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Old Republic Home Warranty Review
By Jhicel Kadusale MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Old Republic Home Warranty offers one-year service contracts with three comprehensive coverage plans and several optional add-ons for easy customization. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates the company A+ for its responsiveness to consumer complaints.
At their core, the best home warranties in the US are designed to protect American homeowners from the high costs of unexpected repairs when a major appliance or system in your home breaks. While homeowners insurance covers damages caused by events beyond your control, such as fires, floods, and thefts, home warranty coverage protects people from the expensive repairs that are caused by normal wear and tear.
For a small monthly fee, you can rest easy knowing that your home and its systems and appliances are protected. I something goes wrong, all you have to pay is a small service fee. As a result, a home warranty can give you peace of mind that you are protected against the high cost of unexpected repairs and replacements.
Does Old Republic Warranty meet your home warranty needs? Let’s dive deep into their plans and sift through their benefits and features.
Old Republic Home Warranty overview
Old Republic Home Warranty is one of the most well-known home warranty providers, having been in business for over 45 years. Formerly known as Dependable Home Warranty, Old Republic has a long history of providing quality coverage to homeowners across the country, offering services in 27 states and the District of Columbia.
Old Republic Home Warranty coverage
Compared to other home warranty companies, Old Republic’s coverage plans vary considerably depending on the state where you live. It’s important to review your state’s coverage brochure to learn more about their products and the Old Republic Home Warranty plan prices.
What it offers
Old Republic Home Warranty offers three extensive coverage plans: Standard, Ultimate and Platinum.
In addition to choosing your coverage level, you can customize your policy by selecting the type of home you own: single-family or condo/townhome/mobile home. The plan you pick determines which repairs or replacements are covered. The company also offers add-on coverage for items like washers, dryers and kitchen refrigerators.
Old Republic makes it easy for policyholders to manage their plans and service requests. By creating a Homeowner Central account, customers can:
- Easily request a new service
- Access the name and contact details of their service provider
- Renew plans online
- Make credit card payments
- Update customer information
- Pay trade call fees
The company’s website also features an English-to-Spanish translation option. Spanish-speaking customers can download a sample brochure and easily navigate the website in Spanish.
Another notable feature of the Old Republic website is the customer video testimonials. These real-life stories may provide valuable insight into the effectiveness of Old Republic’s policies and the quality of its customer service. But these testimonials were selected by the company and are almost certainly not representative of the general consumer sentiment about Old Republic.
Old Republic Home Warranty provides its customers with a wealth of educational resources and helpful articles about its services. This information can be extremely useful for homeowners new to home warranties or who are considering purchasing a policy.
What it doesn’t offer
Old Republic Home Warranty offers coverage for many of the systems and appliances in your home, but there are some exceptions. These exclusions are fairly standard for home service contract companies and help to keep premiums affordable.
The following are some problems that Old Republic plans don’t generally cover:
- Repair or replacement of systems and appliances due to missing components or equipment, mismatched components or malfunctions due to the lack of capacity of the existing appliance or system
- Routine maintenance and cleaning
- Damage caused by pests, pets or people
- Damage caused by improper installation, repair or modification
- Solar systems and components, including holding tanks
- Pneumatic, computerized, energy, and manual or electronic management systems
The exclusion list is extensive, so review the terms thoroughly before purchasing a plan.
While Old Republic Home Warranty serves most of the US states, the following states are not covered by their services:
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Pricing for coverage plans and other products, including renewals, may vary by state. Check out the company’s current home warranty brochure to choose the home warranty plan for your budget.
While it’s certainly important to find a plan that fits your budget, it’s also important to consider the total cost of any home warranty plan. The monthly premium is only one part of the equation—you also need to factor in the cost of service calls and any deductibles that apply.
Additionally, some home warranty companies offer different levels of coverage, so you’ll need to decide which type of plan makes the most sense for your needs.
Old Republic Home Protection offers several different home warranty plans. Some plans may cover the major systems in your home but not your appliances, while others may do just the reverse.
By comparing the Old Republic Home Warranty plans, pricing and coverage options, you can make sure you’re getting the best value for your money. Old Republic’s pricing is on par with that of other home warranty companies.
