Is an appliance AMC worth it? A plain-English guide

An Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) is a yearly fee you pay a brand or service company to cover routine servicing and, sometimes, repairs for an appliance. Whether it's worth it depends almost entirely on the appliance and how old it is.

When an AMC usually pays off

• Air conditioners: they need servicing twice a year anyway, and a comprehensive AMC that includes gas top-up and part replacement often costs less than paying per-visit plus one out-of-warranty repair.
• RO water purifiers: filters and membranes are consumables that need replacing on a schedule; an AMC that bundles them removes the guesswork and is usually cheaper than buying parts retail.
• Appliances just out of warranty (years 2–4): the period when things start failing but the appliance is still worth keeping.

When to skip it

• Appliances still under manufacturer warranty — you're paying twice for the same coverage.
• Simple, reliable appliances (a basic fan, a microwave) where a failure is cheap to fix or the unit is cheap to replace.
• Very old appliances near the end of their life — put the money toward replacement instead.

What to check before signing

• Comprehensive vs. non-comprehensive: comprehensive covers parts; non-comprehensive covers only labour and visits. The difference is large.
• Number of preventive visits included per year, and the response time for a breakdown call.
• What's excluded — compressors, PCBs and gas are common exclusions in cheaper contracts.
• Whether it's with the brand or a third party; brand AMCs cost more but use genuine parts.

The honest rule of thumb: an AMC is insurance against the hassle and the surprise bill, not usually a way to save money outright. If a surprise ₹5,000 repair would genuinely disrupt you, the predictability is worth it. If not, pay per visit and keep a record of when each service is due.

Your Home Docket keeps all of this in one place — every appliance, its warranty, its service history, and a reminder before the next service is due, shared with your whole family. It's free. Create yours in a couple of minutes.