First American Home Warranty Reviews
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About First American Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty is a home warranty company that’s been in business for over 35 years. Its plans protect homeowners' budgets from unforeseen expenses due to normal wear and tear of a home's major systems and appliances.
- HVAC tuneup
- No age limit on appliances
- Can pick your service call fee
- Not available in all states
First American Home Warranty Reviews
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Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
I had a great experience with Overhead Door Company. The technician went above and beyond what he had to. He replaced my opener and did maintenance on my other door to make sure everything was right. Great job. Would not hesitate to use them again.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
Glad to have a warranty but unhappy that the damper on my a/c wasn't covered and the company that came out never returned my calls about repairs. After 2 1/2 weeks of trying to communicate with them I had to call another company and pay for the repairs myself.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
The service was great. I made an appointment, the technician showed up on time, he fix the problem and was very nice, friendly, and knowledgeable. I have recommended First American Home Warranty and will continue to do so. Thank you.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
Plumber came to fix sink and toilet. In just a couple minutes he said the sink was unrepairable and left in a rush without looking at the toilet. I have a double vanity sink with bronze Victorian style faucets and pop ups. American Home Warranty said they will only replace with the low quality standard plain silver tone faucet and pop up. I am being forced to sell my home due to cancer and divorce, hopefully before it goes into foreclosure. There is no way I can put in the silver tone basic faucet. It would look hideous.
I asked AHW if I can just take a payout so I could have a little help replacing with a matching faucet and they said they will not give me anything. So I am now forced to buy a matching faucet at $420 and pay someone to install it and I still have a leaking toilet. On top of all of this the plumber caused another leak in the sink. It was as only leaking under the sink so I had a bowl under there. I turned on the water right after he left and now water pours all over the countertop! I’m worse of them I was before, I find this so very unprofessional on both the plumbing company and American Home Warranty’s side.
Hello Lisa,
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Thank you.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
I had a great experience. The plumber called me right away to schedule. I called on Thursday and he called me same day and was scheduled and completed on Sunday. The plumber was knowledgeable, fast and friendly. I would have rated 5 stars if they could have completed same day or next day but three days is very reasonable.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
I cancelled. I make very few requests and when I do the parts aren’t covered. They are always extra - I don’t see the point of paying monthly when it would be cheaper just to pay for a repair - I am not happy.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
Refrigerator-freezer repair was done well but took too long, lost food because of length of repair time. Also I asked for a copy of the invoice from the office and still have not received it. My repairman Chris was very nice and professional.
Reviewed Aug. 21, 2018
This company is very receptive to their customers needs. I would and have recommended this company to many people. They follow through immediately with your request. If I was scoring this company from 1-10, I would give them a 10+.
Reviewed Aug. 20, 2018
On July 24th, 2018, I filed a claim that my dryer wasn't heating, we are a family of six. And as I type this, nearly a month later, 4 servicemen have come out, one part was ordered and installed, but it still isn't working. On top of it all, the last serviceman pounded on the front of my dryer, and broke the buttons on the front, and the front cover is all damaged. First American has asked to have another serviceman to come out, but I said no because of the damage that the last guy did. No one knows what the other one is doing, and NANCY is a company woman, and DOES NOT CARE about the consumer. I still have to go to the laundromat, and they won't budge to rectify the situation. After I write this, I'm writing the BBB, and filing with my Attorney for lost wages, pain & suffering for all their lies & aggravation. I'm out of characters, but there's so much more to the story which I'll post on all social media sites, and the BBB.
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2018
When we purchased our home, it came with a home warranty from this company. We have been extremely frustrated with the contractors they send out. When our dishwasher broke, they sent a very rude man that had to come THREE times because he ordered the wrong part and the only two times for visits are 8am-12pm or 12pm-6pm M-F. Who is home for 4 or 6 hours on a weekday?! I had to ask my mother to drive down from Orange County to be at our house because my husband and I work full time. Then our air conditioning broke. They sent out a man that essentially did nothing and then it broke again a week later. He never filed a report with the warranty company for either visit, so they had no record of his visit. He essentially took our money and ran.
It has been 13 days since our claim and our air conditioning is still broken. It is 90+ degrees outside and I am 6 months pregnant. My husband had to hound them with multiple calls over several days in order to get them to send out another contractor. We have yet to hear from the new contractor. Dealing with First American and their contractors has been a nightmare. I would never ever recommend them to anyone.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2018
I've been using First American for close to 10 years and I've recommended them to several people. Sometimes, they do me good while sometimes, they do me bad. I have had some reps that were nasty, and I’ve had some that really worked and did what they had to do when I put in my claim. The techs can be delayed as well. Sometimes it's a week and sometimes they'll call back the same day. On the air and heat unit, the techs tend to take a little longer to call back. But the other ones for the washer-dryer and the microwave tend to call within 20 hours.
Reviewed Aug. 19, 2018
Everything is okay with First American so far and I'm pleased with it. The biggest problem I have is getting a hold of somebody. Usually, it's a foreigner and they seem to be knowledgeable, but I just can't understand them sometimes. But the techs are great.
Reviewed Aug. 18, 2018
They sent 2 different contractors out to my home (currently happening). Both claim that the upstairs evaporator COILS ARE DIRTY and needs cleaning before they would move to next step in decision. 1st guy from Coz-i-air never went upstairs or touch my unit... He just said my unit need cleaned and he can take a reading from the gauge because of the buildup of dirty. So they sent Royal heating and air out because I wasn't satisfied and he placed the gauge on the outside unit and then says it has good Freon and we went up in attic and he states the evaporator coils are dirty... How do you know without taking down the doors to looking in the horizontal unit (he never did).
Now I had to call another company on my own and they told me that the outside unit condensing coil is leaking/busted and I have pics and I visually seen myself plus the Freon pressure was on zero. No Freon at all! I swear to God I will never ever deal with them again after this is over (all they wanna do is cover major components that never goes out till 20 years later or replace with remanufactured used. (This warranty company is A No go.) #Runnn. I'm in this situation as I type and sweating. On top of that they have to wait to see if they will give me a few window units for my home until issue is resolved!!
Reviewed Aug. 18, 2018
I've been in real estate for 20-something years and I've had First American for years and years on different properties. I typically call in to submit my claim and over the course of time, the various claims representatives as well as the technicians they have sent are a very mixed bag. There had been some technicians who came and took care of the problem immediately. However, Simco Mechanical was horrible. I called back and asked to not have them sent to my house again but they had come out three times for various reasons.
One time, they were sending Simco so I spoke to a rep and I told him I didn't want them. He said that I would have to hang up and call back and put in another request. I told him I was already on the phone with him then but he insisted that he has already put in the request so I was gonna have to start over. So I called back again and I was gonna cancel the whole thing as I didn't want Simco on my property. I told them that they're only as good as their sub. Then another time, I spoke to one young rep who was very good and when he said that the tech would be Simco Mechanical, I told him I was gonna cancel but he sent another company out.
First American should pay attention to their customers or maybe send a survey asking us what did we think about the companies they send out. That might help in the future for us to get the point across that those people are not doing their job and they're not representing First American. Still, as a real estate agent, First American is always one of the companies that I recommend to my potential buyers and sellers.
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2018
You the warranty company and the plumbing company had a great response time which I am very very grateful. I will recommend you to anyone that needs a warranty or a plumber. L and D was great. They told me what need to be done and how long it would take. I appreciate First American home warranty.
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2018
Tech called on his way. Had been here before. Friendly, finished the job quickly. Gave me a name of a product to use to clean dishwasher every 3 months. Explained why dishwasher was leaking. Office person was not as friendly on phone. Customer service is not easy but she could have been nicer. This was from 1accord.
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2018
The worst experience and still not resolved after 6 weeks. Opened a claim on July 10, 2018 for two A/C units on the second floor roof that are not cooling properly. Not enough space to provide the whole story, but it is Aug 17, 2018 and repairs haven't started. FAHW Claim Manager not returning calls. Communication is lacking and there is no escalation path to resolve a claim. FAHW seems to be very helpful taking your money to renew but disappear the you actually file a claim.
Hello Peter,
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Thank you.
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2018
To all my friends who are homeowners and realtors, stay away from First American Home Warranty company. This company has been a nightmare to deal with and I'm thankful my claim wasn't any larger than it was. I was given an initial approval of $200 to repair my air conditioner, which I had to locate my own contractor because they hadn't in a period of 6 days after creating my claim. Then, when my tech arrived and assessed the repair, I called back as instructed to get clearance for the increased amount this repair was going to be.
I was told to go ahead and proceed and then send in my invoice. When I received my reimbursement check, it was only for the $200 initial authorization minus deductible. I was told that I did not receive greater authorization. Apparently I should have recorded my call that I made with the tech present and/or ensured I was given a control number for this increased authorization. Again, fortunately this repair wasn't greatly more than the initial $200, however, it shows how they operate. Again, First American Home Warranty, stay away from them.
Reviewed Aug. 17, 2018
We have been with First American Home Warranty for about ten years now and it's always been a positive experience with them. The first thing we do to submit a claim is call them. After that, my wife would suggest to them contractors who have worked on the house in the past and First American would take it. Then within the next day, they usually have sent out someone to the house.
First American has always hired competent people and things get fixed. The techs have all been wonderful as well as courteous. A lot of them liked to explain what they were doing, how they were doing it and how they fix those. The only time that we didn't have a positive experience was when we had worked on the garage door again. Something's gotta break physically before they would replace it. Nevertheless, First American has done a great job. They have handled things in a timely and orderly fashion. They are a great organization and we have no complaints.
Reviewed Aug. 16, 2018
Submitted request to get a washer valve replaced, this is small work and they came back telling they need to fix a pipe which is behind the wall, and they will not cover improvements. I never asked for improvements. Just fix the valve. Asked them who they know. They need to fix the pipe on a perfect wall with no sign of water damage and they said technician knows. Then asked me to send some photos using email. Sent photos since Monday and no callback. When I called them, the said photos were not received and it is my fault. What a bad customer services. I have proof I sent the photos. I asked for something very simple: If valve is cover, they said yes. Water pipe is standard, if use the type of pipe is cover, they said yes. Then told use the same pipe and same valve and fix the issue, but still not answer from them.
Updated on 08/27/2018: FirstAm accepted to send a second company, new guys came to review the valves and CONFIRMED not pipe needs to be replaced nor enhanced, however, told me FirstAm rejected to cover since they said this is Normal wear, in 1 years we have been in this house we have never used that valve. Not even a single time, this valve is connected to the washer and homeowners never need to close it off. Why was first claim not rejected? If it was for the same valve. How this can be normal wear if valve looks perfect and we never used since we lived in here. The plumbing guy also agrees this should not be considered normal wear.
Hello Edwin,
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Thank you.
Reviewed Aug. 16, 2018
I have been with First American Home Buyers Protection for eight years and the warranty was included with my house when I bought it. First American is doing a good job. My most recent claim with them was for a capacitor on my air conditioner. They had someone out and they scheduled it the next day, so it was really prompt. The company seemed legit and the people were clean and courteous. Most experiences that I've had with the technicians have been really good, although I've had a couple of plumbers in the past that were fly-by-night guys. But I've had quite a few claims recently and all the work I've had had been top-notch. I would recommend First American Home Buyers Protection.
Reviewed Aug. 15, 2018
First American's service sometimes sucks. We had an issue with the microwave and then, they sent somebody out two weeks ago. However, I haven't heard back yet from First American if the microwave will be replaced or they'll be sending someone out. Also, it's me that has to constantly call them. I don't think I should have to be the one calling them if I'm paying for a service. Every time we have an issue, it's me having to do the work. I told them that I will probably gonna cancel the service with them come this month when it's up for renewal. There's no point in paying when they don't complete their jobs. Then, they had some type of customer retention specialist call us. They tried to waive our service fee and they apologized. It's a mess and I don't recommend them.
Hello Leticia,
We apologize for the inconveniences you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. Our records indicate that you were offered the replacement of your microwave, to which you accepted and the unit was replaced accordingly. In addition, as a gesture of good will your service call fee was waived.
Reviewed Aug. 14, 2018
I was shopping around for insurance. First American's service fee was lower and they didn't make too many excuses not to fix things, so I went with them. I usually submit my claims to them over the phone and the reps I talked to were pretty good. I had a lot of problems with my air conditioning and last year, I had a company that caused a lot more problems for me. A couple of times, I didn't have air conditioning for a month at a time, plus they damaged my gas line, furnace line, and my water heater. It was so upsetting.
I got lucky I didn't die because it was 95 degrees in the house and I had to open all the windows. I live in Texas and it gets really humid here. There was a bad smell in house and I could sense that it was coming from the attic. So, I kept on asking for First American to send someone but they said that it couldn't be from that. I also couldn't get hold of the air conditioning technician. Then when the unit would come on in the room upstairs, it would be shaky.
We were in the house for four days until I called a different company for them to come and check on the smell. That was when they found out that the first company that came out had done all the other damage. There was a carbon monoxide leak and gas leak, and I was burning candles to camouflage the smell, so we could stay in the house. At the time, we were living downstairs and I was closing all the doors. I ended up paying 350 from my pocket to the new techs who worked on my AC, plus, I had to pay over $1,000 to fix the problems that First American's contractor did. I had to replace the water heater, too, which was only seven years old, but because of the damage that was caused, it had to be replaced.
This year, the air conditioning wasn't working again and this time, the contractor said that something needed to be fixed first before they could do the work. So they have not fixed the problem and they kind of messed it up. Then they asked for $180 from me to pay them. The guys that came were very polite and very nice, but it seems like I have this ongoing problem with my upstairs air conditioner. When it gets hot at 104 outside, it's not cooling down to 78. One time, I didn't have an air conditioner upstairs for a whole month and it was 105 degrees. So, I was sleeping on the couch for a month downstairs. First American's techs just came last Friday and they said it's fixed. I kept on checking though and today is a little hotter than it has been over the weekend, but for the last few days, it's back to 81 upstairs.
Reviewed Aug. 14, 2018
We bought our house in 2002 and the people who we got it from gave us the first-year warranty through First American. We’ve been using it ever since. Our house is 40 years old, so things can turn to dust. When I submitted a claim, it's all digital at first which is frustrating. But once I got past that, it was not too bad. From the time the claim was submitted, they tell us within 24 hours. Sometimes it gets close but most of the time, it's not that long. Someone calls back from the company and then they make the appointment there.
However, I think that their contractors are not the strongest of people. First American will send out a company that will say I need a new hot water heater. I’ll call a plumber that I know that works for a reputable company in our area, and they’ll come out and say that I don’t need a new one so I’m not sure if their contractor is trying to get money.
Most of the times when we call and something needs to be fixed, the warranty company won’t cover the repair unless they get the $800 worth of work done, and that’s been multiple times. Right now we’re having garage door issues, and we’ll end up getting that fixed one way or the other but it really depends on the company that comes out. There’s also one company I’ve asked and not called them anymore because I felt they were terrible. Other than that, everybody else has been fine or I just had to call them back. They will come back out and fix whatever within the 30 days without any questions asked.
Reviewed Aug. 13, 2018
They will not replace your items with the same quality. They use poor quality items to replace your things and charge ridiculous high premiums. They replaced a nice gooseneck faucet with one worth $20. Their customer service is a joke. Horrible company.
Original Review: Aug. 13, 2018
I called First American upon finding water running through my meter although the water in the house was turned off. They sent a plumber who pinned the leak down to inside the house. He then narrowed it to hot water only. I have a 1957 build with a crawlspace and those can be tight. The water lines are buried in the soil under the house. He looked under the house and using a flashlight saw a damp area. He said that given his size, 270 lbs (his words, not mine) he couldn't get to the leak without moving existing HVAC ducts. He wrote the report to First American without commenting that his size prohibited him from reaching the leak. First American made an attempt to get another company out at my request but none will respond.
On The Spot Plumbing (the first responder) will not return calls. First American now says I have to get an HVAC guy out to cut out the ducts so they can do the work due to a 270 lb guy's report. Three weeks now with no hot water so we hired an independent company to look at it. He crawled to the leak, quoted and is now following up for an appointment to do the work. I've had a plumber at that end of the house to repair a line prior to signing on with First American so now with two plumbers able to get to that end, I know it can be done. First American will not confirm the first plumber's claim by sending out another plumber and they are maintaining their position that the work can't be done with ductwork removal. Going on the 4th week with no hot water.
First American has been fine with issues above the floor. This crawl space leak has met with resistance from their contracted plumbers as illustrated by calls not being returned and the inability to gain a second opinion which First American had agreed to do. When I asked for a manager to call me I was told no. Literally, on the phone Ronald said, "No".
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 13, 2018
Our AC unit stopped worked and it was found to be the motor inside the house that needed to be replaced. The company we were assigned to from FAHW called us quickly and scheduled appointment. They put through the claim to FAHW about ordering the part. FAHW never contacted us about getting approval to proceed with ordering the part. WHAT!!! We called when the issue happened and the company you selected to service called and filed the claim. That was week one. Week two, part has been ordered and FAHW will ship it to the company that will be servicing the unit. Checked in again today, because FAHW doesn't keep the customer up to date, and the part is back-ordered. If FAHW had done their job the first time, the part could have been shipped within 2 days of it being ordered. We are now going on 3 weeks of no AC in central TX.
We haven't had issues in the past with FAHW taking care of issues in a timely manner and only had an issue when the hot water heater went and the company they first assigned us to never did a service call. BTW, they don't look at Yelp reviews or vet the companies they use. The company they assigned for the hot water heater had reviews of 1 star. No surprise they didn't show. This experience had us questioning if we will continue renewing our home warranty policy with them. FAHW needs to address their communication with customers especially if it is regarding parts being ordered.
Common sense would say that if the customer contacts FAHW about an issue and the company FAHW sends to service files a claim for parts, that FAHW would automatically order the part versus letting it sit in limbo until the customer calls up because there has been on notification/contact. FAHW has poor customer service and should start using common sense. They should also look at reviews of companies they use to provide service to help reduce the amount of customer frustration and callbacks. Hopefully, the part will show up quickly to the company that is servicing the unit and the AC will be one sooner than not. Once again, we are now going on 3 weeks of not AC.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 13, 2018
I've been using First American for a long time and I've been satisfied over the years. Initially, the warranty was offered when I bought the house and I've been in the house for about 12 years now. I usually call in for my claims and have had no trouble with the contractors they have sent up until this last one for my dishwasher. The first people wouldn't come out here unless they had three other clients to see that day. Then they set up two appointments and didn't give me any notice at all. It takes me an hour to drive back and forth from work to here, so it was very inconvenient for me.
First American ended up changing that technician and sent another one who I had the same problem with. He came out here and he had to order parts. And when he got here the second time, he had the wrong part, so we had to go through it all over again. It took me a long time to get my dishwasher fixed and I wasn't very happy about that. But everything else has run well most of the time.
Reviewed Aug. 12, 2018
Recently my AC unit went out. I called to make a claim and have someone out here ASAP. I have an infant and 2 younger kids. They said they would get someone out here as soon as possible. They provided me with the work order and said the company is open on weekends. I did my research to find out that they arent open and the company only received 1.5 stars on Yelp and BBB. First American has the worst customer service and the outsourcing to other countries. I pay too much to be treated horribly and have the worst customer service. We definitely will be looking for another company. We still have no AC and the temperature is rising in our house and it isnt even the peak of the day yet. Here we wait!
Reviewed Aug. 12, 2018
When a friend of mine said that they had First American in their house and that it was really good, I ended up getting the phone number from them. I've called in two claims to First American so far, and their claims reps have been perfect. Also, the people that they are working with have been very professional and very helpful. First American is really good and they're right on the money.
Reviewed Aug. 12, 2018
First American Home Buyers Protection has been covering my house for 10 years now. And they need to improve the pick up times on their phone calls. Sometimes it takes too long to get somebody to get through there. If you don't get someone within a few minutes, you have to wait 30 minutes at times. But when you get a hold of somebody, they ask you about your experience and what the situation is. They should also extend the operations of their customer service until early morning. A lot of people normally won’t be home till 6:00, and if there was an issue, they got to put it in.
The last issue I had was with my AC and it still hasn't been resolved. Even though it was two days out of my warranty period, they sent someone else out. But I still can’t get the temperature below 76 during the daytime. First American Home Buyers Protection need to do a little bit more investigation if a contractor knows the stuff because they say they do. They give you people who do AC and plumbing but there needs to be specialists. If you got AC, it should just be AC. Plumbing should just be plumbing.
They should also have contractors with true reputation because some of the people who come out are young. Some of the contractors that we've had doesn't have good reports. Also, I might look into other providers because First American Home Buyers Protection has been raising the monthly fees every year and it's been getting ridiculously insane. The copay before was $50, now it's up to $75. Then, the monthly fee is up to $65. At the end of the year, if you look at it, it’s $1,000 just in the fees itself, minimum.
Reviewed Aug. 11, 2018
I was with American Home Shield first and when I put my house on the market, my warranty lapsed. The realtor wanted to have a warranty on there and she chose First American. Then I decided not to sell and I just stayed with them. I've been with them First American for so long and I've had a few issues, but overall, I'd recommend them.
For claims, they want you to go online which is easier than through the phone. But sometimes, you just wanna talk to somebody on the phone and it's difficult to get in touch with somebody on the phone. Though after I got them on the phone, I never had any issues with anybody. However, if you're gonna call them back after a service, it must be within 30 days. And one time, I had some issues with the plumbing where what they fixed should not have been broken again that soon. The repair should've lasted for a long-term. Plus, I had to pay the deductible again to get it fixed. It was an issue with the valve stem and they were having to replace it. But the previous replacement was done less than a year ago and it's something that you don't have but every 20 years.
The other thing is, I had a top-of-the-line cooktop and they would not replace it with top-of-the-line. They replaced it with what they considered an equivalent and I kinda ran around with that one. I thought it was gonna be replaced with the equivalent of what I had and if that wasn't their policy, they should have called it comparable instead of equivalent. Other than that, I've never had any issue with the technicians they sent out.
Reviewed Aug. 11, 2018
We just purchased a new condo and within the first 2 months we had problems with the air conditioning unit. We called for service last week - 8 days ago. They said this was an "expedited" service because we were experiencing very high heat during a heat wave. Despite what First American told us, the company said they couldn't make an appt for 2 weeks. We called First American back, they couldn't get the company to come sooner. So they scheduled another company, 4 days later. That company never returned our calls and never made an appointment. Called First American back, they scheduled an appointment for the next day (a Wednesday). Company never showed or called. Called First American back. They did the same thing, called the company back and scheduled an appointment for the next, said they would show up, between 12-5. We waited. They never called or showed up.
Called First American back, they said they would escalate the claim because they couldn't find an air conditioning company to come do service. They said we would get a call back within an hour or two approving us to call our own company in. Never got a call back. Called the next day (8th day, a Friday) and put on hold for 35 minutes while they "figured it out". Came back on the line to tell us 1. They have no one to come service the unit and 2. They are not authorizing us to have it fixed at this time.
I asked to speak to a supervisor, I've been on hold now for 52 minutes. It's a waiting game. After tomorrow, trying for 9 days to get service and this company not meeting their obligations, we will have the unit serviced at our cost and intend to sue them in Small Claims for full reimbursement. This is NOT a good company to deal with at all and they do not honor their obligations when you purchase a contract. The California Department of Insurance needs to investigate them. There are literally THOUSANDS of complaints about their practices and doing this to others.
