First American Home Warranty Reviews Is This Company a Scam?

First American has years of experience on its side, having been in the business since 1984. They have a strong list of home warranty plans and work to keep their prices low, even as the economy shifts drastically. We are looking at this company in-depth to give you an analysis we hope will help you to make a more informed decision as you try to pick the best home warranty. There are lots of options out there, and First American Home Warranty is worth a look. 

Home warranties offer coverage that you do not get from home insurance plans, covering expenses like repairs and replacement for air conditioning units, electrical systems, plumbing, and appliances, among other things. Each company offers its own list of plans and available coverage at prices they set. We are going to look at First American Home Warranty here and compare how purchasing a home warranty from them stacks up against the competition. If you are considering buying a home warranty, then this is the place to start. 

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How We Scored First American Home Warranty

First American Home Warranty is one of our top picks for home warranty companies. They offer a range of plans for consumers to pick from and have affordable pricing on most of their plans. Their customer service is available around the clock, and they scored a B rating from the Better Business Bureau. We rated them an 88% out of a possible 100%.

If you want to see why they received this rating, read through our review and see for yourself what makes them a premier choice for our review team.

First American Home Warranty Pros and Cons

We are looking at both sides of the First American Home Warranty company to give you a fair and unbiased review you can trust. 

Pros:

• Customer service is available every day of the week, 24 hours a day
• Rates are often very competitive
• No limit on customer service requests
• Coverage available for poor installation and building permits

Cons:

• Not very many add-ons available
• Only available in 45 states

First American Home Warranty Pricing, Plans and Coverage

There are two primary plans that First American Home Warranty is offering. These are a Basic Plan and the Premier Plan. You can add on coverage to either of these, covering additional home systems and appliances in the home. You are able to customize the plans to your liking by adding extra coverage on, getting just as much coverage as you need. 

It’s usually not a bad idea to start with one of the primary plans and then add to it as needed, especially if you buy another appliance or have an appliance repaired. The home warranty can help protect against costs later on down the line, saving you from having to cover the expense of repairs for yourself. 

Let’s look at what First American Home Warranty offers in coverage with its plans, as that can differ for other home warranty companies and what they cover. Not all home warranty providers will cover the same items, and the worst home warranty companies will only offer bare minimum coverage on their base plans and may not offer decent coverage on their add-ons, resulting in a coverage package that leaves you poorly protected. Take time to look at all of the plans and add-ons offered by any warranty company before you sign up with one so that you are sure you will be properly covered. 

Add-Ons

First American Home Warranty sells a number of add-ons, but not as many as your typical major home warranty provider. The best home warranty company for you has add-ons that matter to you, covering items in your home that could be expensive to maintain or repair. With First American Home Warranty, you can be covered with add-ons for all of the following:

• Central AC
• Equipment for the pool or spa
• Well pump
• A second refrigerator
• First Class Upgrade

As you can see, the list of add-ons is very short, which can be a problem if you don’t see your appliance or home system listed. It doesn’t make sense to buy a plan from another home warranty company, so First American is going to come up short for some homeowners because of their limited add-on options.

Exceptions for Coverage

There may be some instances where First American Home Warranty will not cover you, even though it seems that according to their service agreement they should be covering you. These are exclusions, which we will list here for you so that you can have a heads up on when you might not receive coverage. 

Like all of the top home warranty companies, First American Home Warranty is not going to cover natural disaster, known as acts of God. This would include wind damage, hailstorm damage, theft, water damage (including floods), and vandalism. You will have to pay out of your own pockets for damage to your home, home systems, or appliances in these instances. 

The list of exclusion continues with mostly standard happenings, like:

• Mud
• Riots
• War
• Pests
• Earthquakes
• Lightning
• Smoke
• Fire
• Freezing

You also will not get any coverage if you misuse or abuse the appliances or home systems. If there are any missing parts because of a supplier or manufacturer error, then that fault won’t be covered either. 

Your warranty from First American also will not cover any recalls issued by the manufacturer, as well as manufacturer defects. This should be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Also, if you have a manufacturer’s warranty still active on any appliance, that supersedes the home warranty, and the home warranty will not cover you where the manufacturer’s warranty should be covering you. This is a pretty standard exclusion for home warranty providers. First American Home Warranty plans will cover most but not all parts of certain appliances. For instance, the basic plan the company offers covers your plumbing system but not the hose bibs, shower heads, faucets, fixtures, and various other parts of the plumbing system. 

