This is the reason I don't buy extended warranties. They are a money maker for sellers, that's a fact, and it is why they push them. A new TV is covered for defects for a year, unless the laws have changed....I guess yours was more than a year. But generally, electronics that last a year last a long time (or as long as their expected lifetime is). Another "scam" is shipping insurance, but that's another story altogether. Good luck.