Reviewed Aug. 10, 2018
We have an older home and I've had First American since 2005. It's easy to submit a claim and the representatives are always eager to try to help. Our experiences with the technicians have been good but this last time, it took forever to get First American to agree to buy a new dishwasher. Then it took forever to get the dishwasher there. We were out of a dishwasher for weeks. Then when First American sent a technician out to install it, he installed it improperly. It caused a leak and the floor next to the kitchen happened to be wood. It was damaged and it'll cost $4,000 to replace the floor.
It also cost me $300 to call another plumber to install the dishwasher properly. I wasn't required to do it on my own but I was sick of the whole process with that dishwasher. First American had taken so long from the time we called that the dishwasher went out until we actually got one put in. So when we realized it wasn't installed properly, I didn't want the same plumber or anybody that First American would send out there. But generally, the quality of work of the technicians First American had sent out was good.
Reviewed Aug. 10, 2018
Normally, you go online and place a request to First American. Their customer service was nice in answering the phone but after the request has been placed, it seems like the only person you can deal with is the contractor. You have to be on top of them for somebody to contact and make the phone call for the specialists who sometimes take forever to get to your house or to answer your phone calls. When you call First American, they would always advise you to call them but once the appointment has been set up, whoever comes would be okay. I’ve been with First American for 13 years and there has been a little bit of an increase every year. When I started with them, it was $45 per service call. Right now, it’s $75 so, I’m looking for a warranty company with a cheaper service call price.
Reviewed Aug. 9, 2018
Water heater went out first. I called and the guy came on a Sunday, turned off the water heater detached the pipes and left it in my garage. A week later they called wanting to give me an estimate on replacement which was much higher and would have caused a lot more damage to my home. The guy that came was not very knowledgeable when I questioned him. Luckily I had already been doing my research and knew the correct answers from several other sources. I decided not to use their plumber and found another on my own, who came immediately, did the necessary repairs and adjustments and replaced the water heater quickly and correctly. They now want to give me $346 for the total job. Trust me it cost more than that to replace!
Later that week the air conditioner went out, I had to have it fixed quickly as the temperatures in Phoenix soared and I have an elderly parent at home. They won’t even consider any part of my claim as they could not get me a contractor to come out before 3 days passing. I called and found a licensed contractor to come out the next day, but now they won’t even consider any part of the claim even though invoices from licensed agencies were sent. I canceled my contract with them as now my two largest purchases of water heater and air conditioner are now newly replaced and come with their own warranties!
Reviewed Aug. 9, 2018
I looked into acquiring a home warranty for less stress and to just call somebody that can handle everything and I got a recommendation for First American Home Buyers Protection from somebody. Submitting a claim with them now is more complicated than before. And the last time, we had a couple of problems with that. The old way was First American sends the claim to the subcontractor and the subcontractor calls us and they set up the appointment. But now, we have to call the subcontractor and make an appointment with them which makes it more complicated because we have to call First American on their 1-800 and call somebody else. Sometimes they don’t have a claim number yet. I have to call First American again and send the claim number because I'm calling the subcontractor. They are making the client work more. I have to find them, open a claim, and find a subcontractor and open the claim with the subcontractor again.
Our last interaction with the reps from First American was really bad. They sent a 23-year old guy here who didn’t know much about the isse and whatever he was doing. He said it was an electrical problem. We called the electrical guy and First American sent the electrical guy. When he came, he said everything was fine and that it was an AC problem so we called back the AC problem. It was back and forth. The customer service was a straight "this is what we got, this is what you offer," and that’s it. Today, they'll receive a call from us because the AC broke down again.
Reviewed Aug. 9, 2018
I've been with First American since 2012 and what I need gets done so the warranty meets my needs. They cover pool equipment too. They have a website where you can put in a claim then somebody contacts you within 48 hours. But if you wanna go back in later and look at the claim, they don't have all the information there so it's a little more work. But to start a claim and get that moving forward is easy. All the repair folks I've dealt with have been good. The work they've done has been very good and if I have any issues, I can talk to them.
Reviewed Aug. 8, 2018
I had a different home warranty when I bought my house. However, I wasn’t happy with that company so I looked for another one and went with First American. I usually call in when submitting a claim and it has been an excellent experience. The reps have all been very professional and nice. The technicians that come in are usually really good. They fix the problem and if they can't, they say so. Most of the time, they come back after two days or a week when they get the part. Everything has been good with First American.
Reviewed Aug. 8, 2018
First American came with the house since we asked for it from the real estate agent and we continued it. This is our sixth year with them and generally, First American has been okay but I was disappointed when we had trouble with our air conditioning unit. When submitting a claim, they are online and then we could call. It takes two to four days to get a contractor out. Our downstairs compressor went out on August 3, 2017 and in July of this year, it went out again. We were not high priority and I had to call them four times since summer about our air being out. Every time I call, it was several days before anyone came out and several days before they could find out if they could get the part. So, we had more days this summer without air than with air.
When the compressor went out, it caused the unit to short and it burnt the wires that went up to the house. Potentially, it could’ve burned my house down if it hadn’t been bricked. The contractors have been good but we did not have good quality this summer. We paid a lot out of pocket last year and this year they wanted us again to pay 800 dollars. There was less than 10 months between the two incidents and we asked First American to help us cover getting the unit because it has happened too many times. They were not willing and they said we could do a cash-out. I haven't heard back from them about that but on other times, they were helpful. We ended up having to buy a new unit which we installed today. First did good on my washing machine and garage door and our refrigerator repair so, they were probably good for everything, but maybe not for AC repair.
Reviewed Aug. 8, 2018
When First American send someone out for something that is a quick fix, I pay the $75 fee and it’s great. But every time we’ve had anything major, we have to argue with them. Then eventually, they’ll come back and make a little better settlement. With my last experience, the air conditioning unit had a bad evaporator and the tech gave me an estimate of $1,200 and First American were gonna pay me $150. After some conversations with three different people at the corporate office, they finally settle with us and give us $750. We ended up replacing the entire unit for $6,500 because it had been an ongoing problem and it wasn’t worth fixing again. First American didn’t step up and take care of it. We pay them a regular fee every month and this is a legitimate claim. I shouldn’t have to argue with them about that. I don’t like to argue with people for something that I know that I’m owed.
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2018
I submitted a claim on June 18th for my air conditioning. It took over a week to send someone out. I paid the $75 service fee and the service company said they would order the part and come back. I never heard from them again. After insisting that First American send someone else, I finally got a second company out to fix the a/c. They came out on July 13th; I paid another $75 service fee. They said they would order the part and I didn't hear from them for over 3 weeks. In the meantime, I've made numerous calls to First American, none have been returned and we haven't had air conditioning for almost 8 weeks in the hottest part of the summer. No one has apologized or made any attempt to fix the issue. It is still not resolved and if I could give a 0 star rating, I would. I even submitted an case to BBB, and First American STILL hasn't bothered to reach out.
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2018
I have never had a worse experience than dealing with First American Home Warranty. My AC unit is covered in my warranty. I live in Las Vegas and it is currently between 107-116 degrees every day. My AC unit died 22 days ago!!! My compressor and motor were almost dead and they sent a terrible technician that replaced the fuse and left. It turned my AC on for 2 hours until it died again. I called them back 12 days ago and it took them 4 days to get a technician out. The technician (from "The AC Guys") deemed that the motor and compressor needed to be replaced.
I have now been sitting in my house for 20+ days with a 2 year old child and pregnant wife with a 110+ degree house. The AC Guys filed a report 7 days ago and it took First American until this morning to ship the part to them. They aren't offering tracking or giving us the compressor's original location and just will tell me it has been shipped. I HAVE SPENT OVER 20 HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH FIRST AMERICAN!!! This company is an absolute scam!!! Fix my AC unit and make this right!!!
Hello Kevin,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your air conditioning claim. Our records indicate your compressor was replaced and your claim is closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2018
For two work orders, I have had to miss a full 7 days at work. They employ the shoddiest contracts who use the cheapest possible parts and take their time getting the job done and it's incorrect to boot! The first service call I placed with this people my hot water heater had a leak. They came out and patched the leak. Then a few weeks later it started leaking again, and then I was told I needed a new water heater and he had to get approval from the warranty company before he could proceed with the work.
When he finally showed up (A FULL THREE WEEKS LATER) to install the new water heater, the gas line wasn't hooked up correctly and the crawl space of the house filled up with gas! The house could have exploded or worse... My family could have been KILLED!!! SO THREE DAYS later they show up again to make it right. I had to call LG&E out to shut my gas off so I wouldn't blow up half the neighborhood!! Each time I'm having to take a full day off of work to deal with this incompetence. And not a SINGLE PERSON at American Home Warranty said, "Sorry" or anything. Not a single one!
The 2nd work order was for a leaky bathtub. The first time they came out; he just did a lot of looking and head scratching and told me I'd need a new faucet set and he'd have to get approval from the warranty company, the 2nd time he came out he brought a faucet that didn't match the rest of the fittings in the tub (the shower was gold, the drain was gold as well as the drain handle, but the faucet was silver.... AND THE PIECE OF JUNK THEY BROUGHT OUT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC!!! Which I don't really care, I plan on remodeling the bathroom in a couple of years anyway, but I was hoping it would last at least a year or two... It hasn't lasted 90 days!
So now here we are 2 months later and the damn thing is broken again. Keep in mind I have had to take off work for each visit they made to my house. I am out of vacation time and I can't do this anymore. The last time I asked the contractor who showed up "Doesn't your company work weekends?" and he said "Yes we do, but not for First American, they don't pay us enough." Seriously? Who says that???
So now that we're up to claim number 3. I am being forced to take off work because they will not authorize me to find a contractor who will work on a Saturday. I have been on the phone with their claims department and spoke with someone named "Marcello" who can only repeat policy like a trained parrot. I was told the contract said I had to "make myself available" and I was not going to get another contractor because no one works weekends. That is nothing but B.S. I did a quick google search and found nearly every plumber has weekend coverage available.
He then told me If I wanted someone who could come by on the weekends I had to pay for it myself! I cannot take off work. I AM OUT OF TIME because the contractors they work with are too incompetent to get it right the first time. This is outrageous. If I could give a negative rating, I certainly would! This entire experience has turned me against home warranties. My sister is a real estate agent and I have told her that she should save her customers the headache and NEVER recommend a home warranty from this company!
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2018
When my wife and I bought this house, the previous owner threw First American in to sweeten the deal and my wife and I have renewed it every year since. However, last year and this year have been bad. We've come to find out there are some big holes in the coverage. We went through Hurricane Harvey. We didn’t get flooded but our power was out for a while so the refrigerator ended up with a burned out motor and it wasn’t covered. Our dryer's heating element burned out and was not covered as well. My garage door's huge steel spring that turns the garage and brings it up broke, which very rarely happens, and that was not covered in the plan either. It's frustrating.
We have an older AC unit and that’s one of the biggest reasons why we kept the warranty because we don’t know how much life that thing has left. Then we found out from a buddy of mine who has his own AC company that it doesn’t cover much of that either. Certainly, it doesn’t cover a brand new system so I'm concerned about that and I don't know if we'll be renewing next year. Other than that, everybody that First American had sent out has been great, very nice and timely.
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2018
First American sucks. They're not in the business of paying claims. They're in the business of denying claims. I have pool equipment and central to that is the control unit. That unit failed but because it's not a pump, it wasn't covered under the warranty. But how can you have a pool system that has pumps and a control board where the control board is not part of the pool equipment? I had a horrible customer service experience. On top of that, they're unresponsive and difficult to file a claim with. You have to follow up multiple times to make sure the claim is filed. And they use, arguably, the most unreliable repair people. Some are more knowledgeable but others are not well versed.
Reviewed Aug. 6, 2018
On July 2, a contractor stated that the AC needed a new motor. I had to prompt the company to follow up on the part on July 9. They rarely get back to you within the 24 hour time frame that they state on their customer site. On July 11 they state they go the work order, and it could take three business days to review. On July 13 they approved and ordered the part, supposedly 5-7 business days, then the contractor would contact me for install.
There has been no further movement since then. Due to the first delay, I had a "claim specialist" assigned to me. On July 30 I requested an update, obviously frustrated, but not swearing. No answer on the 31st. On Aug. 1, a response stating that they were trying to reach the contractor, and a new "claim specialist" was assigned to me. Aug. 2, no update. Aug. 3, no update, no response. Aug. 6, no update, no response. I am being punished for their inability to contact their contractor. I have a contract with First American Home Warranty. They are failing.
Reviewed Aug. 6, 2018
It’s easy to file a claim with First American, but dealing with their reps a quarter of the time wasn’t as good. The quality of their contractors’ work has been very good, but there’s a lack of repair approvals when they’re on site and I’ve had to have them come back several times to fix something.
Reviewed Aug. 6, 2018
My previous home warranty company was raising their service charge so I looked out for a different one. First American had a lower service charge and I've done well in terms of claims except for once. I had an issue with my garage door and when the technician came out, they said what I needed was not covered by the insurance. But I couldn't get my car in my garage. I needed to get the door fixed so I paid over $200 out of my pocket to get it fixed with the people that came out anyways. And then First American still tried to charge me the $75 service fee. It wasn't even covered. Why did I have to pay that? They said it was because I called them.
I was very upset and I had a tough time trying to speak with a supervisor. I had to yell and demand and yet, they refused to transfer me to a supervisor. I asked them why and they said no. I had never experienced that before. It was also very interesting that I had to fight to get to speak to a supervisor. I'm in customer service and that shouldn't be the case. In the end, they decreased the fee. But I had terrible service. The people in the call center were awful. So filling claims is not the greatest thing I've had with First American. They have poor customer service. I hope the company decides to change the way they do business and how they treat their clients.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2018
Filing claims is fast. Before, I have to call. But now, they have the online service. When I filed claims through online, they would call me right away even though they said 24 to 48 hours. The contractors are good, except for the other ones. If they say that they will reschedule and follow up, that is the time that I have to think 'cause sometimes it's been a while that I have to call another vendor outside to fix whatever I need to be fixed.
I had a claim for our LG dryer and they said they don't cover that brand. So, I had to cancel the service for that but they were still asking for the fee. The contractor won't work on it so I got a vendor outside. Then I have a pending request for the dishwasher and that has been a month now. The contractor said they will ask First American if they will cover the hose they need to replace. I followed up three times, but until now, I did not get a call from them. I've been with First American for more than seven years and I didn't have any problem with them except for this year. But I'm still giving them a chance and I like them. My friend is also a First American member.
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2018
First American came with the house and I just kept renewing it every year. I have submitted claims both online and over the phone, although it was easier to do it online. My HVAC was out and I called it in on a Friday and it was the following Thursday before they could even get anybody there. It was also a little expensive at times. However, they were usually responsive for the other stuff. I had issues with the garage door as well as with the plumbing and in both instances, they came out the next day. I had one contractor where they did really well other than they didn't have the parts, so they had to get the parts and it was another two days before they could come back and replace everything. There was another time when the contractors came out for a simple fix and they were in and out.
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2018
This is a terrible home warranty company. Service is never quick. It takes two to three days to get assigned a contractor. It then takes two to three days minimum to get an appointment. They never have any parts, so you have to wait several days to weeks for them to get parts. (This past time I looked online as the repairman was still at my house and the part I needed could be shipped out that day if ordered by 5:00 pm. Two weeks later, and I've still not had the appliance repaired.) Then they need to schedule another appointment. This past incident, there were two problems with my refrigerator. The repairman only looked into one, so he will have to come back again, after ordering more parts. Stay away from this company.
Updated on 08/24/2018: "Disappointed yet again, and again, and again! When will I learn???" Along with the long delays in trying to repair the refrigerator, and then ultimately having FAHW agree to replace the appliance, now it's long delays, cancelling, and rescheduling the delivery of the replacement. Apparently their delivery company J.B. HUNT, is as flakey as they are. FAHW ordered the replacement on 08/15/18. I got word from the delivery company the next day that it would be delivered on 08/24/18. A full nine days later. Their schedule indicated it would be delivered between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Great window.
This morning on the day of expected delivery, at 8:00 AM, they indicated it was on the truck and out for delivery, they had narrowed the delivery window to 3:15 PM and 7:15 PM. Why did I take the day off??? IT GETS BETTER. At 1:53 PM, I get a call from the delivery company indicating they have to cancel and reschedule the delivery because the driver has reached his maximum allowed driving hours. Why did I take the day off??? The earliest they can reschedule is Tuesday 08/24/18, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Great window! Ummm, if it was already on the truck, it takes 4 days for redelivery??? Run as fast as you can away from this company!
08/14/18 Update. FAHW has reviewed my claim, and determined a replacement refrigerator is appropriate. Thank you FAHW. First American Home Warranty Corporation Response. 08/16/2018. "First American Home Warranty Corporation (First American) apologizes for any inconvenience the consumer may have experienced during the handling of their claim. Upon review, First American provided the consumer with the option to either accept a new kitchen refrigerator (AFI2539ERM) or the cash payment in lieu of the replacement. Please be advised, the consumer accepted the new kitchen refrigerator on August 15, 2018. At this time, First American is waiting on the unit to be delivered and installed. First American considers this claim pending." See the notice above. FAHW pays this site. Notice how all of the first reviews you read are four star. This one will be buried way down the line.
Hello Troy,
Our records indicate your kitchen refrigerator has been replaced. At this time, we consider your claim closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2018
I've had First American for years and we called them to submit a claim when I had to have some work done as the hot water heater went out. They sent someone to check the washing machine about the leak and it turned out to be the hot water heater. So, we had to have emergency work and no one called me back and told me about it. I didn’t want the hot water heater to flood the people below me and so I had to go with the people in the building to do it. I plan on sending the invoices of the work I had done and see if they could pay part of it. Another was when I had the stove down one time and it took them three weeks to get it done. First American doesn’t use top-grade technicians and I was wondering looking around myself for something else.
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2018
We have two houses that First American takes care of, and we've been serviced well. Most of the time, submitting a claim with them is fine. And I prefer to call because I know talking to a live person is actually gonna get a claim taken care of. On the internet, sometimes it gets lost. But their customer service department isn't the greatest in terms of their professionalism. They don’t know how to talk to a customer if there's a dispute 70% of the time. And as far as the technicians that they've sent out, 80% of the time, they're good and 20%, they probably don’t have the knowledge that they should have.
Reviewed Aug. 4, 2018
I called First American when I submitted my claims and they got somebody here to fix the problems that I had. The technicians were fine and were all local people so I did not have any problems. Recently, I had a claim for my garage door and the man who came out had it fixed in 20 minutes. However, the fees keep going up and I’m not happy about that. When I started out in 2003, it cost me $27 a month and now, it’s $70 a month. Also, my deductible has gone up from $20 to $75. Other than that, the quality of work has been excellent.
Reviewed Aug. 3, 2018
Terrible company. This whole company is a ripoff. They don’t cover anything and require service done through their company that charges triple. They say they will cover the cost of repairs until the bill is submitted. Don’t ever use this company.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 3, 2018
When I started with American Home Shield, I was paying a minimal amount and every year, that and the service call amount would go up so I decided to change it. I started looking online and came across First American. When I spoke to them, I was told that mine would be the same and it wouldn't increase on a regular basis. The others that I spoke with told me that they go up a different amount every year just like AHS so I chose First American. The claim process was easy and when the contractors get to your house, they greet you and introduce themselves. You already know that they’re coming and they’re prompt. It’s close to the time they have arranged. I work in Downtown, Houston and I ride the bus so, I have to work with them to get a time when I could get home and be there when they arrive. The technician’s work was fine, I haven’t had any problems and the service was good.
Reviewed Aug. 3, 2018
When buying out an existing home, getting a homeowner's warranty was standard, at least for the first year and First American was the home warranty that was chosen by the sellers of the house I moved into. I’ve been with them for five years and I used to submit claims by phone but I found that it was easier to do it online. First American's response was very quick and it was certainly no more than 24 hours. The interactions I had with their contractors have all been fine but one vendor took three times to get it done right. Also, when our air conditioning condenser had to be replaced, there was a bunch of stuff that had to be done in addition to just replacing it that was not covered by the warranty. It winded up being several hundred dollars so it came as a surprise to me and I was not thrilled about it. Other than that, I’ve been happy with the service and the value I’ve gotten out of it.
Reviewed Aug. 2, 2018
First American sent Quality Warranty to my home. Their job didn't pass inspection from the city of Stafford, TX. They created a leak that unbeknownst to me was going not only in the garage but into a bedroom wall. It has caused damage. First American is responsible for vetting then sending out contractors. However if that same contractor damages your home, not only did they not accept responsibility, First American responds they are not responsible for secondary damage. Then First American sends out another vendor who while in my home gives the same information that is then verified by an independent inspector. First American then tells me that the second contractor said the work was done properly. Either that contractor is lying or First American is lying on them.
Reviewed Aug. 2, 2018
I’ve been with First American for eight years and they started off a little better. I used to experience communication gap two years ago and now, it seems they have more competent agents on the phone taking care of business although there’s still room for improvement. Five years ago, Brown Plumbing which was a local fly-by-night never even showed up so First American hired Master Tech who didn’t show up as well. We ended up having to call Rescue Rooter.
Recently, I got my microwave shakes and the guy from Sears misdiagnosed and incorrectly ordered parts so it took about three and a half weeks to fix it. My water heater took two weeks to get fixed and the vendor that First American used, Master Tech, tried to upsell my wife for about 500 bucks of non-code required items. They didn't collect the money or tell her that they were gonna fix it. They emailed me and I am not touching that email because they're not working on it. American Home Warranty ought to take care of that final piece of paperwork for me. They were supposed to send me a reimbursable check of $1,050 for a water heater repair and I've been waiting for it for two weeks now. I'm gonna do what I have to do to get my money back.
A time or two, the company waived the $75 deposit and the reimbursable piece but it was after all the hardships. It could have gone easier. Also, they didn’t move forward. The client had to represent themselves and then beg the company for reimbursement. It's hard to get anything going with the company. The vendors don't show up and I've got to do all the work. I called someone and they apologized and I got to tell them the whole story. Then, they sent it to someone else and I gotta tell them the whole story again. The quality of the vendors is always gonna be the success of what First American does and they've tried to improve the quality of their vendors. I'm in a ministry where I pay someone for a service, I expect it to be carried out, but we're not living in that world anymore. I'm not happy and I'm not satisfied until it's over.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed Aug. 2, 2018
When I bought the house, it came with the First American warranty and we've had it for four years. And because of convenience, we renew it every year. Submitting claims is easy. I do it over the phone and I've been very pleased with the First American representatives. The springs on my garage door broke last week. And I called the company at seven o'clock. It was repaired by ten o'clock. My experience has been very good, so far. First American does a good job.
Reviewed Aug. 2, 2018
The claims process at First American Home Buyers Protection has been okay. I usually use the website when submitting a claim as it's faster and convenient. However, sometimes it takes First American three days to get a vendor out to me during the peak season. My AC unit was down last month and I had to call a service. The guy came in and he told me that he fixed it, but apparently, it wasn’t fixed. However, the vendor reported that it was and the case was closed. I called First American and told them it wasn't complete. They've sent another vendor since. While I'm satisfied with the service, I don’t have any choice to pick the vendors because First American assigns it.
