How to Get a Home Warranty
Once you've decided you want a home warranty, follow these easy steps for protection.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Request a list of home warranty companies from a local real estate agent. You're not likely to find a listing for home warranty companies in the yellow pages, because they usually market themselves to real estate firms.
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2
Compare home warranty companies. The systems covered by home warranty companies vary. Consider the most important and most expensive items you need covered.
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3
Compare the costs of coverage for additional items, that is, items beyond what the company typically covers. Such items may be hot tubs, pools, saunas and air conditioning. These costs vary with each company.
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4
Compare the costs of a service call fee to have problems repaired.
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5
Find out whether a company will allow you to extend its warranty beyond the first year.
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6
Read the conditions, limitations and restrictions in the fine print. They could make a difference in the service you receive.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Keep a copy of the contract and the service call phone number handy.
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Comments
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gmoorhouse
Aug 08, 2007
AHS Customer Service sucks! I never used the warranty but two weeks prior to our expiration I emailed to check the renewal price, no response. I emailed my c/c authorization for monthly deduction, no reponse. Faxed the infor myself and my wife, no response. Called parent company service master, they did have AHS call us once but they were supposed to call back b/c we were going out of town......... AVOID THEM -
gmoorhouse
Aug 08, 2007
AHS Customer Service sucks! I never used the warranty but two weeks prior to our expiration I emailed to check the renewal price, no response. I emailed my c/c authorization for monthly deduction, no reponse. Faxed the infor myself and my wife, no response. Called parent company service master, they did have AHS call us once but they were supposed to call back b/c we were going out of town......... AVOID THEM
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fkoehleriv
May 07, 2007
We have had AON and AHS on two different properties. Had only minor problems with the property under AON, and had no problems or complaints. With AHS on our other property, we had the compressor fail on the outside unit for our heat pump. They couldn't easily repair, and went with a replacement. They spec'ed us the cheapest, least efficient heat pump that could legally be sold at time... 10 SEER. I wanted the option to add some $$ to the purchase of the unit to get a better external unit... or one best matched to our interior unit..no way. They could give me the cash equivalent, which was less than 1/2 my retail cost for the same 10 SEER unit. Ended up having that cheap aweful thing stuck onto my townhouse...not too happy. True, AHS shielded us from the full cost of the replacement, but that replacement was nowhere near what I myself would have picked.
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OSTATE
May 03, 2007
I just moved into a home and got a home warranty plan through UA Durr. My Jennair stove-top just burned-up (literally). It took days to reach UA Durr on the phone. In the mean-time I replaced the unit with a like-unit and finally contacted the realtor, who recommended UA Durr, and he got me in touch with a represenative with the company. UA Durr has a lot of fine print and obviously a book of excuses. The end result is they wanted to settle for $129 for what cost me over $900 in just material to replace. They quote "we only replace to builder's grade quality". I don't know where they get their cost numbers, but it doesn't help the homeowner at all. I recommend taking the money you spend on a home warranty plan and take the kids to an amusement park. It won't get your appliances replaced, but neither will a policy from UA Dur.
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steelslinger
Apr 10, 2007
I have used AHS and had alot better service than after I switched to National Home protection. I have had an A/C problem recently, I called the claims center and it was closed. I spoke with an operator who could not find my account info. So I authorized the repair and now Im continueing to fight for reimbursement. I will post the resolution as soon as I get one.
