Choice Home Warranty

Review: I purchased a home warranty protection from Choice Home Warranty. I filed a claim for a malfunctioning refrigerator on 7 May 2015. Choice Home Warranty sent a service technician from Tigerpaw HVAC & Home Maintenance on Saturday 9 May 2015. The service technician told me that the refrigerator had an electrical short in the top of refrigerator between the internal thermal shield & outer casing. It caused the internal thermal shield to heat up & bubble up creating holes in thermal shield in addition to melting plastic lense cover for light inside refrigerator. The light's plastic mount had melted also, so light was hanging down about an inch. I contacted choice home warranty four times about the problem and each time they denied my claim. The first contact the rep. Told me that my claim was denied due to fire, I informed them that no fire had occurred & that an electrical short had caused the damage. The second & third times I told the customer service representative the same thing, I spoke with a supervisor on my third contact. He told me that my claim had been denied due to fire, I told him it was not caused by fire & that I had spoke with the Tigerpaw HVAC service technician about the diagnosis of the problem. The Tigerpaw service technician told me nowhere in his report was the word fire used. He reiterated the problem was caused by an electrical short in the wiring harness going to the light. When I told the supervisor from choice home warranty about my conversation with the service technician, he put me on hold. When he came back on the phone, he changed the reason for my claim to be denied to the internal thermal shield had failed. I explained that the internal thermal shield failed because of an electrical short. He insisted that my claim was denied because of the internal thermal shield. I became every angry at this stage of the conversation & I told him to cancel my coverage. On my fourth coversation with CHW, they refused to help any more.Desired Settlement: I have replaced the refrigerator with the same make/model. Kenmore Elite refrigerator. It cost me $2692.38

Business

Response:

rOur mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php . Upon review of your policy, I do see that CHW has been able to assist you with your heating system claim that you placed with us. I also see that you had placed the claim for your refrigerator and unfortunately CHW was not able to assist with that claim. We did receive a diagnosis from the technician stating that there was a meltdown inside the thermal shell of the unit. Per our policy, that would not be something considered to be a “normal wear and tear”. Also, per our policy Section F. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY 8. We are not liable for repair of conditions caused by chemical or sedimentary build up, rust or corrosion, mildew, mold, misuse or abuse, failure to clean or maintain as specified by the equipment manufacturer, missing parts, structural changes, fire, freezing, electrical failure or surge, water damage, lightening, mud, earthquake, soil movement, soil settlement, settling of home, storms, accidents, pest damage, acts of God, or failure due to excessive or inadequate water pressure.We do regret any frustration that you dealt with in the outcome of this claim. CHW strives to help our customers with all of their home needs. We do follow our policy and we do expect our customers to as well.We do apologize but due to the fact that you chose to cancel your policy with CHW we are not able to assist you any further with your claims.Thank you for your feedback as it is always helpful for us, it allows us to improve our customer service.Best regards,CHW

Consumer

Response:

During my conversations with Choice Home Warranty, the preventatives always denied coverage of my claim by stating that my refrigerator had a fire that caused the damage. No fire ever existed...the internal thermal shield & light fixture were damaged by an electrical short. The service technician from Tigerpaw HVAC told me in person that the damage was caused by an electrical short & I spoke with the service technician again after Choice Home Warranty refused my claim. He told me nowhere in his claim were the word(s) fire or electrical fire ever used. When I spoke with the supervisor at Choice Home Warranty he told me my claim was denied due to fire. When I Asked him to give me his definition of fire, he changed the subject & ignored my question. He then stated that there was a an electrical fire, I told him no such condition existed. No open flame, no scorch marks, no smoke, and no fuel source existed. Only melted plastic from a electric short. Once he realized that I wasn't going to accept his explanation of the denied acclaim, he put me on hold. When he came back on the phone, he stated my claim was denied due to a problem inside the internal thermal shield. The electrical wires are not inside the thermal shield, they are between the internal thermal shield & the metal casing of the refrigerator. The electrical short caused all the damage, not the internal thermal shield (plastic & insulation layer). Choice Home Warranty insisted that the internal thermal shield failed therefore they would not cover the refrigerator. I did not accept this rediculous explanation then nor do I accept this reason now. The service technician took picture while diagnosing the problem, but Choice Home Warranty didn't even want them when he tried to submit them. So this shows their intent from the very beginning of the claim process. They were going to deny the claim even before the had all the evidence.

Business

Response:

We do apologize for the frustration of this claim, this electrical shortage that you had in your refrigerator is not a normal wear and tear of the unit. Per our policy we only cover normal wear and tear and an electrical shortage is not a normal wear or tear that happens to units.A. COVERAGE 2. Become inoperative due to normal wear and tearWe do apologize again but we are not able to cover this claim. We do appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve our customer service. Respectfully,CHW

I bought a 3 yr. ($1,350) warranty that expired in March of 2016, or nine months from now to be exact. I sold my home and called to cancel the service, and before I even asked the CHW representative said "there is no refund on this policy since you had $417 dollars in claims on your policy." I told him that was nonsense, and finally he said "ok...you're right but there is still refund as the policy doesn't have any value." Then immediately he wanted to extend that policy to my new home, and my response was how is that possible since you told me my policy doesn't have any value? Run away...it's a total scam.