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2018
I just bought this home. The AC unit for the ground floor doesn't work. It is in the warranty. Garcia Heating and AC came to look. He was here 30 seconds and walked out and said a dog bit the wire. I don't have a dog. He said it's not covered under warranty. He had no interest in fixing it to begin with. I had to pay $75 for NOTHING. I called a real AC tech and he fixed it in 2 minutes and charged me $20. Customer service is a waste of time, they read from a script and have no knowledge of the actual business. Call the payment number and they answer instantly. Call the other lines and you wait for an hour. Report a claim and a person won't even talk to you...they give you a machine to talk to. I want my money back.
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2018
First American was with the house when I moved in and I've kept the contract going for two years now. During the first year, the house didn’t have any issues and it was easier to keep it going. I also had a good experience after. I’ve had one bad contractor and First American was good about switching it out. They gave me a new washer and gave me what I needed. When I submit claims to them, I do it online and I get an email right away.
I had Cooper Garage one time, but I told First American I didn’t wanna use them anymore. I paid them the deductible online on my credit card and then First American said I never paid the contractor. I sent a picture of when I paid the contractor and First American said that was between me and him, so I called him to tell him he needed to change it. I had all the text message receipts from the bank saying, “Thanks for paying Cooper Garage”. I need to find out whatever happened with that $65 ‘cause I was told Cooper Garage was gonna send it in right. Other than that, the work performed was of good quality.
Reviewed Aug. 1, 2018
First American's rates are reasonable and their response is good. We've had the policy since I bought the house 12 years ago. Submitting claims over the phone is horrible as it takes forever and now, I file my claims online. The website was kind of twitchy but it's been fabulous within the last year. The reps were all very polite and professional. The electrician I had over this week was fabulous as well. However, we've had some plumbers in the past who were less than helpful. There was one time when it took me 10 days to get my air conditioner fixed and it was miserable. We reported one of the plumbing contractors to First American. We had a subsequent plumbing claim and had to request that they not send the original contractor since they were slow and didn’t answer calls or return them. Still, First American Home Warranty is definitely worth it.
Reviewed July 31, 2018
Do not trust this company!! Bad business practices!! Reputable companies don't contract with FAHW so you'll be stuck dealing with the worst contractors in your area. This company continues to raise their prices and deductibles while lowering their coverage & reducing quality of service, which includes the companies they carry contacts with. They are scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to employees & contractors. I guess it's my mistake for staying with this company for over 11 years expecting things to get better only to be treated like garbage when we do need to place a claim.
The automated system is a ridiculous joke!! I pay a bloated premium every month to get screwed around by a machine, hung up on by unprofessional ignorant phone agents, and ignored by incompetent companies they contract with. Left waiting on hold for over 30 minutes just to get hung up on. Looks like I'll be looking for a new warranty company. After 11 years & all the hell they have put me through this review is extremely sugar coated & much nicer than they deserve.
Hi Lesley. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. We appreciate your feedback and have documented your concerns to review for training purposes. Thanks, Shanee.
Updated review: Aug. 17, 2018
At some point through my frustration dealing with the customer service, I contacted my realitor who explained to her rep what was going on. From that point things started to move forward. These people were helpful, returned calls, responded to emails almost immediately every time. But then I was told a week later after posting my review I was no longer allowed contact with the people who where helping me because my claim got transferred departments because of my review on here. That being said I was quite annoyed but we got through it.
End result: 29 days after I filed my claim, $450 (between the contractor payment $75 and the uncovered for the ac $375), 2 contractors later... they did end up coming to the conclusion that my unit needed to be replaced. I do feel that they were on top of ordering it and getting it installed for me. After reviewing other companies and talking with other people, we have decided that First American did follow through and take care of us as customers where for many that hasn’t been the case. We are renewing our warranty with them at least for now.
Original Review: July 31, 2018
Friday the 13th I put in a claim for my hvac unit. All Seasons is the company you sent out. They worked on my condenser unit outside and came and told me I had a leak, they added an anti leak agent, added Freon, charged it and I was good to go. It was fine for maybe 24 hours before it was completely not blowing any air again by 36 hours. I called Friday the 20th for you guys to send All Seasons back out. My husband spoke to All Seasons Saturday and talked him into coming out Saturday the 21st. He arrived at 11, was gone by 12 and never even gave us a receipt. My air blew for 2 hours before it wasn’t blowing anymore. My house was at 73 when he came. By 4pm it was 77. By 6:30pm it was 81. I have an 11 year old, 8 year old, 2 year old and 9 month old. For all I know, there is Freon leaking in my house. Because All Seasons, never checked out my unit. Told us the anti leak didn’t take, he added more, more Freon, and wouldn’t even humor us on coming inside to look at the other part of the unit.
So I called First American back Saturday 21st, I told them I’m not comfortable with this company. I feel they will just continue doing the same thing, what are my options. I was told they would check and see if I had permission to have another company come out and I’d have an answer Sunday morning. Sunday evening when no one had called, I had to call back. I was told they are still waiting on an answer. So I gave you guys another whole day before calling again on Tuesday 24th because no one contacted me. I was told that they denied another company and she was contacting All Seasons to see about completing the job. All Seasons according to her said, they are unable to complete the job and will not be returning to my property. She offered to reimburse my window unit and I was being transferred to a specialist who would be contacting me within 24 hours. 24 hours come and go and no one contacted me.
So Wednesday the 25th I call again. I was told that I was never assigned a specialist. That this should have been escalated to a level 3 but was only escalated to a level 2, but he would go ahead and fix it and someone would be contacting me within 24 hours. Keep in mind...every time I call, I’m talking to a new person, telling the same thing to, being put on hold for 6 plus minutes while they each read my file, just to keep getting told misinformation. I told him, “No sir, let me speak to someone else.” He transferred me and this new person told me new information that I was assigned Jerrod on Monday at 8:00am. It’s now Wednesday. My specialist had not contacted me in over 48 hours after receiving my case. She told me she could call me with an update and I told her, “No, I want to speak with Jarrod, I’m tired of repeating my same story every time I don’t get a callback.” She transferred me to his voicemail.
I told Jarrod, I would be thankful for a call back by the end of business day or fully expect me to keep calling until I could speak to him tomorrow. This morning, the 26th still no call from Jarrod. I left him 2 voicemails this morning. I decided he wasn’t going to return my calls and I needed someone to tell me what their solution was. When I called first American again, I was on the phone for 45 minutes just to be told she couldn’t help me. I told her to transfer me to someone who could then. She transferred me to Jarrod’s voicemail. I was livid. I left him another voicemail and then I called back. The guy that answered this time told me he was going to transfer me to customer claims relations and to ask to speak with a supervisor. Which I did. And it was awful. She didn’t let me speak, she spoke over me, wouldn’t address the questions I was asking and then put me on an indefinite hold. After 10 minutes of being on hold, I hung up.
It is August 1st tomorrow. My children start M-school in a week and haven’t slept in their beds for 20 nights. I still have no AC. I was told my indoor and outdoor unit needed to be replaced by a new company they got to come out. Just to tell me they will cover my new units but not the installation. That I should accept being told oh random amounts for things is just what it is. How do you know it’s going to be 100 for electrical modification? And why are you not paying for the installation of the new unit after making me wait 3 weeks for things to start moving? Definitely sticking with a home warranty - just not First American.
Hello Kathryn,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. Please be advised, our records indicate your condenser and air handler were installed on August 10, 2018 therefore, your claim is considered closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed July 31, 2018
We had scheduled a plumber to come out to fix a leaking toilet. After several days the scheduled date came and the plumber was no call no show. With a large time window this meant that one of us had to take time off in order to be home for the service. We called and complained to First American and they were apologetic saying that they would have another company come. They also said they would waive the service fee to compensate for the lost time. Later we received a bill for the service, and when I called to ask about the waived fee, they said they didn't have anything in the system. And even though they could see that the first company was no show, they apparently neglected to write any notes in the system and would not honor the agreement earlier made.
Reviewed July 31, 2018
I've been with First American for four years now. A friend relied on them for the four homes he had and then a fellow who worked on my air conditioner also recommended them. I decided that when I hear something twice, I'd look into it. I was glad I did because I've used First American for many things. When I submit claims I tend to call in because my issue has always been something odd and I’m not sure if it’s gonna be covered. A year or two ago, I had to call for things and it seems like it was really hard to get through. They just kept telling me to go online but I couldn’t get my questions answered there. Still, my interactions with their claims rep have been good and I've been getting quicker customer service.
Also, there were instances in the past where I had problems with contractors who couldn't show up for four days. To me, my problem felt like an emergency. A couple of times, I wasn't happy with who they bought from far away. There was a contractor from the big city 100 miles away that they sent that I was particularly unhappy with. I really like it when locals show up. I really liked the last fellow they sent out and I was impressed with him.
Another time, there was a power outage and I had an electrical problem afterwards. I was really nervous about what could’ve happened and if the house was gonna burn down. At that time, I hadn't used First American for a while then but as soon as I remembered I had them, my mind was at ease. And sure enough, the contractor was able to come out within two hours of me calling and straightened it all out. It was simpler than I thought and took all the fear away. When contractors come and do a good job, it’s a way for us to find out about someone without spending $500 and finding out we don’t like them. Overall, I've had a very good experience with First American. It's a great service and I really enjoy having it. I recommend it to everyone, from couples that I know who have enough money to pay big bills if they have to, to single girlfriends who are trying to keep their houses up and running. It's worth having.
Reviewed July 31, 2018
We have been using First American for 20 years and so far, we've been very pleased with our experience. When I submit a claim, I call them in. Their team is always very helpful when I speak to them and the technicians who come to my home have been very pleasant. In all these years there have been two times we didn’t hear back, but it's so infrequent that it has never been a problem. We usually receive a call from whoever they recommend in a day. Since we're getting ready to sell our house, the buyers for our current home are getting a policy with First American from us. When we go to our new location, we also plan to use First American again.
Reviewed July 31, 2018
I’ve been with First American for 15 years and in my house in Utah, they’ve been amazing and nothing ever goes wrong with the workers that they send me. However, I cancelled First American in my house in California because the people they were sending me were horrible and I had to call them back at least four times on every single thing they did. I would not go back to them because they have substandard people and they don't care. I even had one guy tell me that they weren't supposed to do a lot and that was the final straw.
Reviewed July 30, 2018
I've had First American for several years and submitting a claim depends on what the problem is. If I have a problem with the stove, they normally come out and get stuff fixed right away. But when I had problems with water, air conditioning and heating unit, they sent me to someone and somebody else had to come out in a month to check it over or redo something. I had to go back almost every month with my air conditioner or heating unit. So, I don't know if it was the people they were using or if it was First American. Overall, the quality of work is average and I’m concerned with them knowing what is under warranty and what is not. Once the people get here, they would tell me that it is not under warranty even though First American told me it was.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed July 30, 2018
My recent claim with First American Home Buyers Protection was yesterday when I had an issue with the hot water heater. I submitted my claim online and the contractor that was sent out was professional, courteous and able to answer all of my questions. I didn’t have hot water to one area of my house but I do now.
Reviewed July 29, 2018
I've been with First American for a long time now. Filing a claim with them has been easy but sometimes it takes a long time to get somebody. I'd have to call multiple times because they’ll tell me that there's a vendor who's gonna call me. From that point on, I'd have to call and try to see if they can come in and they don’t have time. They don’t go on urgent business. Instead, they just go whenever. Once, we had a dishwasher problem and it took weeks and weeks before it got resolved.
We also had an AC issue last time and we had to call one person. They couldn’t come in, and they had to call another person. Then, that person came out and ordered the parts for the unit. However, he told us that they can't get parts from the insurance company. So we had to call First American and they told us that the technician didn't submit what part he needed. We had to call the guy back and tell him what First American told us. Then, it was a back and forth thing. Finally, when we called and we were told that there was a certain service thing that we have to do before the part can be replaced. I was sure that that was not required, but since we needed that repair, I agreed to it. That experience didn't feel normal to me.
I also had another claim for my garage door opener, which broke. The guy who was sent by First American put in a smaller spring in there, which was not good. He should've put the same-sized spring. Now, my garage door has a lot of vibrations. My bedroom is up on the garage and every time I open the garage door, it vibrates the whole roof.
We have sent you a private response and appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback.
Reviewed July 29, 2018
My washing machine broke and it took First American three months to get to get three different contractors out here. I had to pay each one $75, and on top of that, I was paying my home warranty fee. I also had a prior problem with them because of my AC. They kept sending out contractors for the same problem and the contractors would keep doing the same thing. So told them that something needs to be done. I was paying $75 every time someone was coming out, and the unit wasn't getting fixed. They told me that since there was an interval of over 30 days for each appointment, I had to pay. But then I told them that it was the same issue! Some of the contractors they have sent have been professional, but some of them were just, "Let's try this, let's try that." They didn't exactly know and that was the problem. First American needs to get more reputable people to come out and fix issues. I'm now thinking of switching to another warranty company.
Reviewed July 29, 2018
Many years ago, I was a real estate broker and I worked with First American in partnership with the homes that I sold. I’ve been in the house for 13 years and up until the last few years, it has been great service which was why we kept it and paid for it. Prior to the last four years, submitting claims with them had been absolutely wonderful. They did everything they said they would and it's been fine. The furnace went out four years ago and the service guy came out. It was determined that a new furnace was needed and I received a check for the value. I don’t know how to install a furnace so to just go and buy one and then have to find someone to install it was unusual for me.
Also, in the past five years, the air conditioner has gone out every year and three weeks ago, it went out and I tried to get someone to service it. There was a mix-up with the scheduling, so they didn't make it out because the air conditioner went out on a Friday and someone was supposed to come out on that Tuesday thereafter. The technician or the company that was supposed to come out the first time to service the air conditioner never showed up and that was unusual. It has never been where they miss out an appointment and then they don't show up. The person didn't come out until later and I finally got someone to take a look. They said that they were going to replace the air conditioner and we're just waiting for that to actually happen.
We're going four days with that issue. They were supposed to do some follow up within 24 to 48 hours, and that was as of Monday or Wednesday. My son would have received their communication because that was the way it has always worked. Other than that, for the most part, the services and the technicians have been good. It was easy to place the claim or submit a request for service. After all these years, they have this incident happen, but that does not make the whole thing worse for me. Accessibility to First American in handling concerns or issues or requests as fast as they can has always been very positive in my experience. I have recommended First American throughout all the years I've been with them and always will.
Reviewed July 28, 2018
My neighbor talked about acquiring a home warranty and said it was a good thing. I signed up with First American and submitting a claim was good. The guy who came over was on time and professional. He did a good job on the garage door. I will recommend First American to others.
Reviewed July 28, 2018
I knew about First American Home Buyers Protection for over five years. My recent claim with them was for my dryer. I submitted my claim by phone. The technician who came into my home explained everything that was wrong with the dryer, told me rightly what was wrong and got it done. He was in and out in 30 minutes. I can now wash and dry my clothes.
Reviewed July 27, 2018
I've been with First American Since I bought my home in 2003, and I thought being a good customer meant something. I used to love this company, however here recently it's been a true nightmare. They deny everything! I have paid for the Premium coverage for the past 5 yrs and yet they continue to deny everything. My hose bibb broke, I didn't even know this was possible, they didn't cover it? I live in Houston, TX and my AC is not working, they will not cover it... even though it's a brand new condenser and unit. The contractors they use are not knowledgeable anymore, therefore if it isn't an easy fix then be prepared to be denied and come out of pocket. I would no longer recommend this company and do not intend to renew my contract.
Reviewed July 27, 2018
We purchased a house that came with a 1 year warranty through this company. We have been dealing with the same HVAC issue for over 2 months with no resolution. The warranty company consistently goes with vendors who have the lowest ratings in the area to save money. We have had multiple companies set up to service us who either never show up or come assess the issue and never actually return to make the repairs. Each time First American Home Warranty sets up and new vendor and starts the process over again with no sense of urgency AND warn you that the pit of pocket cost will most likely continue to go up with each new vendor.
The call center contacts are short and rude. When passed along to a supervisor you only catch more attitude and they somehow seem to care even less than the original contact you were dealing with. They do no follow up so you must continue to call every week to ensure they even still have your claim active. I strongly urge anyone looking for a company who does anything other than taking their money looks elsewhere.
Reviewed July 27, 2018
I discovered when I signed up the amount was $599.88. I advised agent I couldn’t do that much. Was there a monthly amount. I was advised yes $49.99/mo. I advised I can do that. When I checked my checking I discovered they did the full amount. When I called they told me 3-5 business days I advised them no I want my money back. Tonight after being on the phone for a long period of time the agent Joe said, "Tonight midnight." No money there. Called back. Spoke with agent. She advised 3-5 business days. I asked for supervisor. Spoke with Kim **. After arguing with her she said she will listen to recordings which I doubt. She will and will see about refunding. Doubt she will. I advise if you do payment over phone record it.
Reviewed July 27, 2018
I used to call in my claims but the hold time is ridiculous and you don't always get a human very fast, so I usually do it online now. I've renewed my policy with First American for 17 times since I bought the house. My renewal date is early December and right before that, I paid the premium in full for the year ending in December of 2018. When I was in the middle of trying to get a claim fixed, they told me that my house was bigger than their threshold so they were raising my premium for another 900 bucks this year. I told the rep that I already paid for the year and they accepted it, so now, they were changing the contract midway. That is a breach of contract and I am very displeased with that.
Reviewed July 27, 2018
I have had this warranty for a year and so far, they have honored repairing all items I've had issues with. Even replaced one appliance altogether. Unlike another home warranty I used to have, They didn't try to use the "fine print" to get out of honoring the contract or dragging things out.
Reviewed July 27, 2018
I got a home warranty so that when things go out in the house, I won’t have to be out of so much out-of-pocket. First American is great and I like them. When submitting a claim, I usually call and talk to their guy and everything is taken care of. They have sent great technicians in our house.
Reviewed July 26, 2018
I highly recommend First American. My dad was a real estate agent and he worked with John Green Realtors, which recommended them highly. I’ve kept my warranty since I bought my house because it made sense for me. We have three air conditioning and three water heaters. I’ve had a couple of issues but First American has been really responsive. I’ve had great service.
Sometimes it’s also little tricky when you call in. Some of the people are hard to understand but I’ve used the online system and that works really good. What happens for me is I find the contractor I like. When I get a service person, I always check them out to see what their reviews are because I don’t wanna have a bad experience. First American has done a good job of working to get people I like but one time somebody I like wasn’t available and wouldn’t answer the phone so First American got back to me really quick and told me that.
Their contractor, Superior Garage, came out recently and did a great job. My wife also said they were excellent. Some of the smaller ones that have come out are also really good. The only problems I’ve had is with some of air conditioning companies but they addressed everything well and the salesperson got involved. I also got a couple of contractors that I really like. It’s the guys I use a lot.
I was able to get them to come out last time and they did a great job. You just have to wait a little longer and it’s not ideal sometimes. Your air condition breaks right when it’s the hottest. That’s gonna happen but overall the people that have come out from First American have done a great job. That’s not what I hear from other warranty companies. They replaced one of my units and the company I worked with did really good of making sure the parts got ordered. They worked well with First American. They installed it and everything. Then I had a water heat go out and the company that came out did a great job. So I’ve been nothing but happy.
Reviewed July 26, 2018
Two years ago, I had to replace one of my appliances. I thought that having a home warranty might be a better way to make sure that I won't spend that much all of a sudden. One time, I called First American and they were able to take care of my claim courteously and promptly. They gave me a number that I should call if I didn't get a call within 48 hours from their technician. I had two things repaired and the quality was okay.
However, with the latest claim for my dishwasher, I didn't feel that I got an equivalent replacement part. The part that was damaged was all digital and quiet and it was a Maytag. The replacement I got is a General Electric. Furthermore, it was not all digital and it was noisier than the Maytag. While I was satisfied with First American before, I'm not this time. I'm debating whether to continue my warranty.
Reviewed July 25, 2018
I wish I had listened to everyone who said NOT to purchase a policy with this company. I was certain they would act responsibly and within the contract terms. However, they try to rob you every step of the way and make dealing with them so uncomfortable and lengthy, that you literally want to give up and pay for the repairs yourself. I have tried every type of claim under my warranty policy, repairs, replacements, etc. They have denied nearly every one OR offered less than 50% amount of the cost to actually replace the item under warranty. Trying to speak with a manager or directly with them, I have been hung up on twice and put on hold for a total of hours. Please read the reviews and be aware. This is not a trustworthy company. You shouldn't have to fight for every penny of something you have already paid for.
Reviewed July 25, 2018
What is the point of telling me that my ac unit is covered under the warranty when it’s not. We called about 2 weeks ago. A tech came out and basically took $75 and told us that our coil needs to be replace and never followed up. So we waited several days to called back and they told us we need to pay an additional $900... wtf. I asked why and how? And they told us that it’s due to modifications. I asked them what kind of modifications do I need? They couldn’t respond. I asked them what is the point of telling me that I am covered but yet I still need to pay $900? They still couldn’t respond. This is **. If I can tell the whole world about what a ** joke this company is I will.
Reviewed July 25, 2018
I filed a claim almost a month ago, June 26, 2018 because our hot water heater stopped working. It has been a nightmare trying to get it replaced. We have been without hot water for nearly a month, and the water that was in the heater poured out flooding our downstairs. I contacted both FAHW and the plumber directly to only be put on hold for 20 minutes by a customer service rep who never came back to the phone. This is pathetic! Needless to say I don't recommend this insurance company. This is the first major issue I have had to file, and once it's resolved I will definitely be moving on. This is such a disappointment that I probably would not have believed it except I am actually living it.
Reviewed July 25, 2018
First American sent Sears to look at our washer which is not even three years old yet. The guy was at the house for about 20-30 minutes and never took a screwdriver out of his tool bag. We paid him a service fee which was $60 or $75. He said that he ordered some parts. I asked him how did he know what was bad and he said that he just knew because of the model number of the washer and dryer. I also asked him how did he know what parts were needed if he didn't check on them and he said that the appliance was notorious for having a circuit board go out.
He told me to call them when the parts arrived and we did. The circuit board took two weeks to arrive. He put it in and it did nothing. He then said that it meant it was a bad board which happens sometimes even if the unit was brand new. We went online and looked at problems and all the stuff it said to check but the guy never checked any of it. The next couple of times he showed up with another circuit board and God only knows what that cost. He put it in and the washer still acted like he never put a part in it. I told him that it's gotta be something else. He said that there were two more parts it could be.
By this time, we started getting mad because we needed a washer bad. I was getting frustrated since I could probably fix it myself. My wife was taking clothes up to my mom’s. It was easy to do but it was just more trouble. We were desperate for a washer so we bought two new ones for $1900 and this time, we didn’t buy the same model because I was afraid of it.
Sears then sent two new guys and the new guys were dumb as the first guy. They never got the washer running. My wife said that when they were here, they were calling Samsung who made the washer and dryer. Samsung was telling them how to check stuff so they didn’t even know what they were doing. And we were thinking it was Sears who was doing the work, not First American, and they allow Sears to do it. After a couple of hundred in parts and a month and a half, they should have said that they would buy us another one. Instead, they gave us $650 to replace the washer and they spent $700 in parts for it. It was not even enough to pay for another washer when their ad said that they would replace stuff if they couldn't fix it. But that’s the only bad stuff we've had. I would recommend First American to people because they’ve been great on some stuff and they're better than the other guys. I tell people to call them all the time. I got people to sign up with them 10 times in the last year.
