I shipped my daughter's HP Presario 1800XL notebook to Hewlett-Packard for a variety of repairs--the hinges on the screen were broken, the arrow keys were malfunctioning, and there was a screeching noise during start-up. A couple of days later, a tech-support rep told me the arrow keys didn't work because a beverage had seeped inside the keyboard. He said that accidental damage wasn't covered in my extended warranty and that the repairs would cost $300. I asked him not to fix the keys but to repair the other problems (especially the hinges) that were covered. He said this couldn't be done unless I authorized and paid for the keyboard repairs first. This seems like a strange policy.

Dinesh Patel, San Diego

On Your Side responds: HP spokesperson Jim Kemp said that HP's policy is not to perform any repairs covered under the warranty if there is also accidental damage that is not covered. But after we contacted the company, HP made an exception and fixed Patel's Presario for free.

Warranties can be extremely complicated beasts. Before purchasing a product or an extended warranty, ask the salesperson to explain the policy and provide a written copy. Especially for notebooks, consider getting an insurance plan that covers accidental damage. Many insurance companies offer plans specifically for PCs. In addition, some credit card companies offer extra protection for purchases, though usually at a higher cost.

Grace Aquino is senior associate editors for PC World. You can e-mail her at consumerwatch@pcworld.com. Click here to read previously published On Your Side columns.