Home Warranty of America

I filed a claim for my water heater, kitchen sink leak and inoperable garbage disposal that also leaks. I was told I would need to file a separate claim for each of these items and pay separate $60.00 fees even though they were sending the same plumber on just one service call. I complained about this and after raising hell I finally spoke to a supposed manager a few days later named Brenda ** who assured me that all items were plumbing repairs and so I would only be charged the service trade fee once. When the plumber arrived he was professional and polite. He repaired the leak but said he would have to call about the disposal and the water heater as they were not listed on the claim.

I explained that HWA online claim system doesn't allow for more than one complaint and so I had called the company. I relayed the phone conversation I had with Brenda to the plumber. He was still unsure about being reimbursed as he said they don't usually work that way, and kindly suggested we call them and see if we can get this taken care of. We called HWA and were given a completely different run around, saying that the garbage disposal is an appliance and therefore not covered. That's insane! It's covered in their written plan and I explained that to him and demanded to speak to Brenda ** again. She would not take my call, so I am still without a functioning garbage disposal that is leaking and causing damage to my cabinets. What a scam!

This company claims everything is either a non-covered pre-existing condition or not covered due to "normal wear and tear." I can't think of anything they will pay for under those exclusions. Most items stop functioning due to wear and tear and anything that breaks down has to exist. The reason we purchase warranties is to protect us when this happens.

They refused to fix my dishwasher for the reasons cited above. Also, the technician they sent was unfriendly and made it clear his company worked for HWA not for me and was only interested in making HWA happy. I am out $50 for the mandatory service fee and will have to replace the dishwasher as the technician removed the filter which he said needed to be replaced and left the machine totally inoperable. Since he works for HWA and not for me, he went on his merry way and that is the last I heard from him.

I had purchased a home warranty from Home Warranty of America (HWA) after I had been with another company and that year the contract ran out. I had previously been with HWA in a previous house I owned and had great satisfaction. Well, last month, I started my heater because we got a cold front that came through. I smelled something burning so I notified HWA about the issue. They sent out Pebb Services and he indicated that the heat exchanger was cracked.

After he spoke with HWA, they determined that it was a pre-existing condition and would not cover it. I know that when we purchased the house, I had the seller have the AC and heater serviced by a company out of Grand Prairie. They specifically noted that there was nothing wrong with the heat exchanger and it was in good working condition. I have since explained that to HWA and been in contact with the Texas Real Estate Commision, Standards & Enforcement Services division. They have contacted the Vice President of HWA, Mr. Soble, and explained to them the issue.

I have now been advised by HWA that they would pay for the heater (a 90,000 BTU heater). And they said that I would be responsible for the removal and installation of the new heater, a new evaporator coil, a float switch and all the labor, to the tune of about $1,530.00. I find this appalling! I have been with the company now for a second time and shocked that they don't want to pay a legitimate claim. They cannot say that the heat exchanger did not crack when I started the heater for the first time this season. I am simply a customer trying to get a service that I pay for. I only want HWA to do the right thing! They make enough money off of people throughout the years to pay for my incident. I feel as though they do not want to abide by the contract. Lastly, they (nor no other home warranty companies) perform an inspection before they start writing these policies to consumers. Then, they reject the claims when one is made because "they can".

HWA refused to fix a water leak under the sink stating it was not part of the agreement; yet water purification systems were not an exclusion. After the fact they stated the system was not installed professionally but would not look at the fact we had receipts showing the system was installed professionally. It also took more than four days to get a return phone call. I would not recommend this company.

Even though we had a home inspection and HVAC service/cleaning at time of sale, HWA refuses our claim to repair our HVAC. Saying that, it either must be a pre-existing condition or the damage results from a failure to clean/maintain the HVAC properly.

We moved into our new home in April of 2011. As part of the purchase price, we were able to have the Home Warranty of America insurance warranty transferred to us. Plus, we had a home inspection and everything was fine. I knew that Home Warranty of America was not going to be a trustworthy company when I had to put my first claim in. Our ice maker broke; the water dispenser worked, and the freezer was making ice, but it would not disperse the ice. After going around and around, Home Warranty said they could not cover the cost of the repair because the warranty covered the ice maker, just not the mechanism that dispenses the ice--ridiculous.

The second claim (the claim I'm disputing to the BBB) is our pool heater. It is one of the items that are covered according to our contract. We opened our pool in April. With six kids, of course, we needed the heater at that time of year. All was fine until one day in June it stopped working. We called and Paul (telephone extension number 741), sent out Tim from "All Phases" appliances. He said he fixed it, and it should work. It didn't work. We called again, and Paul sent out Tim again. The same thing, Tim said it was fixed, but it's not. Again, we called. The same thing, Paul sent out Tim from "All Phases", but this time Tim brought a friend with him. They took about 2.5 hours to completely disassemble the heater, and put it back together. Tim said, "It should work now." It still never worked.

The weather was extremely hot; we went on vacation, so the heater was not a priority for about three weeks, but we still wanted it fixed. So, we call again in late August. Paul once again sent out Tim. I asked Paul why he kept on sending this guy, and I told him that I wanted a new person. Paul insisted that All Phases was their reputable choice, and Tim knows the background on the claim. I disagreed. Why he kept sending out this guy who did know what he was doing was suspicious. On September 10, Paul called to tell me that Tim has discovered that the heater has done something extraordinary. Somehow one of the wires of the heater was in a position where the heater burned it out, and they can't cover this kind of repair.

I explained to Paul that it had to because of Tim, the electrician, when he decided to take apart the entire heater on one of his many visits here, and put it back that way. Paul tried his best to convince me that it was not going to be covered because the heater was built that way. However, I explained that the previous owners used the heater for more than seven years with no problems, so it wasn't a manufacturer's problem. The wire didn't move itself into a position that it burned itself out. It was obvious that when Tim from All Phases took the heater completely apart and then attempted to put it back together correctly, that he put it back in a way that it caused another electrical problem. He broke the heater, and Home Warranty is responsible.

