Archived Copies of Warranty Week

December 2002 to Today

Computer Industry Warranty Report: Though the totals and averages are declining, we can't be sure it isn't caused primarily by all the companies going private or getting acquired by non-reporting parents, and thereby dropping from the list of warranty expense report providers.
May 2, 2019
US Automaker Warranty Report: GM takes the lead as its warranty cost per vehicle dips below $300, allowing it to take a whopping $1.3 billion out of its reserve fund. Ford remains steady while Tesla still has unusually high warranty expenses. And GM is now third on the list of top warranty providers based in the U.S.
March 8, 2018
Service Contract Pricing: Refrigerators: The bigger the refrigerator, and the more it costs, the lower the ratio between its list price and the price of protecting it for a given length of time. And the longer the duration of coverage, the more it will cost, though the industry-wide ratio isn't close to a straight line in terms of cost per year.
January 19, 2017
Top 100 Warranty Providers of 2014: While we can't directly compare one company's warranty expenses to another's, we can compare each company to itself over time, and then compare the magnitude of the changes. What follows is a list of the manufacturers that have raised or lowered their warranty expense rates the most from 2013 to 2014.
March 12, 2015
Service Contract Underwriters: Well over half the service contracts sold each year to consumers are backed by publicly-traded insurance companies based in the U.S. What follows is a list of their financial strength ratings and a look at their stock market track record since 2008.
February 5, 2015
Top Warranty Expense Reductions: Using a list of just the top 200 warranty providers, we found one company whose warranty managers have cut costs by a billion a year within a decade, two more that cut hundreds of millions a year, and five that cut tens of millions a year from their employers' annual claims cost. And there were 16 more that deserved honorable mentions for their efforts.
January 15, 2015
Warranty Book List: On the occasion of the passing of a noted author of warranty management books, we take a look at the published output of him, his colleagues and others in the warranty and service contract industries.
December 5, 2013
Telecom Equipment Warranties: With so many big companies off the list after acquisitions and bankruptcies, many of those still left are finding it hard to keep costs low. But a handful are making spectacular progress, according to the latest data.
April 25, 2013
Average Warranty Costs per Industry: One can get a good idea of the industries where warranty is most important by looking at both the amount they pay and the percentage of sales that those payments represent. And the data suggests that automotive, computers and appliances are at the top of the list.
May 31, 2012
Selling Peace of Mind: With all the negative publicity generated by the "expiring warranty" telemarketing scam, these days it's the auto dealers that need some reassurance about the value of selling vehicle service contracts to consumers. Below is a list of some of the benefits of the different types of VSCs, followed by two different lists compiled by industry associations that can help consumers spot a scam before they buy into it.
July 16, 2009
Top 100 Warranty Providers of 2008: Of all the companies spending the most on warranty, none of the largest reported massive percentage changes in 2008, which confirms the stability of their warranty programs. But there were plenty of big changes in claims and accrual rates further down the list, some for the better and some for the worse.
March 13, 2009
Consumer Electronics Warranties: While most of the brands are imports, there is a short list of American CE manufacturers. But while the Japanese brands have relatively low warranty expenses, the American brands pay claims at rates more like those seen in the computer and automotive businesses.
May 1, 2007
Warranty Compliance: The list of companies reporting upon their warranty accounts is constantly changing as new companies begin complying with the new rules while old companies close down or get acquired. A handful of companies sometimes forget to include details about their warranty spending, while others simply disregard the rules.
May 23, 2006
Top 50 Warranty Providers: The data is in, and there are four new names on the list of companies with the largest warranty programs. American manufacturers reported more than $23.675 billion in warranty claims during 2003, a rate very close to $2 billion a month.
March 23, 2004