How Costco's 2-Year Warranty Extension Actually Works
Most Costco members don't realize they get free coverage that doubles or triples manufacturer warranties on most electronics. Here's what's covered, what isn't, and how to claim it when something breaks.
If you bought a TV, laptop, projector, or major appliance from Costco in the last two years, there's a good chance you have warranty coverage you don't know about. Costco's Technical and Warranty Services extends the manufacturer's warranty on those four categories to 2 years from purchase, at no extra cost.
Most members have no idea this exists. Some throw away receipts thinking the warranty's up. Others pay for protection plans they don't need. This guide explains how it actually works, what's covered, and how to claim when something breaks.
The basics
Costco's extended warranty help page says Costco Technical and Warranty Services extends the manufacturer's warranty on the covered categories for up to 2 years from the date of warehouse purchase, or from the delivery date for online orders. That is 2 years total, including the manufacturer's original term. So if your TV came with a 1-year warranty, Costco gives you a second year. If it came with 2 years, you get 2 years (not 2 + 2).
Tip
The extension is free for U.S. Costco members and needs no registration. Costco reserves the right to meet the second-year obligation by repair, replacement, or a refund up to the purchase price, at its choosing.
Eligible categories
- Televisions
- Projectors
- Computers (laptops, desktops, all-in-ones), excluding touchscreen tablets
- Major appliances: refrigerators above 10 cu. ft., freezers, ranges, cooktops, over-the-range microwaves, dishwashers, water heaters, washers and dryers
Not eligible
- Touchscreen tablets, smartphones, cameras, headphones, vacuums, and anything else outside the four categories above (those keep only the manufacturer's warranty)
- Physical damage and liquid damage
- Data backup and software replacement
- Using a residential unit in a commercial setting, or a commercial unit in a residential one
What you actually get
Beyond the extra year of coverage, Costco Technical and Warranty Services offers:
| Service | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tech support | Free phone support for TVs, computers, cameras, printers and more, for the life of the product, per Costco's warehouse return page |
| Warranty assistance | One number, 1-866-861-0450, for warranty information and help, answered in the U.S. in English and Spanish |
| Second-year remedy | Repair, replacement, or a refund up to the purchase price, at Costco's choosing |
| Stacking with Allstate | Add an Allstate Protection Plan within 90 days and a TV or major appliance reaches 5 years: 2 through Costco, 3 through Allstate |
How to claim when something breaks
This is where most people get tripped up. You have three potential paths, and choosing the right one matters.
Path 1 — Year 1: manufacturer or Costco
During the original manufacturer warranty period (usually year 1), you can go directly to the manufacturer or call Costco's line for warranty information and assistance. Either way, the manufacturer's terms govern what is covered.
Path 2 — Year 2: Costco only
After the manufacturer warranty expires but within Costco's 2-year window, you must go through Costco. The manufacturer won't help you, but Costco will.
Path 3 — Concurrent credit card extended warranty
Info
Hidden value. If you paid with a credit card that includes extended warranty (see our guide on credit cards with the longest extended warranty), you may be able to stack it on top of Costco's coverage. Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve start their one additional year after a store-provided warranty ends, as long as the manufacturer's and store's terms together run 3 years or less. Amex Platinum's 12 months start when the manufacturer's warranty ends, so they overlap Costco's second year. So a TV bought at Costco with a Sapphire Reserve = 3 total years of coverage. Note that the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi does not include extended warranty at all.
A concrete example
A TV purchased at Costco for $799 with a Chase Sapphire Reserve has the following protection stack:
- Manufacturer warranty (Samsung): 1 year (April 2025 → April 2026)
- Costco Technical and Warranty Services: +1 year (April 2026 → April 2027)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve extended warranty: +1 year after the store warranty ends (April 2027 → April 2028), within Chase's 4-year cap from purchase
- Costco return window: 90 days for TVs from the day you received it (closed July 2025)
If the TV breaks before April 2027, call Costco. Between April 2027 and April 2028, file with Chase. Total coverage: 3 years from purchase, all free.
Track this kind of thing
Stop losing money to deadlines you didn't know existed.
HeresNext maps the manufacturer warranty, return window, credit-card extension, retailer perks, and any third-party plan on every purchase. Quiet email a few days before any window closes.
Join the waitlistCommon gotchas
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Lost receipts. Costco's warehouse return page says a receipt or original packaging helps but "may not be necessary" because purchases are tied to your membership. Keep the receipt anyway (or use HeresNext) for anything you might claim on a credit card, since card issuers do ask for it.
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Only four categories qualify. A camera, phone, tablet, vacuum, or countertop appliance bought at Costco gets the manufacturer's warranty and nothing more from Costco.
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Online vs in-store. Costco.com purchases also qualify, and the 2 years run from the delivery date rather than the order date.
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The second-year remedy is Costco's choice. Repair, replacement, or a refund up to the purchase price. You don't get to pick.
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U.S. members only. Costco says the service is available exclusively for U.S. Costco members. The page doesn't say what happens if your membership lapses, so renew before you call.
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Damage vs defect matters. The extension mirrors the manufacturer's warranty, which covers defects in materials and workmanship. Costco's listed exclusions are physical damage, liquid damage, and data or software loss. For accidents, you'd need a separate plan or credit card purchase protection.
What about extended protection plans?
Costco sells Allstate Protection Plans (formerly SquareTrade) that pick up after Costco's 2 years. Per Costco's plan FAQs, TV and appliance plans give 5 years of total coverage, the first 2 through Costco Technical and Warranty Services and the next 3 through Allstate, and can be added up to 90 days after purchase, or after delivery for online orders. Computer, camera, and tablet plans work differently: they add accident coverage, run 3 years for computers and 2 for cameras and tablets, and must be bought on Costco.com within 30 days. The plans list no deductible, and Costco's plan terms refund a fixed-term plan in full if you cancel at any point during its term. Whether it's worth buying depends on:
- Item category and likely failure rate
- Whether your credit card already adds 1–2 years
- Cost of the plan vs the item's replacement cost
For most members with a card that carries extended warranty, the math doesn't work: you already have 3 years of coverage between the manufacturer, Costco, and the card. Paying for a plan on a $1,000 TV that already has 3 free years often doesn't pay off.
When it might be worth it:
- Items used heavily (commercial use, kids' devices)
- Categories with known durability problems
- Items above credit card claim caps (typically $10,000)
- Member doesn't have a card with extended warranty
Bottom line
Most Costco members are sitting on warranty value they don't know about. Don't pay for extended protection plans on Costco purchases without checking what you already have. You usually already have:
- The manufacturer's warranty, usually 1 year on TVs and computers
- Costco's extension to 2 years from purchase on TVs, projectors, computers, and major appliances (free)
- Potentially another 12 months from a credit card with extended warranty, or up to 24 on Citi's ThankYou cards and Capital One's World Elite Mastercard (free)
Track what you bought, when, and on which card. Claim through the right channel when something breaks. That's the coverage stack working in your favor.
This is exactly the kind of layered tracking HeresNext was built for. The app maps Costco's extension automatically when it sees a Costco purchase in a covered category, and adds your credit card's coverage on top. You don't have to remember any of this.