Paul said he would get in touch with his supervisor to figure out something. That was September 10th. It is now September 27th, and I have yet to speak with Paul. I have left him numerous messages, and he called me back once. One of my messages left on Paul's voice mail was that we will be having a block party on the weekend, and it was crucial to have the heater fixed, so our guests could enjoy the pool. He never called back. Nothing was done for our party. I called to complain and was transferred to a supervisor who never returned my phone call, as well. Home Warranty of America is responsible for sending Tim from All Phases out multiple times, and rendering our heater completely unusable. They are responsible.

It is now October 5. I complained to the BBB and requested that a manager get in touch with me to resolve this. Instead, I got Paul again and then another representative (Brenda), who was just as useless--on top of being defensive, sarcastic and condescending. I told her that I was hanging up and calling a supervisor. I was transferred into Ron's voice mail. That was 3:15, October 4th. Still no resolution on the issue.

HWA is a scam. They are quick to take your money for the policy but they almost always find an excuse not to pay for the repairs. And if you actually do get them to honor the policy and send a repairman, their network of contractors includes some real sketchy people. One contractor told me that HWA claims were his absolute last priority, apparently because they don't make as much money on HWA work as they can make with regular customers.

It took a total of 15 visits to my home for over 11 months to have an air handling unit properly installed and functioning. The first contractor HWA sent was so incompetent that every component of the air handling unit was installed improperly. The unit installed didn't have the same power requirements as the source, and the unit kept blowing the circuit. It could have caused a fire! Ultimately, HWA had to send an electrician to resolve the issue. Now they are refusing to repair a leak in my roof, which is clearly covered under the policy. Do not purchase a policy from HWA! You would be better off just paying for repairs yourself.

Contracted with Home Warranty of America to provide service to their policy holders with payment agreement and protocol for billing. Having followed protocol and complying with all terms of contract, HWA is not paying per their agreement with me. They tell me they sent the payment, but I never received it.

Stay Away from Home Warranty of America

This company will find every excuse to avoid paying for a repair. I filed six repair claims in the past year and they paid for only one of it. Be very careful with what you say when you file a claim as they will find every "key word" that will help them reject your claim. They also use repair companies that help them avoid claims. Recently, a repair guy came to check on my washer which was making a huge noise and shakes the whole house when it spins. He said this washer was in bad shape and could be a costly job.

But when his report went back to HWA, it became a washer that's still working, just with some noise. HWA rejected the claim because the washer is functioning and they don't repair noise. So it seems that if any part of my washer can still move and if the whole machine hasn't caught fire, they won't pay for it. And this is just one of the many bad experiences I have had with them. Stay away from this company!!!

My refrigerator was not working. 05/08/2011, HWA was notified about refrigerator issue. Freezer cools but not the refrigerator. It always says above 55 degrees. Eddy from All Hours Appliance repair came on 05/09/2011 to diagnose the issue. Eddy from All Hours Appliance replaced thermostat controller on 05/10/2011. He told me to watch the temperature go down in couple of hours. I called him about 4 pm that day. Still the refrigerator cranks above 55 degrees in the refrigerator. I called Eddy/HWA again to report the issue.

Eddy again came on 05/11 to replace the diffuser and told me to watch the temps go down in a few hours. This time also with no result. I called Eddy/HWA to report the issue. I received a call from HWA on 05/13/2011 about they were on conference call with Whirlpool on 05/12/2011 for three hours. Whirlpool suggested them to unhook the unit for 12 to 14 hours, and then Eddy had to run some diagnostic tests. I unplugged unit on 05/13/2011 at 8:00 as per instructions; then Eddy came on 05/14/2011 around 10 am. He ran some tests and re-adjusted some components. I was told to take a look at temperature around 4:00 pm that day. When I took the temps, they were around 58 degrees.

I tried to call Eddy on 05/14/2011 and 05/15/2011 with no response. I did call HWA on Sunday to report the issue. I received a call from Monday, 05/16/2011. Stella at HWA notified me that there was nothing they can do as Eddy reported that there was no issue. Then I did ask her explain why the temps were up on the refrigerator, I was given rude response chase down Eddy as HWA could do nothing at this point. I tried to call Eddy. Finally I got hold of him Tuesday around 10:00 am. He reported that there's nothing he could do, call HWA for further steps. 05/17/2011: I called HWA again. This time I spoke with Paul at extension **. I told him about the hassle I was going through. He suggested that one more last time Eddy would take a look at the unit. I told him yes. Eddy came by and reported to watch the temps after couple hours, there was no improvement. I called HWA again.

I did receive a call from Paul on 05/18/2011 evening. I was told the refrigerator is not cooling because I am not closing the door properly. I told him that was not true. Eddy came down 5 times already. If you guys can not fix it, better replace it. Paul told me that he escalated issue to Budget appliance repair. They would call me on Thursday. On 05/19/2011, I did receive bunch of calls form HWA about various companies coming on Friday 05/20/2011, I told them I was not going to be home on Friday 05/20/2011. Paul called me on 05/20/2011 about sending this claim for second evaluation to the Budget appliance and they would come and diagnose the issue on Saturday, 05/21/2011.

On 05/21/2011, Billy from Budget appliance came down and told me that there was no air flow, that's why temperature was around 55 to 60 degrees. He suggested replacing thermostat, diffuser, cold control, and overload. If you observe this list, these were the parts replaced on 05/09 and 05/10 by Eddy. I received a call from Paul on 05/23/2011 about offering $233 to buy out the claim as the parts are back order at the company, it would take 4 to 6 week to send this money. I have a family of 4 with 2 children. Today is 06/02/2011. It's been already close to month without refrigerator. I gave them 6 opportunities to fix the issue, still they want to dodge the issue. I'm buying every day groceries as my refrigerator was not working.