Reviewed July 25, 2018
I purchased a home with a home warranty from First American. Since it's an older home, I was expecting a few things would be needing help in the next couple of years, so I stayed with them. I have a wide variety of experiences from great to really bad with them. At times, submitting a claim is very difficult and phone wait times are as long as 45 minutes to an hour. The latest time that I called in was much better though.
Then, I had some very difficult suppliers that First American stood behind despite me asking to replace them. It just made things worse. Their employees are instructed to treat repeat claims a certain way, but I had some really bad issues where I had to force a new supplier to come out and fix the problem. I haven’t had that in the last year though. In fact, the most recent claim was generally a good experience. A small section of my house was out of power after a power surge. Java Electric came in on time and fixed everything very quickly. They're a good example of a good vendor from First American.
However, I’m a little concerned about the annual price increase. I’m monitoring it closely to see when it might be time for me to either change home warranty suppliers or not carrying a home warranty at all because it’s getting expensive. It’s a monthly charge, so it adds up over the year. And right now, it's one of my top five expenses which never used to be.
Reviewed July 25, 2018
I've been using First American for 11 years now and speaking with their people has been fine, but their automated system sucks. It takes forever to get through it. Over the years, we've had good technicians and poor technicians. Some were responsive while some weren’t so responsive. There were a few times that we had to call people back because they didn’t get the job done. When First American says they cover an appliance, they should cover it. There was one time I put in a claim for my cooktop out on the patio and they said they'd cover it. But the next day, they said they wouldn't. Maybe that was why the contractor stopped working and never got back to me, and the unit never got fixed.
The air conditioner recently went out and the guy came and replaced the part. However, when it started running, it wasn't cooling. He said it needed a new coil, so he ordered it. But then First American called and said that the coil would be covered but everything else wasn't. I ended up paying $350 out of pocket for Freon and all that other stuff, which you'd think would be part of fixing something when it's critical to the operation of the unit.
Reviewed July 24, 2018
We had a plumbing leak in a home we just purchased 2 months ago. The water buckled all of our hardwood floors, and a neighbor (with whom we share a common wall) also had damage and had called a plumber who shut off our water. I called First American and explained the situation and they stated they would get someone out on an 'emergency' status. They said I would hear from the plumber within 30 minutes. After not hearing from anyone, I called the plumber direct. They stated that they told First American that they weren't available for several days and had told First American that. They said they weren't sure why First American didn't find us another plumber. I then called the claims department again, spoke with a completely different person who said they would try to find us another plumber.
Long story short, no one ever called us back. I called the representative for First American, Michelle, who didn't call me back and still hasn't responded to my voicemails. I left a message with her 'assistant' who didn't call me back until the next day. All this time we were without water, and had no plumber assigned to us. When I did speak with the assistant, she said she would try to authorize us using another plumber, but the authorization was for $125 only. Unbelievable. This company has great marketing but horrific customer service.
Reviewed July 24, 2018
First American has been lovely. We went with them when we bought our house about two years ago. Somebody referred them. Doing the claims online is a lot easier than calling. Sometimes there's a two or three-minute wait when you call, but nothing excruciating. We've had one technician that we asked them not to send back and they were very responsive and made sure we didn’t get that technician anymore. The quality of the work was awesome.
Reviewed July 24, 2018
Submitting claims with First American has been a terrible experience. Their reps are not responsive and don't answer their emails. Also since First American doesn't pay well, the service people who come to your house add costs so that they can make a profit. For instance, I had a plumber come to my house to put in a water heater and they added different fees. The quality of the work, if you can find a technician that will deal with this company, is okay. I live in small town America so I have people that come out and do electrical or plumbing work.
Then with my latest claim with them, the hot water heater that they put in leaked. They put in the cheapest one from China and it leaked again within six years, which made $15,000 worth of damages to my house. First American didn't pay for the damage, they just paid for a hot water heater. It also took more than six weeks to find a plumber that would put the hot water heater in after I bought one. I've had First American for more than five years now and I pay $75 a month. That's about $900 a year and I'm not sure it's worth it.
Hello Steve,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your water heater claim. Please be advised, your home warranty contract does not provide coverage for secondary damages as indicated under Limits of Liability, Number Four. In addition, we will replace with equipment of similar features, efficiency and capacity but are not responsible for matching brand. Our records indicate you accepted the cash payment in lieu of the replacement to your water heater on June 1, 2018. At this time, your claim is considered closed.
Reviewed July 23, 2018
Our AC broke down. We put a claim in over 17 days ago… The contracted company (TENA HVAC) is terrible. First off, they scheduled to come out 4 days from submission of the claim. They never showed up. We tried to contact the company they said, “He should show up”. He never did. They call us the next day and say we will be there at Noon. They showed up at 2:45pm. They report that the need to get approval to order parts and would submit this to First American in the morning…
4 days go by and they never submit the claim. First American states that they have to contact the company three different days with no response in order to escalate the claim. The claim finally comes in and First American approves the parts needed and states the contracted company will call me when they have the parts. It has been 6 days since the company ordered the parts. I looked up the parts and there is dozens of stores carrying the need parts within 10 miles of my house. Now that we are going over 17 days, the contracted AC Company’s phone is disconnected. First American hired this company. First American gave me the run around every time I called. Their go-to line is “call back tomorrow”. Here we are no closer to our AC being fixed. This is a terrible warranty company.
Reviewed July 23, 2018
I never had a good experience with this company. I created a 1 star review early this year for the claim I made last December of 2007 for my washer that sounds like a Jet engine and move around the house on spin cycle. For some reason, that review was put on hold by this website. I may have mentioned something that the moderators does not like or the moderators have not reviewed the post I made. Anyway, I made another claim this time for my Rinnai Tankless Water heater. The problem was that the water heater will just stopped making hot water, I will have to unplug the equipment and plug it back in and it will work for a couple of days again.
When I explain the problem to the technician, he quickly pinpoint the problem to me. The technician mentioned that they just fixed similar issue with another client and the problem is the sensor. He said that he will order the parts and give me a call once they get the parts on hand. Today, 3 weeks after I submitted the order, I got a voice message from the FAHW representative saying that he closed the ticket because the tech cannot duplicate the problem. All I can say is that I will never renew my home warranty with this company and they have a 100% track record for not fixing the actual problem and marking the ticket completed.
Reviewed July 23, 2018
The most incompetent group I have had the displeasure to unfortunately be affiliated with for the term of my 1 year contract. Not responsive. Incompetent. Almost 1 week in 120 degrees to send a service person for AC and even that was an incompetent, rude, unqualified person. DO NOT USE!!!
Hello Cydni. We apologize for any delays or inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. At this time, we are aware that your system has been serviced. Thanks, Shanee.
Reviewed July 23, 2018
I have just been on the phone with First American all morning complaining. I filed a claim a couple of weeks ago for electrical since I had a problem with my GFI box and the guy who came out should have replaced the box but he didn't. The box was working the moment he tested it, so he said that he didn't see anything wrong, and then he left. However, the box kept going out so there was a problem. We had to keep resetting it once it goes out and so many times, we couldn’t reset it. He put a tester on it and that automatically resets it but I don't have one. So, I am just gonna buy one now and then I have to get somebody to come and replace the box. I pay the fee every month and they can't even replace a $28 GFI box, including the electric meter since the outlets in my three bathrooms weren't working as well. I still have to pay to replace the box myself and that's so negligent. Also, I paid them the service fee.
I had a claim about a month before that with my washing machine. First American assigned it to a vendor and I didn't hear from the vendor for a while. I called the vendor who told me that they don't work on appliances. I called the home warranty back and I asked them what the deal was and they assigned to me a Sears guy who misdiagnosed the problem. He ordered a part that I didn't need and the home warranty had to pay for it. Another guy came and he looked at the washing machine. He said the pump was messed up which was what I told the first guy because it has happened before. Fortunately, they were able to run and pick up a pump, which was good on the vendor's part or Sears. It's usually very good when they come out. He replaced the pump and the part that the other guy ordered since they redesigned the new part for a tub. It was a ring instead around the top of the tub. I have the old design on it so he put that on too.
The first vendor didn't get a service fee because he didn't do appliances so he didn't even show up. First American could have charged me for that or it showed up in their system that I didn't pay a service fee to that guy. It wasn't anything I did and that problem is theirs. I sent them an email three weeks ago with the canceled check number and yesterday, they sent a letter to my wife saying that we still owe them a service fee and I was displeased with that. The guy who I was talking to on the phone said that he went to get something, then he put me on hold for 10 minutes. I stayed on hold since I wanted to get the issue resolved. And then he told me that he went to accounting and they took care of it.
I hate calling First American because I have trouble communicating with their people. Some of them have a mastery of the English language but some of them can barely speak English sometimes and I couldn’t understand what they were saying. A home warranty is convenient to have at times and at other times, it's a hassle. I've been with First American for 10 years now and I'm beginning to wonder if it's really worth it. I would recommend First American to someone that has the economic and the financial means to go without their services but not to a regular person. When people are in a situation where they need some help immediately, a home warranty is not gonna help. They have to find a vendor and it's gonna be two or three days before the vendor could come out. And then, there's a 50% chance that the one they find would actually be able to help.
Reviewed July 23, 2018
I had a great experience submitting a claim to First American Home Buyers Protection. The claims process was not difficult at all. Their claims rep was good and the technicians who came to my home were very professional and knowledgeable. I had a home warranty before so I know it's a very good thing to have. First American is a very reputable company and they go all out of their way to make sure the customer is happy.
Reviewed July 23, 2018
I have First American's service for three or more years now and I’ve seen a big difference in them in the last few months. Submitting claims is easier and lately, I've done it online. Also, I’ve had a problem with the technicians in the past years. But lately, something has changed and the techs they have recently sent out were great. They were very good, reputable, and showed up right within the timeframe they provided.
Reviewed July 22, 2018
On May 6, I put a claim in unit not blow cold air. Contractor Lumart Air Condition came out. Replace compressor. I had to pay $600 out of pocket cost. Unit was doing the same thing after repairs the next day. Lumart was reassigned to come back out. Lumart came out. Deem my entire unit bad attic and outside. I filed complaint with BBB because First American told me there was an out of pocket cost $1450 and my $600 was gone with 1st repairs which was flaw. I was contact by a claim rep. I won't say her name 'cause she currently working on my claim and I am given her a chance to make this right before I seek counsel on this matter.
Back to nightmare. My claim assigned to the rep, and she subtract the $600 I paid earlier within this claim. Which brought my out of cost back down to $850 for replacement cost. Lumart came out. Replace unit. 2 days later I had a major leakage to a.c. drain being clogged which parts to out of pocket $850 was to cost a 2nd drain pan and flow switch. The leakage damaged my ceiling, my mattress, bed spring, comfort set, sheets, and carpet. It leaked down in my master bedroom. Damage the ceiling and carpet also. I recorded and took pictures. I send it to the Contactor and First American. The contractor came out, repaired PVC piping clogged, but before this leakage I informed the Lumart and First American that unit blow heat on cool mode when it reach set point.
As Lumart was repairing the leakage, I reminded them about the unit blow heat. Lumart confirmed the issues and stated they will have to replace the thermostat but they contact me when they are back on my side on town (Wow) right. I emailed First American rep and request another company come out and check my unit. Bless Air was that contractor. They came out and check and determined the Lumart installment was flawed. Lumart didn't vacuum the a.c. line which now has plenty oil which is prevent unit from supply 58*. Currently the unit is supply 68* with different at return like 28*. I reach out the Claim Rep via email and informed her the contractor confirmed my complaint that Lumart did a very bad job from the beginning.
She told get her est cost for damages and repairs and she will reach out to Bless Air to get report. I sent her all est. and damages as it was occur from leakage. Bless Air came out July 14 2018. Today July 21, 2018. It's been a 103+ - 110* here in Texas the last 2 week. I have 6 children that suffering because this. I am out of $1450 on flaw repairs. The only reason I has not file a lawsuit is because First American has been fair to me in the past outside of the claim and I am giving this Claim Rep a opportunity to make this matter right, but I will seek counsel if I need to.
Reviewed July 22, 2018
I call First American whenever I submit my claim and it’s relatively easy. One time when I first got my policy, I was having issues with the heat and the company that First American sent out wasn't able to fix it. I had to go to somebody else. But after that, the people that First American called out for everything else I called them for were able to do what needed to be done. So for the most part, the warranty has been good. I'm satisfied with First American and I would recommend them.
Reviewed July 22, 2018
First American Home Buyers Protection has been a good company to work with. They have been my home warranty since 2005. I've had two most recent experiences with them. One, I had a garage door serviced but unfortunately the warranty didn’t cover the garage door so I had to pursue that myself. But as far as the tech coming out and looking at it, it was a good experience. Second, I had a condenser replaced. The technician realized that we had an old AC unit. It had been there since our house was built and it was time for it to be replaced so I was pleasantly surprised and pleased that the condenser unit was recommended to be replaced and it was replaced. I had to incur some out of pocket expenses for a couple of modifications that were made but it was a good experience too.
First American have been coming out since 2005 servicing my two air conditioner units and heating. I live in a city where sometimes the heat index gets to up and 108 degrees and having my air conditioner repaired has been terrific. I typically submit my claims by phone but it takes a while because the recording will tell you to specify what type of service request you have and when you say it, you have to go through a loop before it could do that because sometimes they'll say, "I didn’t get that," and then they'll start over. Furthermore, I understand that because of inflation and other things that the service fees had to increase. It has increased twice over the last two years so I'm a little concerned about that. But I'm wondering how they make any kind of justification if any type of increase will be taking place any time soon because when I started off I was paying $60 and now I'm paying $75 per service fee. Nevertheless, I'd recommend First American to my friends.
Reviewed July 21, 2018
First American came with the purchase of my home for a year and I have been with them for five years now. Three years ago, I had my grandchildren stay with me and my granddaughter was an infant. We were in Memphis and it was about August or July, so it was crazy hot. The AC went out on a Saturday and First American told me the earliest someone would be here was Tuesday. I got very upset with them because there was no room for negotiation. Then, someone called me at 4:00 on Saturday and was talking to me about it and I repeated again for the nth time that I had an infant in the house. He asked why I didn't tell them that from the beginning. I was so furious and I had to spend the day with my infant granddaughter in an Ergo walking around stores. My husband stayed home in case someone came, but he was dying of heat. That was really frustrating and there were a couple of other instances like that.
Recently, I called them for the air-conditioning upstairs and they came within 24 hours. Still, in the middle of summer when I could call and they could be there immediately within an hour is ridiculous. Also, my brother was talking to the guy who came to do my air-conditioning last time and it was very hot. The guy was out working in the air-conditioning out back and I told my brother to get him a drink. My brother poured him a cup of lemonade and brought it out to him. The guy said, "Sugar? In this heat?" So, my brother got back out with a bottle of water and the guy asked if we have a Powerade and my brother just told me to let the guy go to the fridge and pick what he wanted. My brother was just trying to be courteous but the guy was pretty rude. Plus, the AC is still not fixed and I need to call First American again but I can't afford the $75 right now.
Lately, submitting a claim has been a lot better but the cost of a claim keeps going up. It was originally $50 and it's now $75. It's starting to feel like I could do some of the stuff myself or have someone do it for a cheaper price, in some instances. It's getting a bit ridiculous especially when you have to have someone come out multiple times to fix something. Also, in the past, the reps made it kinda difficult to deal with them but in the last couple of years, they have been super helpful and great.
Reviewed July 21, 2018
The seller of the house gave us a one-year warranty from First American when we bought the house. I've had it ever since and just renewed it. When I submit a claim, I just call First American and after I identify myself, I can talk to somebody and tell them what the issues are then they always follow up like they're supposed to. Most of the treatments I got from their reps were okay. On the most recent claim, they said I needed something different on the compressor. And the contractor said there was a disposal fee of $100 that First American didn't cover and this is beyond the copayment that we make. I said I never heard anything about that and I didn't know anything about it so I called First American and I talked to somebody on the phone there. I thought she was kinda short in courage and she said that all she could do was explain the policy and she couldn't tell me anything else. And it just didn't feel like it was very customer friendly.
Sometimes the contractors take a while to get here. Earlier this year, we were unhappy with First American when they couldn't get anybody to come and see us for a long period of time. But they were willing to try and find some others that might. We also had central air issues the most recent time. But we're in the middle of July and everybody has a problem. My expectation was a few days before a contractor could get out here and that was what happened.
Every now and then and over the years that we've been here, there have been some situations where the contractor didn't call and I always end up calling the contractor to make the appointment because I'm not sure how a contractor would respond to just a notification from First American. I always give them three hours and then call them to be sure they have a chance to at least see it come through on whatever system they're using to communicate with First American. My expectations are kinda average and would not be the same as if I were calling a contractor/technician where if they don't do the right thing, then I'm going to call somebody else. There are other people out there, but when I'm dealing with First American, I've got to deal with their contractors and not mine.
But we've kept the coverage and we feel that we're getting a value out of it so far. First American doesn't increase the prices terribly every year but they go up a couple of years then they level for a year and I appreciate that. It's a good thing if we don't have to use 'em, but it's like any other type of insurance that if I have something that goes wrong, then I got that there. If we were not using them, we'd probably get faster service from a contractor. But by the same token, we're only gonna be responsible for the copayment amount with our plan with First American. There are a lot of different homeowner warranty companies out there and they're all about the same pricing so I always look at that to be sure it stays competitive. Otherwise, we've been generally satisfied with First American.
Reviewed July 21, 2018
The claiming system at First American HB Protection works fine. You put it on the website and they immediately send you who the subcontractor is gonna be. However, the part that does not work is on the subcontractors. The quality of their work is very poor. So, I’m going with another company. They have a much better system for selecting their subcontractors. They have their subcontractors compete and then the customers grade them. And based on the customers’ grading system, then they send the claims to the subcontractors that have the highest rating. That way, the subcontractors know that they have to do a good job because if they don’t, then the company will not keep sending customers their way. My niece had First American HB Protection and she had bad experiences with the subcontractors too so she switched to the other company. My sister did the same thing also.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
I purchased a home which came with a First American Home Warranty. On June 21, I filed a repair request to fix a leaky connection valve on a Subzero refrigerator's ice maker. I received an immediate response naming a distant contractor (Accord Appliance) and a request for a $75 service fee. 24 hours later I received another email naming a different contractor (Antech Appliances) stating this was a "homeowner request." That is a lie.
Antech came to the property on June 27 and confirmed the issue was a leaking ice maker (this was already previously confirmed) and required ordering a part. On July 5, I received an email stating that the repair was being reassigned to an authorized Subzero repair company because Antech was not authorized to repair Subzero appliances, despite the fact that the original claim clearly stated the Subzero brand.
The third contractor (Axis) ordered and received the missing part and an appointment was scheduled for July 9. The repairman never showed up at the property. I reside in NY. The home needing repair is in CA. Every time an appointment is scheduled, I pay a contractor to drive to the property in CA and meet the service company. The no-show by Axis cost me more than the FAHW service fee, as did the appointment from an unauthorized repair company.
Another installation appointment was scheduled for July 18 by Axis. This time, the repairman showed up, but informed my contractor that he did not have the correct part and needed to order a water valve. We were told we'd hear back within 3 days and a 'final' service appointment would be scheduled. When no one called to schedule an appointment, I again (3rd time) called FAHW. I have now emailed FAHW twice, left 2 unreturned messages for my 'service manager,' been disconnected 3 times while on hold to speak with a supervisor and have spent (combined) well over an hour on hold with First American Home Warranty.
I gave up on FAHW for this week and tried calling the contractor (Axis) directly. They indicated they had no news about the part and that the 'parts manager' had left for the day... before 3 pm... so they had no update. They suggested I call back during their Saturday hours, and I suggested they should call me instead. I then called FAHW and after several times on hold and transferred calls, spoke with someone who also suggested I call the service company directly. I reminded her that FAHW was already paid to do that job and that the work had been outstanding for 5 weeks, adding that fixing a leaky ice maker should not be rocket science. She promised that the 'service manager' who had not yet returned a single call would receive an email requesting she call me directly. That has not yet happened.
The leak had leached into the wall and the wall has been torn out for a month while waiting to have the simple repair done. While all of this insanity has unraveled, I have received repeated emails from FAHW asking me to renew my service contract, asking if the repairs were completed, claiming they'd been trying to reach me and that if 'we don't hear back we'll assume the repair has been done,' and the most recent email references a refrigerator located in a 'hallway bathroom.' Um, no. It is in the kitchen.
Their complete disinterest in customer service, inability to communicate, inaccurate representations, attempt at using unauthorized repair companies, and complete incompetence is mind blowing. Nearly 5 weeks after initiating a claim for a simple and clearly identified repair, I am still waiting for resolution, have wasted hours of my time with their dysfunctional customer service, have a home with a disassembled wall, and have no clue when this will be resolved, if ever. Stay away from First American Home Warranty. Your time and money are best spent elsewhere.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
Dissatisfied! I have had this company for two years. My AC went out and I called 6/27/18, contractor came week later and said they would submit a claim to get AC fixed. Up to today 7/19/18 still nothing. I have opted for pay out and just pay the difference a company that can respond within 24 hours and we still just waiting. Still no AC in this heat. I have called many times and all they say is case has been escalated, assigned to an agent whom I have not heard from. They authorized us to buy an AC unit up to $150.00 for our 4 bedroom to floor house. Not happy with them at all.
Hi Tapuwa. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We are happy to have reviewed and resolved your claim. Thanks.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
My air conditioner stopped working over a month ago now. The first contractor that First American sent out just tried to provide a quick fix with Leak Stop, which they said was what First American required them to try first even though they knew it wouldn’t work. When the AC once again stopped working one week later, the contractor said they would submit a report requesting that the coil be replaced, but this report was never submitted and neither I nor First American were able to reach this contractor again. After many attempts and several days, First American eventually decided it was perhaps time to try another contractor. It took another week for this contractor to come out, and he recommended replacing the condenser. It took 6 days from that visit before First American placed that order.
I called a few days later and was told the condenser had to be shipped from another warehouse and would be ready to pick up in the next day or two. When I called again a week after the order was placed, the original order could not be found and was again placed, this time supposedly rush ordered so that it would be available the following morning. I left a message for the contractor the next day but did not hear back. I left another message the next day, and when I again failed to hear back I called First American. I was told the order was ready to be picked up at the warehouse and that they were sending an email to the contractor informing him of this. When I finally got a hold of the contractor the next day, he said he has received no email and had called the warehouse that morning and was told the part was not there.
I again called First American and was told the condenser was in fact not there and that the warehouse did not even have any record of the order. For the third time my order was placed, which was yesterday. I called today and was told it was ready for pick up and the contractor was on his way to get it. I’ll believe that when I see it. First American has done nothing to right the 3 weeks of wrongs and frustrations I have experienced. I have asked them to cover the non-covered fees and they have refused. Do not use this company. They are worthless.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
Had an issue with my shower pan in a bathroom. Called them and told them what the issue was. They sent a plumber out that was there not even 2 minutes. The plumber said the warranty doesn't cover shower pans, he shouldn't have been sent out. I received a bill for the $75 service fee. I called and explained what happen and explained it was their error. They told me that since the plumber went out they had to charge the $75 fee and it was billed under leak detection. I spoke to a supervisor who said the same thing. I explained numerous times that when I initially called I had explained that it was the shower pan. Soooo, I had to pay $75 for a plumber to be at my house a minute to tell me he shouldn't have been sent out. Unnecessary bill and customer service sucks!! I can't help but feel they are just trying to keep the contractors busy in our rural area.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
My Samsung Dryer died. Now I had other home warranties and someone has come out that day or the next. So I called on a Thursday night and was told there was no one for two weeks who could repair it. TWO WEEKS. So they said they would check some other contactors and call me back. No one called. I called the next day and all they had in the area was Sears and the soonest someone could come out would be next Thursday. A week. Not good enough. I spent an hour on the phone and there was nothing else. In all of Naples Florida, there was nothing else.
