DTE Energy Protection Plus Protection Plan? Money for nothing. Detroit, Michigan

About a year ago, we purchased an appliance service plan through DTE. The plan was supposed to cover the cost of having appliances repaired when they broke down.This particular plan, called HPP Platinum Protection Plan cost us $35.95 a month. Last week our dishwasher quit working. This was a top of the line stainless steel Viking commercial dishwasher that carried a price tag of over $1600.00 when we baught it from Hawthorne in the summer of 2006. So we called the service number provided by DTE to Platinum Protection customers.

Two days later, a serviceman from an appliance repair shop subcontracted by the waranty company showed up at our door to "fix" our dishwasher. He stayed in our house all of 2 minutes, the time it took to open the Viking's door and close it. "I have to order a part" said he, and he left. Shortly later, the warranty company called and informed my wife that they would not pay anything for the repair. The part cost $600.00, and it is, in their opinion, more than what the dishwasher is worth. We disagreed. Hold on, we were informed that there is an appeal process.

We can file a formal complaint, and they will get back to us in 40 t0 45 business days! So I guess we are supposed to do all the dishes for a family of 5 by hand for two months or so before we hear the result of our appeal. This is the way this plan work. When you buy a brand new appliance, it is typically guaranteed by the manufacturer for a year. If you have a "protection plan" you pay money for nothing.

Consumers studies show, one after another, that if an appliance does not break down during its first year, it will not break down for another two or three years. during which time, you pay the protection plan money for nothing. When your appliance gets to be 3 or 4 years old and may need repair, your "Protection Plan" will deem it to be too old to be fixed! You have paid them them money for nothing! If you are contemlating purchasing a protection plan from DTE, don,t walk away from the idea, run. Not unless you want ro pay money for nothing.