Simple, you pay for a home warranty policy, live with peace of mind that if something small or large happens you have coverage. Until something very large like the compressor in the heating unit which is 20 years old breaks and they have a loop hole that will not cover the work because the unit is dirty. Well, I do not take my 3 tons heating unit in every night from the elements of the Arizona climate. How I face a very large repair bill. I wonder if they will refund all my money from the premiums paid all these years. I see in the blogs on line this is not the first time Home Warranty of America has used this excuse! Price is very expensive to replace from my own out of pocket money when I felt I had replacement coverage. Heartbreaking to know consumers including myslef are being ripped off.

I purchased a home warranty in August of 2010. I chose Home Warranty of America, here after referred as HWA, because of the cost and coverage which for a small additional cost covers pool equipment. With HWA, my pool equipment would be covered at no cost to me minus the service call of $60.00. The contract does state that it will not cover rust or corrosion for the first 30 days.

On Monday, Sept 13, I received a call from HWA saying that my claim was denied due to rust on the ball bearings. I asked how the pool tech determine that there was rust on the ball bearings when he did not open the motor. The only response that the rep would give was the claim is denied due to rust on the ball bearings. I asked to speak to a manager and was transferred to someone's voice mail. I left a message.

After waiting for two hours for a call back, I called HWA back. The next rep that I spoke to stated that the claim was denied due to corrosion on the outside of the pump. I told the rep that there is no corrosion on the outside of the pump and what would exterior corrosion have to do with the motor failing. Again, I asked to speak to a manager and again I was transferred to another person's voice mail. I left another message. After waiting another two hours I called again and was told that a manager named Kellie would call me within the hour.

An hour later, Kellie called me and I explained to her why I disagreed with their claim. Kellie stated that the claim was denied due to corrosion on the ball bearings. I told Kellie what the previous agents had claimed but she said that this was the real reason. I asked her how a pool tech can make a claim that there was corrosion on the ball bearings when he did not open the motor. Kellie's response was and I quote, "It is the professional findings of the the pool tech that the motor is failing due to corrosion on the ball bearings." Again, I asked how can someone make that claim if they didn't open the motor to check the ball bearings. Kellie stuck to her guns but stated that if I want a second opinion, she would send out another pool company but that I would be responsible for the service fee. I said no and that I will be looking into other options to fight this.

I began filling out a complaint on the BBB (remember that HWA has an A+ rating). I called HWA back to get specific information so I could add it to the claim. I spoke to Patrick at extension ***. I asked Patrick to read exactly what the pool company reported to HWA. Patrick response was that Larry for PoolCo stated that the motor was going bad possibly due to the ball bearings. I asked Patrick where does it say that they ball bearings are failing due to corrosion. Patrick stated that there is no comments from the PoolCo that the ball bearings are failing due to corrosion. I ask to speak to Kellie's supervisor to let her know that Kellie lied to me when she stated that it was the professional findings of the pool tech that the ball bearings are failing due to corrosion. Again, I was transferred to a voice mail, the voice mail of Irene. I completed my claim to the BBB stating my complaint regarding HWA.

At this point, I start calling PoolCo to the their side of the story. On Tuesday morning (9/14/2010), Larry from PoolCo called me. I told him the story that HWA relayed to me. Larry said that he never told HWA that the ball bearings were failing due to corrosion. Larry stated that first he told him that it was a short but after looking at the unit he said and I quote "the motor is going out, maybe a ball bearing issue." I told Larry that I was going to pursue this issue and he said good luck at that they are often used as an escape goat when HWA doesn't want to pay out a claim.

After my call with Larry, I received a call from Irene from HWA. I told her the whole story and she really didn't care. Irene stated the same thing that Kellie had said but did say that she would talk to agents that I spoke with for training but would not call me back because as far as she was concerned, the case is closed. At 9:15am CST on 9/14/2010, I received a call from Brenda at extension *** from HWA. Brenda went through the reason why they denied the claim and I stuck to my guns. I told her how PoolCo never said that there was corrosion.

At this point Brenda goes into a science lesson telling me that corrosion is the wear and tear of parts, not just a chemical reaction which as the term of the contract they do not cover rust or corrosion for the first 30 days. I argued with her about the term corrosion but she said that this is there definition of corrosion which includes any normal wear and tear of a mechanical part. I reminded her that corrosion was not the term that the professional pool tech used but rather the term that they decided to use.

Brenda solution was to offer sending another guy out at their expense but if they found the same thing that they would not honor the claim. My reply to Brenda was, "What good is that going to do, since you did not pay attention to the first tech and labeled as you saw fit? Why would you do anything different with the second? Remember, it was not the the opinion of the professional pool tech that the ball bearings were bad due to corrosion but rather HWA's." Brenda's only other option was to be refunded my $60.00 co-pay. I told her that I would think about it and let her know and I am so glad I did.

I called the BBB to see what my options were and they recommended that I wait until HWA posts a formal response to the BBB and then response back, that way, if I don't except their offer, it will reflect on the their BBB rating. I called Brenda back and told her that I would give her my answer after I receive notice from the BBB that they have posted a response.

The interesting thing is why they just come out and say "we do not cover wear and tear on equipment for the first 30 days" is beyond me. Instead, they hide behind their own definition of corrosion to deny a claim. If you do a general search on complaints on Home Warranty of America, you will find several out their that go as far back 2007. The term that they use as misleading and they flat out lied by saying that the pool tech stated that the issue was due to corrosion.