So I could find someone on my own. I called and could find several people that could come out that day but no one would work with a home warranty company. Said they had nothing but problems when they did. First American needs to talk with the technician first regarding the problem and will authorize for a reimbursement. No one wants to work with them so I have to pay the whole thing myself. So why do I have a home warranty if it doesn't work? Do not buy this home warranty. There are plenty of other companies that will actually do the work. A total waste of money.
Hello Barbara,
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Thank you.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
No follow through, keep promising to fix issues and keep me informed and don't, the customer service reps are snarky and nasty. I'm in Florida living through record heat and am at day 11 without AC, because they can't seem to remember to order the part. I'm exasperated, have a sick daughter at home, I have a heart condition and this company won't do what they promised and what I paid for. I hope no one has to live through what I'm dealing with now. Buyer beware and DON'T use this company!
Hello Evelyn,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. Our records indicate your evaporator coil was installed on July 26, 2018. Please be advised, your claim is considered closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
Wow... What a lousy insurance company. We've been having the worst experience with First American. First, in July 2017 the ice maker on our Kenmore stopped working. After several calls, a vendor eventually comes out to take a look. To cut a very long story short, 12 months later July 2018 we have had every part changed with no luck. In fact now our freezer has stopped working altogether. After being pushed up the claims ladder because it is so old we are finally told they will get us a new fridge. However, it has been over 10 days now and we are still waiting for further instructions. When will this new fridge magically appear? No freezer and no ice in 110 degree Texas weather and assigned to a manager who could not be bothered to pick the phone and update us. She prefers to stick to short, curt emails.
Then on June 16th, 2018, our AC unit dies. They send a vendor out to take a look who orders a part and it is now July 19th-- more than a month without an AC in 110 Texas weather-- and there is no news. All my indoor plants have died, everything in my pantry has started to spoil not to mention what my kids have had to put up with in this extreme heat. The vendor has disappeared and so has First American.
We call several times a day sometimes asking for follow ups which I find ridiculous since it is their job to be keeping us updated. But oh no... God forbid they give us the time of day. With no AC and no freezer we are having to survive on take out which for a family of 5 ends up being extremely expensive. Oh they offer to give us $150 for a fan as compensation in the meantime. Really? A fan to tolerate Texas summer? How kind of you. I am so sick of this stupid company and would not at all recommend them to anyone! What in the world are we paying the monthly premium for?
Reviewed July 20, 2018
My experience submitting a claim to First American depends on what the claim is. When something happened to our garage, somebody was out the next day. But when we submitted a claim for our air conditioner not working, we couldn't get somebody out for days. I had good interactions with the reps and techs, but I feel like the overall quality of the work depends on what it is. I still have issues with my washer and my dishwasher, but my garage door is good.
Reviewed July 20, 2018
We had a home warranty with a different company and they had some rate changes, so we decided to switch companies. First American was available in the area and their package seemed to match what we had from our other provider. In addition to that, their rates were slightly cheaper. However, their coverage was less than what we had with the other provider and their customer service was horrible. In fact, when you call, you speak to someone in Guatemala who has no sense of urgency and who can't get you to a supervisor, can’t get to a contractor, and can’t schedule anything. This rep also doesn’t know what’s going on, and they literally read off a piece of paper, and say the same thing over and over again.
Furthermore, when submitting a claim, it can take anywhere from three business days to three weeks for First American to send a technician. We were constantly told that they didn’t have any contractors in the area available and that we have to wait for 48 business hours which they translate to be six business days to hear back from a contractor before they wanna switch to a different one. We had an electrical issue where we had a light switch that was shorting out. I called and explained to them that this was an urgent issue because it could be a fire hazard and that I needed to get somebody out to check it. Instead of trying to help, they told me that I needed to wait 48 business hours for a contractor to call me for them to schedule another contractor according to whatever they might have next available or they couldn’t help me.
We have two warranties with First American and in Virginia, the contractors were very good. They were responsive and fixed the problems very quickly. We only had a problem with one contractor and that had to do with the particular employee that didn't deliver his paperwork, and it got lost in the shuffle when he walked out.
In Mississippi, the couple of contractors who came out were nice and did a good job. However, we've had several issues where they scheduled an appointment and said they would be there between 8:00 and 11:00 on Tuesday, and at 10:30, we haven’t heard from them. We called and they told us they were on their way but they never showed up. We had to go through this whole thing of rescheduling and then it was five more days before they came out. Aside from that, the customer service system at First American needs to change. If you can’t even get any help from the company that you’re paying to help you get anything scheduled or to get a different contractor who can schedule you, that is a huge problem.
Hello Sahara. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your claims. We appreciate your feedback and have documented your concerns for training purposes. Thanks, Shanee.
Reviewed July 19, 2018
I've been with First American for a long time and when I submit claims with them, I call them all the time by telephone since the claims process is more difficult on the computer. Sometimes, they take a longer time in sending out people to fix things and sometimes, they take shorter. But most of the time, if I get problems with leaks, First American sends people right away. The problem, however, is that after the technicians call me, they will arrive two or three days later. Other than that, the quality of their work is all right.
Reviewed July 18, 2018
I have been with First American for over 5 years. They are denying my claim for my air conditioning unit because there was dirt. They told me it was in the contractor's report that the dirt was the cause of the failure. I called the contractor and viewed the report. It says no such thing, and the contractor says he tried to tell First American there could be other causes. I would like this matter resolved promptly. I have called First American and emailed the Claims Review Department.
Reviewed July 18, 2018
DO NOT purchase or use FAHW, dismal, absurd, deplorable, worst customer service, worst response time, worst value, worst everything. Way over priced and when or if you file a claim, they deny deny deny, and after fighting with them they will delay delay delay and then charge more for uncovered items and do as LITTLE as legally possible. AC went out, they denied claim, then approved after fighting for 2 weeks, then delayed, then screwed up order numbers causing extra delays, and on an 8500 dollar ac system they wanted to put in a 1200 bottom of the barrel trash system or cash out for 1200. Absolute WORST. 1-2 hour hold times, very curt reps and trained to block you and not offer anything. Period. DO NOT use this company.
Updated on 10/03/2018: AC went out during covered period. They fought me on it and wanted home inspection documents from when I bought my home 2 years prior. Every step of the way they denied and finally approved to put a new AC and Coil in. BUT, it was THE WORST and cheapest possible AC Goodman product possible. And hundreds of dollars in “non covered costs”. They took FOUR WEEKS in July, IN TUCSON ARIZONA to approve install. And the “new” AC went bad AGAIN within 45 days due to the crap GOODMAN coil had a small manufacturer defect/leak and required another one.
4 days later they install it and their vendor hit me again with install charges for bogus reasons like drain pipe (same pipe I had before, no changes, just added glue) copper tubing, SAME EXACT TUBING I already had and a disposal fee for the hunk of crap Goodman product. Worst worst worst home coverage ever. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING from First American!!! Buyer beware.
Reviewed July 18, 2018
Had a central air fail. It has been over a week and the replacement part has not even been ordered. They keep giving me the runaround every time I call. Suggest you find a more reliable Warranty service.
Reviewed July 18, 2018
Our central air has been out since the weekend. Today is Tuesday, and I, myself, was able to secure an appointment for Saturday with their secured contractor... they did not secure an appointment for me. There is no excuse for this not being taken care of in a timely manner. Their first contractor did not respond to them, nor to me. One must question their affiliation with First American. Yesterday I was given a second contractor, but the soonest they can come is Saturday. If First American had phoned, I would have been twenty four hours ahead... they did not. I do not recommend them under any circumstances, unless anxiety is your thing.
Hello Judy,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your air conditioning claim. Please be advised, our records indicate your air conditioning system was repaired on July 21, 2018. At this time, your claim is considered closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed July 18, 2018
I've been with First American for about six years and at that time I went with them, they had a pretty good rating and their price was good. Most of the time, I file my claims online and their website is pretty good. I know where to go and find things but maybe the category could be a little bit more detailed instead of just “other.” There were a couple of occasions with the issues that I had that I wasn’t sure which category to use, whether the “leak in the ceiling” or “there's a leak in the wall.” Also, their rates go up almost every year.
During my first three years with First American, I was somewhat disappointed with some of the technicians that came out. It seemed like they weren’t that experienced or they just wanted to get the upfront money first before they did the job or they would quote the job but they weren’t that familiar with the process. Sometimes I had to follow up with them to find out what it was. But the last several technicians I had, they were good and I've had a good experience with First American for the last two years as well.
Reviewed July 17, 2018
We got First American for a new home and we've had fantastic experience submitting claims with them. Dealing with their reps has been great, and although it's been hit-or-miss with the technicians that have visited us, it's been more hit than miss. Overall, the work they have done has been good. I recommend First American all the time and tell people that they're better than the competition.
Thank you for taking the time to leave your review John!
Reviewed July 17, 2018
First American was presented to us as an option when we were buying our house. The house and the appliances in it were a bit older and getting a warranty sounded like a good idea in terms of getting extra protection in case something went out. I usually call them when submitting a claim although I know that it can be done online, too. I like it better when I talk to a person and I’ve been doing it for a long time before they had the online claims. Their claims process was straightforward.
The contractors who came out lately had been fine. Our recent claims have been uneventful and we've gotten things fixed. But a few years ago, we had a problem with the AC and we had small children and it was sweltering heat. We felt it was an emergency situation and we weren’t able to get the services quickly as we wanted because it fell near a weekend. Also, over the last 10 years that I’ve been with First American, there had been four kinds of hikes. The price for their services continues to go up and it is frustrating.
Reviewed July 16, 2018
Our AC stopped working in May 2018. Having a sick 1 year old and it being in the high 90s in Arizona we were desperate to resolve this issue quickly. Good thing we pay First American every month for insurance in case this happens, right? Boy were we wrong! After struggling to schedule a repair in a reasonable amount of time they finally sent us a technician that seemingly had no idea what he was doing. The first thing he did was replace the motor with a generic one from his truck. After that didn't work he made a mess rewiring our unit. Finally, he ordered parts from across the country, which when installed did not work. All this took about a week and a half. During this time we purchased a portable AC unit and was only partially reimbursed after the woman who was handling our case said that it was possible to get fully reimbursed. This is a scam as they never approve reimbursement after a certain minimal amount.
About 10 days later from when the AC unit was damaged and calling First American daily, they finally dispatched another company. This technician quickly noted that everything the previous repairman did was incorrect: from installing the incorrect motor to jacking up all the wiring. He provided a temporary fix by swapping out the compressor but the incorrect motor was causing the AC to shake violently. So we call First American to explain that we need our old motor returned since it was mistakenly replace by the first guy expecting it to be an easy fix. The first tech denied having changed it and First American took his word over ours even though the second technician told them that it was a brand new motor and we had the serial number to prove that it was from the first company.
Fast forward to July 2018 when the AC unit finally crashes on us due to the violent shaking in 100+ degree temps. We call First American and they denied our claim because they “don’t know who tampered with the motor”!! They did not send anyone to check out what happened. How can an insurance company deny a claim based on something one of their providers did incorrectly?!? My wife texted/emailed them for a week where they told us that they aren’t responsible for health of our 1 year old and gave us a myriad of baseless reasons on why our claim was denied.
Fact of the matter: We PAY a warranty company monthly to help in case something like this goes wrong. When said thing does go wrong, this company needs to be held accountable for providing the service that we are PAYING for! Regardless of if the first technician did or did not put in the wrong motor, American Warranty still should have fixed it. I contacted the company that the original technician worked for directly and explained what happened to the manager. He informed me that the technician had been fired for incompetence the previous month and the motor did in fact belong to them. He promptly came over and fixed the issue himself. Why couldn’t the warranty company make this simple call 2 months ago?!?
Bottom line: STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY. It is disgraceful how they treat their customers. We have records of all our communication with them including the comments about them not being responsible for the well-being of our 1 year old. We would love to talk to any and all media who is interested in protecting the well-being of American families from evil money hungry companies such as First American Home Warranty.
Reviewed July 16, 2018
First American has been very beneficial. Our home is not brand new and things happen, and they've always taken care of the things that I needed to have happened. Also, the submissions of the claims have been good and they've always been efficient with that. Two weeks ago, we had a garage door repair and that went fine. The contractor came out when they said they would and they fixed it quickly. They did a good job.
However, some people who have come to do the work have not always been exactly how I wanted that to play out. And the work seems to go much more slowly sometimes. The contractor Belco was not very satisfactory to work with because it took all summer for me to get the air conditioning fixed. Every time they came and looked at one thing, they made an assessment of what needed to be done or what part needed to be ordered. But I would be put on the back of the list for the next time to come out instead of at the front. It was very disconcerting. I don't know if that was because the claim was through a warranty company, that we got put at the back of a list versus a customer that they may charge more for different things.
On the flip-side, the Belco guys also warned me about some frayed wires in my air conditioning unit and I even saw pictures of it. Those wires were gonna catch fire and they warned me about that, so they had integrity and that was good. But then when they fixed one unit, another unit broke and that took several more weeks to be addressed. That's the only major complaint that I've had with any of the contractors, and that has to do mainly with who First American chooses to relegate me to and that's part of the way it goes. Nevertheless, I've been their client for 14 years and I've stayed with them for that long.
Reviewed July 16, 2018
We lodged a claim on June 28th to fix the issue with AC, it took 5 days for someone to come see the problem. Finally on July 2 they came to see the problem and said the motor is not working, so need to order the part. July 9th status, they haven't ordered the part yet. Finally they said the part is ordered and update as of July 15, no call from the contractor regarding the shipment or timeline to fix it. Been 3 weeks with no AC in Florida weather and they don't even care about it. Never go with them.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed July 15, 2018
When our air conditioner started acting up and I was constantly having to pay for repairs, my husband said, “You know, we always get warranties for the people that purchase the homes.” My husband’s a realtor, so we were wanting a home warranty, too. I had a warranty for the year when I first bought my home and then I let it lapse and then we suddenly needed to get a warranty back. We went with First American.
Submitting a claim for service is usually fairly easy. I just make a phone call and tell them what the problem is. Sometimes, it’s hard waiting 24 to 48 hours to get someone out here, especially living in South Texas when the service request is for the air conditioner. Also, our water heater issue wasn’t so bad but we were without the heat of the water for a couple of days, so I had to go to my mom’s. So, I just wish that their contractors would do a better job at not taking anything apart unless they know that they have the part because then you have to wait.
Other than that, the people that First American recommends for our dryer have always been really good. And when my refrigerator broke down again, it was fixed right on time. And every contractor we’ve worked with have all been nice. The electrician came out right away. It was a stormy day when something happened. He just waited for the rain to stop a couple of hours, and he was out within the day of the call. Also, First American's customer service told me I can wait for the techs to call but I can call immediately as well. And so we always call immediately instead of waiting.
I’m satisfied with First American. The only thing is when I first started, I used to pay $50 for a service fee and now, I’m up to $75 and it seems like every year, it gets more expensive. Still, we recommend First American to everybody. We’ve always been able to rely and not have to pay thousands of dollars when getting something fixed. If you have issues with appliances or electrical things, you can get a hold of them right away. They usually have someone out within a day depending on what the problem is.
Reviewed July 15, 2018
We've had First American's home warranty since we moved in. Submitting a claim with them has been simple and working with the claims reps has been okay. Our dealings with the technicians have varied a little bit, depending on what the situation was. We've had to get second opinions at times. Also, we had a little bit of attitude once with an AC guy who was a real jerk. When I reported this matter to First American, they immediately got someone else out here. Our overall experience has been good and I've referred several people to them.
Reviewed July 14, 2018
I live in Vegas and I bought insurance for my home, my A/C broke I called insurance Company, just to fix the A/C is going to take more than 5 days, with heat at more than 100 degrees. Company does not care if I have elder people and small kids in home, customer service sucks. They don’t care you can hear in their voices. Very frustrating trying to reach customer service. If you want to talk to supervisor expect to be at least 30 minutes on phone and don’t expect any help. Just waste of time. Try other company. This is a very cheap company. I will be looking for other company ASAP. Don’t make my mistake. You are going to regret it.
Reviewed July 14, 2018
I went online and setup my appt. for a repair of the toilet in the Master Bathroom. I have a dual flush system - FluidMaster in my toilet and it stopped working and I could no longer flush my toilet. I called First American to verify this was covered and was assured it was. The toilet broke over the weekend and the plumbing co did not come until Tuesday. They seemed shocked that it was the FluidMaster system even though I had told them as well when we set up the appointment. Of course they couldn't fix it. They said they would need approval from FAHM.
Days go by and I haven't heard anything. I call the plumbing company and they never return my call. I call FAHM and they tell me my claim was denied because I must have "broken" my FluidMaster system for it to stop working! I have now spent $75.00 and spent a over a week with a broken toilet. I am handicapped and live on a impossibly small income and now will have to have another company fix my toilet. So I will end up with spending much more and having to have waited 2 weeks to get my toilet fixed.
I should have known better after my experience last year with my oven. I had a broken oven for 8 months on and off and spent a fortune in $75.00 repair fees. It would have been cheaper to call a reputable company and get it done right the first time. I will never get a First American Home Warranty Contract again. They are thieves.
Hello Karen. We are currently looking into this matter further. Thanks, Shanee.
Reviewed July 14, 2018
Our AC stopped working on a Friday and we thought great, we have a home warranty (that we pay for for 6 yrs and only used twice). Wrong. First tech came out and stated that our coils are iced over due to them and our filter being dirty, told us to clean filter, turn AC off for two hours and everything will be fine. - (Coils just got cleaned professionally and filter was not dirty btw.) Regardless, we followed advice but of course the AC did not work. I called again to schedule someone else to come out and take another look (we are in AZ). No one available until Friday...
One week without AC. So I canceled the 2nd service call and called a company myself. They came out the same day, filled out AC with coolant and it is working great (they also said the coils look great). The next day I received a call from the home warranty company that our claim with them got denied due to it being our fault since the coils are dirty. This is only the short form of the story... This home warranty company is a complete waste of time and money and did not help at all when we needed them. It was a very upsetting and disappointing experience. I am canceling as soon as I can.
Reviewed July 14, 2018
Sometimes, I go online to submit our claims with First American but most of the time, I call it in. And First American's claims representatives were fine. But I have never experienced anything as bad as the service that I’ve gotten from First American. My air conditioner went out three weeks ago. It’s still out and I had to get a portable unit. I have one already from the last time I dealt with First American years ago. We have it in one of the rooms because of 100-degree temperatures, so we’ve been able to bear with it. A tech came out and then did it. But First American has been dragging the process. I’m very dissatisfied.
And then my washing machine went out. Their contractor came about three weeks ago and they fixed it. And then it broke down again about four days ago. The man came out, he fixed it, and then it was broke again an hour later. I paid them $800 and it’s still out. They ordered the wrong compressor, so they have to order another one, and they’re supposed to come back supposedly on Monday to put in the right one, but it’s been three weeks now.
Reviewed July 13, 2018
I am a current customer with American Home Warranty. I have not had one good experience with this company with the 2 problems that I have had to have address. Currently I am without A/C in the dead of the summer and I have had a claim in for over 20 days. On top of that I was told when I got the warranty that after the $75.00 charge that my covered items would repaired or replace. I am now being told that my A/C has to be modified and I have to pay $200.00 for the modification. I asked why is the unit being modified and not fixed to the original way and there was no answer and I am being forced to pay for modification. If the unit could not be fixed as it, it should have been replaced like I was told.
So now I am out of pocket $275.00. And I am still 20 days later still with no A/C. I would be very careful before choosing this company. At this point I would not refer them to anyone. If I didn't pay so much for this I would cancel my coverage and go with someone else. I have talked to other people that have home warranties and they say this is not something that would happen with their company. I am a first time home buyer and this is something that I never expected. Be very careful and just know you may be out of a lot of money because they modify something and not repair/replace it, like you are told will happen when you sign up for the service.
Hello Jeremiah,
Our records indicate your air conditioning system was repaired on or around August 2, 2018. At this time, First American considers your claim closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed July 13, 2018
I have several properties including my own home I have warranties with First American Home Warranty Corporation. I had one air conditioning unit go out in my house and it’s been 41 days and they’re still giving me the runarounds. I had to go ahead and replace it myself. My other unit went out yesterday. I called them right away and I still haven’t received a call back regarding a contractor. With 95 degree heat I went ahead and called a contractor that told me I need a new unit. I paid him to replace it and he’s coming tomorrow to install a new unit.
First American is fraudulently billing me for payment but not rendering proper service. They’re a rip off. You’re better off staying away from them. I’m filing a complaint with the attorney general's office, the BBB and contacting my attorney for further action. Horrible contractors, customer service can’t help you and they discourage you from going any further. But I’ll take it as big as I can and make sure consumers aren’t defrauded by this kind of predatory and false sense of home security they advertise. They’re a fraud. Period.
Hello Selam. We apologize for any delays or inconvenience you may have experienced. We are currently looking further into your claim. Thanks, Shanee.
Reviewed July 13, 2018
I have a policy with First American and usually submits my claim by calling them. The claims process is okay and I have had fine interactions with the claims reps. The only thing that I don’t like is that there are certain things that are supposed to be in the policy and are not there like when I had an incident with my lights and needed a ballast. They didn’t cover that. They just fixed the regular light like changing a bulb which I could do myself. It was something that wasn't external with the light. You had to go inside and change the ballast. The technician strung it out so I wound up changing the ballast myself. I paid this guy the service fee of $100 to tell me nothing. He knew what was going on and he led me on so I was telling First American that I would be looking for another home warranty company.
Reviewed July 13, 2018
First American came with the house when we bought it five years ago and we kept it going because the house at that time was 13 years old. Overall, the response time is very quick when we submit a claim and process is fairly easy. They're professional and they do what they say they're gonna do. Also, everybody they've sent in has done satisfactory work. The customer service with First American has been very good, polite, and respectful. They answer all of our questions and are pretty much on top of things.
But we've had two not so fun experiences here recently. We had an AC company that really pushed their product and instead of being concerned about fixing ours, they wanted us to buy a new one from them and it was crazy expensive. We have an upstairs and downstairs unit and they wanted $24,000 to replace both of the units and to do the stuff in the attic. They said that they could get $4,000 from the insurance which we put our part at $20,000. And then they never got back to us about fixing the actual problem. We went on our own and got our own AC guy and replaced it for $13, the same stuff they were gonna do for $13,000.
The plumbing people were very nice and very professional. They knew what they were doing but we ended up paying a little over $700 dollars out of our pocket and nothing was fixed. It ended up being a septic issue, which I know is out of their control. But it was hard to pay them $700 when it wasn't that issue and when we're having to turn around and pay another guy $400. I showed a friend of ours who knew another plumber. I shared him the invoice that we paid for the company that came out and he was floored as to how much they charged us for certain things. It was the digging and they dug 10 inches into our ground. That part was the $500 part. It was like, wow.
