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First American Home Warranties Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.3 / 5 (Excellent)
585 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 Do We Rate First American?

Breakdown

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

Our Overall Rating: 4.3 / 5 (Excellent)

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 - 4.5 / 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 - 4.5 / 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 / 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 / 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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585 Customer Comments & Reviews

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Paul D
5/13/2023
I would give an overall rating between 2 and 3. I have been with First American since 2010. To be fair, there have been service calls that went well, but others not so much. When I had my heat pump go out (during over 100 degree weather), 1st Am said they were only going to cover the compressor and I would be paying over 1K for "non-covered" parts. Weeks (long hot days) later, after numerous attempts at parts, they decided to replace the heat pump all together. I still paid over $500 but that was much better than the alternative. When my garage door spring broke, I was told they would only replace the one spring, so I had to pay $300 for the other side--which was sure to go shortly after.... Read More

First W  
Official Response

Warranty Care of First American Home Warranties
Hello Paul, we apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. Our records indicate you placed a claim on August 11, 2021, for the garage door opener not opening or closing. 5 Star Garage Door Service and Repair of Cleveland LLC (5 Star) was dispatched and reported to find garage door opener logic board had failed; the technician replaced the garage door logic board on August 27, 2021, and reported the garage door opener to be operating normally. On May 12, 2023, you contacted us to check the status of this claim and to request further information regarding the second remote and keypad for the garage door opener. On this same day, we contacted 5 Star, who confirmed they replaced the garage door opener’s logic board and provided you with a retail bid to replace the second remote and keypad in the amount of $225.00. On May 17, 2023, we attempted to contact 5 Star to obtain additional information regarding the repairs that were completed and the retail bid that was provided to you; we were unsuccessful in reaching them at this time. We will be continuing to attempt to reach 5 Star until all requested information has been received. As such, we consider this claim pending.

J
Jeffrey S
4/10/2023
I cannot believe that this company has performed at such an inadequate level - actually inadequate would be overrating their performance. I purchased the policy with the idea that "sure, I could fix things, but it would be nice to have our second home covered for small repairs that would make life easier." NO WAY!!! We had a simple thing - garbage disposal started leaking, so we called First American. That was March 26 and it is now April 10th. I just got off the phone after being hung up on by the company. After several calls to First American and their plumber - absolutely nothing has been done. I did pay them an extra $85 for their claim. A plumber came in and said, "yes your garbage... Read More

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First W  
Official Response

Warranty Care of First American Home Warranties
Hi Jeffrey. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience and delays you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. According to our records, you placed a claim on March 26, 2023, for your garbage disposal leaking water. GVS Plumbing confirmed the garbage disposal was leaking and replacement was approved including non-covered costs for modifications which are not covered by your home warranty contract. You may refer to Limits of Liability Number Six. On April 12, 2023, GVS Plumbing indicated they would not be able to complete the job and All Express Plumbing was dispatched. All Express Plumbing indicates the garbage disposal was replaced on April 18, 2023, and did not report any non-covered costs to you associated with the replacement. Should you require additional assistance, please let us know.

Rubina M
4/10/2023
If I could give FAHW a negative rating, I would. Absolutely, the worst company to deal with. Our double oven stopped working in 08/2022. We filed a claim. It took them about 10 days to send a repair man. The repair company said they have to order a part that is on back order. It took them 2 months to get the part. They came and replaced it and the oven still had the same problem. Then they said the electric relay board needs to ordered, but that is also on back order. Then they realized that they couldn't order the part because it is no longer produced. Instead of replacing our oven, FAHW send another repair company to come and look at the oven. The repairman saw that there is a... Read More

First W  
Official Response

Warranty Care of First American Home Warranties
Rubina, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We would like to look into this further for you but was unable to locate your claim with only the name provided. Please reach out to us directly for additional assistance.

Rubina M
4/10/2023
If I could give FAHW a negative rating, I would. Absolutely, the worst company to deal with. Our double oven stopped working in 08/2022. We filed a claim. It took them about 10 days to send a repair man. The repair company said they have to order a part that is on back order. It took them 2 months to get the part. They came and replaced it and the oven still had the same problem. Then they said the electric relay board needs to ordered, but that is also on back order. Then they realized that they couldn't order the part because it is no longer produced. Instead of replacing our oven, FAHW send another repair company to come and look at the oven. The repairman saw that there is a... Read More

First W  
Official Response

Warranty Care of First American Home Warranties
Rubina, Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We would like to look into this further for you but was unable to locate your claim with only the name provided. Please reach out to us directly for additional assistance.