I came home and my air was out. In the state of Mississippi, the temperature may say one thing but our heat index always is another. I called Home Warranty of America to see if I could get an emergency service call. I wanted the emergency call because I have a 5-year old son. I was told that I had to wait until the next day before they could send someone out because they looked online to see what the temperature here is and if it's not what they think is hot then they don't think it's important. So my son and I are expected to stay in a hot home until 8:30 their time before I can call them back and then set up a service call. This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. My family has to suffer because they don't think it's hot enough to service my air.

Prior to the purchase of my home, I had it inspected. The inspection report, prepared on 12/01/2009, by American Residential Inspectors, listed under cooling equipment: "The a/c unit would not operate correctly at time of inspection and will need to be serviced; outside condenser would not turn on and will need to be evaluated by a HVAC technician." Patrick S., Inspector, told us he didn't think it was a big deal because the a/c unit was a really efficient Trane system, it was relatively new, and the heating worked perfectly.

Still after receiving the inspection report, I would not sign the papers to close on the house until we had the a/c evaluated by a HVAC technician and knew it was in good working order. My realtor, referred me to Jerry D. Air Conditioning and Heating, as some of her clients used him and were very pleased with his service. We called Jerry and he came out the next day (12/02/2009) and serviced the unit. Mr. D. fixed the connection and then checked the a/c out. He told us everything was in great condition, we had a great Trane system, and all was well. You will note under work performed, he commented, "Checked a/c unit per inspection report. Found outside disconnect not making connection. ALL WORKING GOOD. Unable to test Freon levels due to cold temps."

So, with the a/c working properly, I closed on the house on 12/17/2009. Since I had everything checked out and everything was in good working order, and your company, Home Warranty of America was recommended by my realtor, I purchased the very best plan, the Marquise, for my protection. I chose your company because I took care of every known condition and your plan showed "Unknown Pre-existing Conditions now included for all programs--Marquise Program offers best value in the industry!" Although your company has no prerequisites, requirements, service, or certifications of conditions that must be completed prior to engaging in a home warranty insurance contract, I still had an inspection and a/c service completed for my own protection. You also do not require or even suggest getting some kind of maintenance report from the previous owner. I have only been in the house a few months, so I couldn't be expected to have a maintenance record, as of yet. I did everything possible to assure everything was in excellent working order (which, I'm sure is more than most people do) and I felt comfortable that your program claims to cover unknown pre-existing conditions.

Because this part of Texas is extremely hot, I began using the a/c around 3/01/2010 and it worked perfectly until around 6/12/2010. When it went out, I called you and you referred my service to Patriot A/C and Heating. I had never heard of Patriot because they are located well beyond my city limits and after I had not heard from them for a few days, I called them and we scheduled a visit for 6/16/2010.

Since my brother-in-law, Gary, knows more about these matters, he met with Steve and Jason from Patriot. While inspecting outside, Gary mentioned he could see some leaves around the unit, but the Patriot representative said it didn't look bad at all. He told Gary the compressor was out, Home Warranty of America would order a new one, and they would be back out the next week to install it. Needless, to say, I was pleased to hear this because I am forced to stay with my sister and brother-in-law due to the heat and I am anxious to get back in my house. As I stated, Patriot said nothing about maintenance and you will note on the invoice, nothing is documented about lack of maintenance, anything being dirty, clogged or any other adverse condition. They also didn't show us any problem or even recommend having any cleaning done. The invoice only states, "grounded compressor."

We assumed HWA ordered the compressor and everything was on track until June 21st, when Natasha called to tell us HWA did not plan to pay for the compressor because she claimed it went out due to lack of maintenance. My brother-in-law told her Patriot did not mention any maintenance problems and when he brought up seeing some leaves around the unit; the serviceman clearly told him it wasn't bad. He also told Natasha that Patriot assured us that HWA would order a new compressor and they would be out to install it this week. Natasha (HWA representative) then firmly told my brother-in-law that the servicemen don't know what is covered and what isn't.

After hearing this, I called Natasha back and told her the problem couldn't be due to lack of maintenance because I had the a/c serviced on 12/2/2009 before I closed on the house. I made sure it was in good working order because the a/c is one of the most expensive things that could go wrong. Natasha then asked me to fax the invoice to her and I did that same evening.

Next, I got an unexpected message on my cell phone from Natasha on June 23rd. She said she had received my fax and had some news. She said for me to call her or anyone at HWA. After calling a few times and being on hold for lengthy periods, I finally reached an agent who told me they couldn't pay the claim because the invoice I had faxed them was just for inspection. I explained to her that wasn't the case, as I had the home inspected prior to that and added that the initial inspection showed the a/c wouldn't come on because of a connection. I further explained again that because of the inspection, I had the a/c thoroughly checked out and serviced by an a/c company (Donaldson) and that was the invoice I sent and it clearly stated the a/c was working good. She continued to disagree with me and I asked for a supervisor. She said I could call back the next morning for a supervisor; however, I complained about the lengthy hold time calling in and asked if she would check to see if a supervisor was available then.

She left me on hold for a long time and then a supervisor (Marsha, I believe) came on the line. I explained everything to her and she told me again HWA couldn't pay for the compressor because the invoice did not show that the a/c serviceman cleaned out the unit or completed a list of maintenance work. I described how he did check everything out, fixed the loose connection, and clearly told us the a/c was a good one and working great. Obviously, if he thought for a moment it needed cleaning, he would have told us and asked for the extra business. She continued to argue that the company they called out (Patriot) told her the problem was lack of maintenance (although he never told us that or indicated it anywhere on the service order/invoice). I told her either the man said that because he was expected to do so by HWA, he got us mixed up with another client, or she was simply saying that to avoid honoring the agreement to repair the a/c, as contracted through my home warranty.

