[Jim]

Experience using a home warranty company? Anecdotally I’ve heard they aren’t worth it, but a family friend recently purchased a home in TX in good condition, but with 17 year old AC units.

They were hoping they’d fail inspection before purchasing, but passed just fine and they’re concerned about the looming costs to fix/replace units.

[Scott]

you will have winners and losers.
You’ll have more losers than winners.
I was a loser.

Had a home warranty company for one year for my personal residence and rentals.

They will deny, deflect, delay…other D’s.

But hey….you may be the “lucky” one who gets a new HVAC system for the price of a $300(?) warranty!

[Barbara]

Put those premium amounts towards maintaining the units. Home warranty is in business for the underwriter not the insureds

[April]

My house has a 62 year old a/c unit, it still works just fine, and I have not put freon in it in the 22 years I have owned the house.

Chrysler made the a/c unit, and they sold out to Fedders in 1976.

Does nothing last anymore, do technicians no longer have

troubleshooting skills, or do techs push you to buy a new unit because that is where the money is in it for them?

[Christina]

I had a few good years with American Home Shields. They replaced my tankless water heater and fixed a bunch of high priced items totaling over $25k.

We recently ended our contract because they put a limit on their coverage and they have been sending substandard contractors out.

[Jule]

After 17 years, it’s time to replace the unit. Don’t waste the money in warranties that only patch the issue.

[Mark]

In my experience, warranty companies will do their best to rip you off and fix things to the bare minimum or find a way to deny a claim.

[Brian]

You have a 17 year old AC unit. The average lifespan of an AC unit is 15 to 20 years.

Read the fine print of any policy you purchase, but almost certainly there will be an exclusion for appliances at the end of their typical lifespan.

These companies are not in the business of selling policies to replace end of life fixtures.

They would go out of business if they did that… and they make a lot of money.

[Reva]

Our realtor got a year for us as a gift. 3 weeks after closing the water heater burst (no damage done, so just replaced), a few months later we got a leak in the roof near the sky light, we had the kitchen sink back up & need to be snaked down to the basement, and finally had the shower drain backup with hair clog.

All covered … and the house seemed to be in ok shape to start! (but is 1937… so old).

That being said I didn’t renew after year one and so far that’s been the better economical decision.

[Marina]

Check the warranty of the unit itself. We purchased a home in 2020 and within 3 months, our dishwasher started acting up (don’t remember what the issue was).

It was a Whirlpool and my husband found that if you purchased a home within the year, there is a warranty on the appliance.

We got the part plus service covered (the cost was close to 1k)

[John]

Former HVAC business owner here – my experience is that these insurance companies are very difficult to work with both on the company and customer side.

Wouldn’t personally recommend.

[Elizabeth]

I had a…fine…experience with First American. Replaced my furnace when it died a week after closing.

And if you buy before closing, they don’t have any waiting period on coverage.

I canceled after a year because the furnace was the main reason I bought it.

I ended up buying a policy again with my new house because the HVAC is 23 years old.

When it eventually dies, I’ll ditch the policy again.

[Hunter]

As a home inspector, I always advise people to carefully read the fine print of any home warranty.

Some of my clients have had their replacements covered, while others have been denied coverage or received substandard repairs.

Additionally, older units may be excluded from coverage.

[Stacy]

They use the worst technicians. Not worth it. Our HVAC units lasted 25 years before we replaced them.

[Terry]

My advice to require an inspector to open up the HVAC units to see the interiors.

Found out mine were rusted inside. (Coastal area)

[Claudia]

I worked at American Home Shield for years & don’t think they are worth it.

Very few people got their money’s worth & they were constantly changing the contracts to cover less & less.

[Lee]

I’ve used HomeServ for several years for my mother in law. They have been excellent for sewer line, for indoor drains, for electrical and for a furnace problem.

Also a rusty main water line.

Super peace of mind for me.

One call, and a very qualified contractor shows up.

[Jamie]

Old Republic Home Warranty Company or First American. None of them are warranty companies, they are a service company.

They are going to always try to fix it vs replacing it.

[Jennifer]

We had American Home Shield for our condo years ago and had a gas line leak.

Called the utility’s emergency services who came out and fixed it.

Tried to submit a claim with AHS and they said they wouldn’t cover it because we didn’t call them first.

First and last time we bothered with a home warranty.

[Kyle]

I guess you don’t understand how a home warranty works. If the units are working fine then they’re covered under warranty.

If they’re not working at the time of the inspection, then they would not be covered under the warranty.

[Lori]

I will never get one again. My paperwork said the plumbing was covered, but apparently only the plumbing above the foundation so they refused to pay for the broken pipe in my foundation.

[Lynne]

I know about 10 folks with one. Only one is happy.
I work for Whirlpool.

And if they replace your unit, they give you a list to choose from that has the least expensive stuff we own make.

All that money you give them …

and that’s how they treat you
I rather have a sink fund for stuff like this.

[Moore]

I did for the first 2 years of owning a house. That allowed me save up extra for my house maintenance fund.

HVAC is now 25 years old and we should be able to cash flow replacement when the time comes.

[Max]

Had a warranty for 30 years. Replaced two a/c units during that time with the last one being in April.

Homeshield paid $3000 out of a $15000 cost.

Was not worth it.

I want to get rid of it, wife won’t.

[Elena]

We had American Home Shield. It didn’t help with the HVAC much, maybe $2K, but it did help with the dishwasher, wash machine, stove, and even cash out/replacement for the broken fridge.

There’s about 30 days that one can request a different company to come fix the problem while the claim is ongoing.

[Author]

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