What type of warranty is often provided without any express agreement?

An implied warranty is a legal term referring to an automatic assurance that certain conditions regarding a product or service are met, even if there is no explicit agreement or statement to that effect. This type of warranty exists to protect the buyer, ensuring that the goods or services provided are suitable for their intended purpose and meet a minimum standard of quality. The concept of implied warranties stems from statutory laws and common law, ensuring that consumers are not left unprotected when purchasing goods or services.

In scenarios involving sales of goods, for example, an implied warranty of merchantability guarantees that the product sold is of average acceptable quality and meets the expectations of the buyer, even if the seller has not expressly stated these conditions. Therefore, a buyer can rely on the fact that the product should perform as a reasonable person would expect, enhancing consumer protection in transactions.

The other types of warranties—express warranties, limited warranties, and full warranties—require explicit agreements or specific terms to be stated clearly at the time of sale. Thus, they do not align with the definition of a warranty that comes into effect without any express agreement.