Look closely at the exclusions before you sign up for a plan and be sure to ask First American Home Warranty customer service about any questions you have regarding exclusions that might apply to you specifically. What is posted on their website or on advertising materials might not show you all the details, and it is worth it to ask some questions and get concrete answers about any exceptions to the standard coverage.

Plan Pricing

The Basic Plan that First American Home Warranty sells will cost you $25 per month. That’s actually on the low end of the national rates for this kind of plan. What kind of services and warranty coverage will the Basic Plan give you? You will be covered for all of the following:

• Clothes dryer
• Washing machine
• Dishwasher
• Cooktop, oven, and range
• Refrigerator
• Trash compactor
• Microwave
• Garbage disposal

If you want any further coverage than that, you will need to upgrade to the Premier Plan or buy add-ons, but keep in mind that there are only a few add-ons to pick from. If you are not satisfied with one of the standard plans, for the most part, then you may need to choose another warranty provider. 

The Premier plan covers everything that is included in the Basic Plan, as well as some additional warranty items. It will cost you $39.50 per month. The additional warranties are for the following:

• Plumbing system
• Heating system
• Electrical system
• Water heater
• Plumbing stoppages
• Garage door opener
• Central vacuum system
• Ductwork

As you can see, the Premier Plan is fairly complete, covering just about everything you could want, while the Basic Plan does not cover many of the common systems that are covered by basic plans from the best home warranty company.

Plan rates can change from one state to another, so when you source quotes, be sure to check for local prices. Make certain that you are not getting a national average price rather than a specific state price. First American Home Warranty is ranked among the best home warranty companies in Texas and many other states because of its affordable pricing. 

Add-On Pricing

How much are you going to pay if you want any of the add-on plans? The prices for add-ons are kept very reasonable, ranging from $4-$15 per month, depending on which of the add-ons you want. This is fairly average pricing for add-ons like these within the industry. Buying multiple add-ons each month can add up and make your plan quite expensive. When you are comparing home warranty companies and their prices, be sure to include the cost of any add-ons and other expenses in your comparison. That will help you to compare accurately and truly and to get the best rates on your warranty plan. 

Service Fee Pricing

In the event that you file a claim and need your home warranty company to come out to your home and effect repairs or replacement, you will likely have to pay a service fee. This is standard for the industry, but the rates are not standardized. Home warranty providers can charge some incredibly high rates for this fee, and the national average is about $75 on the low end, with some companies charging as much as $125 for each service visit. What does First American Home Warranty charge for this expense?

Their price right now for service fees is $75, coming in on the low end of the national average. Keep in mind that all fees and rates are subject to change, and if you are not a First American Home Warranty customer, you will not be notified about these changes before they happen. Be sure to check prices before you purchase a home warranty plan. They may have changed since the last time you looked up information on home warranty costs. 

Limitations and Coverage Caps to Know about

While First American Home Warranty coverage helps out with logo expenses, there are caps on their coverage. They will only provide so much coverage for each expense before their coverage expires. This is true for every home warranty company. They don’t simply provide endless coverage for each item that they cover. For instance, if your refrigerator breaks down and needs repairs, your home warranty company will cover the cost of the repairs up to a point, but once they reach their predetermined limit, you are left to pay the remainder of the repair costs on your own.

What kind of coverage caps does First American Home Warranty have set in place for its warranty plans? 

The good news about this company and one thing that many First American Home Warranty reviews point out are that there are no coverage caps on many of the home’s essential systems. This includes all ductwork, heating, and cooling. No matter how expensive those repairs or replacement costs get, First American will cover them completely for you, which is really comforting to know. That is rare for the industry and one thing that helps set First American apart from much of the competition. 

The company does set a $1,500 cap on many of its services, though, and once you reach that limit for repair costs, you will be left to pay the remainder on your own. Keep that in mind and be aware of any coverage caps when you go to purchase a home warranty pan and when you go to file a claim. Don’t expect your home warranty provider to cover all of the costs for you, because that is usually not what happens with very expensive repairs. 

Also, remember that no preexisting conditions will be covered by your warranty. You cannot file a First American Home Warranty claim successfully on any appliance that was already damaged before you bought the warranty. 

In Which States Can You Find First American Home Warranty?

