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Fidelity National Home Warranty Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 2 / 5 (Poor)
144 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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Fidelity National Home Warranties is a California-based company with over 25 years of experience in the industry.

The company offers a convenient automated repair tracking system and consistent customer support through a team of highly trained local service providers and sales agents.

Fidelity National Home Warranties holds a Better Business Bureau rating of A+.

How is Fidelity National rated?

Breakdown

0.0/5
Transparency
3.5/5
Claims Processing
3.0/5
Coverage Options
0.0/5
Additional Benefits
3.5/5
Customer Experience

Overall Rating: 2 / 5 (Poor)

Fidelity National's prices are inline with industry standards, though their service fees are slightly higher, and its guaranteed response time is a bit longer than that of other companies.

We feel the need to mention that Fidelity National has been the target of a state insurance regulatory action and a class action suit, requiring that customers give up their right to a jury trial in any legal dispute.

Coverage

Key Facts

Plan Types
Combo Plan
Benefit Limit Type
Per Item
Per Term
Typical Systems Benefit Limit
$1,000

Coverage Options - 3 / 5

Fidelity National covers many of the usual systems and appliances, as well as a few specialty items.

However, coverage for refrigerators, washers/dryers, air conditioning units, pool and spa equipment and septic tank leaks and roof leaks are not part of the standard coverage, but must be purchased separately when the contract is signed.

Unlike some other home warranty companies, the company does not cover system or appliance failures due to lack of maintenance.

What does Fidelity National cover?

Covered Built-In Systems

  • Air Conditioning
  • Heating
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Water Heater
  • Instant Hot/Cold Water Dispenser
  • Central Vacuums
  • Smoke Detectors
  • Doorbells
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Ductwork
  • Sump Pump
  • Telephone Wiring

Covered Appliances

  • Refrigerators
  • Dishwashers
  • Clothes Dryers
  • Clothes Washers
  • Ranges/Ovens/Cooktops
  • Built-in Microwaves
  • Freestanding Ice Makers
  • Built-In Trash Compactors
  • Garage Door Openers
  • Garbage Disposal
  • Stand Alone Freezer
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Exclusions

For a full list of Fidelity National exclusions, check out this page.

Specialty Items

  • Pool/Spa
  • Well Pump
  • Septic
  • Roof Leaks

Contract & Price

Contract Details

Annual Premium
Starting at $350
Minimum Contract Length
12 month(s)
Home Inspection Required for Contract?
Yes
Online Quote/Application

Contract & Price - 3 / 5

Fidelity National's minimum annual premium is $350, but add-ons for common coverages can raise this number considerably.

The contract is non-cancellable

Sample Contract

Fidelity National provides a sample contract for potential customers on its website: Fidelity National Sample Contract

Cancellation Policy

The contract is non-cancelable, except for non-payment of contract fees, fraud or misrepresentation of facts by the customer, or when the contract is for Seller's Coverage and close of sale does not occur.

If the contract is canceled, the customer is entitled to a prorated refund of the paid contract fee for the unexpired term, minus an administrative fee and any service cost incurred by the FNHW. A 10% penalty per month will be added to the refunded purchase price when not paid within 30 days of the date the contract was returned to FNHW.

The contract holder may cancel the contract after the initial 20 days and will be entitled to a prorated refund of the contract fee less a $50.00 administration fee and any service cost incurred by FNHW.

Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing.

Claims & Service

Claims

Waiting Period
30 days

Contractors & Service

Contractor Selection
Any Contractor
Service Recall Period
30 days

Claims Processing - 3.5 / 5

Upon receipt of a warranty claim, the company pledges to contact a qualified subcontractor within three business hours and within 48 hours on weekends or holidays.

Customers must pay a diagnostic fee of $65 on each claim, which must be paid even if the claim is subsequently denied.

Fidelity National Reputation

Company Details

Year Founded
1984
NHSCA Membership
Number of Employees
5001-10000
TrustPilot Rating
6.1 out of 5
BBB Rating
A+
BBB Positive Reviews
4
BBB Neutral Reviews
0
BBB Negative Reviews
97
Date Collected
2017-07-20

Reputation - 4.5 / 5

Fidelity National is accredited by the BBB and has an A+ rating. It has four positive reviews and 112 negative ones and 549 customer complaints.

However, it is not unusual in this industry for companies to have numerous negative customer reviews and complaints.

The company has no presence on Trust Pilot. In 2012, the company settled a claim against it by the Insurance Commissioner of California which alleged that the company had unlawfully paid rebates and offered inducements to real estate brokers.

The company agreed to cease and desist from the allegedly unlawful practices and paid a settlement of $1.25 million and attorneys fees of $175,000, but admitted no wrongdoing.

In 2008, a class action suit was brought in California against Fidelity National which alleged false advertising and insurance bad faith. The case resulted in four separate appeals and was eventually refiled.

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Company Phone
(800) 862-6837
Headquarters Address
1850 Gateway Blvd, Suite 400, Concord, CA, 94520
Year Founded
1984

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144 Customer Comments & Reviews

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C
chris
11/21/2018
They lie, say they promise they will cover a repair. You complete the repair, jump through their hoops, never receive reimbursement then when you call to see where the check is, they tell you "it's not covered and we tried to call you to clarify but could not leave a message". Total junk. Its a scam. They promised they would cover it and did not. What do you do when someone lies to your face and go back on their word?


