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First American Home Warranty Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4 / 5 (Very good)
563 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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First American Home Warranty is a California-based company founded in 1984 for the purpose of providing home warranty products and services in the United States.

They provide coverage for home systems and appliance repairs for homeowners, sellers, buyers. The company is BBB-accredited, with a B+ rating, and a four-star TrustPilot score.

How is First American rated?

Breakdown

4.5/5
Transparency
4.0/5
Claims Processing
4.1/5
Coverage Options
4.0/5
Additional Benefits
3.5/5
Customer Experience

Overall Rating: 4 / 5 (Very good)

With more than 30 years of experience, First American has proven itself a leader in the home warranty industry.

The company serves over 450,000 customers across the nation, offering year-round repair and replacement services, even on holidays.
Some of the most attractive features of First American home warranty plans are their comprehensive coverages, standard prices, and lower-than-average service call fees.
First American is an excellent option for anyone looking to protect their homes at a reasonable price and receive quality service 365 days a year.

Coverage

Key Facts

Plan Types
Appliances
Combo Plan
Benefit Limit Type
Per Item
Unlimited

Coverage Options - 4.1 / 5

First American offers two plans, the Basic coverage, and Premier coverage.

While their basic coverage protects mainly kitchen appliances, their Premier plan offers complete protection for all main home systems as well as appliances.

In line with most businesses in the industry, however, they will not cover cosmetic damages, damages due to improper maintenance or installation, and any known or unknown pre-existing conditions.

Coverage amounts differ by contract, yet their limits range around $3,000 in the aggregate for kitchen refrigerators, $1,500 for heating systems, and $500 for ductwork, which are substantially higher than comparable companies.

What does First American cover?

Covered Built-In Systems

  • Air Conditioning
  • Heating
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Water Heater

Covered Appliances

  • Refrigerators
  • Clothes Dryers
  • Clothes Washers

Exclusions

For a full list of First American exclusions, check out this page.

Specialty Items

  • Pool/Spa
  • Well Pump

Contract & Price

Contract Details

Annual Premium
Starting at $300
Minimum Contract Length
12 month(s)
Online Quote/Application

Contract & Price - 3.8 / 5

Annual premiums with First American can range from $300 to $500+ depending on the plan and option selections, quite reasonable within the home warranty industry.

The company extends a standard 12-month contract term and allows customers to obtain quotes and enroll online. Contracts seem to have different cancellation policies according to geographical location, so customers are advised to read their warranty agreements thoroughly before signing.

For instance, Texas residents may cancel their plans within the first seven days of coverage for a full refund, whereas Virginia residents have 20 days to cancel and receive back the entirety of their payment, provided they have not filed any claims under said contract.

Sample Contract

First American provides a sample contract for potential customers on its website: First American Sample Contract

Claims & Service

Claims

Service Fee
$75 - $100
24/7 Claims Department?
Waiting Period
30 days

Contractors & Service

Contractor Selection
In-Network Only
Service Recall Period
0 days

Claims Processing - 4 / 5

First American has some of the most affordable service call fees in the industry, which range from $75 to $100, depending on the plan selected and state.

The company also offers a vast network of pre-screened contractors and technicians, as well as a 24/7 claims department.

Although their service offer is similar to that some competitors, it must be noted that First American contracts are short and easy to understand, which is another feature that potential clients will surely appreciate.

First American Reputation

Company Details

Year Founded
1984
NHSCA Membership
Number of Customers
450,000
Number of Employees
351
TrustPilot Rating
8.0 out of 5
BBB Rating
B+
BBB Positive Reviews
6
BBB Neutral Reviews
4
BBB Negative Reviews
277

Reputation - 4 / 5

First American is a BBB-accredited business with a B+ rating and composite score of 2.82 out of 5 stars based on 321 customer reviews.

Although they have received a considerable amount of negative client feedback at the Better Business Bureau's website, the agency has granted them accreditation based on their commitment to making a good faith effort to resolve consumer complaints.

Additionally, the company is a member of the NHSCA and holds a noteworthy Trustpilot score of 8.0 (Great).

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Company Phone
(800) 992-3400
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 7248, Santa Rosa, CA, 95407
Year Founded
1984

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563 Customer Comments & Reviews

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A W
8/1/2017
Gave a 1 but don't deserve that. Called Thursday July 27th and today is August 1st and still not done. Tech was to come yesterday, no show. Called approx 8 times no help. Called today on hold for 15 minutes and they hung up on me so don't wast your money or time with this company. WORTHLESS!! Haven't used my sink for 6 days and I have 3 leaks to be repaired. Going to cancel and find another. Don't make this mistake could be life threatening!!