Review: Our AC unit stopped working last week. We contacted Choice Home Warranty to have a technician come and look at our unit. We waited several days without any response from Choice. We live in west [redacted] and temperatures have reached 90+ degrees this time of year so the AC system is very important. We finally called Choice this morning to see if they could send a technician and their response was that they were still looking for a technician in our area. Choice said we would have to make calls to AC companies ourselves. After contacting a local AC company and having them access the AC unit they determined that the entire outside unit would need to be replaced. That AC company then contacted Choice to report their findings. Choice was supposed to contact us but did not. We called Choice again to see how to proceed with having out AC unit replaced. After being on hold for approximately 30 minutes a representative finally answered and immediately told us that Choice would not pay for replacement of the unit. They claimed the only thing that would cause the unit to fail was improper maintenance or a power surge. We definitely have not experienced any issue with our power and we explained that we had technicians come out and inspect the unit less than a year ago and they said it was fine. Choice still refuses to pay for any part of the replacement. Protection of this unit was part of the reason we initially purchased a home warranty and now their refusal to pay for the replacement is unacceptable. The AC company that inspected our unit explained that they will no longer do business with Choice because they won't pay them and won't cover any of the customers that they have dealt with. We feel that Choice Home Warranty had no intention of covering our unit and was using any excuse not to pay. The advertise peace of mind with no intention of following up on that promise. This is false advertising and we feel this company is lying to it's customers.Desired Settlement: We feel that Choice should replace our outside AC unit and honor the home warranty we purchase and paid in full. We initially signed with Choice a little over a year ago and renewed our contract with them only a few months ago. The home warranty specifically states that the AC units were covered. We feel that they are just making excuses and are not honoring the coverage that they promised us. We are disgusted that we paid for peace of mind but in the end they leave us with the burden of paying for a new AC unit on our own.

Business

Response:

Our mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php . Upon review of your policy, I do see that CHW was able to assist you in the following claims:Claim # [redacted] for your Air Conditioning System in the amount of $330.00Claim [redacted]7 for your Plumbing System in the amount of $100.00Claim #[redacted]1 for your Washer in the amount of $400.00I do see that we are unable to assist you with the newest claim for your AC unit due to the fact that the technician stated that it shorted to the ground. There are 4 ways that this could happen and all of these ways are not covered by CHW.1) Power Surge/Lighting Strike 2) Manufactures Defect 3) Acid Burnout (Due to improper previous repair or improper installation)4) Lack of Proper Routine MaintenancePlease see Section F. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY8. We are not liable for repair of conditions caused by chemical or sedimentary build up, rust or corrosion, mildew, mold, misuse or abuse, failure to clean or maintain as specified by the equipment manufacturer, missing parts, structural changes, fire, freezing, electrical failure or surge, water damage, lightening, mud, earthquake, soil movement, soil settlement, settling of home, storms, accidents, pest damage, acts of God, or failure due to excessive or inadequate water pressure.11. We are not responsible for repairs related to inadequacy, lack of capacity, improper installation, mismatched systems, oversized systems, undersized systems, previous repair or design, manufacturer’s defect, and any modification to the system or appliance. We do regret any frustration that you dealt with in the outcome of this claim. CHW strives to help our customers with all of their home needs. We do follow our policy and we do expect our customers to as well.I do see that you were offered a full refund of your policy because you disagreed with our decision, despite the fact that CHW has paid out over $800.00 in claims for your units. I also see that you have declined this offer. I do apologize but there would be nothing more that CHW could offer you at this time.Thank you for your feedback as it is always helpful for us; it allows us to improve our customer service.Best regards,CHW

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: The technician recommended from Choice Home warrantee stated that he NEVER told Choice that there was a short to ground. In fact he called Choice on 19 May and explicitly stated that there was no short to ground. After I spoke with the technician, I again called Choice and they changed the reason they would not pay for this covered item. Now they stated it wouldn’t be covered because of secondary damage. (Due to the fan motor going out) The fan was replaced several days before and the system was working properly. The fan motor is a covered item and the system was turned completely off until it was replaced. The technician stated the following. There was no short to ground, Power surge, or lighting strike. The system was well maintained as it lasted nearly twenty years, when only designed to last between 12-15 years. There was no improper installation of any parts. If there was an improperly installed part it was by the technician Choice recommended. The system worked fine after the fan was properly installed. Choice’s own advertising states, ”Nothing lasts forever, eventually everything wears out. Get the peace of mind of a Choice Home warrantee”. Like Choice’s own ad says, the system simple wore out. Now they don’t want to pay. The Technician sent by Choice that worked on the system is willing to write a statement stating all parts where installed properly, there was no short to ground and the system was properly maintained.

Business

Response:

Your previous claim (that CHW did pay) the condensing fan motor was replaced but it was too late because by that time the compressor had already had the damage and that is the reason that the replacement did not work and the compressor failed. The condensing fan motor being bad causes the compressor to overheat and fail. Secondary damage from the condensing fan motor failure caused the compressor to stop working. Again, per our policy we do not cover a lack of maintenance, secondary damage, We did advise you that the unit shorted to the ground and of the secondary damage. You called our office today and we did explain to you the failure that happened. We have offered a refund to you and you have declined any offer that we gave. I do apologize, there would be nothing more that we could do for you at this time as this claim is not covered under our policy. Please see Section F. 19. You agree that We are not liable for the negligence or other conduct of the Service Provider, nor are We an insurer of Service Provider’s performance. You also agree that We are not liable for consequential, incidental, indirect, secondary, or punitive damages. You expressly waive the right to all such damages. Regards,CHW

Review: A refrigerator covered under warranty is not working,and CHW is denying to repair. CHW says that repair is not covered because refrigerator is not working because compressor has over worked { compressor is a part inside the refrigerator and covered under warranty] has caused it.Desired Settlement: I bought a new (lower grade ) refrigerator from Sears and want CHW to reimburse. I have not asked sears to haul away the old refrigerator so that if CHW want to to repair it they can.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]:Our mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php. Upon review of your policy we do see that CHW has been able to assist you on multiple repairs for your home, unfortunately the claim that you placed for your refrigerator is not a covered claim due to the fact that CHW does not cover repairs that are secondary damage. The control board failed on the relays to the compressor due to a burnout on the back of the unit. This happened due to the compressor overworking and over amping, when the defrost controls were faulty and the compressor was overworking this caused the board to fail. Per our policy Section F. Limitations of Liability #19 states that CHW is not responsible for repairs related to secondary damage. Your one part of the system had failed due to another part failing. Had the unit been properly cleaned, maintained or maintained this would not have happened. We do regret your frustration with this claim however CHW is in full compliance with our terms and conditions of our policy.Best regards,CHW

