Many service contracts send a covered item through a diagnosis step before any repair work begins. The item is inspected, the fault is identified, and the provider or its technician decides whether the cause falls within the contract. Forms use different names for this step, such as inspection, evaluation, or teardown, so read the form for the stage itself and not only for the word.
What the finding should contain
A written finding normally names the part that failed, the cause observed, the condition of related parts, and whether the cause is listed as covered, excluded, or not yet determined. Ask whether you will receive this finding in writing, when you will receive it, and who signs it. A verbal answer at the counter is not the same record as a finding on paper.
Questions to ask at the inspection
Ask who performs the inspection and whether that person works for the provider or for a subcontractor. Ask whether you will be told the cause before parts are ordered or before any labor starts. Ask what happens if the cause is not covered, and whether the form says who pays for the inspection in that case. Ask how long the item may be held for inspection and whether you may take it back if you decline the repair.
What to keep
Keep the finding, the name of the person who inspected the item, and a note of the time and place of the inspection. If the cause is disputed later, these records show what was found and what was told to you at the time. Keep copies of any messages sent through a portal or by email as well as paper.
Where this guide stops
The rules for inspections and findings depend on the contract form and on the statute or program that applies in your state. The state pages on this site set out the regulator and the rules where they are published. This guide has not read every contract form in use and does not describe the diagnosis process of any named company.