When a Leaky Garbage Disposal Adds to an Ongoing Warranty Claim

When a Leaky Garbage Disposal Adds to an Ongoing Warranty Claim

This post documents my personal experience and reflects events as they occurred.

Background

While dealing with a clogged kitchen sink and an associated warranty claim, I discovered an additional issue: my garbage disposal had begun leaking. The leak caused water to pool beneath the unit and seep into the finished office space below, affecting my workspace and equipment.

The garbage disposal was a Moen/Waste King 1HP unit that I had previously installed and that had performed reliably until this point.

Separate Claims and Service Fees

When I contacted Select Home Warranty, I was informed that the clogged sink and the malfunctioning garbage disposal were considered two separate issues, each requiring its own service request and service fee. Although paying two service fees was frustrating, I understood this was consistent with the terms of the agreement and proceeded accordingly.

Claim Submission and Approval

I submitted a claim for the garbage disposal through Select Home Warranty’s website on Tuesday evening. The following morning, I received an email confirming that the claim had been reviewed and that a replacement reimbursement had been approved.

Unlike the sink issue, this claim did not require a technician visit. The approval email stated that I was authorized to replace the garbage disposal with a comparable unit, with reimbursement capped at $75 (retail cost).

“In this instance you are approved to replace your Garbage Disposal with a new unit of comparable size. The amount that you have been approved toward a replacement Garbage Disposal is $75.00 (Retail Cost). If you wish to purchase a Garbage Disposal of higher value, you may apply the approved amount toward that purchase and will be responsible for the price difference.”
— Email from Select Home Warranty

Evaluating the Reimbursement Amount

My garbage disposal was a 1HP unit that originally cost approximately $200, and comparable models available today are priced similarly. After researching replacement options online and at Home Depot, I found that disposals with equivalent power and features consistently exceeded the approved reimbursement amount.

In addition to the cost of the unit itself, replacing a garbage disposal typically involves installation labor, which in my area averages around $150. As a result, the approved reimbursement covered only a small portion of the total replacement cost.

Request for Reassessment

I contacted Select Home Warranty to request a reassessment of the reimbursement amount. During my conversation with customer service, the representative placed me on hold to inquire whether any adjustment was possible. When the call resumed, I was informed that the approved amount would not be changed and that no further review was available.

While I understand that reimbursement amounts are governed by policy terms and internal valuation methods, the outcome was disappointing given the real-world cost of replacing a comparable unit.

My Takeaway

From my perspective, this experience illustrates how reimbursement caps can diverge significantly from current market pricing, particularly for higher-capacity appliances. Although a reimbursement was provided, it did not materially offset the cost of replacing the disposal with a comparable model.

This post is shared to document how the claim was handled and to provide transparency into my experience navigating the process.