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

CHW writes: "Had the unit been properly cleaned, maintained or maintained this would not have happened. " This a claim is by someone who has never seen the appliance and not by the technician who came to repair who will certify that the unit is kept as clean as it can be. (still sitting in my Garage and can be seen). If CHW does not want to reimburse for the replacement refrigerator I have purchased from Sears, CHW must perform the repair. Otherwise I will call a licensed repair company to perform the repair and send the invoice to CHW for reimbursement. Regards,

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],Per the technicians' diagnosis it was explained to us that the control board failed on the relays to the compressor due to a burnout on the backthis happened due to the compressor overworking and overamping when the defrost controls were faulty and the compressor was overworkingthe board. This is secondary damage and that is not covered per our policy as stated in Section F. Limitations of Liability #19. I am very sorry that this is frustrating for you but I am personally relaying the information that has been provided.If you disagree with the outcome of the claim, you are more than welcome to have a second opinion come and provide CHW with a diagnosis but if the diagnosis is the same the outcome of the claim will be the same.I have documented the notes in the claim to reflect that we advised you that you can provide a second opinion at your cost.Thank you,CHW

Review: I chose Choice Home Warranty in concert with the purchase of my present home. After waiting 30 days from purchase date before any claims would be acknowledged - an unadvertised feature, my water heater failed in this period of time, I made a claim on 06 November for the failure of my Garbage Disposal. A plumber was dispatched rapidly but didn't have the correct disposal on his truck this morning, so he returned this afternoon to perform the install. He called CHW before starting the install and they starting asking some odd questions. Eventually after speaking with at least two individuals, they said they would not honor my claim because the disposal bearing must have been "failing for some time" and they wouldn't honor their contract for replacement. This 10 year old home was inspected by a licensed inspector prior to purchase and fully tested the garbage disposal. I will pursue this with the company but expect little or no satisfaction. Plumbing company is Young's Plumbing in Boyd Texas at ###-###-####,Desired Settlement: Since this contract has over a year still to run and Choice Home Warranty has failed in their very first test, I want nothing more to do with this company and the only suitable outcome is a complete refund of my contract cost of about $671.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]:

We are honoring your request and are canceling your account and refunding you the entire amount that you have paid $650.00.

Please accept our apology for any trouble or inconvenience this has caused.

Best regards,

CHW

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: My policy number is [redacted]. On 6/22/15, I filed a claim on my range due to a malfunctioning touch pad. The range is GE Profile. On 6/24/15, [redacted] Appliance was dispatched and took a look at the range. Following that dispatch, I received a phone call from CHW advising that they have elected to not fix the issue but to offer a replacement cash value of $350.

I advised that the $350 was not acceptable. Upon a follow conversation, CHW discovered that the unit was a gas unit of which they accounted for it being electric. At that point, the offered $450 which was rejected. I then elected to file for a mediation which is pursuant to their agreement titled Your Home Service Agreement ("YHSA") and was contacted by a Tracy. Tracy offered to send a replacement unit that matched the features on my current unit. I rejected that offer as it did not match current appliances that we have. With that said, I do not disagree that CHW is responsible for a like make, model, or color.

Here is the basis for my rejection and complaint. CHW continues to assert that they are taking the national average as a basis for their replacement value. I have asked repeatedly for the source of their information. They have made reference to an obscure guide that they have used but have not sourced the name of this guide or where the guide takes the average from. Further, I have asked for CHW to provide the company as to which they would order the replacement unit for. Reason being that if they can obtain the unit for as low of price as they represent to me as evidenced by the cash replacement offer, than I would like to shop their myself. To date, CHW has refused to provide that information. CHW has also dealt in bad faith as represented by a person identifying himself as Russ who is the "highest level" of claims management who when asked why he would not provide the information, just simply said that he did not have to. CHW has dealt in bad faith, and without a logical explanation as to how they arrive at the basis of their assertions. They also have not followed their own agreement referring to the terms of the YHSA.Desired Settlement: I would like to have the answers to the questions as I outlined in the complaint. CHW can avoid alot of this alleged misrepresentation by simply sourcing their information as I have requested numerous times. Further, CHW can help me out by providing me the information as to where I can order a unit. CHW has represented that they can order a unit for me and have it delivered. CHW has also represented that they are using a guide to come up with a national average. Simply source the information or show it to me so that I can see the transparency in their numbers and have the opportunity to purchase what we want from the same outlet CHW would use.

In lieu of that, I am asking for a settlement amount of $1,000 in full satisfaction of the issue. I have offered CHW both options, of which CHW has refused and have not provided any information as to why. They are simply saying that the $500 is the most they can offer based on a national average. Of which, they refuse to provide sources.

