When purchasing a new digital camera, you have a few different warranty options, some of which are automatically awarded to you and some of which you must purchase. Sorting out your rights for consumer warranties with a new camera can be confusing. We'll discuss what types of warranties are available.
- Manufacturer's warranty. The manufacturer's warranty is a written warranty included with every type of new digital camera. The company that manufactured the camera guarantees that the model will be free from defects for a certain period of time (usually 1 year) from the date of purchase. However, this type of warranty does not cover accidental damage that you cause to the camera. Under this warranty, the manufacturer will arrange to have the camera fixed for free.
- Extended warranty. Also called a service contract, the extended warranty typically is a signed agreement between the consumer and a company or a store that usually provides coverage beyond the manufacturer's warranty, for a fee. The manufacturer rarely provides extended warranties, but the store at which you buy the camera often will offer to sell you extended warranties. The extra coverage can involve the types of damage covered, the length of time for coverage, or both. The extended warranty is added on to the price of the camera. Do not rely on a salesperson to explain an extended warranty. Make sure the extended warranty is in writing and read all of the fine print yourself.
- Store warranty. A store warranty usually is another name for a service contract or extended warranty. In this case, the store itself offers the extended warranty, for a fee. One of the risks of this type of warranty occurs if the store goes out of business during the warranty's lifetime, leaving you without coverage. Some consumers were worried about this problem when Circuit City announced its bankruptcy, but all of Circuit City's extended warranties were provided through a third-party company.
- Third-party warranty. Again, this type of warranty is another name for a service contract. The third-party warranty differs from a store warranty only by the company that provides the coverage. You'll typically pay for the extended warranty at the store where you buy the camera, but the company that backs the extended warranty is a third-party company, not the store that sells you the camera. If this is the case with your digital camera, it should be spelled out clearly in the extended warranty contract. The risk with a third-party warranty, as with a store warranty, is that the third-party company will go out of business, leaving you without coverage.
- Implied warranty. This type of warranty is simple enough: The law says that every new product will work as expected for a reasonable amount of time. An implied warranty does not need to be written or verbalized at the time of purchase. It is a common sense expectation of performance. State law regarding implied warranties varies, but with digital cameras, the implied warranty is at least equal to the manufacturer's warranty time frame, although it can be longer. As with the manufacturer's warranty, the manufacturer should make repairs to the camera or replace it for free, when defects are discovered.
- Express warranty. An express warranty typically is described as a verbal or written statement that promises a certain level of workmanship or quality within a product. Express warranties aren't always available with digital cameras, and they aren't always obvious. Some express warranties might appear in an advertisement or on a sign in a store, for example. Camera manufacturers and electronics stores tend to rely on more formal types of warranties.
- Verbal warranty. Never accept a verbal warranty from a salesperson. Any verbal agreement the salesperson makes with a customer regarding potential repairs or guarantees of service also should be in writing, especially if the service requires an additional fee beyond the cost of the digital camera.
Hopefully, you'll never need to use the warranty for your camera, but if you do need help having a warranty honored, you can read various articles here on About.com Cameras. Also, make sure you follow all of the rules during and just after your purchase to ensure you can have a camera manufacturer's warranty honored.