You will not find First American Home Warranty plans available in every state. That’s not uncommon for home warranty companies, and even the best home warranty company will not provide plans in every state. In how many states can you purchase First American Home warranty coverage? They cover just 34 states, leaving out all of the following from their service area:

New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Alabama, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Maine, Illinois, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Delaware. 

The company has made no announcements so far regarding expanding into other states with their home warranty coverage. If you live in one of the states listed above, you will need to choose one of the other home warranty companies. 

Customer Reviews for First American Home Warranty

One thing that really helps you to make an informed decision about who is the best home warranty company is to look at home warranty reviews. You can gain a lot of insight about the company you are considering and how they compare to the competition when you read customer reviews. We have looked at a number of First American Home Warranty reviews and found that they were mostly positive, but there are definitely some negatives ones as well. 

One reviewer, Diana, wrote on Consumer Affairs, “The contractor, The Plumbinator, was exceptional! Pat, the owner/operator, arrived on time, was professional, and assessed the work needed to be done. He returned a couple of days later with all of the equipment and parts he needed. He successfully completed the job within a couple of hours, and he left the bathroom clean and with a working toilet. I was very pleased with this entire process!”

Another reviewer, Yvonne, said, “This is a good home warranty company. Quick results. You are given the name of the company that will service you as well as their contact information. Their on line service request are great without speaking with someone. Live customer service is wonderful.”

A reviewer identified only as K. wrote less positive words, “A little more prompt service would be really nice. Sometimes, it takes a little longer for scheduling. Some contractors don’t call. I’ve had at least a dozen claims and out of those, three or four took three weeks or more to call but the rest of them were not bad. About 50% of the time, they’re prompt and they call within a week.” 

The majority of the First American Home Warranty reviews that we found were very positive, but there are some not so positive ones sprinkled in there as well. Before deciding on the best home warranty, be sure to look at some home warranty reviews to get an idea of what people’s experiences have been like with them. 

Comparing Home Warranty Competitors

Of course, First American Home Warranty is not the only choice you have for home warranty providers. Other warranty companies may offer better rates, more plan options, or better customer service, and it is definitely worth looking at some other choices. We have examined a few of the top home warranty companies and compared them to First American Home warranty for your convenience, doing some of the research for you to save you time and help you to make a more informed decision. 

Company	First American	Choice	Select
Plan Cost	$25-$39.50	$36-$44	$36-38
Service Fees	$75	$60-$85	$60-$75
State Availability	34 states	48 states	46 states
Years in Operation	35 years	11 years	8 years
Rating from BBB	B	B	B

How Choice Home Warranty Compares First American

Choice home warranty is considered one of the top home warranty companies and has a great customer service reputation. They respond quickly when contacted and process claims quickly as well. They also offer some of the most affordable rates for home warranty plans in the country. On top of that, they offer almost complete nationwide coverage, only leaving off two states. First American has them beat in overall costs, coming out as slightly more affordable, but Choice offers better overall value for its warranty plan packages, depending on what the consumer needs. Choice home warranty has not been operating nearly as long as First American, and that may be a deciding factor for some consumers. 

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How Select Home Warranty Compares First American

Select offers low, competitive rates as well, but still falls short of what First American charges overall. They do have more plan options to offer and are available in far more states, which may make them the obvious choice for some consumers. They haven’t been in operation for very long, however, and their lack of experience could make them a questionable choice, especially when many consumers are looking to uncover their appliances and home systems for many years Like the other companies we have motioned here, though, Select has a great customer service reputation, as you can see if you read some home warranty reviews for them. 

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How Filing a Claim Works with First American Home Warranty

The claims process for First American Home Warranty customers is fairly simple, and you can see that for yourself if you read reviews for the company. As many of the First American Home Warranty reviews state, the customer service experience is very pleasant. Claims get handled reasonably quickly and without a lot of hassle. Usually, within a day or two, a service person is dispatched to the home to assess and manage the issue, whether that be a leaking pipe, broken dishwasher, or other problems with systems or appliances. If the item is covered under your warranty agreement, then First American will assess the claim and send out a local contractor to deal with it. They may effect repairs, service the appliance or system, or replace it as necessary. The warranty provider will take care of the cost of servicing up to the specific cap.

In order to file a claim, you will need to contact the First American Home Warranty phone number and tell them your issue. You may also file a claim online or check on the status of your claim online by using your First American Home Warranty login.