M
Mary A
4/1/2023
Not a fan. We've been without a working dishwasher for about a month now, because they keep sending the same company to "fix it", with zero effect. The last straw is that I called today to ask to resubmit the service request because the service request was closed even though the problem wasn't fixed, and the representative on the phone had THE MOST INSULTING AND CONDESCENDING tone of voice I've ever gotten on a customer service phone call. It literally sounded like he was rolling his eyes through the phone. I cannot deal with bad customer service in addition to bad appliance repair, and I immediately started shopping around for a new home warranty company.

F
First W  
Official Response

Warranty Care of First American Home Warranties
Mary, We are sorry to hear that you have been experiencing this delay. We would like to look into this further for you but was unable to locate your claim with only the name provided. Should you still need assistance, please reach out to us directly.

xkeerthi
3/30/2023
I opened a claim on 2/15/2023 for my washer. Today its 3/30/2023 and i still dont have a working washer. They have very poor substandard conntractors that are ill trained. I have been on "waiting for parts" for weeks now. The technician has made three visists and still not fixed. ConsumerAdvocate must really take a hard look at the ratings for this company,

First W  
Official Response

Warranty Care of First American Home Warranties
Thank you for your comments. We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing this delay and would like to look into this further. We were unable to locate your claim with only the information provided. If you are still experiencing an issue, please reach out to us directly and we can assist.

Peter T
1/24/2023
Our claim took weeks to process. It was for a Whirlpool double electric oven. We were told a new part was being purchased then there we were told there were no new parts as it was too old and it had to be repaired. It ended with us being paid a small sum equivalent to the repair cost and we had to spend $3,200 buying a new oven from Costco. Something we could have done in the beginning. The whole process lasted about three months. The claim was not handled efficiently. It did not make us want to renew.


Z
Zulfi C
1/21/2023
For over a month I have been having problems with my water lines leaking. Multiple Plumbers agree pipes need replacing but First American is delaying/denying paying the claim. Offered me $40.00 when total cost is $3300.00 for the repair. The pipes continue to leak causing more damage to my home every day....I think this is their tactic, wait you out until you finally break down and fix the covered repairs yourself. They have been really good about accepting my money the last 15 years that I have been a customer

F
First W  
Official Response

Warranty Care of First American Home Warranties
Hi Zulfi. According to our records, you placed a claim on December 19, 2022, for a plumbing leak, the toilet running, and a plumbing stoppage. We dispatched independent contractor, The Property Doctor Incorporated, who reported the toilet running due to a failed toilet flapper and multiple leaks in the galvanized plumbing pipes in the basement. The contractor replaced the toilet flapper while onsite completing the toilet repair and recommended replacing the plumbing water supply line. On January 30, 2023, you requested a second opinion contractor be dispatched to confirm the diagnosis although we did not have a contractor available. Therefore, you provided your own contractor’s estimate for the plumbing repairs and a cash payment in lieu of the plumbing pipe replacement was processed based on your contractor’s repair estimate, in the amount of $2,200.00. Should you require additional assistance, please let us know.

brycegwaltney
1/5/2023
Just spend the last 26 days fighting to get a water heater replaced that was installed incorrectly by a First American contractor last year. After 5+ hours on hold, over a dozen phone calls, 7 contractors, we are switching to a different home warranty. I cannot imagine there are worse companies out there.


sjschultzy
12/4/2022
FAHW SUCKS. Stay away from them. I have a Samsung washer that was leaking towards the front of the washer. The first company eagle eye HVAC LLC that had 107 total reviews with 105 1.5 star complaints about poor or no service wasn't available to service washer for 3 weeks. I complained about companies and reviews and was turned over to Sears Appliance for service that wouldn't be able to come out for 2 weeks. I called my own contractor came out in 2 days and diagnosed and fixed the problem. If you want to spend hours on the phone, have their customer service people lie to you, promise to call you back, THEN FAHW IS FOR YOU!!! STAY FAR AWAY FROM FAHW!!! I will try to get my $85 service back... Read More



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