S
Sam
11/14/2018
I'm a New Home Owner and got this policy on Aug-2018. Would NOT RECOMMEND to anyone because - 1- They have got world's MOST RUDE and HIGHLY UNPROFESSIONAL Customer Care Executives. 2- They have all CHEAP and LOW QUALITY Service Providers. I bet, any Service Provider they assign to your Work Order, look up their review online, they would have Max 1.5 star rating. 3- Your Work Order will NEVER execute on Time. 4- The Unskilled Service Providers they have would always give you incorrect analysis of the problem you have, and they would always favor Fidelity and charge customers for nothing. I had used them for my Pool Service as it was turned green, they guy who showed up very lately,... Read More


Bryce A
11/12/2018
Three days before we closed (Oct. 30) on our home, we noticed a gas smell coming from the oven. My realtor called PSE and they came out and shut off the gas. Fidelity was not able to come out since there was no gas. That is fine and totally understandable. PSE came back out on Monday (Nov. 5) and adjusted the nobs on the stove. Wednesday (Nov. 7) I called Fidelity again because the gas was still leaking from the oven. They advised someone would be giving me a call in the next two days. Friday (Nov. 9) I called Fidelity back again to see what was going on. They informed me that PSE had come out on Thursday (Nov. 8) and fixed the leak. This was a flat out lie. No one has keys to the... Read More


M
Michael
9/3/2018
Absolutely horrible experience. Our A/C went out shortly after moving in to our new house. Fidelity denied our claim on the basis that it was a pre-existing condition, because the home inspection had noted that the coils were dirty and coil fin was slightly bent. However the inspection explicitly stated it was fully functional. We even hired a guy to come out, and he said that the breakdown had nothing to do with what was noted in the home inspection. Fidelity has refused to reconsider, we spent thousands out of pocket to replace the A/C. We will be taking this to court shortly, it's about time that insurance companies stop getting away with things like this because no one wants to go... Read More


Negar N
8/17/2018
Worst service.Worst customer service. When I was ordering service, I told them that the dishwasher valve has a problem and needs to be changed and I paid $75 service fee. The technician came and said the insurance company is not responsible for changing the valve. I suppose they are supposed to tell me that the insurance does not cover for the valve change but she never told me before I place the order . The technician practically did not do anything and they did not give me an invoice explaining what they did. I called them and after being on hold for a long time I asked them for a refund of $75 but they refused to refund. I asked them to give me information on how to cancel my policy... Read More


C
Charles
8/2/2018
I purchased my home in February and a warranty from Fidelity was included. All systems passed inspection at the time of the home buy. In early July, the HVAC system broke down. I called Fidelity Home Warranty to request service, they sent a tech named Barry from Goodman Appliance (for $75) who then replaced the fan motor on the condenser. A few days later, water began leaking from the coil unit in the attic through the ceiling into my living room. I stopped using the AC, called Fidelity and after trying to reach an operator for 24 hours, finally got someone to come out and look. They sent the same tech, Barry from Goodman Appliance & Air Condition (who was very rude to me this time). Barry... Read More


M
Mercer B
7/23/2018
FNHW is NOT the company for anyone who has any more than the most basic finishes in their home. Twice I have had the need of their service in my recently purchased home, and twice they have fallen short of providing satisfactory service. In the first case, they offered a builders’ grade shower diverters, when my Grohe thermostatic unit went out. It would have required tearing up the wall (refinishing was not included) and would have been a lesser product. I took a cash stipend in lieu of work, and had it done myself. The second instance was a malfunctioning remote dimmer unit for six sets of lights, that they just flatly refused to cover, saying that if I went online and read the fine... Read More


P
Paul
3/14/2018
Problems with Fidelity? Call your states DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE and file a complaint towards Fidelity, its the only way to get Fidelity to honor the warranty agreement. For CA its www.insurance.ca.gov. Fidelity denied my claim for a new AC unit and offered me $1200 cash out instead. I filed a complaint with the California Department of Insurance. two weeks later Fidelity said they will replace my AC but I have to pay out of pocket upwards of $2000. I agreed to that cost but Fidelity kept dragging it on saying that i haven't agreed to their terms... After 7 months of going back and forth I notified the California Department of Insurance again, 2 months later i finally got my new AC... Read More


B
Brandy
1/13/2018
Ist call was regarding my ac. It just stopped blowing cold air. The tech said that the system was old and needed to be replaced. It had meet its life expentacy. FNHW said the claim was declined because it needed to be cleaned. So I hired someone to come clean the unit. That guys said it also needed to be replaced that cleaning wasn't the issue but cleaned it anyways. So then I call back and schedule them to come back out because it is still not working after being cleaned. Paid another service fee and this time told by a new tech that the unit needs to be replaced. FNHW said the claim was declined because I have abestos wrapped ducts. Ok why wasn't I told this in the beginining and $130.00... Read More


N
Nishit
1/7/2018
Worst service ever. Our AC broke summer June of 2017 and they still haven't fixed it in Jan 2018. Summer is gone and so is winter and in spite of repeated calls, there has been no action from Fidelity. Total sink of money. Not sure how I can recover my lost money .



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