It will most likely be a complete rip off. You will probably find it is cheaper to pay for the repair than for their insurance, and you may well find you don't actually ever have to pay for any repairs.
Fridges are possible the most reliable of the white goods that you will ever own.
Consider that insurance on this item is likely not to be cost effective. Most of what you pay for insurance will be commission to the salesman, or his company.
Failures will follow the classic bath tub curve. The highest probabilities of failure are soon after you buy or at the end of its life many years later. In the first case the fridge will still be under guarantee and in the second case the insurance company will not allow you to insure it.
Fuggeddaboudit! Firstly, fridges are probably one of the most reliable of white goods. Never had one that didn't survive five years -- in fact, never had one that broke down at all. (Touch wood.)
For the first year, when it's in its shakedown period, you're covered by warranty anyway. (Tip: buy on credit card, then your card provider's jointly liable, under the Consumer Credit Act, provided the sale's over a hundred quid.)
After that -- well, if it breaks down, which is unlikely, get a quote, and if it's too expensive, just replace it.
The breakdown insurance products sold through retailers are larcenously overpriced, often not easy to claim on, and serve only to make far more profit for the shop than they get on the goods themselves.
Great question to ask the salesdroid: "So what you're saying is that the fridge I'm thinking of buying is so unreliable that you're going to try to charge me a third of the purchase price to add two more years to the warranty? Perhaps I should buy somewhere more upmarket, then."
You don't have to take it, however much pressure you get put under. The salespeople are highly incentivised (both in commission and in sales targets) to sell as many policies as possible. Just Say No!
There are other warranty providers out there. Can't remember the URLs offhand, but someone'll be around shortly to help out.
You don't have to take it - and have been offered a lot of good advice already. However one additional thought. John Lewis will price match anyone if they stock the same fridge and give a second year warranty free on all electrical goods.
Dont bother. If your really concered about insurance,do it independantly eg
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or others. Often, when you buy an appliance, you can actually get two years guarantee as standard. Others such as hotpoint give 1 year standard parts and labout and 5 years(?) parts only...
Watch the parts-only bit though. I've heard some makeres can require you to use their own fitter - supplied at extortionate rates (I've heard up to £100ph) - and refuse to give you the bits to fit privately.
That could well be unlawful, because it would constructively render the appliance unmaintainable and therefore unsatisfactory in terms of Sale of Goods law.
I meant only the guarantee-supplied parts. I'm sure spares would be obtainable at the usual prices. It's just that the 4-year "parts" guarantee is effectively worthless when it's cheaper to pay the local shop to fit parts they've sourced.
Exactly. The 4-year guarantee would therefore be unlawful to sell. "Sell" in this case doesn't have to mean that you pay extra for it. Even if you "include it free" it becomes part of the product and hence part of the incentive to make you buy it. If it is effectively worthless, it's a false incentive, deception, and unlawful.
The chances are that if it lasts the first year it will last 10 years. You will already be covered for the first year(s)
With electronics goods you may find that a like-for like replacement will cost a lot less in a few years time. Over a few years you could be paying more in 'insurance' than the cost of a replacement item.
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