Which is a Better Company? AHS Home Warranty "OR" Total Protect Home Warranty? (fireplace, dishwasher)

[Niko11]

I would like to know which is a better Home Warranty? AHS Home Warranty or Total Home Protect Home Warranty?

Any information you give will be appreciated..

I just don't want to be scammed. AHS I can get on my own. Total Protect Home Warranty is offered by my mortgage company.

[Zippyman]

Did you read the policy for both? If you do, you'll find the $300-$400 in premium is better left in the bank to pay for things that they don't cover.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by Niko11

AHS Home Warranty or Total Home Protect Home Warranty?
Any information you give will be appreciated...

If you're selling an older home with older appliances then offering a (paid for) warranty
can be a nice gesture to give the innocent buyer that warm fuzzy feeling.
Which company won't matter as they are all about equally useless if not outright corrupt.

A not so innocent buyer would rather have the price reduced by the premium amount.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by Niko11

I just don't want to be scammed.

Just the fact that you're even thinking about it says you've already been scammed. As everyone will say- keep the money in your pocket.

[sacredgrooves]

Agreed. Self warranty by saving that $500 a year. Those companies are not in business to pay out claims, and the amount they compensate the 3rd party contractors is low meaning you get the bottom of the barrel in quality.

[K'ledgeBldr]

I've got a perfect example-
I'm doing a remodel project for a gal that just bought her "first" home (ex-husbands had handled before)- so a little naive. First mistake, used listing agent as her agent. Agent sweetened the deal with home warranty.
One item on the inspection report (inspector was recommended by guess who?) was a "rocking" toilet. Not only was it rocking it was leaking too. I happened to be at the house the day the plumber came to do the repair. I had noticed that there was a good 1/2" gap between the base of the toilet and a somewhat new tile floor. I mentioned to the plumber that the flange probably needs to be replaced so the toilet would sit correctly. He's response, and I quote-
"That's the problem. But that's not covered by the warranty."

He knew what the problem was, how to correct it, make a satisfied customer, probably get a service contract out of the deal (which is what they're hoping for) and blew it.
He used two packages of wedges and a new wax seal, after the toilet had been "used" twice, the wedges are now no longer under the toilet and it is leaking again. I told my client I'll get my plumber to fix it right and I'd pay for it.

Think I'll get repeat business? You bet your ass! This job has already expanded by almost 50%- YEAH!

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Niko11

I would like to know which is a better Home Warranty? AHS Home Warranty or Total Home Protect Home Warranty?

Any information you give will be appreciated..

I just don't want to be scammed. AHS I can get on my own. Total Protect Home Warranty is offered by my mortgage company.

Then do not buy a home warranty.

If you want to throw your money away, just send it to me. I will even send a Coldjensens Home warranty for you to show your friends and hang on the wall (or line the bird care, start a fire in the fireplace, wrap up your fresh fish before putting it in the fridge, you can even turn it over and use the back for doodles and notes while you are on the phone - Home Warranties have lots of useful purposes)

[fallingwater]

Yep, I will echo the advice already given. They are worthless. I have had realtors try to talk me into providing a home warranty when I listed my homes. I declined. My current house came with a home warranty. It was a young couple selling the house and fell for the pitch so this is my first experience with actually having one and trying to use it.

Stove broke shortly after we moved in. I called. I was told "it must be a pre-existing condition." Not covered. Well pump stopped working. Called again. Well pumps have a 100 deductible (which is listed in the contract under microscopic print). I called the local well guy. He could fix the well pump for 95 dollars. Didn't make sense to have the warranty company handle the issue.

Dishwasher broke. I was determined to get this company to do something. The previous owners paid around 700 dollars for this worthless "warranty". Took a week to get someone to come out. Repair guy looked it over and said the pump was shot but since it was a higher end dishwasher it was worth it to fix. He put the company on speaker and called them up with the analysis. I could hear the warranty company ask several times if I abused the dishwasher. They agreed to fix it. Total cost was a little over 200 and I had to shell out 50 bucks in a deductible. Since the warranty company have so many rules on stuff, the repair guy had to wait almost 2 weeks for the part to come in. Finally got it fixed about 3 weeks later. It was a hassle. I didnt even like the damn dishwasher but 50 bucks was cheaper than buying new. It has since been replaced now.

A friend of mine, a first time homebuyer called me up and said the realtor suggested purchasing a home warranty. A 1,000 dollar warranty. I told her not to do it. Put the the money in the bank. She didnt listen and bought the stupid thing. Sure enough she had an issue after moving in and guess what? The company wouldn't cover it.

So my overall opinion? Save your money.

[Scott2187]

Same thing with me... I only got the warranty because the seller was paying for it. The real estate agents were talking about how great the warranty was the whole time.

I've used it once when my AC wasn't working (it was low on R-410A). I had to pay a $60 'trade fee', which is understandable, but didn't pay anything for the R-410A that was added. On the down side of things, this happened right before Memorial Day weekend when the temperature was 90+ degrees in my area. I had to wait until the following Friday for someone to come out and fix the issue.

I've known a few people that have had to have their furnace/AC replaced with the home warranty. For a $4000 replacement, they received $800-$900 from the warranty company. I guess they don't reimburse full price for the efficient units.

I had to laugh this week... I received one of those 'Thank You' emails from my warranty company boasting how they spent $368,000,000 on repairs and replacements in 2011.

[Spazkat9696]

Our home warranty has saved us a TON of money. We have AHS, and we've gotten way more out of it than we've paid into it. I guess it just depends. Our heater went out on one of the coldest days of the year, and they had someone out to fix it in a matter of hours. As luck would have it our AC went out in the heat of summer. Again it was fixed ASAP, and the repairs only cost us our copay not the 100s of dollars they would have. AHS has a flex plan that covers everything including improper maintenance and pre-existing conditions. Ask for that one.