Business

Response:

As per our phone conversation, CHW being a warranty company has the ability to purchase units from various places. We can purchase a unit from a store that you would purchase from but it would be sold to us at a discounted rate; a national wholesale rate. As explained to you, we have the ability to purchase a unit for you or we can offer to give you the funds that we were to use to purchase that unit. Our policy states Section F. Limitations of Liability 16. We reserve the right to offer cash back in lieu of repair or replacement in the amount of Our actual cost (which at times may be less than retail) to repair or replace any covered system, component or appliance.In your case we have given you the option of the cost of the unit or the new unit, you have declined both. CHW is not obligated to make you take our offers but these are the offers that we have for you. We can send you a check in the amount of $500 or send you a new unit that we had found in a local store by you to purchase.Your question of where we shop for our units so that you can purchase the unit there yourself, you would not be able to due to the fact that we deal with companies on a national wholesale bases. Meaning we can go to the local Sears or Home Depot and purchase a unit for a national wholesale cost.Please advise us of your decision of the funds of $500 or the unit being placed in your home.Thank you,Tracy

Business

Response:

Our checks are computer generated and once authorization is placed, it does take 30 business days to dispense. I will place the authorization for you today and you will receive the check there after.I do apologize that you feel as though CHW or I am withholding any information from you. We will process your offer today.Thank you,

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:Although we will accept the $500 cash offer. However, I have not spoken to Tracy by phone as she indicated in her response. In addition, we are disappointed in CHW for not being more forthcoming with their analysis in how they derived their offer.With all that said, we do accept their cash offer in an effort to move on from this issue. We would appreciate CHW expediting the funds to my home address.Regards,Tom Bacarella

Review: I had choice home warranty for about a year and a half - from July 2014 until November 2015. I cancelled my policy today because it was a complete waste of money and I feel I was misled. I had an issue with the stove not working properly and actually catching things on fire. The first tech that came out ordered a part but I never heard back from him about scheduling a follow up. Once I rwas able to reach him he said he was no longer working w/ CHW because they didn't pay him. CHW never told me I would need to get a new tech out - I had to call myself. Two more ended up coming out and the issue was never fixed. More recently my hot water heater was leaking - come to find out if the leak is on the tank it is not covered. I feel misled as when I signed up I was given a HUGE spiel about how everything is covered and it's simply not. I would have been better off saving the two annual payments of $375 to apply to the new oven ($1300) and water heater ($600) I ended up paying for myself. They did replace my garbage disposal, I'll give them that. I most recently renewed in September 2015 and cancelled two months later and am only being refunded $40 even though I paid $375. Why? Oh, They took out the cost of the garbage disposal repair from the cost of my refund ($220). So I ended up paying to fix everything I called them for, plus several $45 service fees when nothing got fixed. I was even told by 2 of the service people that came out that CHW is not a good company and they recommended other home warranties instead. Even their techs don't believe in the product!

So I ended up paying $750 for 16 months of service, plus around $45 each for 5-6 service calls, and I ultimately ended up paying to replace EVERYTHING myself. I feel their advertising and sales team misled me greatly.Desired Settlement: I am asking for a one year refund ($375). I ended up paying close to $1000 to this company and ended up paying for new appliances myself. What good is the warranty if it doesn't actually fix anything as promised in the initial call.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]Could you please provide your policy number as we cannot locate your policy to see how we can help.Thank you,CHW

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:I am neither accepting nor rejecting this response - I am providing my policy number #[redacted] per request

Regards,

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]Our mission at

Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by

offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable

asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and

we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home

warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’

under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may

also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php.Upon review of your

claim, I do see that it was for your water heater and that the main tank was

leaking. Per our policy Section D. Coverage #6 states in exclusions the tanks.We do see that you

have cancelled your policy with us and you did receive a refund however the refund

you had received was not correct according to your policy, we do apologize and

we will be refunding you an extra amount of $190.75. Per your policy, Section L. Cancellations the

state of Arizona should pay the administrative fee but not claims paid. This was a mistake and will be corrected. We do apologize for any inconvenience that this has caused. Please check your credit card as you will see

the refund amount being placed back onto the credit card within a few days. We urge all customers’ to review the policy within the 30 day

grace period that is provided before the policy begins. You have this time to ensure that all units

are in proper working order as well as cancel for a full refund within this

time period. Per our policy Section A.

Coverage #3, CHW does expect all units that come int the policy in proper working

order.Best regards,CHW

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,

Review: I have a service contract with Choice Home Warranty. I was told -- and Choice Home Warranty advertises all over the internet that it will replace major appliances that it cannot fix.I have issues with this claim re: my refrigerator. Choice could not fix it because they say they cannot find the part to fix it as it is too old. The refrigerator is a large side-by side. The cheapest refridgerator I could find to replace it was $944 plus 8% state sales tax (total . Choice now tells me that they are only willing to give me $329, which is what the cost of the repair and parts would be if they could find the parts.My agreement with the salesman -- and what Choice advertises on the net -- is that they will REPLACE items they cannot fix. But it seems that there is some "fine print" in my contract that says they don't really replace all the items they can't fix IF the reason they can't fix them is because they can't find the parts.But I don't see any such "fine print" in my warranty. And I certainly DON'T see it advertised as such on the net. And this was NOT told to me in my recorded conversation with the salesman that sold me the contract.I felt bullied into accepting the meager amount they offered, and could not find a way to contact anyone higher up in the company than the "supervisor".Desired Settlement: I want the additional $693. that I am entitled to.

