Where Can You Find the Best Home Warranty? Being prepared for unexpected expenses is part of homeownership. Whether you're a landlord looking to reduce operating costs, a homeowner trying to sell your property, or just a regular homeowner who wants to be protected against surprise repairs, having a good home warranty can be a lifesaver. A home warranty is a type of insurance, separate from your home insurance, that covers the cost of repairs or replacements for major systems and appliances in your home.
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First American Home Warranty is a well-established company that has been in operation since 1984. With almost 600,000 customers and three main offices serving the US, they are a reputable player in the home warranty industry. In fact, the company pays out over $219 million on repairs and replacements each year, demonstrating its commitment to providing quality service to its customers.
Choose from three plans
When it comes to choosing a home warranty plan with First American, the process is straightforward. You can start by clicking on the "get a quote" button on their website and entering your personal information, including your name, phone number, address, email, and type of property. We tried this ourselves and found that we had three options to choose from: the Starter Plan, the Essential Plan, and the Premium Plan. The Starter package covers essential systems and appliances, including plumbing, electrical, and heating systems, as well as specific appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators. The Essential package builds upon the Starter package by adding coverage for additional appliances, such as clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, air conditioning units, and garage door openers. The Premium package takes it to the next level by including everything in the Essential package plus appliances like garbage disposals, full garage door systems, faucets, and instant hot water dispensers.
Pricing from $82 to $152 per month
In terms of pricing, the costs are fair at First American Home Warranty. In our area, the Starter package costs $82 per month, the Essential package costs $112 per month, and the Premium package costs $152 per month. At these prices, the service fees for repairs are $125 each. If you want lower service fees, you can change that to $100 per visit, but the monthly payments will go up.
Add-ons priced from $6.25 to $31.25 per month
While many of the 11 optional coverage additions are covered already by the Premium package, you can also pick and choose extras with a lower-cost package. The prices for add-ons range from $6.25 per month for additional refrigerators to $31.25 per month for a pool/spa. Notably, this is one of the highest costs for pool/spa add-ons that we've seen. Otherwise, most of the prices are extremely fair for add-ons at First American Home Warranty.
30-day grace period to cancel
There isn't a specific money-back guarantee here, but there is a waiting period of 30 days. When you purchase a contract from First American Home Warranty, you can cancel this contract within 30 days of the effective date and receive a full refund of the paid fees, as long as you haven't used the service. After the 30 days, you can refer to your contract for specific details on how to cancel, as the terms and conditions will apply, and you will likely not get a full refund.
Customers are impressed with the service reps
Despite having a "just average" rating of "B" from the Better Business Bureau due to over 4,099 complaints filed over the last three years, First American Home Warranty does a good job of responding to and resolving these complaints. On a more positive note, we found a 4.2-star average from satisfied First American Home Warranty clients on ConsumerAffairs. While not every customer has had a perfect experience with getting repairs scheduled or having issues resolved under warranty, most customers seem to receive prompt service with minimal struggles. Many reviewers praised the attention received from First American's customer reps, and all of the recent reviews as of this evaluation were 5 stars.
A top contender for simplicity and friendliness
While no home warranty provider is perfect and will always have some customer complaints, First American Home Warranty does a solid job of handling these issues and providing quality service to its customers. With their straightforward plans, easy-to-use website, and thousands of reviews from satisfied clients, we are confident in recommending them as a good choice for your home warranty needs. Keep First American Home Warranty near the top of your list when deciding which company should earn your business.
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Being prepared for unexpected expenses is part of homeownership. Whether you're a landlord looking to reduce operating costs, a homeowner trying to sell your property, or just a regular homeowner who wants to be protected against surprise repairs, having a good home warranty can be a lifesaver. A home warranty is a type of insurance, separate from your home insurance, that covers the cost of repairs or replacements for major systems and appliances in your home.
By choosing the right plan, you can avoid the financial burden of costly repairs so that your home remains safe and functional. Home warranty plans typically offer different levels for different home concerns and budgets. Basic coverage might include protection for appliances and systems like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems.
Premium plans, on the other hand, might cover more extensive components like electronics, septic systems, and pools and spas. Some providers offer add-on services for extra fees, such as coverage for sump pumps or water softeners.
When selecting a home warranty provider, you'll want to read the fine print and understand what's covered and what's not. Most policies have limits, exclusions, and caps on the amount they'll pay out over the contract's life. For example, some policies might only cover appliances up to a certain age or value. Others might exclude certain types of damage or wear and tear. Be sure to ask about these details before signing up. It's also important to note that most policies have a 30-day waiting period before coverage takes effect. So, if you need to make a claim soon after purchasing the policy, you'll have to wait a month before it kicks in.
During the waiting period, many providers offer a money-back guarantee. This allows you to cancel your policy if you're unsatisfied with the coverage or if you discover something you didn't expect. Another important consideration is the trade call service fee, which is similar to a copay on medical insurance or a deductible on car insurance. This fee can vary depending on the provider and may apply per service call or per repair. Be aware that you could be charged multiple fees for a single repair if different tradespeople are needed to fix the issue.
While it's great that there are a lot of companies to consider for your home warranty, sifting through them all can be stressful. To help you avoid getting overwhelmed by the numerous plans and companies, we've put together some helpful criteria to guide you through your vetting process:
To help keep your home safe from any eventuality, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the most popular home warranty providers out there today. We hope this information helps keep your home and appliances operating safely, and gives you a little extra financial peace of mind!
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