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Call First American Home Warranty
Call First American Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty is a smart choice for homeowners who want flexibility. It offers unlimited coverage for certain systems, a high-value basic plan and service with decent customer reviews.
Overall | 3.0 NerdWallet rating |
Price | 4.0 NerdWallet rating |
Service fees | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
Customer satisfaction | 3.0 NerdWallet rating |
Breadth of coverage | 3.0 NerdWallet rating |
Coverage limits | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
This snapshot shows some factors that we consider when rating a home warranty company and is not representative of the full evaluation process. | |
We like that First American doesn’t limit its coverage amounts on certain repairs, such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems (outside of water heaters). For any coverage it does limit, the caps are competitive: It pays up to $3,500 for each appliance repair. That amount increases to $7,000 per appliance repair if you go with the Premium Plan. The company also has flexible service fees, so you can choose if you want to pay a higher monthly fee or higher service fee.
All of First American’s plans are comprehensive, so you can’t get coverage for just appliances or just systems. Additionally, you’ll have to go with a more expensive plan if you want to cover HVAC repairs. We also don’t like that First American only guarantees repairs for 30 days, which is shorter than some of its competitors’ repair guarantees. Lastly, the company’s terms say it can keep you from canceling your contract if you’ve made a claim for a repair.
First American has three plans:
The Starter Plan covers appliances including your dishwasher, refrigerator, range hood, built-in microwave and oven/range/cooktop, plumbing including stoppages, toilets and garbage disposals, basic electrical systems and heating systems including ductwork.
The Essential Plan covers the same as the Starter Plan and adds coverage for your clothes washer and dryer, trash compactor, water heater, all fans including exhaust, garage door opener, and air conditioning systems. It also increases the coverage caps on some items.
The Premium Plan adds several items on top of the Essential Plan, including central vacuum systems, garage door components, some plumbing fixtures, additional HVAC components and window units.
The Essential and Premium plans also include coverage and services that the company calls First American Advantage. This additional coverage will pay for:
Someone to fix code violations that affect repairs or replacements.
The repair or replacement of covered items that malfunction because of improper repair, installation or modification.
Removal of an appliance or system that is being replaced by your home warranty.
This package pays up to $500 combined for these services if you have the Essential Plan or $1,500 if you have the Premium Plan.
Like many of its competitors, First American Home Warranty limits its coverage to items that malfunction because of normal wear and tear. This means items that have cosmetic damage or are damaged because of missing parts or natural disaster are not covered.
First American Home Warranty has additional coverage available for optional items that customers can add to their plans. This coverage comes with an extra fee and is available for:
Pool or spa equipment.
Well pump.
Septic system.
Water softener.
Reverse osmosis filtration system.
Additional refrigerator.
Seasonal HVAC tuneup (one for spring and one for fall).
Limited roof leaks.
Many home warranty companies limit how much they’ll pay for most approved repairs, but First American limits its coverage for only a few repair categories:
Water heater repairs max out at $1,000 with the Essential Plan but have no limit with the Premium Plan.
Appliance repairs are limited to $3,500 for Starter and Essential plans and $7,000 for the Premium Plan.
Clothes washer and dryer repairs are covered up to $3,500 in the Essential Plan and have no limit with the Premium Plan. They aren’t covered in the Starter Plan.
Trash compactor repairs are limited to $3,500 for the Essential Plan and $7,000 for the Premium Plan.
First American doesn’t limit how much it’ll pay to repair all other covered items in your selected plan. For example, if the company approves a repair to your HVAC system, it won’t limit its coverage to a maximum of, say, $5,000.
Additionally, unlimited coverage limits doesn’t mean guaranteed repairs. The company can still deny repairs that don’t meet certain requirements.
You can submit claims through the company’s online portal or by phone with a representative. You’ll need to provide information about the affected item, such as when it stopped working properly.
Once you’ve submitted a claim, First American will contact a technician to assign to your claim. After the technician looks at your appliance or system, they will notify the company if it needs to be repaired or replaced.
If the company approves a repair, it’ll pay the technician’s company; if it denies your claim, you can choose between paying out of pocket for the repair or not having the item fixed.
» MORE: What does a home warranty cover?
First American Home Warranty’s plans range from $42 to $162 a month. Quotes are based on your location and chosen plan.
To compare First American Home Warranty’s pricing, we requested quotes for all three plans in three cities that represent different costs of living.