I, therefore, asked her to have someone else come out for a second opinion because I am convinced lack of maintenance is not the problem. First, she said she would do that, but I would have to pay the service fee again. I told her I would be happy to do so because we obviously need a 2nd opinion. I told her again how we had the a/c serviced and the a/c had been working for many months in the hot heat of Texas. She asked for a list of my regularly scheduled maintenance and cleaning work that had been done. I told her I am diligent about having routine service done; however, because the man just came out a few months ago, it isn't time for service yet. Further, I couldn't possibly have a maintenance work list because I had only purchased the house a few months ago. She continued to disagree, so, I told her to go ahead and schedule another service call, even though I would have to pay for it because I know the problem is not due to lack of maintenance.

After already agreeing to do so, she then changed her mind and told me SHE WOULD NOT send someone else out unless I gave her a list of my scheduled maintenance. I then became angry because I suddenly realized what everyone had been saying must be true.that a homeowners warranty is not worth the paper it is printed on and they will do anything to try not to pay a big claim. I told the supervisor I did everything in my power to make sure everything was in excellent working order BEFORE I EVEN CLOSED on the home and BEFORE I got a homeowners warranty. I had the home inspected and I had the a/c serviced and was assured it was working great before closing. Further, HWA did not list any pre-conditions such as maintenance work, check-ups, or anything that needed to be done before they signed me on the dotted line, so to speak, and took my money. I did everything possible and was not even asked to.

I chose HWA for my protection because l knew if there were to be any problems, they would definitely be unknown to me and the HWA packet reads, "Unknown Pre-existing Conditions now included for all programs." So, if there was something, I don't know about it and still do not believe it. We had the a/c looked at by 3 companies and not one mentioned anything to us or listed anything about it needing cleaning--not the inspector, D. A/C, or Patriot, for that matter.

Needless to say, I am very upset by this because the unit was serviced and found to be working good on 12/02/2009 and it has been working perfectly in consecutive temperatures ranging above 100 degrees until it suddenly quit cooling. I had everything inspected, checked, corrected, serviced and in fine working condition before closing on the house and even purchasing the home owner's warranty. In addition, we have routinely replaced the filter about every 10 weeks, as recommended by the inspector, and the filter hasn't even been very dirty. So, what good is a home warranty if you deny payment when all this has been done?

I hate to say this but everything I was promised and everything I've heard from HWA since I had a problem are in direct conflict. I can only believe, at this point, that this is a rip-off and unless you prove differently by paying my claim, I believe my voice should be heard by every realtor, insurance regulatory authority, the BBB, the Attorney General, and anyone who has the internet or ears to hear. Again, I ask that you review this as an appeal and reconsider payment of my claim. You may contact Mr. Jerry D. of Jerry D. A/C and Heat for additional information and you may send some other company out for a second opinion or expect me to do so in support of my claim.

It seems in signing my warranty, I agreed first to try to settle this among us, and if that doesn't work, the next step is mediation by arbitration. Should we need to move to the arbitration phase, please let me know how we get this process in action? Are our attorneys supposed to be present this early, or is the next step still just between us and a mediator? Instead of just depending on Patriot (who said nothing to us about a problem); perhaps, you should call Jerry D. a/c and discuss the service he performed and any conditions he found on 12/2/2009. As mentioned above, I quickly called him today to get more information on what he found and to get his opinion. He welcomes your call and will address this situation because he found everything to be clean and in good condition when he serviced the system. He again confirmed, "The a/c was in good shape and working good." He also told me if it needed cleaning or maintenance at the time, he certainly wouldn't have ignored the opportunity for additional business; so, he would have told me, and would have tried to sell me those services. He further assured me the compressor should be covered by HWA.

While I had been very angry, I am no longer as agitated because I am confident that I am right, I have Mr. D.'s support, I know in my heart you should pay this claim (as I'm certain you do) and I know I can win this case. I have the people and the reports to back me. In addition, you should be aware, since the heat forced me out of my home; I have been staying with relatives. With all the delays caused by our dispute, I am about to overstay my welcome. Thus, I may have to temporarily move into a hotel and will include in my claim any unnecessary costs I incur as a result of your failure to pay for my compressor on a timely basis. This includes hotel costs, attorney fees, other service calls, etc.

So, again, please let me know what the next step is in resolving this matter. How do we set up arbitration? Do you want to call someone else to come out for a second opinion, or shall I? I don't guess it matters, because either way I have to pay for the service call. Should my attorney represent me for arbitration, or when is it time to get my attorney involved? If arbitration does not work, I assume my next step is to file a suit against HWA, and notify all of the realtors and brokers in my area, the Texas Real Estate Commission, any National Real Estate Commission or organization, Texas Attorney General, BBB, and my voice and written word over the internet? Please let me know because I want to honor my agreement in this contract and follow the proper procedures in settling this claim.

I bought the HWA Marquise Protection plan with subterranean Termite Treatment. The plan cost $535. I had my home inspected (12/01/2009)and then a/c serviced (12/02/2009) prior to closing on my home. The a/c serviceman checked it out and told us the a/c was working good and plainly indicated it on the invoice. I closed on 12/17/2009 and my 12 month protection plan began that date. Because Texas is so hot, I began using the a/c March 1, 2010 and it quit cooling on 6/12/2010. I have been unable to stay in my home since with temps above 100 degrees. I've been staying with my brother-in-law and sister, but I'm about to wear out my welcome. HWA proudly boasts, "Unknown Pre-existing Conditions now included."

As I said, I had inspection, a/c service checked out before I moved in...so all known conditions were taken care of. Now HWA has denied my claim based on lack of maintenance. I know that is not true. The Trane system is fairly new, I had it checked out before buying the house, and my filter is changed every few weeks. My brother-in-law asked Patriot A/C (sent out by HWA) if the unit was dirty and they said it wasn't bad. They told him only that the compressor was grounded and assured him HWA would order another and they would be out to install it the next week. HWA says their servicmen don't know what is and isn't covered.

