We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. Learn more

First American Home Warranty Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4 / 5 (Very good)
566 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
Our content is free because we may earn a commission when you click or make a purchase using our site. Learn more.
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

Leave a comment for First American Home Warranty
Minimum 12 words.
 No maximum length.
* What's Your Rating?
To make this comment as helpful as possible for our community, please provide at least 2 sentences.

566 Customer Comments & Reviews

Loading Reviews ...
P
Patricia S
7/12/2016
I had one of the worst experiences I have ever had working with this company. I had two rental properties that I used First American Home Warranty to cover for over 13 years. I had a problem with a leaky toilet in one of my units. My tenant reported the issue on January 22, 2016 at which time arrangements were made to have First American's approved contractor come out to evaluate the issue. It was determined at that time that the toilet needed to be replaced. There was no indication of any other damages that needed attention(Floor or Drywall damage). First American never followed up or set up a time and date to replace the toilet. After numerous phone calls(averaging 1 hour wait... Read More


R
Randy M
7/6/2016
Their service techs "up sell" services which they know are not covered in the warranty. Then they refuse to do the covered work until you pay the extra money to do the uncovered "up sell" work first. Classic "bait-n-switch" consumer fraud. TOTAL RIP-OFF. I paid the $65 service call before the tech would do anything. Once I paid the $65, he demanded I pay an additional $150 "cleaning fee" before he would do anything more. So basically I wasted $65 and then got blackmailed for another $150 cleaning fee before he would start diagnosing the ELECTRICAL problem. Their service tech also tried to tell me there was no Freon in my AC unit. THAT WAS A TOTAL LIE, and an attempt to sell me... Read More


J
Jessica L
7/5/2016
My husband filed a claim on 6/21/16 that our air conditioner has stopped working. It has been two weeks since the original claim was placed and I have not received even a timeline on when our air conditioner will be fixed. Temperatures have exceeded 90 degrees multiple days during these 2 weeks, which threatened the safety of my dog. On 6/22/16 the contractor came out for about 5 minutes and said he had to talk to First American Home Buyers Protection Corporation to see what they would like to do. The contractor reported to me that he filed the report on 6/23/16. A representative lied to my husband during phone conversations on 6/24/16 and 6/26/16 stating the report was not filed yet.... Read More


J
Jo U
7/5/2016
All the reviews are bad. Nothing is ever covered, first they say they don't cover routine maintenance,when the contractor tells them that's not the case the installation was done wrong, they don't cover that either. So what so they cover? Nothing!!!


P
Pamela R
6/28/2016
Upon first use, the contractor sent to us to repair a stove was a no-show 3 times! After insisting on a different contractor, appliance was repaired in a fairly timely manner. Second use was very aggravating. I had a contractor, sent via First American, check my heating system related to extremely high electric bill. Upon initial assessment, it was found that my air conditioning systems compressor needed replacement (was only 1 yr old). Upon receiving a bill for $180 for "line maintenance" (a normal part of installation), I requested information regarding their dispute process. I was told (after a chuckle) "a dispute system? We don't have a dispute system". I was dumb founded!... Read More


J
JoAnn S
6/27/2016
The worst!!! If you call to place a claim or get info plan to be on hold for at least 1 hour. There is nothing in there website for comments. Their contractors ask you to sign a release if liability before they even service you so if they break something they do not want to be held responsible. Not worth the aggravation.


J
John a
6/27/2016
We are Realtors and have had many different home warranties over the years for our personal homes. We also sell over 50 homes per year and buy home warranties for our clients. Our first claim with this company for our dishwasher has been a total disaster. 20 days into the claim we still have a broken dishwasher. The first repairman that First American sent out said the dishwasher was installed incorrectly collected his $60 service fee and left. Since then we confirmed with Bosch the manufacturer and the company that istalled the 18 month old dishwasher. The error code states it is a drain pump failure and we confirmed it is installed properly. We are still arguing with First American... Read More


C
Carlos
6/22/2016
Be very careful using this company. They play games and at the end you end up paying a lot of extras that they considered modifications. My story begins with a air conditioner unit coil going bad. I have the Plus plan, it "supposedly" cover labor and parts. The game the First American decided to play is since they have to cut the old coil out and install a new coil... they called it modification to the unit. At an addition cost of 150.00. If you ask any technicians that work with air conditioners how do you replace a coil, ALL of them tell you you will need to cut the old out and weld a new one in. So basically First American refuses to pay for the labor. I will put them in BBB with a bad... Read More


Rachel B
6/20/2016
This company has been a joke. They hardly ever answer their phone or get back with us when we have issues. They find loop holes for anything and everything they can to not cover what they should. Also the companies that they send out for service calls always try and sell something or some service that is "not covered" and make it a mandatory part of the service call. We got and kept this warranty for two years due to the age of our air conditioning units, and have called them for electrical, plumbing and air conditioning issues and every service call has been the same. They have all been a fight for coverage along with extra money out of pocket on things that "aren't covered". I would not... Read More


Sally T
6/17/2016
They are they worst home warranty Company and by the way I am 48 years old and have never given a bad review in my life until now, I put up with a lot but this is unexceptable. Let see I have been with them for 2 homes for over 15 years, I sold one of my house almost a year ago and after multiple calls they are still charging my credit card, my other house has a pool and they keep sending people out without letting us know they are coming and there are people there under the age of 18 without supervision. That is not just a bad company that is illegal. On the pool they are making up reasons to decline it and I have paid another Company to diagnose and now have to fix it because the pool... Read More



Our Partner
  • $100 Off with Code PROTECT
  • Unlimited claims
  • Filing a claim does not increase your rate
  • $1.9 Billion in claims paid since 2011