Standard
The Standard plan, which starts at $440 per year, is the most basic and covers the repair or replacement of major systems and appliances. It covers most kitchen appliances (including ranges, ovens, dishwashers, cooktops, kitchen exhaust fans, built-in microwaves and trash compactors) and major home systems (including heating, plumbing and electrical systems). Garage door openers and central vacuums are also covered.
In some states, the Standard Coverage plan includes dryers, washers, kitchen refrigerators and air conditioning systems.
Ultimate
Ultimate Protection includes everything in the Standard Plan with added features and benefits for haul away, permits, correcting code violations and more. Starting at $550, it also includes enhanced appliance repairs and system coverage.
Platinum
At $750, Old Republic’s Platinum plan includes all the features in the Ultimate plan, with extra coverage for HVAC systems, plumbing pipe leaks and code upgrades.
Apart from the three main plans, customers can also choose to purchase the two other customizable plans that offer even more coverage: Ultimate Protection (with washer/dryer/refrigerator coverage) and Platinum Protection (also with washer/dryer/refrigerator coverage).
Both plans are customizable in that customers can modify their coverage with add-ons that take care of additional equipment, including a washer, dryer, kitchen refrigerator, HVAC system, pool and roof.
What are online reviews saying about Old Republic Home Warranty?
Old Republic Home Warranty reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Many people appreciate the many customizable coverage options and the fact that homeowners can choose their own independent contractors.
Customers also report good experiences with customer service, with most saying that their questions were answered quickly and effectively.
For complaints about Old Home Republic Warranty, there were persistent themes among its reviews on BBB including:
- Delays in processing reimbursements
- Discrepancies between invoices and billing statements
- Delays in purchasing parts for covered items, thereby delaying service
These customer reviews provide insight into Old Republic Home Warranty customer service, claims process and coverage options. Reading these reviews can help identify red flags that may indicate areas where this home warranty provider has room for improvement.
Old Republic Home Warranty FAQ
How we evaluated Old Republic Home Warranty
We consulted the Better Business Bureau, customer reviews from across the web and Old Republic Home Warranty’s own website in order to provide a holistic evaluation of the company.
We checked whether Old Republic Home Warranty made any sample contracts available for review. We looked at the coverage limits and compared them with those of other providers. We compared their pricing and coverage options to understand exactly what Old Republic Home Warranty covers.
We scanned hundreds of reviews and complaints to better gauge satisfaction and ensure you’re getting the best possible value for your money.
Old Republic Home Warranty summary
When a home appliance or system breaks down, it can be a major inconvenience. Not only do you have to go without the use of the item, but you also have to pay for expensive repairs or replacements. Fortunately, a home warranty can save you money by protecting these items when they fail.
A “home warranty” is not actually a warranty or an insurance policy, but a service contract that covers the repair or replacement of home systems and appliances due to normal wear and tear. This means that if your furnace or some other system or appliance breaks down, your home warranty will cover at least part of the cost of the repair or replacement.
Old Republic Home Warranty offers industry-leading home warranty contracts. Like most home warranty companies, it won’t cover issues caused by natural disasters, pre-existing conditions, human error or neglect.
A home warranty through the Old Republic is a solid choice overall. The company offers competitively priced plans that cover a wide range of systems and appliances and boast positive customer reviews. We recommend Old Republic to homeowners or homebuyers looking for peace of mind when it comes to unexpected repairs.
We love that Old Republic is rated highly by the BBB. Customer reviews across the internet back this rating up, as well. Be aware, though, that consumer reviews and ratings are subject to manipulation. If you decide to purchase a plan with Old Republic Home Warranty, or any other home warranty company, we highly recommend that you conduct thorough research before making your final decision.
Here are the most notable features of Old Republic Home Warranty:
- The company offers one-year service contracts with three comprehensive coverage plans and several optional add-ons for easy customization.
- Old Republic makes it easy for policyholders to manage their plans and service requests through their Homeowner Central portal. This feature lets customers request a new service easily, access their service provider’s name and contact details, renew plans online, make credit card payments, update customer information or pay trade call fees from one central dashboard.
- Spanish-speaking customers can download a sample brochure and easily navigate the website in Spanish.
- The company’s website provides a plethora of resources and informative articles to educate and guide customers in buying and managing their plans.
Appliances and home systems are a big investment. You rely on them to work when you need them, so it’s frustrating and expensive when they break down. A home warranty can help protect you from the high cost of repairs and replacements, and Old Republic just might be the home warranty provider that best suits your needs.