
In addition, if something does go wrong in that first year, you’ll be able to easily provide your information to Frigidaire since they’ll have your appliance on record. In other words, it makes the process much smoother if you are trying to claim under the warranty.
Registration takes roughly 10 minutes, costs absolutely nothing, and is something you should do as soon as the product is installed in your home.
TOTAL APPLIANCE PROTECTION
When you buy your Frigidaire product, you’ll also have the option to buy warranty protection. This extends your Limited Warranty and gives you three to four years of additional coverage for your product. The price varies depending on which appliance you are buying, as well as the purchase price.
For a standard refrigerator bought for $1,000 in February of 2022, the prices are as follows:
Years of Coverage | Price | Effective Annual Price |
|---|---|---|
1 | $129.95 | $129.95 |
2 | $237.95 | $118.98 |
3 | $305.95 | $101.98 |
5 | $451.95 | $90.39 |
There is also a ‘bundle discount’ of 10% if you are buying the plan for more than one product.
The benefits of buying an Extension Plan from Frigidaire are:
1
Frigidaire is able to provide the exact components needed and send officially trained and certified experts to make any replacements. Not only does this ensure that the job is done correctly, but it can also speed up the process if the parts are hard to source.
2
You don’t need to worry about your appliance breaking down. The payment ensures that you’re not left with an out-of-pocket cost. Costs for repairing a dishwasher can be $300- $600 and for an oven $500 – $2,500. Therefore, a protection plan can be a solid investment.
3
Frigidaire states that ‘nothing is more important to us than repairing your appliance quickly,’ suggesting that speed and efficiency are at the heart of what they do. You may not get the same level of customer service from a third party.
OTHER
OPTIONS FOR COVERAGE
HOME INSURANCE
In addition to the Frigidaire options, however, you should look into alternative sources of coverage. For example, a homeowner’s insurance policy will usually cover damage to appliances. Most importantly, an insurance policy will usually also cover damage caused by an appliance failing. If a refrigerator or a dishwasher leaks, the water damage alone can run to thousands of dollars.
This isn’t covered under any warranty (limited or expanded), and so even if you buy an extended warranty, you’ll need a robust home insurance policy anyway. If you already have coverage, look at what precisely is said about your appliances, and speak to your insurer about extending your coverage for a direct comparison of costs.
THIRD-PARTY WARRANTIES
An increasingly commonly-used option is also a third-party warranty. There is a wide range of companies that offer this. Effectively it functions in the same way as a manufacturer’s warranty but can have much more generous and broader terms of coverage.
In addition, most third-party warranties cover multiple different appliances. Despite the perceived advantages of using a manufacturer’s warranty, the extremely narrow terms involved sometimes mean that anything other than the free Limited Warranty is simply not worth it.
You should investigate third-party warranties before you make any purchase of an Extended Warranty.
Compare the coverage you are being offered with the cost of the premium, and you will be able to make a direct comparison. In many cases, a third-party warranty is a preferable option.
Ultimately, choosing what warranty you need (or don’t need) is a purely financial decision. You’ll need to weigh up the costs, the risks, and your own personal attitude to risk. The good news is that the free warranty covers you if you buy a product that is atypically badly made.
However, for everything else, you’ll need additional coverage. It doesn’t need to be a complicated process – just a case of getting a few different quotes for your specific circumstances and working out what you’d pay if your appliance broke (either to replace the appliance or fix the damage). Once you’ve done that, you can compare all the numbers you have and make the decision that’s right for you.
One universal absolute: there’s no situation where having more information is a bad thing. So do your research, do the math, and pick the best option for you.