Which is the best home warranty company ?

[kimshapiro100]

Which is the best home warranty company ?

Do they only cover appliances or Air Con ? or do they cover plumbing and other things too ?

Do they make you wait a period of time before using it ?

Thanks

Kim

[Joseph Meehan]

I have heard complaints about every one. As for specific questions, I suggest that you make up a list and send the list to each company. I would write off any company that does not respond promptly.

I would also consider that all these companies are profit making companies. Generally they only pay out 25-50% of the money you pay. The rest goes for their expenses and profit.

Like other forms in insurance (they are not really warranties, but are insurance policies) their value is their ability to cover you for unlikely but possible expenses that you could not cover yourself and to offer you some piece of mind. However based on what I have heard from many people (but not all) they are more trouble and cost than they are worth.

[hallerb]

you buying or selling a home?

they are only really affordable at such times. long term they cost way too much, better to put a 100 nucks a month in a special savings for emergencies.

more important to MAINTAIN your home, every year do some repairs. look around at things and decide furnace is 40 years old time for a new one.... stuff like that.

absolutely the wrong approach is leaving everything go and one day waking up with many multiple failures.

i sold a home recently and bought the warranty for the new owner. 500 bucks covered all the appliances, utility lines furnace hot warter tank, washer dryer stocve fridge, etc. basically everything.although nearly all the appliances were brand new.

it was a sales feature of the home.

if your looking for appliance coverage sears had the whoile home maintence agreements covering all appliances furnaces etc. they cost a fortune and are a bad deal, dont know if they are still available

[Scott Townsend]

We've had good luck with American Home Shield.

Scott

[Edwin Pawlowski]

The very best one is you. Put the premium into the bank every month and you will have what you need when things go wrong.

Every company has had an abundance of complaints. They hire the lowest cost (and usually lowest skilled) contractors, use the cheapest materials and brands. You have no choice but to pay extra if you want it done better.

The are doing what I suggested, putting YOUR money into THEIR account and betting you won't need much repairs. They are in business to make a profit, not for you to save money on repairs. At today's prices, I would have spent over $19,000 in premiums in my 40 years of home ownership. I would have gotten back about $2000 for appliances repaired or replaced over the years. If you think that is a good value, buy it. I'd rather have the other 89.5% of my money to buy what I want.

[HeatMan]

You're one of the few that have....