But the plumber that came out this time, we have used them before and we had no problems with that one. They totally replaced everything they were supposed to replace and it didn't cost us anything but the service fee. We checked them out online as well and they had a lot of good reviews. We're perfectly happy with First American. But some of the companies that they're associated with or that they use aren't the best. We told them about these two companies, because if they have any control as to who they contract out to, they may just be more cautious in contracting out those two particular companies.
Reviewed July 12, 2018
My real estate agent said we should use First American and we've been clients for a long time. I had a problem with one of the motors on my pool filter recently and they came and it was fixed. I usually do my claims over the phone. But this past one for the first time ever I did it online. Filing the claim online is a lot easier than doing it on the phone. Everything is great with First American. They're a good company but you need to have a lot of patience because of their policies. And they just won't replace if something is still working even though it's not working great. They won't replace unless it's totally broken.
We appreciate your review Keith!
Reviewed July 11, 2018
Upon my request for kitchen water leak detection and repair, First American Home Warranty assigned two different contractors on 05/18/2018 and 05/25/2018. The names of the contractors are AJ Bono Plumbing, and Judieh Plumbing Company, respectively. They each opened up an access hole from the exterior wall during the investigation, but neither were able to find the leak. I was told that First American would be responsible for patching the wall at the end of the service, no matter the water leak is fixed or not. I then hired an independent plumber who actually found and fixed the water leak, which had to do with the dishwasher. It had nothing to do with the piping inside the wall or the concrete subfloor.
When I contacted First American to fulfill the obligation to repatch the exterior wall, they refused to do so, because the contractors do not acknowledge that they had opened up access holes from the wall. (So they essentially lied about the work they have done). I then had to upload pictures (with time stamps showing when they were taken) to First American as evidence, but they still do not accept their responsibilities. In other words, they hire incompetent contractors who do poor jobs, trust what the contractors said but ignore counter-evidence from the customer, and do not fulfill their responsibilities. This is so far the worst experience I as a customer have had with any merchant in the country.
Reviewed July 11, 2018
Low response to request. Our air condition broke down during the hot summer and they didn't send no one after several request and refuse to pay the invoice after we found someone to fix the air conditioning.
Reviewed July 11, 2018
Avoid at all cost. Seller purchased this home warranty for us... presumably because it is the cheapest. Even their contractors told us they’re the worst home warranty company to deal with. Slow. Nickel and dime you. Waited two weeks for a leak in my basement to be fixed when it was causing damage to drywall - that I will now have to rip down and repair on my own because it’s not covered... despite the fact that if they had people who could actually get out to serve you when it’s urgent, it would’ve been unnecessary.
Reviewed July 11, 2018
When we bought our house, it came with a warranty from First American and I liked it. I had so many things go wrong and for the most part, the techs they've sent me have been fine. One thing that went wrong was the disposal and First American stuck one in here. However, the guy who came to install the unit told me that he couldn’t put it in because there was something wrong with the wiring, which was something nobody told us about. So, it ended up costing us more than it should have. I’m also not crazy about the disposal they put in but I wasn’t really thinking enough to say, “Let me see which kind I want.” Because in that case, they will give you money, you go buy your own and then you'd get it back on their appliance. Even so, First American canceled my warranty probably because I had too many claims, which is something you couldn't do. Now I'm with another provider.
Reviewed July 11, 2018
When I bought the house, First American Home Buyers Protection was included with my closing documents. And while it is good overall, the quality of the contractors seems to be changing. When I first started, they would contract with big companies like Sears. Lately, they were more like mom and pop shops. It seems to have decreased from having proper companies with very well-organized call centers and follow-ups to a little bit more middle to small companies. Nonetheless, submitting a claim is very easy which I do online every time. The technicians come with the information they get from the ticket to work on things. However, it takes time to get a schedule because of the size of the contractors.
Also, I would like to know the policy to apply for getting an equipment replaced when something breaks two to three times. I had a dryer break three times and they keep sending people to repair it and it takes time for them to come. And they need to order the part and the part takes 10 days to arrive. I feel that if you have been paying your insurance policy for x-amount of time like I do, when something breaks two to three times, it should immediately be replaced. Still,I'm keeping First American and would recommend them. It has reliable service, but it has room for improvement.
Reviewed July 10, 2018
My aunt suggested First American Home Buyers Protection and it has been fantastic. The process of submitting a claim with them has been easy but the people they send out are kind of jacklegs and on a little bit on the lower end of the scale. Still, First American has been great and the warranty is worth it.
Reviewed July 9, 2018
I'm a disabled vet living alone and I called this problem in 8 days ago for service on a water pump as my home has zero water. I have returned several times and get told the same thing "We're working on it Sir, someone will call back within 24 hours". Of course, no one ever calls me back and I have to go through the entire menu/explain (again) day after day to explain why I'm calling... I haven't missed a single payment to them in 14 years but now that I need them, they are nowhere to be found... It's the middle of July and I've got zero water for meds/toilet/bath etc. I'm not a complainer but my situation has become dire and I simply need help.
I want to be able to post positive here about them but cannot due to the way this has been handled 'so far'. How long can this possibly go on? I don't want to but feel I have to escalate this situation to further authorities to get relief and resolution... Funny thing is, my last premium payment was accepted 2 days AFTER I called this in for service... I've never had a problem with them until I needed their help. By the sounds of it they are now overseas (terrible English with reps) and couldn't care less about an old man stuck at home with no water (after paying them to ensure I'm not). Beware.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed July 9, 2018
We've had First American for years. We decided to go on with it when we bought the house, the previous owners had it. So far, we've had no problems submitting a claim to them.
Reviewed July 9, 2018
I submit my claims with First American either online or by phone. I do it primarily online, though, because it's easier. I have had some issues with one of First American's contractors, Northstar Mechanical. They were not able to get the job done. They weren’t very professional and sometimes it seemed that they actually created problems. And I requested that if we ever call in an AC claim to not utilize them, and First American changed and gave me someone else.
Reviewed July 8, 2018
We’ve had the warranty for quite a few years and submitting a claim with First American is not difficult. I usually call and the reps have been good. All of the technicians they sent have been good also, although a few years ago, there was one of them that I didn’t like at all. They didn’t bother to check anything and told me it was an air conditioner problem. They just said, “Oh you better use this." But that was the only time and despite that, I’m very satisfied with First American so far.
Reviewed July 8, 2018
WORTHLESS, LYING REPS AT FIRST AMERICAN! 2014: FAHW sent a rep to check heater. He said it was cracked and leaked carbon monoxide but FAHW wouldn't replace it. 6/21/2018: AC quit in 106 temps, electrical surges inside house so we paid for HVAC & electrical assessments. 6/25/2018: Electrician FAHW sent STARTED ELECTRICAL FIRE at AC power box from repeatedly holding down breaker while it arced. HVAC condemned both AC & heater saying it gave us carbon monoxide poisoning for years. FAHW didn't like that, so they stalled and sent another HVAC tech days later to reassess. He also condemned it, saying he'd lose his license if he allowed anyone to use it; it was too dangerous.
I'm completely home-bound, unable to drive, with home health nursing for 5 months, so after getting the runaround, FAHW finally said this was an emergency and would be handled quickly. 7/6/2018: Everyone at FAHW took the WEEK off for July 4th while I sit in an unairconditioned house with 109 temps outside, 85 inside with 45% humidity after suffering 2 strokes a few months ago. We've repeatedly contacted FAHW every way possible and rarely get a person to speak with, and when we do, they lie to us to get us off the phone.
We did get one phone call July 5th from the electrician who started the fire. He lied and said he worked for FAHW and wanted to know what was going on. Not only did he start a fire out of stupidity, but now he calls to harass us and lie to us to find out if we're blaming him for the fire. Zaza NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE at FAHW! Their emergency status means NOTHING! My health means NOTHING! Customer service means NOTHING! THREE WEEKS+ and they have done NOTHING to fix this!
Reviewed July 7, 2018
New customer with new problem (AC went out middle of last night, Friday night). Service request to be answered within 3 days and assigned to a company with 100% negative reviews on Yelp. Currently on a 32 minute hold for customer service on my 4th call attempt to get ahold of customer service. Started at 7 this morning, it's 12:57 PM right now and still on hold. This sucks. Thus far, I DO NOT recommend First American home warranty. Btw, if I call the sales line, I INSTANTLY get a rep.
Updated review: Sept. 5, 2018
Carlotta with First American and Edwin with Ideal have replaced my A/C and it works great. Between the 2 0f them they discovered what the problem was and replaced the entire unit after replacing the compressor and that did not work. In all honesty the problem was caused by a tech from a former company that they do not use any more. Thank you Carlotta and Edwin for hanging in there until the problem was solved.
Original Review: July 7, 2018
We have been having problems with our ac since 2013 when they sent out an ac tech to install a condenser. Every year it has just gotten worse and will not cool when it gets over 102. On May 16th they sent out a tech from company (#1) who said it was doing all it can do. When the thermostat is set for 72 or 70, in the afternoon it gets up to 80. Which means it is not working the way it should. Argued with the claim adjuster when he told me it was working fine & he said he would send out a different company (#2) on June 13. The tech told us it was doing all it could do but we needed a new unit since it will not cool in the afternoon during the hottest hours and the install on the ac was the worst install they have ever seen.
The claim adjuster did not like that report & told me that was not the report they received. He said they would send a different company but we would have to pay for the call. I agreed and they sent out a different ac company (#3) and paid another $75 for the call. He said there was a huge gap so that I was only cooling the outside and came back day later to fix it which did no good and did not correct the situation. Called claim adjuster & said he would resend the company out again. My husband called the ac company to set up the appt. and was told that there was nothing else they could do. I called an ac company to have them come out and diagnose our problem. We sent the report to claim adjuster who said they would send the ac #3 back out. At one point he even asked my husband if we would have the company we had called to handle it and we pay for it and they would reimburse us. "No way," we said.
On July 5th they sent #3 back out again who said to us we need a new unit. Was supposed told that they would get the report to First American by the next morning. When my husband talked to claim adjuster he said he would get the report which supposedly did and would talk to them about it and would call my husband back before he left for the day. He did’t and also never responded to the calls left. We can’t cook because it heats the house up too much. Yesterday it was 112 & our ac would not get lower than 82. Still trying to find a claims adjuster that understands how ac works. It is designed to cool your house to the temperature the thermostat is set at. I can understand a 2% differential but not a 12%.
Not the first time we have had problems with them. Been with them since 1995 when our real estate agent sold us our house. The problem is they do not want to put a new unit in even though it was put in 2006. They do not mind taking your money but do not want to replace anything. Still waiting to find out what is going to happen. We are in Las Vegas, NV and have extreme heat warning out.
Hello Sunny,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your air conditioning claim. Our records indicate your package unit was replaced on or around September 3, 2018. We consider your claim closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed July 7, 2018
I had First American for 14 years and I've had plenty of claims submitted with them. I call the 1800 number or go online and open up a ticket then they respond back with a vendor right then and there. Through the phone, which I usually do since I haven't had much luck online and I prefer talking to somebody, they tell me who it’s been assigned to and then they give me the telephone number in case I wanna call them directly. And then I wait for the vendor to show up and pay them their $75 copay. And the techs who have come out have been topnotch. Every once in a while, I run into a vendor who can’t get anything done the first time. But 95% of the time they’re really good. They know how to resolve the problem and it doesn’t reoccur. They’ve been professional, have come on time and kept their appointments.
First American's customer service, however, has been terrible since they outsourced it to South America. I can’t understand what they’re saying half the time. And I had one issue a year ago where they made it a very difficult situation for me. And finally, they got it resolved, but it was a pain in the neck. They couldn’t understand what I was saying and they were like 1,000 miles away in Costa Rica. Prior to the outsourcing, they were really good. But overall, it’s a good warranty company. I’d definitely recommend them and I have, actually. They were the best. So, everybody and anybody who buys a house, I tell them, “Hey, you may wanna go with these guys because the other companies are terrible.”
Reviewed July 7, 2018
When we bought our current house, First American was the warranty that was on the house. We have re-upped it and have had it for seven years. The renewal process was relatively simple and we just do it online. When submitting a claim, it is pretty easy to set up but it takes some time to get a technician. Their reps have been helpful and the interactions are fairly okay. They are responsive. They called and made sure things have been moved the process along at times. I’ve been generally very pleased with people that came to install stuff or do repairs on our HVAC.
But sometimes, I had a bad experience with their technicians. The most recent claim ended up not covered in the process and I was not alerted about that at any time in the process. It was 75 bucks because of that. The main thing is to be clear on what’s covered during the claims process and it would be good to learn if a specific part is not covered under the warranty. Other than that, First American has been pretty good as far as these things go so I would recommend them. And if a friend of mine asks me about First American, I'll tell him that the warranty is fairly valuable if they're buying an older house, but it is not if they're buying a new house.
Reviewed July 6, 2018
First American does not care who they contract with. Just plumbing, their plumbing contractor sucks. Still waiting for a water heater. It has been a month. They have come out three times. They now want to charge me over double what the parts are new. They want an extra 400 for a flue kit and gas lines. You can buy all that at Home Depot for a hundred bucks. Just ridiculous. Both companies should be ashamed at their business practices.
Reviewed July 6, 2018
We have had First American for two years now and we have not had a good experience yet. First, we have a geothermal system and each time we need service, they continually assign somebody who does not work on geothermal systems. Each time we have to go back and request that we contact the company ourselves, submit the claim and get reimbursed. There is only one company locally so it should not be this hard. This is now the second instance in the last 35 days that our AC has gone out. It is 104 heat index but once again they do not guarantee service in less than two days despite the fact that temps are dangerous and our thermostat is reading 83 inside. I would like to say that they have great customer service but the fact is we have not experienced anything positive about First American and with our upcoming move to a new house and city, we will not be going back with First American.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed July 6, 2018
I've been with First American for over 20 years. I pick up the phone and call when I submit a claim, and the contractors do the job and leave. And their work has always been done very well. But I'm waiting to hear from First American. I had an electrician here and he didn’t know whether or not what we had to do was covered and that was over a week or two ago. I was gonna call the company to find out what the delay is, but normally there's no problem at all. First American has been wonderful and I have recommended them a number of times.
Reviewed July 6, 2018
We bought our house and got First American with it. Submitting a claim for service has been great. I call them and they have been helpful. There have been times as well when I didn't like the company that they sent and they got me a different one. Also, the techs usually fix the problem the first time. One time, they didn’t fix it the first time but they came right back out and got it going. However, I wish that First American would also cover our sprinkler systems.
Reviewed July 5, 2018
First, oven was hot on exterior, blistered my hand when I used handle to open. Called. Paid $75. Was told exterior temp was legally within spec. New baby on the way, that answer did not fly, replaced myself. Air goes. Went to Costco, because these guys are shady, expected a $4k unit. Costco would have a team out in 5 days to replace. Took this warranty company over a month from complaint to installation. I can only conclude they have one contractor for the entire state of Michigan.
After it was finally installed, upstairs doesn't cool down like it did with the old unit... from 1991 and it has to run constantly to keep up. I googled the unit provided. Suspect reviews, cheapest available, $958 online. I give it a two year life max. This thing is running nonstop 24/7 to keep up with what my unit from 1991 could output. Meanwhile I paid for the warranty, a $75 fee to contractor, a $300 NINJA fee for unknown reasons, and $315 for a window unit to keep said newborn happy for over one month. This company is total scumbags. Pissed me off enough to take the time to warn future homebuyers. Stay away.
We appreciate your feedback and look forward to being able to address your concerns directly with you.
Reviewed July 5, 2018
My cooling system was malfunctioning. First American Home Warranty (FAHW) arranged for a repair co to come diagnose the problem... A week's wait. He concluded the need for replacing the unit. It couldn't be done immediately because the repair co. had to wait until First American bought the system and had it shipped to them for install. That took over a week again. The repair co wouldn't book the install appointment until the equipment arrived. FAHW does not supply them a tracking number.
The day finally came for the system to be installed, and the repair guy finds that another part is malfunctioning. That was on Monday. Again, the part had to be sent by (FAHW) to the repair co. Did they ship it overnight? No, another frickin week! I contacted FAHW and both Edwin and supervisor Rick told me they couldn't overnight it. It's 96 degrees outside and it will be over a month without air conditioning. So, you decide, is it worth a month of no air conditioning to deal with this? I don't think so.
Reviewed July 5, 2018
On February 1, 2018, I placed a claim with FIRST AMERICAN HOME WARRANTY regarding the loss of air conditioning for 2 upper floors in my residence. On these levels, I have a heat pump that provides both heating, and air conditioning. This house is about 10 years old, and these repairs should not be a major, lengthy or complicated process. However, following my call to FIRST AMERICAN, you dispatched a technician from ECCO TECH HOME SERVICES to diagnose the origin of the malfunction on February 5, 2018. A delay of four days. The young man and I met, he was an inexperienced technician; but after examination of the unit, he determined the origin of the malfunction was a missing ‘heating strip’ in the heat pump, and a ‘plate’ that was missing on the side of the unit, which allowed cold air into the unit. He charged me $75, and was on his way in a matter of minutes.
FIRST AMERICAN then sent me an advisory letter stating that my contract contained the following provision(s). * "Under the section marked Limits of Liability, Number 2, Repairs or replacements required as a result of missing parts, fire, flood, smoke, lightening, freeze, earthquake, theft, storms, accidents, mud, war, riots, vandalism, acts of God, damaged from pests, lack of capacity, or misuse are not covered by this contract. Based on this information, FIRST AMERICAN has determined that the item failure is not covered under the Contract and is denying this claim."
After I secured another opinion from a reputable, long established company (NEESE HEATING AND AIR) on May 11, 2018, they determined that the unit will heat and cool without heating strips (they are optional). However, what is more disturbing, is that there are no missing ‘plates’ in the heat pump unit. In addition, they discovered a different issue (apparently overlooked by ECCO TECH HOME SERVICES’ technician), it appeared to their technician that the thermostat wasnot functioning properly, and it needs replacement.
It also appeared that the compressor was tripping the breaker switch when turned on, suggesting the compressor needs replacement. Asper the NEESE technician, the mechanical system fails and locks up. This company’s resolution is to replace the thermostat and compressor and update to new 410 A unit. (Oddly enough, these ARE repairs, covered under my Warranty with FIRST AMERICAN, were deliberately overlooked, and ignored, by the FIRST AMERICAN technician.)
When I called FIRST AMERICAN to report the obvious differences between the two technical reports, your representative stated you need to have another company come out and look at the A/C unit. This decision simply continues to shift FIRST AMERICAN’S procedure or policies to place me at continued discomfort, and inconvenience, while FIRST AMERICAN searches for yet another reason to deny my claim. While I am sure your business model is unique to your company, you have a very disreputable history on-line from many prior consumer complaints. It seems, you have a continued pattern of denial of claims, which denials push your insured’s essential repairs off as far as you can, thereby allowing you time to continue manipulating data and information to make sure your company’s Warranty fails to cover the actual loss.
Meanwhile, the weather has been extremely hot, and I am having to live with NO AIR CONDITIONING in my bedroom, and bathroom. Apparently on your request, someone from J&S MECHANICAL has called me, being extremely rude and insistent that they will come out to revisit the issues on which I have filed my FIRST AMERICAN claim. Why do your offices need a second inspection? Your offices had a previous inspection, you selected that previous company.This procedure, once again to check my heating and cooling equipment at my residence, is simply more delay. Your surrogate inspection company NOW appears to employ policies that are onerous.
For J&S MECHANICAL, there needs to be no rain in the forecast for the day, and my immediate needs have to be scheduled around their overbooked schedule. This is entirely unacceptable and representative of your manipulation of company selection, data and information to deceive me! Your new technicians have stated “they will not be able to come out until Saturday June 2, 2018” (I work during the week and need a weekend appointment), butwhat they have also said is “if it rains or if there is a chance of rain they will cancel and they would not give me a time.” This whole process (entirely controlled by your offices) is designed to frustrate and obfuscate the failure of my air conditioning unit, to delay, and to concoct yet another false reason to deny coverage. How many more technicians do you plan to send out?
I have done my research and needless to say, your company has multiple complaints against you from the BBB. There seems to be a pattern of deception, a pattern of manipulation, to achieve a desired result, ie: denial of the insured claim for repairs. I don’t need another technician’s opinion, since the first inspection was done by your choice of companies. If it was performed poorly, with substandard care or experience, it simply creates a delay. This selection of yetanother repair company to do an inspection, is onerous and unnecessary, just another delay, and waste of time, and money. I did not purchase a Home Repair (Warranty) Insurance Policy to stand around and wait for your company to find a reason to deny my coverage.
I would like this issue resolved immediately, by replacing the compressor and thermostat at my residence within the next 2 weeks from the date of this letter. If I do not get this result, I will turn my complaint and the technical reports over to the GEORGIA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE for review. Unless you are unaware, this is the state agency that enforces the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act (O.C.G.A. Sections 10-1-390 et seq.) Under this state statute, your unfair and deceptive acts or practices in your insured warranty work, are prohibited. This law applies to consumer transactions involving the sale, lease, or rental of goods, or services for personal, family or household purposes. The GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF LAW'S CONSUMER PROTECTION UNIT will pursue a case, whenever the Attorney General’s office determines there is a substantial public interest.
Simultaneously, I will also file a complaint with the GEORGIA INSURANCE COMMISSIONER’S OFFICES. This agency supervises your insurance license. It has an obligation to prevent misleading insurance claims, and false representations, as to the use of an insurance policy guaranteeing home repairs. Their complaint process is lengthy and will likely give your offices far more problems than fixing my air conditioning unit may create. In your case, you have previously represented in your Warranty that you cover certain repairs and yet, you directly make every effort to deny reasonable, necessary repairs, finding and using a company that has sent out a poorly trained technician. These circumstances you choose to take advantage off, thereby damaging an insured consumer. Forcing the insured consumer to incur expenses, be inconvenienced, and charged for repairs your insurance policy, your ‘Warranty’ is marketed as covering. This is a deception.
In addition, I will also send my complaint to the US FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, as your offices transact business over state lines and are covered by that agency. THE BUREAU OF CONSUMER PROTECTION is the division that protects the US consumer. This agency has a complaint portal through which I will file my complaint. The business and trade practices your company engages in are fraudulent, misleading, deceptive, and illegal. So while you read my letter, I want to assure you, I am not going to stand idly by and watch your disreputable practices cause me more and more inconvenience. Why would I buy an insurance policy to prevent the loss of a vital heating and air conditioning component, if all I now receive is your excuses, denials and delays?
My demands and requirements are simple, my air conditioning system needs to be immediately repaired, as I have clearly described above. Trying to offer me $1500.00 to close my case is not the answer. A new Lennox unit costs around $6000.00...why would I accept $1500.00? This has been a back and forth routine with the wrong equipment ordered and then telling me after the fact that I need to take down a wall, when J&S originally stated that the unit comes in pieces and can be installed.
We have had unbearable heat and my upstairs stays at 90 degrees, which is not tolerable. First American told me to buy a window unit, which is not allowed in my complex!!! They could care less and are only interested in taking your month and running. BUYER BEWARE AND DO NOT... I REPEAT... DO NOT BUY A WARRANTY FROM THIS COMPANY IF YOU WANT ANYTHING REPAIRED. They will make is a horrible experience and you still will not have the issue resolved.
