I also live out of the country and manage properties myself, so I have to get faults fixed from a distance.
When an appliance fails I use AO.com to replace it. They agree a delivery time/date with the tenant, install it, take away the packaging and the old appliance. Obviously they charge for this, but their prices are pretty fair I think. Certainly cheaper than getting a engineer out to do it and an engineer won’t take away the old unit. So far, tenants have been happy with them and importantly, me.
AO have an arrangement with D&G. Shortly after delivery they call me to sell me the insurance deal. It differs from extended warranty as it claims to be indefinite. So whenever the appliance eventually fails, D&G will pay for repair or replacement. D&G have also taken on appliances I bought 2 years previously from AO on which I didn’t take the insurance. Note I haven’t ever had to make a claim on the insurance though. I think D&G will take most things providing you know the make, model and age.
Most white goods cost between £5-£9 per month to insure. It works out that if (say) a washing machine fails after 8-10 years (which seems to be normal), I’ve paid for it at least twice in the monthly payments, but it saves me having to get a repair man out.
The alternative would be just to take a punt and buy a new appliance every time one goes wrong.
If I lived locally, I wouldn’t bother, but as I don’t, this arrangement works for me.