Business

Response:

Our mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at [redacted] . We regret your frustration with the outcome in regards to claim # [redacted], for your Refrigerator. Upon diagnosis, the service provider stated that the defrost thermostat, defrost heater, and defrost plate need to be replaced. However, the defrost plate is no longer available. Per CHW policy, when parts are no longer available, CHW reimburses the amount of parts and labor for that repair. CHW offered you $326.69, which is the cost of parts and labor associated with this repair. You declined the offer. In light of good customer service, CHW increased the amount to $401.69. You accepted this amount and it was authorized on 2/16/15.Please see below:F. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILTY9. We have the sole right to determine whether a covered system or appliance will be repaired or replaced. We are responsible for installing replacement equipment of similar features, capacity, and efficiency, but not for matching dimensions, brand or color. We are not responsible for upgrades, components, parts, or equipment required due to the incompatibility of the existing equipment with the replacement system or appliance or component or part thereof or with new type of chemical or material utilized to run the replacement equipment including, but not limited to, differences in technology, refrigerant requirements, or efficiency as mandated by federal, state, or local governments. If parts are no longer available, We will offer a cash payment in the amount of the average cost between parts and labor of the covered repair. The details of your situation are not representative of the normal CHW customer experience. Please accept our apology for any trouble or inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate the feedback as it gives us the opportunity to improve our services.Best regards,CHW

They were awful. I just got a settlement check today from the office of the NJ Attorney General for a tiny portion of a much larger settlement for their horrid business practices. They made it impossible for me to get my cooling unit replaced because of their ridiculous "requirements". They didn't want to pay....that was the bottom line. They deserve an f...not a c. They were also rude and condescending when I questioned their business ethics and contractual terms. NO.

Review: Choice Home Warrant dispatched ineffective, unknowledgeable service technicians to our home for water leaks more than once. Each time, they stood around scratching their heads after poking around for a few mintues saying they would have to get back to us, after they received APPROVAL, to find/fix 2 water leaks. They told my husband that HE would have to cut through part of a ceiling in our garage, over one of our cars, since the leak appeared to be coming from a tub in the bathroom over that part of the garage. My husband was told HE WOULD HAVE TO CAULK around the tub, floor, tiles, camode and walls to ensure that water dripping was not becuase of old/faulting caulking. This has happened over the course of several weeks. In addition, it takes CHOICE MORE THAN 24 HOURS to return with an estimate for a repair person. That was one of the unresolved issues which other home warranty companies would in fact cover. We were told that it is not THEIR problem - it is ours. We must find a plumber and pay for it ourselves, because "the leak is probably part of a mechinism we do not cover". No where in our policy does it mention MECHANISMS NOT COVERED.

The 2nd issue is another leak; the washer and dryer is on the 2nd floor in a laundry area. There has been 2 instances of leaks which we are told is - not their problem- because we installed new appliances. Not true. We have had several occasions on our own to look at it; where it was coming from (we are not plumbers) nor is the washer not incorrectly connected and there is no water that we can see if the pan. Again, inappropriate service people were dispatched that looked around, scratched their heads and said, they saw nothing wrong. Anything outside that we again are told is up to us to find/fix the problem.

This is probably ruining our home, not to mention causing damage somewhere - we are not builders, repair people or construction workers. We paid several hundred dollars for a 3 year contract. This is terrible.Desired Settlement: Choice Home Warranty need to find and fix the issues! We paid several service charges for them to revisit and are not going to pay anymore. Nor are we going to pay for a plumber. They need to actually operate like a HOME WARRANT COMPANY.

They need to send competent people out to look at the situation. Arrange for professionals (plumbers perhaps, as they suggested we find) in these specific fields to assess any damage that they have caused through neglect, repair the damage and finish the jobs as soon as possible. They also had my husband cut a whole in the garage ceiling becuase they would not do, and now they need to fix it with dry wall or whatever professionals in their field do to patch the ceiling. I am going on [redacted] now and will publicly warn people to run as fast as they can when considering this horrible company.

Business

Response:

Our mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at [redacted] . We regret your frustration with the outcome in regards to claim # [redacted] for your plumbing issue. Upon diagnosis, the service provider stated there is a leak from your sink faucet as well a leak from the drain mechanism. Unfortunately, faucets and drain mechanisms are not covered per CHW policy. Please see below:D. COVERAGE8. PLUMBING SYSTEM/STOPPAGEEXCLUDED: Stoppages and clogs in drain and sewer lines that can not be cleared by cable or due to roots, collapsed, broken, or damaged lines outside the confines of the main foundation (even if within 100 feet of access point) – Access to drain or sewer lines from vent or removal of water closets - Cost to locate, access or install ground level clean out – Slab leaks - Polybutylene or Quest piping – Galvanized drain lines - Hose Bibs - Drum traps - Flange- Collapse of or damage to water, drain, gas, waste or vent lines caused by freezing, settlement and/or roots – Faucets, fixtures, cartridges, shower heads & shower arms - Baskets and strainers - Popup assemblies - Bathtubs and showers - Cracked porcelain - Glass - Shower enclosures and base pans – Roman tubs - Bath tub drain mechanisms - Sinks - Toilet lids and seats - Cabling or grouting - Whirlpool jets - Whirlpool control panel - Septic tanks - Sewage ejector pumps - Water softeners - Pressure regulators - Inadequate or excessive water pressure - Flow restrictions in fresh water lines caused by rust, corrosion or chemical deposits - Holding or storage tanks - Saunas and/or steam rooms. NOTE: We will provide access to plumbing systems through unobstructed walls, ceilings or floors, only, and will return the access opening to rough finish condition. We will pay no more than $500 per contract term for access, diagnosis and repair and/or replacement. Our authorized Service Provider will close the access opening and return it to rough finish condition, subject to the $500 limit indicated. We shall not be responsible for payment of the cost to remove and replace any built-in appliances, cabinets, floor coverings or other obstructions impeding access to walls, ceilings, and/or floors.On 1/29/15, a new leak was reported, Claim # [redacted] for a second leak at your home. As a good will gesture CHW has pre authorized up to $100 towards leak detection for this claim. The details of your situation are not representative of the normal CHW customer experience. Please accept our apology for any trouble or inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate the feedback as it gives us the opportunity to improve our services.Best regards,CHW

I was sold a home warranty by a salesman over the phone who lied to me about what was covered. He said all appliances, water heater and electrical were covered. My water heater started leaking and I was informed by the serviceman that the tank was not covered only the other parts of the system. Long story short I canceled the policy and was out a $60 service fee, cancellation fee and one month warranty fee. Do not do business with these people.