It is so easy to tell after the fact and after reading all the complaints that this company is fradulent and if they are going to deny claims based on riduculous things, they should make new homeowners have everything cleaned, serviced, and have certified information that everything is in perfect working order....before they take consumer's money. Then they could not make these excuses for not paying. I am a senior citizen on fixed income that barely allows me to exist. I took out the home owner's warranty for my protection because I don't have the money to pay for things like this. I am out the money for marquise plan, the $75 service call, and I can't live in my home.

We have been an HVAC contractor for HWA for over 2 years now. I have read some of these complaints and totally agree. I have seen this happen almost everyday that we were involved with HWA. I can say that in our experience they approve more claims than are denied, but barely. The following are some of the reasons they will deny your claim so be prepared before you buy! If your filter is dirty, you are automatically denied (you are supposed to have maintenance performed), if your policy is in the first 30 days, if there are any signs of rust, if the problem is something pre-existing before you bought the home, if the problem is not due to normal wear and tear, if a manufacturer's warranty covers the part (the consumer will be responsible for labor though! HWA won't pay it), if the system is improperly installed (get a second opinion! ), etc.

Read your contract and be prepared. If you have an issue in the first 30 days, wait until your 30 days is up if at all possible! Also, be careful of giving too much info, they are looking for any reason they can to deny your claim (how else will they remain profitable?). This company has gotten so bad that we refuse to do work for them anymore. And if you can get to a higher up at the company, you won't get them the next day - the turnover is pathetic for management. The customer service is horrible - especially Rene, Sue and Gina and Irene. If you get one of these ladies, you might as well hang up and call back!

They don't want to pay their contractors anything, yet they want us to wait on hold (for free!) at a customer's house for over half an hour to get authorization if they decide to cover it. Contractors don't get paid for up to 2 months sometimes. They will order a part from the other side of the country to save $4, but will be upset when we have to wait for it to be shipped. When the customer calls to complain in this situation, HWA blames it on us and doesn't bother to explain that they're stuck without heat for a week so HWA can save a lousy 4 bucks. They can't keep good contractors because they are a horrible company to work with.

Some of their customers will receive liens on their property until HWA decides to pay the bill. While we don't like to do this, it is the only way to make them pay sometimes. If you're interested in a home warranty, I urge you to do your research! Your realtor gets a kickback for selling HWA's warranty. They aren't referring it to you because it's the best, they're referring it to you because they get paid for it. From someone who has seen the inside workings of this company, they are a whole lot more worried about selling the warranties rather than servicing them. Like one of the posts before mine, I think the best way to end this is to say - Buyer Beware! We were a contractor so our issues are much different than others were, but I have seen many people put out for a lengthy time due to this company. They will not care if you have babies or are sick or elderly - it doesn't matter to them! It's all about saving a dime.

I have a 2001 Honda Odyssey with 70,000 miles. The second transmission just went and I need a third transmission. Because it is a few months out of warranty, I need to pay for it- almost $3000 worth. Honda basically said too bad. I bought this car because of its reputation as a reliable vehicle. The fact that I now need a third transmission in 70,000 miles is insane! This car has been a disaster! I will never buy a Honda vehicle again.

I purchased a 1997 Honda Accord new from the dealer. July 2009 the air conditioner started blowing hot air. I took it to a local mechanic and they tried various fixes and had it in the shop 4 weeks, but never found the problem, so I took it to the dealer where I purchased it. They said it was low on Freon so they added a pound with dye so they could find a leak if it got low again. The next day it stopped working again. My car has now been at the Honda dealership's service garage for almost 2 weeks.

They called today and said the problem is a bad A/C thermostat, located in the dash. It will take them 4 hours plus the part and cost me another $320. They will need to take the dash completely apart so they can get to the A/C thermostat. I will have a total of $800 invested into getting the A/C repaired in this 2007 Honda Accord, and am still not certain that will fix it. I don't think I will buy another Honda because the repair costs are so HIGH. It's bad when you have to consider selling your car because the dealer can't repair the A/C!

I am writing you in regards to a complaint that I have with Home Warranty of America. I recently called them on May 21st regarding my refrigerator and oven going out. The intake person (Sue) in the claims department did a claim report on both #327726 and 327727 respectively.

On Wednesday May 27 a gentleman name Alex from Aldo appliances came out to repair both the refrigerator and the stove. He changed a part on the refrigerator and had to order a part for the stove. Needless to say the stove have not been repaired as of yet and the refrigerator worked for one day and died again.

I have spoken with Sue and several other people regarding this matter. I was told that if the refrigerator cannot be repaired it would be replace with a similar product a GE brand. I was told that the replacement would be within 3 to 5 business days.

Alex (the repairman) came back out on Friday, May 29th to fix the refrigerator again, and informed my son (Jacob age 22) that the refrigerator could not be repaired. But when I spoke with the people at Home Warranty they said Alex said it could be repaired and that they would send the claim over to their options department.

On June 2, 2009 a lady called me from Home Warranty of America claims department and said that the refrigerator would not be repaired by them, that they would send me a check for what it would cost to repair it, in the amount of $357.56. (That price does not cover parts and labor). If that is what the repairs cost, then why would they not repair it?

I have been without a refrigerator for 12 days and they are telling me it will take 4 to 6 weeks before they can send out money for the repair cost and not the cost for parts and labor. I do not want the money I would like my refrigerator and stove repaired or replaced. Can you please look into this matter? With my refrigerator being down, I have lost the food in the refrigerator and all my meats in the freezer.

