Poojan (Wagh) Blog

I recently came across this article, that states that it usually doesn’t make sense to buy the extended warranty at (for example) Best Buy, because most credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, and American Express) offer extended warranties provided you bought the item with the card.

So, for kicks, I went through the process to see what it’d take. First, go Visa’s Warranty Manger page:

Then, from there, you’ll go through a secure connection that asks you to register your card:

I paused here for a moment, because even though the site is secure (the text in the location bar starts with https://), it points to https://portal.newcorp.com/visaclaims/servlet/VisaClaimsProcessRunner?USER_ACTION=ShowWelcome. I’m not sure who newcorp is. However, it was linked to from visa.com, so I took a small chance.

You enter a bunch of information (address, email, phone number, etc.) and when all is said and done, you end up here:

At which point, you can formally register a product:

“Yes, Warranty Manager registration service helps you take full advantage of your warranties, because you can get key information about your coverage. And if you send us your sales receipts and warranty information, we’ll keep everything on file – so arranging for a repair becomes much easier. It also helps expedite the process in the event a claim needs to be filed later.”

Is there any advantage to registering my product?

Fairly soon after registering a product, I got the following email (likely to be  sent via postal mail as well):

So that we may expedite potential repairs for your product, please return this form with the
following required documentation, in the enclosed pre-addressed envelope:

1. A copy of your itemized sales receipt;
2. A copy of your credit card slip reflecting the purchase of your item;
3. A copy of your manufacturer’s written U.S. warranty information. (required only for products
   with a purchase price over $100.00).

Please note that all documents must be legible and any omission of required documents or
information may result in the delay of any future claims.

Should your product ever need service or if you have any questions regarding the VISA Warranty
Manager Service, please call our customer service department at 1-800-231-3250, or you can visit
us on the web at www.visa.com/eclaim. Representatives are available to assist you 24 hours a
day, 365 days a year.

Please note: this item may be eligible for an extended service agreement known as a Visa
Performance Guarantee (underwritten by Westchester Fire Insurance Company). Call 1-800-231-
3250 for details!

We appreciate the opportunity to serve you.

Sincerely,

Customer Service
Warranty Manager Program

That’s pretty cool. I’m all about having someone else file my receipts. Sure, I have to send it to them, but that’s easier to do than finding them when the TV/camera/etc. breaks.