Review: They coxed me into signing up for a long 5 year contract and telling me that I can cancel anytime and get prorated refund. After a few service calls, they started to find all excuses to decline coverage. When I cancelled, they charged me $50 in cancellation fee PLUS ALL THEIR PREVIOUS PAY OUTS!! So, essentially, I paid them all these coverage time for nothing.

Worst company ever.Desired Settlement: Just tell people of the truth about their business practices, very deceptive. Refund my full premium will be great.

Business

Response:

Our mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php . Our records indicate that you have two policies with CHW. Upon review of your account it appears that we have processed and approved the following claims:Policy [redacted]-• 07/09/14, Claim# [redacted], Air conditioning system, $315.00• 08/15/14, Claim# [redacted], Air conditioning system, $800.00• 11/5/14, Claim# [redacted], Washing machine, $274.00• 11/24/14, Claim# [redacted], Garbage Disposal, $105.00Policy [redacted]- • 08/15/14, Claim# [redacted], Garage door opener, $35.00• 09/04/14, Claim# [redacted], Air conditioning, $65.41• 10/08/14, Claim# [redacted], Air conditioning, $42.03• 10/17/14, Claim# [redacted]. Air conditioning, $221.34• 10/28/14, Claim# [redacted], Washing machine, $114.65We regret your frustration with this situation. Per CHW policy, if cancellation is after the first 30 days, a prorated refund is available minus amounts paid out on claims. Please see section below:L. CANCELLATIONThis is a maintenance agreement for repair, replacement, or partial replacement of the products listed that are deemed manufactured or sold by the manufacturer. This is not a contract of insurance, residential service, warranty, extended warranty, or implied warranty. You may cancel within the first 30 days of the order date for a refund of the paid contract fees, less a $50 administrative fee and any service costs incurred by Us. The details of your situation are not representative of the normal CHW customer experience. Please accept our apology for any trouble or inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate the feedback as it gives us the opportunity to improve our services.Best regards,CHW

Consumer

Response:

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

CHW has yet to refund my remaining contract rate on the policy of [redacted] for the amount of 1,190.32. Calculation as following:Date Claim# Amount8/15/2014 [redacted] 359/4/2014 [redacted] 65.4110/8/2014 [redacted] 42.0310/17/2014 [redacted] 221.3410/28/2014 [redacted] 114.65Total 478.43Contract Number [redacted]Contract Rate 1,875.00 Contract Term 6/29/2014 - 6/29/2020Contract Term Months 72Contract Cancellation Date 12/29/2014Contract Prorate Refund 1,718.75 Cancellation Fee 50CHW Service Cost 478.43Refund Due Contract Holder 1,190.32

Regards,

Business

Response:

As a courtesy, per your request, CHW has refunded $1190.32 to the credit card on file, ending in, [redacted]. Please allow one billing cycle to see the refund on your statement. The details of your situation are not representative of the normal CHW customer experience. Please accept our apology for any trouble or inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate the feedback as it gives us the opportunity to improve our services.Best regards,CHW

I had hoped that I wouldn't need a home warranty, but I am very happy that I have Choice Home Warranty. My washing machine stopped working, and for a family of 9 that is a HUGE problem. Choice Home Warranty was able to schedule a local repair technician to come out to look at my washer. The repair man was very professional and explained exactly what he was doing and looking for.
Unfortunately the part needed for my washer would take 6+ months to come in. Choice Home Warranty talked to me about my options and explained the process. Choice Home Warranty sent me a check to replace my washer.

This company is the biggest scam company I have ever dealt with. I purchased a 3 year warranty with them, any time I called them for an AC problem, I was told it wasn't covered because of maintenance issues. The AC technician told me that is complete Bull[redacted]t. "This AC unit has been maintained well beyond manufactures standards." He also told me the percentage of claims they turn down is astronomical, and also said he was going to stop doing service work for them as he didn't want to be affiliated with a company that does business the way Choice does. I called to cancel the contract, and they tried to prorate the refund as if I purchased a 1 year contract, not the per year price of a 3 year contract. If you have a contract with Choice, cancel it ASAP. You really don't have a warranty, which you will find out the first time you call them for service. I wish I could use much harsher language in this review. I can't express enough how much of a scam, rip-off, and any other negative adjective you can think of.

How is this company still in business?! My A/C stopped cooling so I called for service. It took two days for a service tech to come out to tell me that my unit was low on freon and that he would have to submit a report back to CHW. Two day later I had to call to get an update and I was told that the service tech needed to come back out to take pics to submit back to CHW. The next day I received a call from CHW stating that my claim would not be honored due to 'rust". The service tech NEVER came out to photograph any components of my A/C unit. Also, the component that suspected of leaking was in the attic and is not subjected to the outside elements (there is not rust). The service tech had also informed me that there was not rust but it looked like normal wear and tear. I have never been a part of such a SCAM in all of my life. Karma CHW! Karma!

Review: Choice Home Warranty makes false promises about refunding money paid to customers who cancel their contracts. I was told that I would receive $120 for signing and returning a release form to them. This release form was faxed on 9/21/2015 to fax Attn: tracy [redacted] and I received a confirmation page stating it was sent successfully. I also mailed the Release agreement to Tracy's attention. I have tried to call he on several occassions. and I have also emailed her on several occassions. She does not return calls nor does she return emails. Today Sept 28 I called cancellation department and they are claiming that they never received fax nor letter I mailed. I know they have received it. Ever since I signed up as a customer, I have been treated with total disrespect and been lied to. They make false claims aand are extremely rude to their customers.