B
Bill W
7/29/2017
Our kids have been living with us for almost three weeks because there AC unit went out. They've received the run around from both First American as well as their local contractor. There are many reputable companies that deserve your business. First American is not one of them


L
Laura
7/29/2017
I have had this warranty company for the last 2 years, and I have only attempted to make 2 claims. The first time I attempted to make a claim, it was on an older AC unit, and I was informed that they would be unable to fix anything that was wrong with this unit as it was preexisting, and we would have to replace it. So, $4000 later we had a new unit. I was upset about this, however, I understood that it was a newer policy, and they would not cover preexisting conditions (although, the reason we decided to get a warranty plan was because our home was an older one). Just recently, we began having an issue with our other AC unit in another part of our house, and I contacted the company to... Read More


J
John
7/28/2017
A month has passed since my initial contact about the freezer problem. I paid a service fee of $75.00 to a repairman who was two hours late, and did nothing. He didn't even bring in any tools. Since then, I have been on the phone (hold mostly) with the company five times. They tell me that they are having a hard time finding a service company that will work with them. Really?! In short, horrible customer service experience.


J
John
7/28/2017
I have had this warranty with my house for two years now. They replaced the dishwasher when it failed, which that went well. However, the problem with my refrigerator has been going on for over a month now, and they have not done anything to correct the problem. I would strongly suggest that you look at some of the warranty companies.


R
Ron &
7/27/2017
and I still cant get the warrenty company to come and repair my air conditioner. I have medi al issues, and this has been e,plained several times, and still no one has come to my home to complete the repair. I am extreemly dissatisfied with the terrible customer service and the I dont care attitude of this company. After paying for the warranty, they expected me to go out and purchase a window unit,....no way, due to my medical problems it self should have alerted them that this is an urgent issue. But instead I revieved constant e-mails and calls from the company stating someone be calling me to schedule.... as if today, no calls, and no appointment for a contractor to come to our home.... Read More


A
Amy
7/27/2017
My family had the worst customer service experience with First American Home Warranty. Our AC was out for over 2 weeks in Texas July heat because of the questionable companies they contract out for service. We called or emailed daily and got no where. Their email replies are generic and unhelpful and the phone reps were just as unsympathetic and unable to help get the assigned contactor to even make an appointment to show up. After 2 weeks of the assigned contractor not repairing our unit or even answering the phone, we called home warranty to send a new contractor and we pulled up their reviews and they are rated 2.5! They clearly don't care about contracting quality service companies and... Read More


Roger G
7/24/2017
No stars given. This company is like any other insurance co. They find ways (loop holes) to not pay a claim. For instance, I had the hot water heater leaking, and that's what I called in. The assigned plumber came out and said "Yes it's leaking". He also noted that my vent for the HWH was 4". According to NV state code that size duct requires a 50K to 65K BTU HWH. The one installed was only 40K. When the experts at FAHW reviewed the report from plumber, they determined the reason my hot water was insufficient was because I only had a 40K HWH. Like I stated earlier, I called in a leaking HWH, not an insufficient one. They denied my claim because they determined I needed an... Read More


T
Tonya T
7/23/2017
I started with this company December of 2016.. The person who provided the details about the warranty I chose was in the US. Was congenial and helpful. I chose the most comprehensive plan. I called for two services in 2016, a furnace repair (disrespectful and unprofessional company), the second service was a light repair (once again an ordeal with the contractor company, electrician was very nice.) I stayed with the company in 2017. I had a simple toilet repair in February 2017. The first plumber was lazy and informed me I did not have a problem. After multiple calls to First American's customer service located in several Central American countries, they agreed to send a plumber... Read More


J
John D
7/21/2017
With been with FAHW since 2006. We had good luck with relatively prompt repairs or replacement on a/c units, water heaters and clothes dryers. In January 2017 we had the gas furnace upstairs replaced by an FAHW contractor. As part of that replacement there were additional costs totaling $1275. It seemed to work ok until we needed a/c in April. When we started seeing water from the overflow pan I went upstairs to find the transition duct they had built had completely fallen apart. In addition, the evaporator unit for the a/c that they had put on stands (according to them it was out of code) was so unlevel that it wouldn't drain correctly. I called back to FAHW, but they said I had to... Read More



Our Partner
  • $200, and the code is SPRING2024.
  • Protects home's appliances & systems
  • Request service 24/7, 365 days a year
  • Network of pre-screened contractors
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  • If a covered item can’t be repaired, they replace it