Do home warranties cover hot tubs and spas?

What hot tub and spa services does a home warranty cover?

Home warranties usually cover hot tubs and spas. While they may not be covered in the base package, a higher-tier package will typically include both. You may also be able to add hot tub and spa coverage to your current package as an à la carte item.

Your policy may only cover certain parts of your hot tub or spa, though, so be sure to check your contract. Some parts that may be covered include:

• Jets
• Timers
• Actuators
• Filtration systems
• Motors
• Electrical wiring
• Pool sweeps
• Heaters
• Above-ground plumbing
• Pipes
• Wiring

Potential exclusions to hot tub and spa home warranty coverage

While you probably have coverage, there's still a chance your claim to repair your hot tub or spa may face some hurdles. Some common exclusions in your home warranty contract that might impact your ability to get a repair or replacement include:

• The spa or hot tub wasn't properly maintained.
• Your hot tub or spa wasn't installed correctly.
• The issue existed before you obtained your warranty.
• Your warranty doesn't cover a specific brand, model or age of hot tub or spa.
• Your homeowner’s insurance covers your spa or hot tub.
• The damage wasn't caused by regular wear and tear.
• An unauthorized technician did the repairs.

Additionally, your policy might have a cap on how much it will pay for a repair or replacement. For instance, your contract might limit hot tub and spa repairs to $5,000. That means that if your hot tub or spa requires $6,000 worth of work, the home warranty company will pay just $5,000. You'll be responsible for covering the additional $1,000 yourself.

There may even be caps on certain parts of the repair. American Home Shield, for example, has a coverage cap of $1,000 if your contractor needs to cut through concrete to access any system components for your spa or hot tub.

What to do if your home warranty doesn’t cover hot tubs and spas

If your home warranty plan doesn't cover hot tubs and spas, you can make changes to your package. You might have the option to upgrade to a package with hot tub and spa coverage or add it to your current plan as an extra feature. This will add a little extra to your home warranty costs, though.

Another thing to consider is your homeowner’s insurance, which could step in to cover hot tub and spa repairs in certain situations — like if your home is impacted by a fire or flood.

Bottom line

While it's true that many standard home warranty plans offer coverage of hot tubs and spas, most offer it as an optional add-on. Coverage can vary depending on the provider and the specific terms of your home warranty contract. So, it's important to carefully review your home warranty policy to determine what hot tub and spa protection your contract covers.