Compare Home Warranty Companies

We purchased a 9yo home in excellent condition in Dec08. The sellers threw in a year with First American Home Warranty for us. We got EVERYTHING covered. I think they have the best "coverage" but I've had nothing but hassle in trying to get servicemen to come out. Their policy is that once you call-in a claim (you can email it, but I haven't tried that) you get a work order number and are assigned to a company. That co. has 48 hrs to contact you and set up an appointment (but they give you the name and number of the co., "just in case" you don't hear from them within 48 hours!). My exp. has been that the companies don't call you back even after several phone calls. I used one appliance repair company, a one-man operation, and he only came to my NON-rural area once a week! So yes, he finally fixed my dryer and that was about two weeks after the initial request. And he finally fixed my washer (which was on the same work order) last week, so I think that was over 2 months of waiting. And I called FAHW over and over about it. Right now I have an open work order for our pool pump. I called it in two weeks ago and called repeatedly when the one-man operation assigned to me never called....they still never called back after 5 days, so I told FAHW and they reassigned me to another provider (but the 48-hr. thing starts over) 25 miles from me, but they have a repairman assigned to my area. Anyway, I called them at 48 hrs and two more times until 96 hours, got the manager but he promised me the guy assigned to me would call me back (never did)....then I got smart, and C., this is what you need to do if you're ever in this situation no matter which company you go with: Purchase the home warranty from a representative. Call the rep if you are displeased and tell him/her. That rep is going to put the fire under them and make sure you're taken care of. I wish I hadn't waited so long to complain to her, as our pool is getting dirtier and worse. But it was like MAGIC talking to the rep, and she got the guy to come out the next day. GOOD LUCK.

Do a search for First American Home Warranty. We pay $42 a month service fee is $55 but it seems to cover a lot more than your company. Since living in this house we have had a new washer replaced, and the a/c system all for the service fee.

We the "home warranty" with our first house--it was a waste of money. The house was less than 20yrs. old when we bought it. The cost was $300-400, per year and when the dishwasher broke, the repair man actually told us that the company told him to tell us it wasn't covered. They did end up replacing our dishwasher. We had issues with the a/c, the company said that since it hadn't been maintained properly (before we bought the house) it wasn't covered. The last thing was a drippy faucet, they sent someone out, said he fixed it--nope, it still dripped. Each time they sent someone we still had to pay the service charge of $45. For the cost that we paid, for the 2 years we had the service and for what they actually did, we could have bought our own dishwasher and saved about $500!

My parents did this for their home and found it to be very beneficial.

You might want to include who the company is - someone who reads this forum may have some experience with this particular company and offer feedback specifically on this company.

Check with the BBB and / or do some research on the internet. People who have had a bad experience will usually post something on the net for EVERYONE to read.

Good luck.