A Service Contract is not a Warranty

You may have purchased a warranty at the same time you purchased your car. It only makes sense to have something to protect you against damages for a given amount of time, and the warranty may cover up to three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. You also may be offered the possibility of buying a service contract. This again seems sensible for added protection, but is it really? There are certain qualities of a service contract you may not be aware exist. Having an attorney from a group legal plan go over the contract can save a lot of time and trouble.

The Warranty and Service Contract May Conflict

You need to appreciate that these are two separate documents. Some people may think that the service contract will cover whatever the warranty does not, but that is not always true. In fact, if there is an existing warranty the service contract may not be applicable until the warranty has expired. Many people are not aware of this and it is not information that is going to be volunteered. A consumer who has the benefit of group legal services can have the service contract looked at before it is signed.

A Service Contract is not a Warranty

A service contract is sometimes marketed as an extended warranty. A group legal plan attorney can quickly tell a plan member that a service contract is not really a warranty at all. A warranty is honored by the company who sells it. A service contract may be administered by someone else. Not every dealer who sells a service contract is ethical. It is possible that a consumer is pressured into purchasing at the dealership, and persuaded against reviewing the paper first. It sets up a real problem in which an individual buys something that is not really as good as it sounds. Having the contract reviewed by a group legal services attorney prior to the signing is a great benefit. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has a legal benefit option the review of contracts.

Interpreting the Details

Countrywide has worked with group legal services benefits since 1987. We are familiar with the confusion consumers have with service contracts and warranties on their automobiles. A Countrywide attorney can review a service contract of up to six pages and alert the plan member to any problems. This can save the individual quite a bit of money. Dealers also become a little hesitant about contracts if they know an attorney is going to review it first. The hard sell which sometimes takes place stops immediately. Unscrupulous salespeople know that a consumer protection complaint can be filed against them. Countrywide also will help a group legal services plan member file such a claim if the service contract appears fraudulent.

The Countrywide primary services are backed up with secondary assistance. A plan member may call a Countrywide attorney an unlimited number of times on a given situation, and face-to-face consultation is always available. Countrywide also allows for its attorneys to contact the other party either by telephone or legal correspondence. It is all part of our commitment to protect a plan member from being taken advantage of by unethical people.

Organizations want benefits designed to better help their own workforce. This is why we tailor any group legal plan to the needs and require of the given client. We see to it the plan document is designed in such a way that it reflects the wishes of a given employer. We also have very efficient administration to allow for better service delivery.

A service contract is not a warranty and might be a waste of money. The only way to be sure is to have an attorney look at the contract prior to signing. Countrywide allows for this kind of benefit along with our other group legal plan options. Anyone interested in the services we provide is encouraged to contact us at their convenience.