Moved into my house in Feb 09. A few weeks later my icemaker didnot work filed a claim. Do to yhe problem was not covered was a white plastic hose ended up costing me 175.00 for a plastic hose. He wanted to sell mell another part for something else, told him he was trying to rip me off so he he gave me the part for free. Hving a real bad experience with my pool coverage

4/16 2009 They wont cover something that was working for 8 weeks and suddenly stop. This is horrible I would advise anyone to buy insurance from this company. They get a certain type of breed to come out and fix a breed that cant make it on their own.

It is resulting in me paying for insurance based on fraud and lots more money out of my pocket.

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, I filed a claim with Home Warranty of America requesting repair of multiple natural gas leaks in my basement. These leaks were detected by the gas company on the same day. Home Warranty sent a plumber, who estimated cost of replacing the pipes at $1000. The cost of repairing the pipes was estimated at $1300 or more, given the labor-intensive process of disassembling, repairing, and reassembling the pipes, possibly having to replace parts along the way. Home Warranty initially rejected the claim on the grounds that this leak is a continuation of a previous leak that was repaired in December. I have made it clear that these are new leaks, they were not flagged by the gas company or plumber during inspections in December.

They were not identified until March 26, 2009. Home Warranty requested that I provide proof of this. I furnished them with a copy of the invoice from the repairs made in December. They contacted the plumber who made the repairs, and on Thursday 4/7/09 was told that my claim had been approved. Later that day, I was contacted by Renee Rathman with Home Warranty of America and asked to provide her a copy of my home inspection (from the purchase of my home) and a copy of the aformentioned repair invoice. I emailed her both. She then informed me that the claim had been denied because the pipes were not included in the home inspection. I pointed her to the page and item number where the gas pipes were listed as passing. She then claimed that the inspection was referring only to pipes connected to the water heater. I directed her to a separate section in the inspection that covered the water heater.

I asked Ms. Rathman why I had been told earlier in the day that the claim had been approved. Her reply was that she would have to talk to the girl who told [me] that, impying that she would be disciplined. Ms. Rathman chose to end the conversation at that point, saying it was highly unusual for gas pipes to fail and the decision to deny the claim would not be reversed. The policy I hold with Home Warranty of America clearly covers plumbing, including gas pipes. There is nothing in the contract I have with them that would indicate the exlusion of the repair for which I have filed a claim. Thus far, I have spoken with Cecilio (ext. 771) and Evelyn (ext. 728) at Home Warranty of America customer service, and R. Rathman.

I have been without heat, hot water, or use of my gas stove since March 26. I am pursuing having the repairs done myself at a cost of $1000.

I'm a new Home Warranty Customer.The last few weeks my Heating unit started giving me problem. I called Home Warranty Customer Service and they opened a claim for me. Technician came and saw the heating unit and went back . Then i got a call from Home Warranty Customer service 3 days later saying my Heating unit is improperly installed.

I have found that this company use the same reason for any body who have a problem, so they don't have to pay. This company is a joke to me. it's like getting car insurance and not being covered for an accident. I see number of complaints being filed about this company but nothing being done as of yet. So buyer beware!!!

The consequence of this matter was my tented was in the hospital for namona. Plus till this day the problem is still not fixed

I had a gas leak and heating problems with my furnace. After several calls they finally sent one of their preferred service providers, after reviewing the quote, they failed to honor the claims. They called me back and said the service provider was charging to much so they wouldn't authorize the claim. They sent another company of their choice, now they said they will not cover this claim because the furnace wasn't set properly. I asked them to direct me where in the contract it shows what they are explaining and they put me on hold, and disconnected the line. I am still waiting for a manager to call me back.

The bottom line is they do not and will not honor any service claim that will cost more than the $100 dollar deductible THAT you need to pay for all service claims reported. They are ripping off all consumers. I found over 31 complaints from many different states in the web,

Hi I am Home Warranty Customer for last 4 years now. Last week my Heating unit started giving me problem. I called Home Warranty Customer Service and they opened a claim for me. Technician came and saw the heating unit and went back . Then i got a call from Home Warranty Customer service saying my Heating unit is improperly installed. What???? I was shocked. This unit was installed 14 years back and had no issue as of today.

I called the Authorized dealer form BRYANT, as my heating unit is BRYANT PLUS 90. They told me because of my township law the way my heating unit is installed is Absolutely fine. They even told me that who so ever is talking about improper installation dosen,t know what he is talking about. Then Home Warranty Customer service said they will send another Company to have a look.

The second technician came, checked the heating unit and told me that Pressure switch is bad and needed to be replaced. I asked him if this unit is improperly installed, he said no. It is installed as it should be. I said fine. Then again i got a call from Home Warranty Customer service next day saying a 3rd Technician will come from a new company. I am really tired dealing with Home Warranty Customer Support. Aslo teh second technicain called me and said Home Warranty of America is not paying him and he was very angry. Please help me , I relly dont know what to do now.

Still i am without heat from last 1 week

I just purchase my 1st home on May 28, 2008. With the home came a warranty from Home Warranty of America. At the beginning of June, we notice our A.C. unit was not cooling the house down properly. I called Home Warranty and at first they said that they would not cover it because the unit wasn't working when we bought the house. Now we had 2 home inspections before we bought the house. 1 we paid for and the 2nd was done by FHA. Both inspections past the unit. The A.C. unit worked fine the first 2 days, by the 3rd day it was 90 degrees in our house.

I called and had a company come out and the refilled our unit without explaining the problem, they wanted more money for troubleshooting and at the time I didn't have any more to give them. They had charged almost $500.00 just to recharge the unit. The Home Warranty did however refund our money for the charge, except the $100.00 deductable.