Reviewed July 5, 2018
I think the fact that I am paying $492 with First American Home Warranty per year and getting poor service from the washing machine technician just irritates me. So in on March 3, 2018 Sebastian Martinez Repair Appliance was assigned to my washing machine issue. I purchased a GE top load washing machine from Sears in 2016. In March the machine wasn't spinning the water out. I had to take the soaking wet clothes out and take them to a laundromat to finish my laundry. When Sebastian Martinez came he just said I needed to hold down the start/stop button for a few seconds to restart the machine. He did not change any parts. A week later the water did not spin out and I held down the start/stop button and that "fixed" the problem.
July 2, 2018 the same problem happened. The washing machine stopped working and the clothes and water was in the machine. I tried holding down the start/stop button and that did not work. I unplugged the machine and that did not work. I took my soaking clothes out of the machine along with 2 kids' clothes and took it to a laundromat. Then next day Sebastian ** called and said there was no availability until July 5th. Then he calls on July 5th and said he has to go to the hospital and doesn't know when he can reschedule for. I asked him if I can call back First American Home Warranty to assign me to another GE contractor. He said yes.
I called FAHW and they told me that I would have to pay the $75 service fee again since it has been over 30 days. I asked them even if it is for the same problem that happened back in March and they said yes. Somehow, I feel ripped off with First American Home Warranty. I have to keep going to the laundromat since I cannot have a technician come out in a timely manner. I have to keep paying $75 for the same problem that they seem to cannot fix on a relatively new 2016 washer. Sears technicians were the best. No $75 charge to fix a problem.
They came out within a 2-day turn around time. If they couldn't fix the issue after a 3rd attempt within the year they would give you a new appliance to replace the one they could not fix. I was even thinking if I did not renew my contract with FAHW back in April. I should have taken that money of $492 and the $75 service fee to get another washer. I am just not happy with the service and I will have to reconsider my options when my Annual Premium expires for FAHW :(
Reviewed July 5, 2018
When we bought the house 17 years ago, the warranty for the first year was paid for by the seller. Then, there were several pamphlets in our folder and I picked First American as it had coverage for our swimming pool. Whenever I submit a claim to them, I do it over the phone and their claims representative is nice. Their technicians were professional and courteous, too, and I had a good interaction with them.
Right now, I’m going through a claim as we’ve been without hot water since Saturday. We are trying to get a hot water heater, and the plumber could not get a whole new heater yesterday. First American will provide the hot water heater to the plumber so it is very inconvenient for the homeowner. But if I had been able to get my own plumber, they could have gotten a hot water heater yesterday. That aside, having a warranty is valuable and it’s okay. But, you are at the warranty company’s mercy for when they are ready to repair. If you can pay out of pocket, to begin with, do not get a home warranty.
Reviewed July 5, 2018
Calling in a claim to First American was very easy and they were there 24/7. Their reps were very nice and knowledgeable on their services as well. One time, we had a problem with our garage door when one of the bolts had a bad place in the metal. I was just gonna call and leave a message since it was night time already, but I was amazed that someone answered. They told us who would be calling and the next morning, that company called and were here in three hours. The guy looked at it and put the new bolt in one of the roller assemblies. Also, several months back, one of our springs broke. The contractor was also here within hours and replaced the spring.
But before those, we had a problem with our fan motor in our heating unit and the closet was making some noise. And that was kinda touchy with the company that they sent out to do the work. The gentleman came out and fixed the cage. Then, the fan motor was making a lot of noise and vibration in the wall. They repaired that but then the noise came back after a few days.
We called the contractor back and they came out and told us that the gas line in the closet was not up to code which was strange because it was up to code when the house was built. The service company wanted to $600 plus to repair it. And so my husband went to Lowe's, bought the material needed and did the repairs. It only took him $29 and half an hour to fix it. So the service company wasn't too happy because they really wanted to charge us that extra money. First American was sorry that that happened, but for the service fee that I had to pay for with them, it was a no-brainer. We got the upgraded plan that covers everything which is amazing. We're glad to have First American Home Warranty.
Reviewed July 4, 2018
When I bought the house nine years ago, First American Home Buyers Protection came with it. Our experience with them has been pretty good except for this last time. We have an air conditioner that stopped cooling. The contractor who was sent out here didn’t really want to be here. I don’t feel he was here for our best interest. He stayed for 10 minutes and told me the issue was because my filter was clogged. He told me, "Change the filter out and that would fix the problem." It did not. That was on a Friday. He then came back on Monday and told me it was frozen up and there was nothing he could do that time either. He came back on Tuesday and told me that there was nothing he could do to fix it and left. He also said I needed a whole new air conditioning unit.
First American then sent a second person out who charged me $325 to clean my coils and said that may or may not fix the issue. I'm still having the same problem where it's not cooling like it normally has. My air conditioner runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it's struggling to hold the temperature. Basically, there's nothing that anybody said they can do about it anymore.
We've found out that the contractor that First American used does not have a real good reputation. They've probably done it because he's got cheap prices but he's been known in the past just to push customers to the side and spend a little or no time. He is a contractor based out at Fort Worth and he's the only tech they have here in Amarillo. I'm not real happy with who they chose to use this time or the outcome of this claim but they’ve taken care of us in the past.
Reviewed July 4, 2018
We were advised to get a warranty on our property when we first purchased a house 15 years ago, and we’ve been with First American ever since. I usually submit claims on the phone. It's fast and my interactions with the reps have been okay. They are very professional and they help me right away. And they answer all the questions I have. But I got the spring of my garage door broken and now I realize that they don’t cover for it. Also, once we had an issue with a technician. The claim was for our microwave plate and he needed to lower the microwave, but he didn’t want to so we had to do it ourselves. They were really bad with their job. So now I’m waiting because I have the issue again with my microwave and they’re supposed to go in on Tuesday next week. Other than that, everything’s been okay at home. Overall, I will recommend First American.
Reviewed July 3, 2018
I pay money monthly and not once they help me out with my problems and the people that answer the phone are not capable of doing their job. Don't seem to understand the nature of the problem when you explain to them. The companies that they hire are really poor at their job. They are there for a quick buck. My AC went out and they said it was not emergency. Living in south Texas in the summer time it gets very hot. My garage door kept messing up and the same company they set me up with did a quick fix and not once they replace it with a new one. I will never deal with them again.
Reviewed July 3, 2018
I bought my house In January 2018 & have this home warranty. Two weeks into moving in I noticed half of the house didn't have working electricity so I filed a claim, they sent a electrician out and look at it submit it a report claiming there was so remodeling being done. I told them we just bought the house and no remodeling is being done and they denied the claim and then two months later my Plumbing started acting up. Call them. Made a claim that got denied. Now here in June 2018 my air conditioner goes out. I file a claim so they send a company out and looks at it. It says air condition has 50 watt hooked up to 30 watt and they deny that claim so basically I'm paying their $75 deductible each time just to be told that is getting denied. So what is First American Home Warranty good for if they denied all claims. So I advise you to look for a better home warranty than First American.
Reviewed July 3, 2018
I purchased a First American Home Warranty for our high rise condo in Las Vegas in Oct. 2017. The first time I attempted to use it was May 30, 2018. The company assigned 4 different vendors to come out & service my oven. Each vendor cancelled before even attempting to come out, as they said they didn’t meet the insurance requirements of the condo HOA for admittance to the building. I spoke with a supervisor, who said she was able to get me an exception, so that I could hire my own contractor & First American would refund me up to $125. Why do I need a home warranty, if I have to do all the work?
I contacted the salesperson who sold me the home warranty. She was not very sympathetic or helpful. I’m trying to get a full refund, but the company is not very responsive. You can only email the cancellation dept. Even though they provide a telephone number, when I called, the representative said that dept. doesn’t accept calls... I feel like I paid $600 for nothing. If they can’t service high rises, then they should graciously offer a refund, instead of making me jump through hoops.
Hello Maureen,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your oven claim. Please be advised, at times we may be unable to locate a contractor to service your claim and will request that you contact an independent licensed contractor. You may refer to your home warranty contract under Customer Service, Number Three. On July 6, 2018, we contacted you requesting a copy of your invoice for review. However, you refused to provide the requested documentation.
As for the cancellation request, you must submit their request in writing to cancellationsupport@firstam.com. You will be entitled to a pro rata refund less a $50 administrative fee. Please refer to your home warranty contract under Cancellation.
Please be advised, we consider this claim closed.
Reviewed July 3, 2018
When we bought the house, the homeowner had First American and we kept it as we felt as though we needed it. It was just $50 at the time and now, I hate the fact that our copay has gone up to $75. We submit our claims through the phone and it has been easy dealing with their reps. Although if something happens on a weekend, it’s hard to get somebody quickly. We used them the other day for some electrical outlets. And then, one time my microwave went out and it was about six months before I could get the microwave replaced. It was a microwave that was built in over the stove. And it took a while after they sent a couple of people out because it kept breaking.
Around five months ago, we had a leak so a plumber came out and did something. It’s been a couple of times when the person really hasn’t fixed it. When they came, they looked at something but did not do all that they were supposed to. We had to call back again within that month because it started leaking again. And when a different person came out, they fixed the problem. Usually, people get it done on the first try but there have been a few times when we’ve had to call back. Also, the air conditioner was auto heating and the guy did something and they were saying the switch was getting bad. Instead of fixing it, the next person had to come out and replace it. But other than that, it’s been pretty good.
Reviewed July 3, 2018
When I bought a place, I wanted a home warranty and First American Home Warranty was recommended when I was signing the papers. I don't live there and when things go wrong, I want to get it fixed. Submitting a claim takes a while sometimes but I understand. Their claims reps are polite and knowledgeable. They'll check into things to see if they are covered and the technicians that they send out are usually pretty good. If they don't fix the problem, they get a callback. So far, I have been perfectly happy with this company.
Updated review: July 14, 2018
1) I have had the company for 4 years and only filed a claim twice. Both times the claims were initially denied. Only one of the two was finally honored.
2) FAHW has a very limited base of available contractors. (In my area? For both of my claims I ended up having to locate my own contractor.) If they can't provide contracted contractors, it becomes my responsibility to locate, schedule and PAY them..... then wait for reimbursement.
3) Based on my experience, potentially more expensive repairs are far more likely to fall outside their 'Normal Wear and Tear' umbrella. I took out the 'warranty' mainly to have just that sort of a repair covered. Knowing that coverage is so 'iffy' gives me no peace of mind whatsoever.
It gives me no pleasure to write a 'negative' review for any company. I have done my best to fairly detail my experience with FAHW, and, because the claim was resolved to my satisfaction, I will upgrade my 'star-rating' from one to two stars.
Original Review: July 2, 2018
We had their 'service' for over four years. In all that time I have only had to call twice. BOTH times after paying the $75.00 deduction, they have refused to honor the warranty. The last time, for my AC, when I questioned their decision, they said they would follow up with the contractor and 'get back to me'. After two weeks suffering under an average outside temp. of 107 degrees, I had to call them back, and was told that they were STILL WAITING for pictures from the contractor. Disgusted, I told them to just cancel my contract. NOW in order to stop paying for supposed services, (that they refuse to provide) they are having me jump threw 'hoops' to cancel. I feel that I have wasted my money for four years on a warranty that is so full of 'loopholes' that the provider never actually has to honor anything. My next 'challenge' now will be figuring out how to get rid of them.
Updated on 07/07/2018: On 03 Jul 2018 I was called by the First American Claims Department. They advised me that they had received my complaint and would like my permission to send a technician from 'another provider' out to take pictures of the frayed wiring. (Since the first company had not done so.) Of course, I said yes. However, because their call was made to me at approx. 3:00 pm my time, the claims 'resolution' specialist said that with the HOLIDAY, she probably would not be able to contact /schedule the replacement tech. until Thursday, 7/5. It is now Saturday and I, like Consumer Affairs with my initial complaint, am still awaiting a response from First American Home Warranty. My 'CLAIM' is now being carried forward well into its THIRD WEEK. My outside temp. yesterday was 111 degrees. This is NOT the type of 'Customer Service' I expected or deserve.
Reviewed July 2, 2018
This is how they work: once the client reports to FAHW any "covered" item in his/her household, they will send you a technician from their network at a $75 charge, who will only visually inspect the damaged item for 3-5 minutes, will leave saying he must speak with FAHW for approval (no further details are given) and then the client will hear nothing for days. When client decides to call FAHW and ask for a status, they will just reply that technician reported something (anything) which is not covered and allegedly caused the damage.
If client disagree, client must hire at his/her cost his/her own technician to get a second opinion, which, if different from the original technician, then FAHW will send another technician. This other technician will come out and do the same as the initial, and client is back to square one. Most people at this point will just get frustrated and quit and get the work done by they own technician.
Hello Zoltan,
Our records indicate the failures to your pool pump has been repaired. At this time, your claim is considered closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed July 2, 2018
When I bought the house, it had a warranty, but I let that go after a year. Then, I needed one, as a single woman. My ice maker and dishwasher were not working and I submitted a claim with First American Home Warranty by phone and it was easy. They sent someone out to tell me what was wrong and to price it. Then, they called about an hour ago to set up the repair. A couple of years ago, First American replaced my heating and air system. The service price, however, goes up about every year. When I first started, it was $50-something for somebody to come out and repair. Now, it is $75. That tells me that I probably need to look and see what options are available. Nevertheless, First American Home Warranty is reliable.
Reviewed July 2, 2018
We’ve used First American Home Warranty forever. We always wanted a protection and even when we lived in Connecticut, we had it and we had always known it was good. When I submit a claim, 90% of the time it's a great experience, although sometimes I get people that don’t speak English very well and that's very frustrating. The reps don’t seem to put in the notes that there are two companies we don’t wanna deal with because we’ve had terrible experiences with those companies. So, we have to go through the whole process of asking if they looked in the file and that's also frustrating.
One of those companies is banned as when we had a very bad leak during a 75th birthday party, the technician said we cracked the toilet but we kept saying we didn’t and we said it needed a seal. The bathroom was flooded and I had 20 people with towels in the guest bathroom. After fighting with the technician, we paid an independent person to come to find out that the toilet needed the seal at the bottom. We should have gotten a new toilet. It was a mess but we decided to stay with First American because we know they’re better than the others. Also, other than the two companies, the technicians who came did good work.
Reviewed July 1, 2018
It’s a peace of mind to have an insurance. If I have any problem, the contracting company can come and fix it for just a minimum amount which is the service fee. When we bought our home, my agent told me that First American is a good insurance so I bought it. When I submit a claim, sometimes I have a good experience. But sometimes I also have a bad experience because First American doesn't cover what they are supposed to. On the other hand, First American's technicians have been fine. But sometimes the contractors don’t come on time and that's annoying. When my AC was not working, the contractor came after two days and then it took them two weeks to get the parts. So it was two weeks without an AC running in our house. And then the water compressor was not working and they said that it was not covered. I had to pay out of pocket around $1,600 which was annoying as well.
First American is also raising the service fee every year and it is not good. They do this even with the customers who have been with them for 10 or 12 years. I've been a member for 12 years and every year, I think of canceling the insurance. I’m paying so much money every month and then they say, “This is not covered.” My friends tell me that there's a company that's good and I should switch to that. And for some reason, I’ve kept my First American warranty but I'm going to think about it this year.
Reviewed July 1, 2018
I got my warranty with First American as a part of the closing when I bought my home. The previous owner covered it for a year and then I had maintained it ever since. I like the fact that it’s there. When my air conditioner went out, they replaced the outside unit. And while I came out of pocket $800, I know that I have that safety net and I’ve never really had too much of a problem anytime I’ve needed something done since it’s been fixed. For example, when the guy came out about my electric the last time, my outlets in the backyard were not working and it was all related to a pool light. He didn’t spend any more than 10 minutes here for even that. But I found out what the problem was and it was something that he couldn’t do because it’s not covered with First American, and I understand that.
The last interaction I had with First American, however, was not very positive because I had a complaint about the service. And instead of transferring me to a resolution department, they just told me that my warranty was invalid because of what a contractor said. And I told them that the problem was I was disputing what the contractor said. They put me on mute so they didn’t have to say anything. And then I asked to speak to their supervisor, which they put on. And then he acted like he couldn’t hear me and said he was disconnecting the call. I was very disappointed. I had a problem with the pool company that was sent out because the gentleman didn't know what he was doing for the issues that I had and he had no equipment.
All the company contractor brought were some test strips so I asked, “How can you test anything?” I told him, “You’re not evaluating anything. I can sit there on my salt system and run through the diagnostics as well as you did.” I took my salt cell and had it tested and it was not functioning. He said that it was working fine. All I needed to do was add salt. I told him that the reading was 2900, which is within normal limits, so I asked why would I need to add salt? He didn’t seem very knowledgeable and all he was here for was to collect $75 and go on.
He also said there was a wasp nest in the heater, which I don’t believe since I’ve had an insect company come out here. And yes, there are some wasps that fly around in the backyard but for him to say that there was a wasp nest inside the heater, that then my warranty was invalid. So I asked him, “How can you say that when you didn’t see it?” So I’ve been very discouraged with the pool people. But I finally spoke to someone at First American and they are sending someone out today.
So, sometimes the First American customer service department is not real helpful. I understand that their only job is to take the complaint and assign a contractor. But when it’s something that they cannot handle, instead of trying to tell me about a resolution department, they just blow me off. And it wasn’t until I called back a few days later that someone told me about it; so some of it is just education of the customer service specialist. Also, sometimes the contractors are iffy to me and it’s hit or miss whether you get a good contractor or not. But I’ve had good dealings with them, and I told that to my neighbor who asked about the company.
Reviewed June 30, 2018
I don't know how their employees sleep at night knowing they are ripping off families. I began my claim May 25th 2018 and today June 29th 2018 it is still unresolved. They have accepted liability and are going to replace my unit after they sent 6 ignorant technicians to my house. Every time somebody came out all they did was add freon. Nobody ever wanted to detect the leak. And when I pressed for the leak to be fixed their technician lied and made false claims about my air conditioner. They send companies with 1.5 star ratings and aren't accredited by the BBB.
One of the technicians actually told me they are putting a band-aid on the situation and all his company wants him to do is put more freon. For over 2 years I have been making my monthly payments on time and paying $75 service fees for them to lie to me and continue to collect my money while there were bigger problems. When the bigger problem was addressed they denied my claim. So I have been paying for 2 years on an air conditioner that they will not cover. Mind you in 2017 they sent 3 technicians to look at my air conditioner and none of them made the ridiculous claim their last technicians made. I had to fight for them to overturn the denial. Now I have to deal with their company they sent and they aren't responding.
The lady who is handling my claim was more than unhappy to tell me that the denial was overturned. They act like I am a problem for making a claim. Nobody helps, nobody calls back, nothing has been done in over a month. I have notified them that I have 2 small children and we live in Sacramento California and it is over 100. All they did was offer me $150 for assistance like welfare to go get at window unit when the window units cost over $300. Every time I call I get attitude and nobody wants to connect me to a supervisor until I demand it. Every time I call I am on hold for 20 minutes to one hour and a 1/2. I highly suggest you look elsewhere for a home warranty. This company is in the business of denying claims and don't care about your home or your family.
Hello Carrie,
Our records indicate your air conditioning system is working properly. At this time, your claim is considered closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed June 30, 2018
I’m on a reoccurring account with First American which was transferred with the purchase of the home and so far, I’ve had good luck with them. They kind of go with a cheaper company for their retailers and they probably aren't the best. But the guys from Yuma Appliance that came out last time and did my dryer were the best. They went up and beyond what they needed to do. The issue was with the fuse in the dryer and they fixed that. They also noticed that there was a lot of lint in the tube that went out of the dryer, so they cleaned all that, too. I submitted that claim on the phone because it was too hard to do it online and as soon as I called in the claim, the lady from the appliance company called me within an hour to schedule, and the techs were out the next day. They also followed-up and asked me if everything was going okay. Nobody ever calls you back these days and that was good.
Other than that, First American's service fee has gone up since I started with them and that's the worst thing. From $50, now they’re at $75. There are other companies out there that have service fees that are less for the initial technician to come out and that’s what hurts First American the most. I also think that the service fee should be inclusive in the $600 that a pay for a year.
Reviewed June 30, 2018
I got First American protection when I first bought my house. My real estate agent suggested it, so I signed up and she took care of everything for me. I've submitted plenty of claims and I do it online because it's easier that way. They would issue a ticket number and services are done after that. For the six years that I’ve had the coverage, I’ve only had problems with one or two contractors that came out. I had called First American and they went ahead and replaced them with other companies and it usually worked out okay. First American has been doing an excellent job and I've been satisfied with their service, so I renewed the contract every year. They saved me a lot of money on certain repairs that had to be done, so I usually tell people that I haven't had any bad issues with First American and to give them a try.
Thank you for your continued business Tinaka!
Reviewed June 29, 2018
My husband first called about the air conditioning in our home on Friday, June 22 of this year. He was told he would receive an e-mail concerning service by Saturday morning. When he did not get the e-mail, he called again. The phone number he had was for a phone clearing house. They told him they would get back to him. He tried to call again and the same thing happened. Someone was to get in touch on Monday but never did.
In the meantime, we spent over $200 to pay for lodging since without air conditioning, we could not stay in our home. The weather was over 100 degrees in this area. The next Tuesday, June 26, was given as the day someone would be available from SILVERADO AIR CONDITIONING to check our unit. We were later told they could not come out until Wednesday because First American had not filed the necessary paper work in time for them to come on Tuesday. Wednesday, June 27, a repairman arrived and we were told that we would need a new unit which would come from Las Vegas and be installed on Saturday, June 30. This morning we received a phone call stating that the job cannot be done until Tuesday, July 3 since First American once again got the needed paperwork to Silverado too late and the air conditioning unit must come all the way from Phoenix!
If this is an example of prompt service and 24-7 customer support we are NOT impressed. I am well aware that the loss of one service contract means nothing to this company and so will not bother to mention this loss. I also will not thank you for the previous service we have received from First American Home WARRANTY as this incident more than makes up for it in the lack of concern and responsibility you have shown. We will be employing another home warranty company as soon as possible. The reason for this review is so perhaps someone else will be saved from the same aggravation, non-caring attitude and waste of time that we have experienced.
Hello Linda,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your air conditioning claim. Please be advised, our records indicate your condenser was installed and working properly on July 6, 2018.
At this time, we consider this claim closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed June 29, 2018
I've had a warranty previously in another company and we had problems with the company. But with First American Home Buyers submitting the claim was smooth. It was easy to put the claim in and the technicians were good. They provide good service. But sometimes they say, "Well, you may have a $300 item but all we can do it give you a $10 item and replace them," and that doesn't make any sense to me.
Reviewed June 29, 2018
We purchased a home warranty to have peace of mind. Like I read elsewhere the ease of filing a claim is challenging in itself because of the website. It is setup to sell warranties and not user friendly to file for a trade visit. Even when calling their 800 number it is not efficient with all the prompts. I first set up a request online. That was on a Sunday. When they called on Tuesday they said someone would be getting with us in 24 to 48 hours. Three days later they show up for two minor plumbing issues. One, was the undersink kitchen trap and both bathroom shower diverters weren't fully working.
So Pedro shows up with Quality Plumbing and starts working on the kitchen sink then says he has to leave to go get parts. He leaves and doesn't come back all day. When I called the plumbing company the next morning I am told they are waiting for authorization from First American. Then when I call the warranty company they tell me the color is not covered and typically all they offer is chrome. Whattt??? This is not a high dollar spigot but is bronze in color and it needs to match. After several more days of calling both parties I get continued finger pointing and excuses. During all the calls I am told I could get a "Cash Out" for the spigots at $150 each.
