A home warranty is like having insurance for the appliances in your home. Something breaks and ideally, the home warranty company will fix it. But that’s not always the case. During the hot summer months, some of you may have issues getting A/C repair help with your home warranty.
Which home warranty companies get the most complaints? And what can you do if you need help?
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Getting help for home warranty complaint issues
The main issues people have with home warranties are disputes about claims, long wait times, and vendors that don’t do the work. There is free help available if you have an issue you can’t resolve.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation oversees home warranty companies. They have an ombudsman that will coordinate between you and the home warranty company. They say they will help you deal with claim delays, denials, and complaints about the contractors the warranty company sent to make repairs.
TDLR has a Residential Service Companies Ombudsman to assist consumers with issues related to RSCs, including claim delays or denials, by providing an intermediary between the RSC and the consumer when the consumer needs assistance communicating with an RSC.
If you have any questions or concerns related to an RSC or your residential service contract, contact the RSC Ombudsman at 512-936-3049.
You can also reach out to the Better Business Bureau to file a complaint. The BBB also works with companies to help resolve disputes.
Home warranty companies with top complaints
TDLR sent us a list of the home warranty companies with the most complaints in Texas.
- HWAT Inc. (Choice Home Warranty and HWAT Inc.) - 69 complaints
- American Home Shield of Texas Inc - 60 complaints
- XPD Warranty Group Inc (Select Home Warranty and XPD Warranty Group Inc.) - 21 complaints
- First American Home Warranty Corporation - 17 complaints
- HomeSure of America Inc - 17 complaints
- SPHWTX Inc (ServicePlus Home Warranty, Total Home Protection/Shield of Texas, SPHWTX Inc) 12 complaints
Questions you should ask when choosing a residential service company
How much will the plan cost?
How long does the plan last?
What specific items does the residential service contract cover?
Are there any limits to the coverage? Are there incidents that would not be covered?
Is there a limit to how much the company will pay?
Would a pre-existing condition void coverage?
Is there a fee for service calls?
Who will decide what company will make any repairs?
How fast will any repairs be made?
Will the plan replace an item that can’t be repaired?
Ask Amy episode on home warranties
Investigative reporter Mario Diaz looked into how other states are holding home warranty companies accountable. He joined me to talk about that and also offer some advice from his first-hand experience filing claims with a home warranty company.
You can watch or listen to this week’s Ask Amy episode right now.