Then, at the end of August, we thought we were havinf a problem with our furnace and called home warranty again. This time they found someone to come out to the house. Thats when we found out that there is a leak in our compressor line that is not repairable. We called Home Warranty back and the have refused to pay for our unit saying that it wasn't working correctly in the first place, our vendor did not find the problem when they came out in June and it is caused by rust? and they do not cover that. Which I don't see anywhere on the contract. The only reason I used my own vendor in the first place was they could not send anyone in June, and I didn't have the money to have this guy troubleshoot my system. He had already riped me off with the recharge. Now, I am fighting home warranty with this claim, and am hoping you could give me some advice on how to handle the situation.

We don't have the money to replace our unit. Although we found some one to do it for a great price, it is still not affordable to us. So our electricity bills are going to be outrageous and I don't even wqant to think about next summer. They should honor the contracts they give people. Part of the selling bonus of this house was the warranty. And they are not warranting the items they claim to.

My experience has been that they will just find a reason to deny your claim, even if it sounds ridiculous and makes no sense. Our air conditioner went out and in the end our claim was denied due to lack of maintenance?. We had just purchased the house 2 months prior so maintenance wasnt something we had started. But we contacted the previous owner who provided us with maintenance service contracts proving that regular maintenance had been performed on the unit.

The service contract ended in July 2007 and the unit went out in July 2008. They said no maintenance had been performed in that year and so they were still denying the claim. I havent even mentioned the fact that we wouldnt even have gotten a conversation with a manager had it not been for the fact that our realtor had a personal contact there. We had tried for days to reach someone to discuss the issues and never got called back. I can hardly contain myself. Im going to try to tell everyone I know not to buy a home warranty when they buy a new house. I think everyone who reads this should do the same.

I have a 5 Star Premium Home Warranty with Home Warranty of America. On June 22nd, I called for a service on my Water Heater. The service was scheduled for June 28th with Action One Plumbing (818) 842-6719. The technician arrived and tested the system. He called the office and informed the results and asked it to be replaced. The office approved the replacement but informed me that I will have to pay $500 out of my pocket. I requested the detail on the charges. Re-pipe $125, Strap $75, Disposal $50 and an expansion unit for $250 with the new heater.

I questioned why I need an expansion and why it is not covered. Not covered because I did not have before so its an upgrade per the representative. We do not pay for the upgrade. Why do I need this upgrade because it is required by the heater the manufacturer, per the representative? Why cant I have the similar unit? They could not answer. Thats between you and the technician.

I asked about the Strap charges. The 1st customer service representative explained me that the technician has informed them that I did not have straps and it would be considered an upgrade. I told him I did have a metal strap. The representative informed that that the technician is calling it a tape and not a metal strap. He told me that he has to go with what the technician is saying and would not honor my assessment. I offered that I could send them for their review. I was denied because they have to honor the word of technician. So than I asked why I need strap. He said that its required under the code violation. After reviewing my policy, I called again.

I asked the 2nd customer service representative that I have code violation coverage, so the strap should be covered under the code violation. He said that under code violation if I had a strap per the code and they had to remove it they would cover under the code violation.

So I asked what good is code violation.

I told him that it misleading that you sold a policy with suggestive code violation coverage but it really not code violation it the upgrade under the code violation. At that time, I requested to speak to a Manager. Manager, Michelle came on the phone but informed that earthquake code violation is not covered under this policy. A completely different spin to my question. I looked at the policy and asked her to where it says. She did not have an answer. She kept saying just because it is not listed under exclusion does not mean it is included. We are denying this claim because we could.

Three customers service representative have three different versions within a span of 30 minutes just to deny a legitimate claim under the policy.

Economic impact $325.

Stress in dealing with a lying technician from Action One and Policy provider HWA can't be described in economic value.

Please inform me what agency regulates Home Warranty contracts. I have a heat exchanger that is so old that the welds are separating. This will poison my family with Carbon Monoxide. Their service technician called and informed them of the problem and they only authorized replacing a capacitor and adding freon. Who do I call or write to get them to honor the warranty?

I am asking that my washer is to be replace with a washer that is of similar or equivalent quality and efficiency the way it states in the contract. The washer to be replaced is a Maytag Neptune series. That is what I think needs to be the replacement. A washer with an agitator is not acceptable.

We just moved into a new house. The AC was working when we got there. A week later we went on Vacation. When we returned it was not working. So we called the Warranty company. The lady asked if the AC had been working before we moved in and I said I am not sure. It was OK when we moved in. SO she took that as NO it was not working when we moved in. She told me nothing would be covered. I mentioned to her that was crap. We knew is was working before we left for vacation.

She kept repeating that in code..blah, blah, blah. She was quick to say nothing would be covered. I asked her to still send out a technition. NO ONE EVER CALLED OR CAME...she never even called anyone to come. Well a few days after her call we turned on the AC and it was OK. It worked for a few weeks so I did not bother to call her mention she first off neglected to do her job and second of all the AC was working. Well as luck would have it the AC unit completely died. Then I recalled the same person..MONICA. She mentioned she failed to do her job. I agreed and asked her to send someone out. So she did, after calling twice and being placed on hold for 10 minutes. Well, our claim was denied. BIG SHOCK.

SO as you can see we were ripped off. I am very upset and want everyone to know how this company is lacking in constomer service and they made up lies to get out of paying the $ it cost to fix the AC unit.

NO AC in 102 degree weather in Texas end of July to August. 2-3 weeks.

We have a few dogs who were tired all the time. Total cost to repair the AC unit was $500.

Took about 45 days to repair an oven by replacing a clock module. Actual repair took 5 minutes. I had to call Home Warranty of America at least 12 times to resolve this issue. Home Warranty of America seems to have no systems in place to follow up on their promises made during phone conversations. all contacts were courteous. all contacts were ineffectual. I finally had to baby sit the process and interact directly with the sub contractor. Subcontractor said he preffered not to work with Home Warranty of America.

This was my first claim. I will not buy from them again. The agravation and down time was not worth the modest savings. I'd have to make 2 to 3 claims a year before I would realize savings from my policy. boo!