Business

Response:

I do apologize, I have been out of the office and have received the agreement. Your refund has been completed as of 10/1/15. Thank you for the email and the follow up. The funds were placed onto the credit card that you signed up with us with.I am very sorry for the delay of response.All my best,Tracy [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

No funds have been placed into my account and she still does not return phone calls or emails. Customer support says she is there. They are all dishonest

Business

Response:

Not sure of who "she" is but reviewing your claim, I do see that on 10/1/15 the policy was provided a credit to the credit card on file and the policy has been cancelled.CHW

I went with this company "Choice Home Warranty" because I liked what they had to offer and after talking with their representative, was sold. I joined several months ago but just a few days ago had a problem that required filing a claim. I was more than impressed. Within 15 minutes of filing, I had numbers to call for a repair (I had 2). I called, left a message and received a call back within minutes and the guy was in the area and the problem was fixed in less than an hour. The other call came and hour later and was fixed the next day. To say I was happy is an understatement. I don't think I have ever had service this good. I willill definitely be spreading the word about Choice Home Warranty. Thanks for the prompt service.

Review: I called to file a claim regarding my garage door and ac on 8/22/15. I was charged two twice for two service calls. When both technicians showed up one advised that he was licensed to do both. I didn't understand why they would send two unless it was to take advantage of me and bill me twice for two service calls. The technician looked at the garage door opener and deternined that I needed a gear chain, while looking at my opener he dropped the light cover and broke it into two pieces. He told me he would bring another one when he came back with the part I needed. The claim for the garage was denied and that technician never came back to replace the part that he broke. The technician for the AC came and inspected my upstairs and downstairs unit. He said everything was fine with my downstairs unit but the upstairs unit needed a thermostat so he would call that in and come back to install. We agreed on him coming on Saturday, September 12. He came that day and discovered that a few parts were positioned incorrectly and needed to be repositioned. He attempted to do some work but I had to leave so he didn't complete the work. He came Sunday September 13 and advised that he still couldn't get my unit working with the new thermostat now my relay and transformer would need to be repaired. He advised he would be out Tuesday, September 15 but I received a text message advising he was still awaiting approval from the warranty company so he wouldn't be out. He rescheduled for Thursday, September 17. He texted and advised he was in the hospital. I never heard from the company again. I called the company on 9/21 to find out why another technician wasn't sent and they advised the owner of the company would call me. I opened an additional claim for my downstairs unit because it was now not working. I requested the same technician since they were familiar with the problem. I also requested to reduce my policy to one year because of the customer service provided thus far.Desired Settlement: I would like for choice to complete the job,reduce my coverage to one year, and refund me the difference. I don't feel I should be locked into an extended warranty when I have not received the customer service I deserve. I was spoken to very rudely by the owner of tech design. I hate I chose this company from the beginning.

Business

Response:

Our mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php . I do apologize that you were charged an extra service call fee; I do see that CHW has provided a onetime free service call fee under your policy for you. Also I apologize that the technician for the garage door did not come back to finish repairing what he had broken, that is not something that would be covered under our policy per Section F. #19. On 9/28/15, CHW did reassign a new technician to come to your home and we do see that you did receive that information via email. I have requested that our escalations manager contact you and the technician to ensure that everything is scheduled.. We do appreciate your feedback as this does help us with our customer service and service providers.Best regards,CHW

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:I am not pleased with their service and do not wish to be locked into a 5 yr commitment. I've paid for that much service, however I would like to downgrade to one year of coverage. I will be willing to continue the service for one year. I would like my claim resolved as soon as possible.Regards,

Business

Response:

Thank you for your response, I have documented your policy and advised the Manager in the correct department of your decision to downgrade. Please feel free to contact him during normal business hours Monday - Friday 9-5 and ask to speak with Aaron or please wait as I have requested him to contact you as well.Regards,

Review: I purchased a home warranty that among other things covers my central air-conditioning unit. I am required to pay a $45 service call fee. Technician arrived and checked the AC unit and told me that it cannot be repaired and need to replace the unit. He gave a quote for $2200 to replace the unit . One 6/1/2015 I called the Customer service and asked to fix the AC issue. The lady in the Customer service told , as per the company policy the repair will not be covered, so you need to install the AC unit on your own expenses. I have escalated to their supervisor. Supervisor told that he will give me a call in couple of days with solution. He never called me back. I called them again , this time they have offered 200 dollars for the AC replacement. I asked them with 200 dollars I dont get anything. Then they connected me to their manager. He offered me 535 dollars to buy the unit and rest of the money I have to pay. I asked it will not cover anything. Then the manager threatened me if I don't take the offer he will cancel my account. Then my account got cancelled without my consent. I called them again to activate my account. So far I filed 3 complaints. First 2 they refused to replace unit and gave the money 200 dollars short on each item and no installation. 100 dollars installation on each. Now this is the 3 rd complaint and this time they are offering 1/4 th of the cost of the AC unit replacement. I have to fight with them to get the issues fixed. In the past 3 complaints I never got a proper resolution without a fight. This time for the AC replacement they are not even paying 1/4th of the cost. I want my AC unit to be replaced by the Choice Home Warranty . I dont want any cash from them , repair or replace my unit.Desired Settlement: Choice Home Warranty should replace my AC unit with their technician including installation. or give $2200 dollars check for installing the AC Unit.

