Archived Copies of Warranty Week

December 2002 to Today

Service Contract Pricing: Appliances: While the typical appliance service contract costs roughly 14% to 16% of the price of the product it protects, there is an enormous amount of variation, depending on which administrator the retailer works with, how long the contract lasts, and whether the product is low end or top of the line.
February 9, 2017
Service Contract Pricing: TVs: Although the average price of a TV service contract is 17% of the TV's price, there is a tremendous amount of variation. One administrator wants $30 to protect a $400 TV while another wants nearly 2/3rds the price of a high-end Sony set for a service plan.
October 6, 2016
The ServiceBench Legacy: In the household appliance industry, it's more or less assumed that warranty and service contract claims data will cross the ServiceBench network. In most other industries, each manufacturer and third party administrator has its own network, and its own claims submission format.
January 13, 2011
Used Auto Warranties: Signs of life are beginning to appear in the used auto industry as partnerships are formed and annual sales increases are claimed. One of the latest deals is struck between the makers of electronic contract and tax form software and a veteran administrator of service contracts sold by used car dealers.
August 6, 2009
NEW Acquires ServiceBench: One is a leading service plan administrator and call center operator. The other is a major network hub for warranty professionals. Together they can set the standard for warranty claims processing, customer care, extended warranty administration, service dispatch, and end-of-life recycling.
January 23, 2008
Warranty Investments: One Wall Street-weary extended warranty administrator is going private while another was swept up by an acquisitive company out to corner the market for mobile phone extended warranties. And then there's ServiceBench, carefully planning its next logical step.
June 27, 2006
Unusual Warranties: Ever since it pioneered the sale of extended warranties for VCRs almost 25 years ago, VAC Service Corp. has boldly gone where no administrator has gone before.
December 7, 2004
Warranty Outsourcing: For one service contract administrator, discretion is a virtue. Some clients don't want anyone to know they outsource claims administration. Some don't even want their names to appear in print.
November 23, 2004
Service Dispatch: With home appliances, warranty work almost always involves a housecall. Claims administrator ServiceBench has turned the dispatch of service technicians into a strategic advantage.
November 3, 2004