I tried a home warranty on my first house and it was a total waste

When I bought my place in Tampa last year, the seller threw in a one-year home warranty as a sweetener. I figured it was free coverage, so why not? The first thing to go was the AC unit, which started making a weird grinding noise about 8 months in. I called the warranty company, paid the $75 service fee, and waited. The guy they sent out said the whole compressor was shot and needed a full replacement, which the warranty should cover. But then the company denied the claim, saying it was a 'pre-existing condition' from before I bought the house. I spent weeks going back and forth with them and got nowhere. I ended up paying $5,200 out of pocket for a new unit. Learned the hard way that those warranties are mostly a scam and you're better off just putting money in a savings account for repairs. Has anyone else had a good experience with a different company, or are they all pretty much like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

leo_campbell17d ago

Ugh, that's the classic move. They'll find any loophole to avoid paying for the big stuff.

noah_sullivan17d ago

My last claim got denied for a pre-existing condition. I sent them a letter from my old doctor proving it was new, and they paid out in two weeks. Sometimes you just gotta push back with the right paperwork.