Choice Home Warranty Review: Repairing Their Reputation?

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Choice Home Warranty has one of the worst reputations we have seen. There is a government write-up on the company’s Better Business Bureau page stating that the company allegedly sold a home warranty to consumers and then denied consumer claims. This is a big red flag in our opinion, so if you are seriously considering Choice Home Warranty we recommend you proceed with caution. Below is the review we initially wrote prior to learning about the government write-up.

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Choice Home Warranty BBB

Before getting to our Choice Home Warranty review, we need to share the following legal judgement against Choice Home Warranty (CHW):

According to a 6/15/15 statement on BBB’s website, NJ-based CHW “agreed to pay the State $779,913.93 including consumer restitution; revise its business practices; and retain a compliance monitor for at least one year under a Final Consent Judgment resolving the lawsuit brought by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs in July 2014 against the company and its current and former principals…”

The Division’s Complaint “alleged that CHW induced consumers to buy the so-called “home warranties” – which were actually service contracts – by stating they offered “comprehensive” coverage. The Division alleged that CHW then used deceptive tactics to deny consumers’ claims, such as denying claims if the consumers were unable to submit multiple years’ worth of maintenance records. As a result, consumers who paid hundreds of dollars for CHW’s “warranties” were required to pay out-of-pocket for air conditioning, refrigerator, or other repairs that were purportedly covered.”

It’s unclear whether Choice Home Warranty still retains the oversight of the NJ State compliance monitor. But based on the overwhelmingly positive online customer reviews we found from the past 9 months or so, the company appears to be cleaning house.

Choice Home Warranty

3.15 / 5

Customer Service & Reputation 0.8

Pricing 4.0

Appliances Covered 3.5

Technicians' Work 4.0

Available In All 50 States 3.5

Pros

• Very affordable pricing, purportedly
• 5-star customer service ratings on TrustPilot
• Excellent online customer feedback about their contracted technicians
• Consumers report quick response and repairs

Cons

• $60 service call fee, even if no work performed
• Spotty coverage across U.S.
• Company not BBB accredited
• More than 1,400 consumer complaints to BBB in last 3 years

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Key Features

• Service guarantee: 90 days for parts and 30 days for labor
• 24/7/365 availability to make service requests by phone or email
• Replacement or reimbursement for appliances and systems found beyond repair
• Coverage begins 30 days after enrollment
• 30-day cancellation policy ($50 cancellation fee)

Plans

This company doesn’t publish its pricing on its website, but based on consumer reviews we understand it’s one of the more affordable options out there.

What’s the Buzz Online About Choice Warranty?

We found a number of Choice Home Warranty complaints, largely on the BBB’s website. But as we stated earlier, there are a ton of excellent consumer reviews on trusted sites as well — and the good news is, these reviews are more recent. Here’s a sampling of what real consumers have to say.

Positive Choice Home Warranty Reviews

I was amazed by the dedication of Choice to find an excellent technician to repair my home boiler heating system. They were easy to reach and talk to and they were truly concerned to solve my problem ASAP with an excellent technician. This was a first class effort by CHW in every respect. – George S., Trust Pilot 2/11/16

Service was fantastic from the time I placed the call until the service repair was complete. The techs that came to my house were very professional and courteous and completed the job quickly. I was extremely happy with the service as always. There was even a follow-up call to make sure everything was taken care of in a timely manner. – Anna, Consumer Affairs 2/8/16

Negative Choice Home Warranty Reviews

Stay away from this company! Consistent with other reviews, they will find some way to deny a legitimate claim. They even refused to reimburse for a mechanical repair which they admitted was covered when it occurred. They insisted on a detailed report from a contractor, duplicating information I had provided to them, and then claimed the item was not covered. The practices described in the consent decree reported on this site are still going on. Stay away!! – Herman C., BBB 1/12/16

I covered several rental properties [with Choice Home Warranty] and every time I tried to communicate with them they would put me on hold or said they would return my call, guess what, I never received a returned call nor a work order was ever submitted. – Dave, Trust Pilot 1/16/16

Are Home Warranties Worth It?

Check out this video by Money Talks News, which has some basic tips about what to look for in a home warranty.

Is Choice Home Warranty Worth Considering?

Based on our research, we’re reluctant to recommend Choice Home Warranty at this point but hope to have a better outlook on it in the future. Their history of bad BBB reviews and legal action against them leaves us in a “let’s wait and see” stance. Your best bet is to talk to people you know to see if they’ve used Choice Home Warranty and would recommend them, especially if they live in your town. For other home warranty recommendations, see our home warranty reviews article.

What experiences have you had with Choice Home Warranty services?