Our Verdict on First American Home Warranty

We have looked in depth at First American Home Warranty and many aspects of their business and how they treat their customers. We found them to be one of the top home warranty companies, not just by our own assessment but also by considering the average opinion of the First American Home Warranty reviews. 

We recommend them as a good choice for any homeowner who is considering covering their appliances and home systems with a warranty. Other companies may offer some better pricing, but not typically. First American has just about the best rates in every category from its primary warranty plan to its add-ons to its service fees, as you can see from the information we have provided in this review. We do urge you to look at some other home warranty providers and compare prices before making your decision, and we hope that First American Home Warranty reviews like this one help you to make your choice a bit more easily. 

First American Home Warranty is a good choice for homeowners who have an older home, as the company does not take into account the age of the appliances or home systems when deciding to offer warranty coverage or not. That makes it really easy to get your items insured and help more people get the coverage they need. 

They are also a good choice for people who own multiple homes or apartments, like landlords. The warranty provider can cover many of the costs for repairs and provide service personnel to handle repairs without the property owner having to get involved. This saves the owner a lot of work and stress, and they won’t have to worry about repairing and replacing as many systems and appliances when the warranty company does such a good job of and handling all of that for them. 

How We Rate

We base our rating on a few key areas, including:

• Customer Service
• Plan Options
• Pricing
• State Availability
• Reputation
• Add-ons

Our final score is out of 100%.

First American Home Warranty Scoring Breakdown

Let’s break down our review of First American Home warranty and how we came up with our final score for the company.

Customer Service- 90%

Plan Options- 90%

Pricing- 100%

State Availability- 80%

Reputation- 90%

Add-ons- 80%

When these cores are averaged, they come out of 88%, putting the company on par with some of the best home warranty providers in the business.

First American Home Warranty FAQ

Let’s look at some of the most frequently asked questions about First American Home Warranty.

How does a home warranty work?

Home warranties are designed to cover the cost of repairs, servicing, and replacement on a variety of home systems like plumbing and electrical, as well as for appliances like your dishwasher, clothes washer, and stove. Repairs and servicing for these are not covered by most home insurance companies, so the home warranty plan is like a natural extension of the home insurance policy. The warranty companies require that their customers pay a monthly fee, and in return, the warranty provider will cover the cost of repair or replacement up to a specified cap. You can enroll in a monthly plan or sign up for an entire year at once. You can add extra coverage onto the base plans to give yourself more powerful and more complete coverage. 

Should I purchase from First American Home Warranty?

There is a lot to like about this company, and the First American Home Warranty reviews are very reassuring. The company offers very affordable rates and has a great reputation backed by years of experience. However, the plan options are very limited, and their Basic Plan is lacking compared to what many other top home warranty companies are offering. In addition, they may not be available in your state because of how many states they do not cover. You will need to look at these factors for yourself and decide how they affect you personally because for some people First American is a great option that is incredibly affordable and a safe bet due to their extensive experience within the industry. From others, they are more of a risk and they fall short in comparison to the other choices out there. 

How soon should I expect coverage to start?

As with most home warranty companies, First American will provide coverage starting 30 days after you first enroll in their plans. If something goes wrong before those 30 days are up, the company will not be liable to provide coverage for you. 

What happens when I file a claim?

The claims process is fairly quick and simple, and you can expect the company to send out a local contractor within a day or so of your call. How quickly they get to you depends on how busy the contractor is and how many contractors they have available in the area. The company had been in business for decades partially because of how well they handle claims with their customers, and they have a reputation for responding quickly and being very helpful when it comes to customer claims.

Will First American Home Warranty cover my water heater? 

According to the First American Home Warranty brochure, the company will provide coverage for the water heater if it is damaged or in need of replacement. They have a $1,500 cap set on water heater repairs, and the water heater is only covered under the Premier Plan. Basic Plan subscribers will be able to have their water heater covered and would need to upgrade that coverage. 

Will they be able to replace my air conditioner?

Yes, First American Home warranty can cover the cost of repairs and replacement for air conditioners, however, this coverage is only available as an add-on. You will have to request an upgrade to enjoy coverage for your AC unit, which costs an additional $9 a month. 

Is an inspection required before I can enroll with First American Home Warranty?

No, a home inspection is not required to enroll with this warranty provider, which is rare for the industry. They do not require an inspection for most claims as well, making them very easy to work with. 

 

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