City | Starter Plan monthly premium | Essential Plan monthly premium | Premium Plan monthly premium |
|---|---|---|---|
Rialto, California | $42.00-$47.00. | $57.00-$62.00. | $77.00-$82.00. |
Dallas, Texas | $82.00-$92.00. | $112.00-122.00. | $152.00-162.00. |
Tulsa, Oklahoma | $57.00-$62.00. | $72.00-$77.00. | $92.00-$97.00. |
Average price | $63.67. | $83.67. | $110.33. |
Prices in this table show a range of quotes that differ by service fee; generally selecting a lower service fee raises the cost of a monthly premium. | |||
Like many of its competitors, First American Home Warranty requires customers to pay a service fee when a technician responds to a claim. When a customer signs up for a plan, they choose if they want to pay service fees of $100 or $125. Customers who choose higher service fees will pay less in monthly fees, and those who choose the lower service fees will pay more in monthly fees.
First American Home Warranty guarantees a covered repair for 30 days. This means you won’t pay a service fee if a technician has to return during that time to look at the same appliance or system because an approved repair failed. Although it's nice to have the 30-day guarantee, some of the company's competitors offer longer repair guarantees.
You can cancel your home warranty, according to First American’s service agreement, but trying to do so after 30 days can make the process more complicated. Regardless of when you cancel, you’ll have to pay a $50 cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 30 days after making your first payment (the 30 days during which you can’t file a claim), you’ll receive a full refund minus the cancellation fee.
If you cancel after the first 30 days of the contract:
If you haven’t made a claim, the company will likely refund you the amount you’ve paid for the portion of the 12 months that you won’t be covered. It will subtract the cancellation fee from this amount before paying you.
If you have made a claim, the company can refuse to cancel your contract and you could be stuck with the contract for the full term. If the company agrees to cancel your contract, you’ll likely receive a refund for any unused amount you’ve paid in advance minus the cancellation fee and any outstanding charges.
If you want to cancel your First American Home Warranty contract, you’ll have to send an email to request the cancellation. You can’t do it over the phone.
» MORE: Are home warranties worth it?
on American Home Shield's website
on Choice Home Warranty's website
on Liberty Home Guard's website
NerdWallet considered customer reviews from three review websites to get a wider perspective of customer experiences. We’ve highlighted the types of experiences that we’ve found to be most common, keeping in mind that online reviews tend to lean toward negative experiences. NerdWallet hasn't independently verified the claims made in these consumer reviews.
Some customers note that the company makes it easy to submit claims for repairs online and over the phone. Customers also mention that the company’s technicians are professional and respond quickly to claims.
Some customers report that the company sends unreliable technicians, tends to deny claims that the customers believe should be covered and has poor customer service.
First American Home Warranty provides plans in 36 states.
Reading the coverage and exclusions information in your contract is one of the most impactful things you can do to avoid costly misunderstandings in the future. You have a right to read your contract before purchasing a plan, and it’s important to understand that home warranties:
Always have exclusions to coverage, no matter what their sales pitches say. Read your contract carefully before purchasing a plan — especially anything listed as an exclusion or limit of liability. For example, a company might cover air conditioning systems but exclude certain parts or components, such as coils. Other companies cover plumbing repairs but won’t pay to clear all plumbing stoppages or repair certain types of leaks.
Are not a type of insurance. Even though some companies call their service fees deductibles, home warranties do not work the same way as insurance policies. They differ in what they cover and how they pay for repairs or replacements. A home warranty is not a supplement for homeowners insurance.
Limit how much they pay. If the cost of a repair or replacement goes beyond a limit stated in your contract, you’ll have to pay the difference. For example, if the bill for a repair is $2,000 and the limit is $1,500, you’re required to cover $500. This is in addition to your monthly premium and service fee.
Can deny your claim for several reasons. Examples include if you had work performed on a covered item without approval or you modified the system or appliance.
May not pay enough to cover the full cost of replacing a covered item. Home warranties often depreciate the value of items as they age, so you’ll likely have to pay at least some money to replace an item, even if it’s covered by the contract.
Call American Home Shield
Call American Home Shield
» MORE: Read our full review of American Home Shield
Call Liberty Home Guard
on Liberty Home Guard's website
Call Liberty Home Guard
on Liberty Home Guard's website
» MORE: Read our full review of Liberty Home Guard
Call Choice Home Warranty
on Choice Home Warranty's website
Call Choice Home Warranty
on Choice Home Warranty's website
» MORE: Read our full review of Choice Home Warranty
Dive Deeper
Methodology
Our Home Services team reviews home warranty companies with our readers in mind. We provide unbiased reviews that consider several factors, including cost, covered items, coverage limits, customer ratings, ability to choose your own technician and warranty on work completed. When rating home warranties, we researched 13 companies, compared terms and conditions in their service agreements and read customer reviews from three consumer review websites. While NerdWallet does have partnerships with some home warranty companies, our editorial team is uninvolved in that process to ensure unbiased reviews and recommendations. Read more about how NerdWallet rates home warranties.