Business

Response:

Our mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php . Upon review of your policy, I do see that CHW has assisted you with the following claims:Claim # [redacted] for your Dishwasher in the amount of $260.09 plus $45 to the technicianClaim [redacted]or your Microwave in the amount of $230.00 plus $45 to the technicianI do see that we have authorized a goodwill gesture for the most recent claim due to the fact that it was not a covered claim. We have authorized $400.00 for claim # [redacted]. We did advise you that the unit itself is only worth $535.00 but our original goodwill offer was $200.00 to assist you with a new unit. This is a good will gesture that we have offered you. This claim is not a covered claim and we did authorize $400 for you, again as goodwill. If you chose not to accept this offer, please contact us and let us know. All checks are mailed out in 30 business days and this check was authorized on the 6th of this month. As for the other 2 claims that you have had with us, CHW per the policy offers money in lieu of repair. Please see Section F. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY16. We reserve the right to offer cash back in lieu of repair or replacement in the amount of Our actual cost (which at times may be less than retail) to repair or replace any covered system, component or appliance.We do apologize that you are not happy with the amount that we have offered you for any of your claims. We do not pay for installation of units and again, the current AC claim was not a covered claim; you were offered goodwill. CHW does not have to offer anything per the user agreement but out of good faith we have.The AC was not covered due to the fact that the units CONDENSER COIL IS LEAKING FREON and it is only a 10 YEAR OLD UNIT: Premature failure of the condensing coil, resulting in a non-repairable leak and requiring replacement of the condenser coil or the unit. Condenser coils are built to be very durable being designed to withstand weather and temperature extremes and with proper installation, care and routine maintenance the can last decades normally outlasting every other part in a condenser. So that being said, Non-repairable leaks in condensing coils less than 30 years old are caused mainly due to a lack of proper routine maintenance, yet can also be caused by an improper installation or improper previous repair or design, and in rare instances a manufactures defect which would usually occur while unit is still covered by the manufacturer, the only other way would be physical damage, from lawn equipment, hail etc.Please understand that all policies have exclusions and CHW does follow our policy. We do our best to assist the customers and approve claims that are submitted to us. We do apologize for your frustration with these claims. CHW is in full compliance with our policy.We do appreciate your feedback as this does help us with our customer service and service providers.Best regards,CHW

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because:I took this warranty because of their advertisement on their website. Never pay anything for the breakdowns. But they are paying only one sixth of what it costs. As per the CHW , I took the 1st 2 offers because they are reasonable offers to fix my Dish Washer and Microwave Oven. I bought both Dish Washer and Microwave Oven and installed myself with the help of Youtube. I cannot install the AC unit on my own . The price they are offering is very unreasonable for this repair. I would rather ask the Warranty company to fix the issue instead of giving the money to me. I attached the Home Warranty with their advertisement showing the customer need not pay anything for the repairs. I am also attaching the Service technician estimate for the replacement. Thank you.

Regards,

Krishna Athota

Business

Response:

I do understand your frustration with this claim but please understand that this is not like the other claims that you have had. Your other claims were covered claims and CHW paid accordingly. This claim is not a covered claim and therefore we are not going to offer you the amount of the unit because we are not covering the cost of the unit. We are offering you funds towards a new unit. The amount that we offered you is a goodwill gesture, it is not a complete buyout of the unit, as stated this claim is not covered.We do have it documented that you did accept the goodwill gesture, and we have already placed the acceptance into the system for processing. If you are rejecting the offer, please advise and we will not send the funds to you. Also, please understand that this being a non-covered claim, CHW is not obligated to offer you anything towards a new unit.Again, we do have it documented that you have accepted the $400 on 6/4/15, if you are declining the offer we will cancel the goodwill gesture.Regards,CHW

Review: Deny claims on home Warranty. I purchased my home on July 2nd I had the AC serviced on July 6th and it was found to be in good working order with no issues. I called on Sept 9th with as AC issue. The said the coil was leaking. Choice claims it is pre existing and they will not cover it.Desired Settlement: They do what they are supposed to do and not deny people rightful claims.

Business

Response:

Dear Cole WernerOur mission at Choice Home Warranty is to provide property owners with peace of mind by offering a high quality, easy and affordable way to protect their most valuable asset. We are committed to providing a positive customer experience and we take all feedback very seriously. Choice Home Warranty provides home warranty service coverage on the systems and appliances listed as ‘INCLUDED’ under the terms of the User Agreement sent to you at purchase. It may also be found on our web site at http://www.choicehomewarranty.com/user_agreement.php . Upon review of your policy that began on 8/7/15, the claim that you placed on 9/9/15 for your Air Conditioning unit, could not be covered due to the fact that the unit did not come into the policy in proper working order as it is stated it has to be in order to be covered. Please see Section A. Coverage #3 of our policy:Are in place and in proper working order on the effective date of this home warranty contract. This contract does not cover any known or unknown pre-existing conditions. It is understood that WE ARE NOT A SERVICE PROVIDER and are not undertaking to repair or replace any such systems or components. This contract covers single-family homes (including manufactured homes), new construction homes, condominiums, townhomes, and mobile homes under 5,000 square feet, unless an alternative dwelling type (i.e. above 5,000 square feet or multi-unit home) is applied, and appropriate fee is paid. Coverage is for occupied, owned or rented residential property, not commercial property or residences used as businesses, including, but not limited to, day care centers, fraternity/sorority houses, and nursing/care homes. This contract describes the basic coverage and options available. Coverage is subject to limitations and conditions specified in this contract. Please read your contract carefully. NOTE: This is not a contract of insurance, residential service, warranty, extended warranty, or implied warranty.Also, you had stated that 10 days prior to the date of the claim you had paid a technician $500 to add Freon to your unit and it is not working again. As our rep explained to you that is showing that the unit is not properly working and a sealed system should never be low on Freon. We do apologize but an inspection report doesn’t constitute for a proper maintenance as it is an inspection if the unit runs or not, it will not state if the unit has proper levels of Freon or if the unit was ever maintained.We are not able to cover a claim that is pre-existing to the policy start date and shows a lack of proper maintenanceWe do appreciate your feedback as this does help us with our customer service and service providers.Best regards,CHW