Again more calls are made and several times I am told a supervisor will call me. I am told this on at least three different occasions. Never received one call. Today I spoke with Jonathan in claim resolution department and was offered $100 total cash out. I was willing to accept a small reimbursement since I had already grown so disillusioned I contracted with another plumber to get the job done without warranty involvement. The more I spoke with Jonathan the more I realized it was just more of the same runaround. I'll take the hit because I didn't do my research with this company and also had a major service failure with American Home Shield as well.
I am requesting all three of my contracts to be cancelled with First American Home Warranty. My thoughts are most warranty companies want to pay low ball prices to the different trades and customer gets put in the middle. Terrible industry. Not only about the money but all the frustration, time and energy invested with few success stories. That's all Folks.
Reviewed June 29, 2018
I needed a warranty on my house and First American fell on my lap, and I'm glad that I chose them. I usually call or do the automated thing when submitting a claim. And I prefer to talk to a person than to talk to the machine because sometimes the machine says, "Did not hear". But both times, it always has been a great and a positive outcome. Also, the techs who came over have all been good and very professional. Typically, they are able to fix what needs to be repaired. And then sometimes, they have to come back out twice but that's understandable.
Reviewed June 28, 2018
A friend of mine had First American and recommended that we try them. We had a new home built and I started to worry about all the possible things that could go wrong as they got older so I got the warranty. 12 years ago I used to call to submit a claim but now I go online if I have a claim. I always get a very prompt reply with an email saying that it has been received and with the company that it has been assigned to, there's always follow-up to make sure that it's moving forward. And then if I call, everybody I speak with is very professional. Even if I don't know my claim number, they're able to help me and find it very quickly and with no frustration.
But I have an open claim right now that's been going on for a while because of complications. Like my father had a stroke and had surgery for pacemaker so I wasn't able to meet with them when they needed to meet because I had to go across country to Indiana. But every other time, they're always contacting me within a day or two. And then they're always out here promptly and taking care of things. They've always done high quality work. We've never had to have anything redone.
Reviewed June 28, 2018
I own 13 of First American's policies. It's easy and convenient. I'm a realtor, so I sell them or put them on homes that I lease for sale. On Monday, a family moved in to a property in Columbus, Pennsylvania. I called First American to get the two Fisher and Paykel dishwashers, Dacor downdraft, the Sub-Zero and the microwave repaired. I did that on a Wednesday and the contractor was supposed to show up the next day at 4:00 in the afternoon. I checked with the tenants by 8:00 to ask if everything was fixed but they told me they never called nor showed up. So I called the headquarters and the lady on the phone acted like I'm the guy who was wrong. She told me that they are not supposed to be checking in with the contractors at 8:00 PM since they have certain laws and rules.
But she got hold of the guy and came back on and told me that the guy ran into conflicts and wouldn't be making it that day. I asked her what happened and she told me that the guy didn't tell her. She then told me that the guy can come out at 10:00 AM or 4:00 PM the next day. I called my tenants and they told me to keep the same time. And the guy came out. In that same house two years ago, the tenants were without a dishwasher for a month and a half. I called First American then and would give them grief. I told them they don't care.
Then, I also submitted a claim for the AC in my home in Athens, Georgia. I did that on May 12th and the contractor just finished the job on July 1st. Five people live in that house and they're tenants, so there were times of the week they send different people down there to schedule it and they're college students. But I got a call one morning and the guy told me that he was trying to get in the house. He told me that he has an appointment and the front door was supposed to be unlocked. I asked him with whom did he make an appointment with and he told me he didn't know and to ask the office. Later on I was told the front door really was unlocked, but the guy went around behind and he saw somebody in the house. My guess is the guy was down in the lower level because it was cooler rather than being upstairs in the master bedroom where he lived.
I called a neighbor and asked them if they could unlock the door and she left the key in there. But by that time, the tech has left. I assumed he was coming back later that afternoon but he didn't. He came back two days later. Then, one time in our own house, the guy they sent for our bathroom set our house on fire. My wife came home and she smelled smoke. She asked the guy about it and he told her that it was fine and he put it out. She called the fire department and when they came, they told her that it was a good thing she called them because it could have smoldered up in the attic. It could have resurrected itself and we could have had a fire.
A hot water tank also went back and they came and took it out. I had to take care of some other problems first because we had mold. Then when we were gonna put the hot water tank back in after I got the place ready to put the hot water tank back, they went, "Oh, no, we can't cover this.” I asked them why and they told me that it was because it’s a commercial hot water tank. I told them that it was residential, but then they insisted it was commercial. I then said, "Well, even if it is commercial, that’s what was there when you took it out. That’s what's been covered the last seven years. So, how can you now say it's not covered ‘cause it's commercial? You're the one that had the opportunity to come look at it."
So, I called two different plumbers and those guys took their time and got on the internet and then sent me an email showing me why they said it was commercial. And they sent an email showing me in the residential portion of the book that it was residential. So, I had to spend six hours finding people, imposing on other people to get them to finally approve it.
But they've been able to solve some problems. I had an air conditioner in Naples, Florida and the man came out. He looked at it and said that the blower motor is bad and that it was gonna be $800. Okay, fine. But he told me that if it were him, he would just put a new air conditioning system because it's throwing money away to put a blower motor on a 25-year old system. I told that to First American and they brought in another technician. And the guy basically told me the same thing. But they came back and St. Clair’s Custom Air came in and put the new blower motor in the system. But two years later, we have another problem.
And then, this time they put in about a $15,000 air conditioning system because the blower motor was fine but something else went wrong. The guy before told me that First American would never replace my system, and they did. Then, once, my garage door opener wasn’t working right. I called it in and the garage door guy called me and within 15 minutes he agreed to come out before the end of the day. He called me around noon and he was there by 3:30. He fixed the garage door opener. That’s the way it's supposed to work. It was wonderful. But they don’t all works that way.
I also have been trying for 10 years to go and give First American an email. They can only take one email. So I need to give my email or I give them my tenant’s email. If I give them my tenant’s email, they don’t have room for two emails. I told them again and again that they need room for three emails. But that didn't go anywhere. They'd tell us that their techs didn't allow that. We also got a double in German Village and we put a home warranty on it. However, nine months later, I called in for something and they didn't have it on that. They had it on my own house.
I said, “Well, I already have one on my own house.” They went through their system and they confirmed it. So the one that I bought for the double really wasn’t covering the double, it was covering my house. But they did go ahead and honored the one that was on my house that was supposed to be on the double. Another time I spent an hour and a half on the phone because some of the names on the contracts are wrong.
Reviewed June 27, 2018
I had another home warranty company and it switched over to First American. I submitted a claim over the phone however, they have raised the rate again by 25% and it's way too high. It used to be $50, then it was $60 and now, it's $75. Even so, the interaction with the rep has been good but the electrician they sent out was rude and horrible and it just so happened that the problem has been fixed when he got there. I showed him something and it worked. And so, they reimbursed me.
Also, all the companies First American have used usually suck. I had a problem with the AC over the years. It has ruined my ceiling and I said it's not my fault because I kept telling a technician what the problem was. And then, finally, somebody good came and he named every company that sucks and that was every company First American has sent out. The tech did half the job and he said it was years of clogged water that’s why the AC was leaking. I wouldn't recommend First American to others.
Reviewed June 27, 2018
There have been things I like and there have been things I didn’t like, but for the most part, First American has been good. I usually submit my claims on the phone as I don’t like online stuff and I like to talk to somebody. Sometimes the reps are hard to understand because they're probably in India or Afghanistan, but I generally don’t have to wait very long. I get on the phone with somebody, tell them what's going on, and they send me an email with a confirmation and generally say, “If you haven't heard from somebody within 24 hours, call.” which we generally do.
Also, the service call charge keeps going up. First American completely messed up my air conditioner which was absolutely awful. They didn’t personally do it, but the companies they contracted out almost ruined it. But that's been fixed. I have my own guy for the AC and he has gotten that all fixed up. Also, six months ago or so, we had the dryer looked at, and the guy came out within a day and fixed it. And then a month ago, they had sent somebody out again and that technician said that the guy didn’t tighten stuff up and that's why it stopped working. But every other thing like with the washer and dryer, there's somebody there in a day or so.
I have stuck with First American simply because I've been with them for a long time. They are probably a great company and they’ve been around a long time. But when you contract, you're reaching out to contractors and not always the top-of-the-line contractors are willing to take stuff. There have been some really horrible contractors and then there have been some small mom-and-pop contractors that have come out and they have been so good that you're like, “I'm keeping your card because you guys are great.” They need to do a better job making sure their contractors are topnotch because not all of them are, but other than that, First American is all right.
Reviewed June 26, 2018
People Pay Warranty for Peace of Mind and to solve the problem and cover un-expected expenses. First American Home Warranty is the worst experience and scared of technicians coming home. It's my story and suffer of 6 years old daughter at 92 degrees from past 60 days. My Refrigerator stop working and it's been more than 50 days. Keep sending technicians and never get fixed. They advertise about repair it or replacement. Whole family suffered 60 days. Too many new faces visiting home and the technicians are not professional. I don't think they do background check. Taking home warranty from First American Home and inviting troubles - only when the problem arise the need comes. It's my personal experience. We suffered and I am not writing entire story. Honestly we suffered a lot buying this Warranty.
Hello R,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your kitchen refrigerator claim. Our records indicate you accepted a cash payment in lieu of the kitchen refrigerator replacement. Please be advised, you will receive your check in seven to ten days. At this time, we consider your claim closed.
Thank you.
Reviewed June 26, 2018
Submitted claim on May 21st. Total Air Care is the company that First American sent out. They came out on May 25th. Total Air Care told me I needed a coil. When I talked to them on the 29th of May 8 am I was told they had not even ordered part yet. The technician that came out called around 4 pm. I had to go up in the attic and get the part numbers for them since he took it down wrong. They made an appointment for June 5th between 8-12 since I was told I would be the first appointment, when they were not here by 9:30 I called TAC and was assured they were coming. At 12 pm I called again and was told they did not have part. They were ordering part again.
I called First American Home Warranty. Told them what was going on. They called the company. Assured me it would be resolved and said it would be expedited. Was called 2 days later on the June 7th by TAC. Was told the part came in. I questioned the lady because I couldn't believe they already had part. She verified they had the part. They scheduled for June 12th. So the morning of June 12th a technician called me and told me the part had not came in and he was told by leaving us in over 90 to over 100 degree heat in Florida!!! First American Home Warranty to come back out and verify what was wrong with my A/C unit. I asked him if they didn't believe the first guy that came out. Which he said he was the first guy. They wanted him to look at it again. I couldn't believe at almost 3 weeks they want them to diagnose it again. I called First American and asked what was going on.
They said they didn't know. Would call TAC and find out. Meanwhile the technician never comes out. So when I called TAC they sent someone else out. He came in. Took the whole coil and pan and left with coil. I was told they were going to fix it cause now there is a crack in the pan too. Would be back out Saturday 15th June. They never came or called. June 19th I called TAC. Still don't have part I'm told. I called First American Home Warranty. I told them they had snatched the part out and told me FAHW company wanted them to fix it and not get a new part. Of course FAHW said they don't know anything about that. They called over there. Still can't get me any answers. I told them I want a different company.
So they finally gave me a new company on that day. which was June 19th. The new AC company called First American on June 22nd and was told by First American Home Warranty that they had to get the coil back from the first company. I was told this and called FAHW on today June 26th. Of course they needed to call TAC and of course they have no idea where my original coil and pan are and will get back to them later today. SO nobody wanted to call and get it back to me on the 19th when I told them they took the coil. Or when the new company called them on the 22nd. They know nothing and do nothing but give you the runaround. I talk to the supervisor. He says the same thing.
I finally got to a manager but of course I had to leave a message. Somewhere in here I will say FAHW did have someone call and give me $150.00 towards a window unit. Which only will buy a unit that cools 150 sq ft. Which does 1 bedroom. That does not help much when it's 3000 sq. ft. house. I switched from American Home shield to FAHW. That was a big mistake. If this is ever resolved I will let you know. This is the first time in at almost 50 years old I have felt I need to leave a bad review. for both companies.
Reviewed June 26, 2018
I had been a customer with First American for several years. When my AC broke down in the middle of summer, the company sent out a contractor with unilateral one star reviews. The contractor charged A $75 service charge, which was expected, and $180 to clean and "fix" the unit. The unit worked for 15 minutes and went out again. First American refused to send out a different contractor, despite the failure of the technician to fix the problem.
Another appointment with the same contractor was scheduled days later-- with a promise to arrive between 9 am and 6 pm. The contractor never called and never showed up in the designated time frame, and First American representatives REFUSED to send out a different company. I have now spent nearly $300 and still have no working AC Unit. It's hard to see the value this company offers. If you want a company that is responsive to customer concerns and works with competent contractors... look elsewhere.
Updated on 07/05/2018: I recently had a horrible experience with First American's customer service representatives and contractors. The experience was so unproductive and expensive, I ultimately decided to cancel my policy with the company after being a customer for several years. I was told twice by First American representatives to email my cancellation request to claimreview@firstam.com. Which I did, in addition to informing a customer service representative, in writing, of my intent to cancel.
On this very website, the company acknowledged my request to end coverage. Yet First American continued to withdraw money from my bank account the following month. When I called to figure out why I was still being charged, I was told that I didn't send my cancellation request to the correct email account. Even though claimreview@firstam.com is the email address provided by multiple customer service representatives over the phone.
I have been struggling for weeks to resolve my issues with First American to no avail. It's very evident at this point that the company doesn't provide their staff with the information or training necessary to effectively serve their customers. The conflicting information I continue to receive from the company's customer service department gives me very little hope that my issue will be resolved any time soon, or that I will ever recover the money that the company has taken from me. It is unethical for this company to continue to take my money after I have made repeated attempts to end my policy.
Updated review: June 26, 2018
This has been resolved to my satisfaction
Original Review: June 26, 2018
I have placed a service request when my LG clothes washer is broken and they have sent 2 contractors to repair the unit so far (it's been 40 days) and both of them said it's cheaper to replace than to repair it. When the repairs were expense First American delayed in addressing the problem (happened with my Refrigerator as well, they took 2 months and finally I bought myself with payout of 20% of the cost of the similar refrigerator). Very frustrated with their service, customer service person finally put me on hold for 28 minutes to look into my service request case and scheduled another contractor. I regret being their customer for about 10 years and when it really matter they are not helping at all.
Hello Putta. We appreciate your loyalty and continued service. Furthermore, we are aware that a resolution was obtained in regards to your clothes washer claim. Thanks, Shanee.
Reviewed June 26, 2018
I have First American HB Protection for years and they’ve always done what needs to be done. I call them for claims and their customer service has been good. The technicians they sent have always done excellent work and if I got a problem that I need to get fixed, I get it fixed quickly. So, I'm gonna stay with First American. I also keep giving out their numbers to everybody else I can think of that needs a home warranty. Everybody should have a home warranty.
Reviewed June 25, 2018
Found a pin hole leak in my basement, ceiling tile was brown. Called First American Home and then sent out a plumber to fix the hole. This guy comes out on a Friday to view the problem. Meanwhile I had place a clamp on the hole to prevent further damage. Plumber takes out further tiles and notices that the copper pipe has green spots in other places as well. Informs me that he will come back on Monday after informing the warranty company of what has to be done.
Monday afternoon after taking off to wait for him never shows. I call him and he says he is busy and will be done in about 1 hour. I call back and get voice mail. I get a call back after 5 pm stating that the plumber wants to reschedule. I never hear back for two days. First American wants me to continue to wait, I request another vendor and he comes and states that since I have placed a clamp on the pipe it is repaired? Then I cannot get me money back until the first company provides invoice? This is going on for about 5 weeks?
Reviewed June 25, 2018
When we bought our house, the homeowners already had First American and they were great. Then there was a dip in customer service for a couple of years. They were sending out some poor contractors. I didn’t feel comfortable with the contractors in my house. They were some shady-looking dudes. One was somebody who came to fix my dryer who talked bad about the brand. And then, another guy with the water heater that I had to call back twice, but that was three years ago.
Now, I feel like they're back on track again and recently submitting a claim has been easy. In the last two years, the previous four times someone came have been good. Those guys were great. They come back here all the time. The most recent one came to fix my garage and they were awesome. They came in ready to answer a lot of questions. I told them what they needed to look at, they looked at it, repaired it and were out of here. They were really fast to respond too. They were what I expect from First American.
Reviewed June 25, 2018
A friend recommended First American a number of years ago when I was unhappy with the other one I had. When submitting a claim, some of the reps were good and very efficient but some were not. It depends upon who you get on the other end of the phone. I like that when they find someone local and one you can become familiar with, they attempt to send those people so that you can get in touch with them and make arrangements personally if you need to. In the past, they've sent people who were 200 miles away. Also, some of the contractors would come back several times and still not fix the issue but for the most part, they’re very good.
Reviewed June 24, 2018
In all the paperwork that we've gotten from First American when we renewed every year, it directed us to go to their site. I opened their pamphlet up to the first page inside the cover and it says, “How you use your warranty,” “Visit fahw.com,” or call the 800 phone number any time it covered on sales. But when I went online and to their online page, it directed people on how to get a quote but there was no place on the website that said, “File a claim,” or anything about claims. You have to call. But the phone number on their website also only directs you to get an estimate and not to file a claim. And when I put in FAHW on a search page, my search engine brings up their internet ad for a free quote and that’s my problem.
And when I call their automated system, it's a little cumbersome because it can't always understand when I say, “Yes” and when I say, “No.” I don’t mind keying stuff in. But you have to say yes or no. If the automated system can't understand you, you have to start all over again because there's no, “Press 1 for yes, press 2 for no.” And then I call in, I get a claim number, a work order number and it gives me the phone number for the company and that the company should call me within 24 or 48 hours. But that's too long. The problem could have been in my kitchen and my refrigerator. I'd have lost all my food in my refrigerator and my freezer in 24 hours.
Also, I'm always having to call the company to let them know that I have filed a claim, that it's coming to them, for them to be on the lookout for it and I have to ask how long I have to wait. Usually, they tell me it's between two and five days before someone can get to me and that’s a long wait for a service call. And so I usually wind up having to call in, ask for a representative, and say, “Okay. I got a work order number but they can't get to me in three, four, five days and that’s unacceptable. Can you find someone who can service me sooner?” That has happened several times.
It's usually 100 plus degrees during this time of the year here in Texas. My air conditioning went out and I waited for the repair person to show up. They called me in the morning and they said they’d be here at 10:00 so I didn’t know if it meant between 10:00 and noon. But the repair person was great and understanding. He's gonna be back tomorrow with the parts needed to fix the AC.
Reviewed June 23, 2018
I moved into a house that was built in '87. I decided to get a home warranty to have peace of mind that if one of my larger systems went down, we wouldn't have a ton of out of pocket expenses. I got First American and I’ve been with them for six years now. But they've been hot and cold when we submit a claim. The reps read off a sheet and I can't get anybody on the phone so I deal with them via email. But they just give me the standard pat response. They just copy and paste their prepared response and not even read what my concerns are.
Sometimes, they could be very receptive and get things done fast but other times, when it's a little bit outside their comfort zone, I would give them an F. I went without a refrigerator last summer for almost three weeks because they were not on it. We tried to get somebody on the phone and I got tired of waiting. I ended up solving the problem for them. I was able to find somebody and got them over in two hours. He got it fixed and replaced the part. He did a prime job. I submitted the bill to First American and they paid the $150 part.
Reviewed June 23, 2018
I've been with First American HB Protection for 12 years. I'm a single woman and I don’t know a lot about repairs. Plus, my house is almost 60 six years old, so I thought there might be issues. My selling agent told me about home warranties and talked about two. I read their contracts and selected First American. They had more things to offer and the way that they offered those options, it was a better deal. So far, they’ve been stable to what their contract said. When I need things fixed, they come and I pay for the visit. And they don’t use the term “preexisting conditions.” Because everything is a preexisting condition. If it didn’t exist already, you wouldn't phone them and tell them you have a problem.
I told my sister about how great a deal First American was, but she never came and received the information. She just went online somewhere and had gotten a company and decided to use it. That was when I first learned the term “preexisting condition.” They would not fix the problem so I've not tried to venture away from First American. When I moved in, I bought a new refrigerator, a microwave, and my washer and dryer. They were under warranty, so I didn’t have those items on then. But as time has gone on, those warranties have expired, and I've added things on across the years.
Most of my technicians have been excellent. But eight years ago, my air conditioner was not cooling and somebody had already been out a couple of months earlier. This one man came out and said that there was too much Freon in my air conditioner so it was not working. I told him that doesn’t sound right to me. He took more of the coolant out, and then we were really, really hot, there was no cooling at all. So I felt like he did that, so he could come back. We were really burning up. We live in Texas and it's hot as heck out here. So, he had to come back and work on my system. As a layperson when it comes to air conditioning, if that sounds crazy to me, he should have known that that was not a good thing to do. So I told them, “No. He can't come back.” He was the only person I've really had a problem with.
Then about three years ago I was having work done and the technician did not take all the precautions he should. There was a lot of dust and debris that got through to the air conditioner because the whole house was dusty. I tried to block that area off but it was getting too warm in there and he wanted to pull everything down and have all that dusts go through my intake. The system froze and was running continuously.
The tech said to turn the system off and everything that was frozen would run out through wherever the liquid goes in our air conditioning system. However, it ran into the bathroom and there was water all underneath the floor. Fortunately, the flooring that I have was water-resistant, so I didn’t get any molds. I was very upset about that because as it was melting, maybe I could have done something, but he gave me bad advice. I could at least have run the fan in there and maybe that would've helped. Nevertheless, I would recommend First American to friends.
Original Review: June 22, 2018
Don't bother paying for the Air Conditioning rider on this Home Warranty. This company will do everything to not pay the claim. They list a deductible, but that only covers parts. They referred us to a vendor that was charging us $2700 dollars before they would do any repair work for the Air Conditioning and would not give an itemized list of what the $2700 was for. The First American Home Warranty was willing to pay $940 to install and replace the Condenser and Coil. Which was not even enough to get our own vendor. So in the end, they referred us to their Corporate Web site to start Arbitration...Worthless as the piece of paper they printed the warranty on. They then claim they are not governed by Insurance regulations because they are a Warranty, not insurance. Don't waste your money! This is the Home Warranty that came with the home we bought the first year. Realtors, don't bother going with this company. It won't help your clients.
Hello Tomas,
We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced during the handling of your claim. Our records indicate your condenser and evaporator coil have been replaced. Please be advised, we consider this claim closed.
Reviewed June 22, 2018
I've been with First American HB Protection for 10 years and had several claims with them. Their price keeps going up and I'm not too crazy about it. But I like their service. Usually people come out pretty quick and in a timely manner. When we call customer service the reps seem to be knowledgeable. We have had problems a couple of times but that was alright. We just either call back and get a different rep and it goes smoothly.
Their technicians also seem very knowledgeable. They just come in, do their job and they're out within two minutes. I'm just hoping and praying that the $75 that we have to pay every time they come out doesn't go up anymore. It's a lot. Other than that, I am happy. I have encouraged a couple of people to come their way. First American comes out whenever they're needed and you don't have to worry about high prices when you call a person individually.
First American Home Warranty Company Information
- Company Name:
- First American Home Warranty
- Year Founded:
- 1984
- City:
- Santa Rosa
- State/Province:
- CA
- Website:
- homewarranty.firstam.com
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