A covered item is partly a paper record. When a claim comes in, the provider or administrator may ask for proof that the item was kept up as the contract and the owner manual describe. The record you keep at home is often the only proof you have.
What the record should hold
Keep one file for each covered item. Put the contract, the sales summary, the owner manual, and a running log in that file. Each log entry should name the day the work was done, who did it, what was done, and any reading, part, or fluid change that was written down. Keep the receipt for every visit and every part you bought yourself.
What to check in the contract
Read the maintenance section of the form. Look for whether coverage is tied to upkeep done according to the manufacturer manual, whether work you perform yourself counts or only work by a licensed or qualified person counts, and whether a missed task voids coverage for everything or only for claims connected to that task. Find out what the form calls acceptable proof.
What to ask before you sign
Ask whether the provider accepts electronic copies, how long you should hold the records, whether the provider must be the one who performs upkeep, and what happens if an upkeep task falls due while the item is away or unused. Ask who decides whether a record is enough, and whether that decision can be reviewed.
How to use this site
This guide does not say what any company's contract requires. Published state rules and any roster figures are on the state pages of this site and in its tables. Keep your records whether or not your state requires them, because a claim file rarely asks for less than the log would show.