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Is a home warranty just a waste of money? Some feel this way. But for others, it is a real budget-saver. Home warranties are meant to help you when an appliance or system (such as HVAC) breaks and you need it fixed. They are also useful when it’s beyond repair and you require a new one.
But be careful! It’s extremely important that you read every part of your contract* so you know what is and isn’t covered. So let’s dig in and see how Cinch (formerly Total Protect) stacks up versus the other home warranty companies you may be considering.
*Good for you! You are reading every part of this article! (This is to help you look for those small asterisks in contracts.)
Article Overview
- Pros & Cons
- Key Features
- Plans
- User Reviews
- Why You Need A Home Warranty
- How Does Cinch Compare Against Others?
Cinch
Pros
- 180-day service quality guarantee
- Covers a wide range of appliances and systems
- File claims 24/7 online or on the phone
- Available in 48 states
- BBB rating: A-
Cons
- They go by many names so you may have to look under a different name to find them in your area
- Deductibles are higher than competitors
- No custom plan
- Many complaints on the BBB page
- Not available in Alaska or Hawaii
Key Features
- Cinch is a product offered by Cross Country Home Services, Inc. (CCHS). Another popular home warranty company, HMS Home Warranty, is also owned by CCHS.
- 180-day guarantee, so if the same problem happens again within 6 months Cinch will fix it at no extra cost to you (Cinch is the only home warranty provider that offers this)
- Three deductible levels: $100, $125 or $150 (higher deductibles means lower monthly premiums)
Plans
Cinch Home Services offers three coverage plans: Appliances, Built-In Systems and Complete Home. Complete Home includes everything in the Appliances and Built-In Systems plans as well as a homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement.
| Appliances | Built-In Systems |
|---|---|
| Clothes Dryer | Air Conditioning Including Ductwork |
| Clothes Washer | Attic Fans |
| Cooktops | Ceiling Fans |
| Dishwashers | Central Vacuums |
| Food Centers (Built-in) | Doorbells |
| Freestanding Ice Makers | Electrical System |
| Microwaves (Built-in) | Garage Door Openers |
| Ranges | Garbage Disposals |
| Range Exhaust Hood | Heating System Including Ductwork |
| Refrigerators | Instant Hot/Cold Water Dispenser |
| Trash Compactor (Built-in) | Plumbing System |
| Wall Oven | Smoke Detectors |
| Sump Pump | |
| Toilets | |
| Water Heater | |
| Whirlpool/Jetted Tup (Built-in) |
Coupon
Customer Reviews
Below are two positive and two negative reviews for Cinch to help you understand some of the good and the bad situations that customers have experienced.
Positive Reviews
Have had four different services covered and all were handled quickly, effortlessly and courteously. I am really happy I opted to get home protection when I did. – Barbara F., BBB 1/20/2020
I had just bought a refrigerator and I thought it was better to buy the full home appliance than just the refrigerator warranty. I got a warranty from Cinch and used them for the Samsung refrigerator when the icemaker messed up. It’s a counter-depth refrigerator, which is kind of rare, so the tech had to order a special part and have it sent here. He didn’t have anything that would fix it but he was really nice. – Jackie, Consumer Affairs 5/10/2020
Negative Reviews
we never had issues like this when the company was HMS, however since becoming Cinch the service has been very disappointing. my oven broke and they are trying to tell me the only option to replace is with a size that doesn’t fit. how am I supposed to make a 27 inch oven fit a 21″ hole in the wall?? they are offering me a claim credit that barely covers 2/3 the cost of the cheapest option I can find. After 2 hours on the phone, they are refusing to help rectify this situation. I cannot believe I have wasted my money on a warranty that doesn’t hold up to their end of the deal. I will be looking for a new company for my business and would STRONGLY advise anyone looking for their services to look elsewhere – Melissa H., BBB 5/12/2020
I’ve had Cinch Home Services for a couple of years. The first claim I ever put in was in February of this year for my heat downstairs that stopped working. That claim was fine. The people came out and they told Cinch I needed a compressor, so they replaced the unit. A month or so later, it got really warm one day so we put the air on and it didn’t work. So, I put a claim in. The first time, I paid Cinch 217. That was the only part I had to come out of pocket for for the whole unit downstairs. This time, when they said I needed a whole new unit upstairs, they didn’t cover anything but $900, and I had to come up with $2,300. They’re identical units. I don’t know if it’s the 2 different companies they sent. One itemized it, one just said I needed a compressor and a whole unit. I didn’t replace it so it’s hot upstairs. I wanna cancel. – Taneisha, Consumer Affairs 4/8/2020
Why Do You Need A Home Warranty?
Are you still wondering why you need a home warranty? Watch this short clip, maybe it will convince you!
Is Cinch The Best?
Cinch is just one of the many home warranty companies we review. Check out our comprehensive home warranty comparison to see if there’s a better option.
What’s your reason for getting a home warranty?
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I was totally disappointed in Cinch Home Warranty. We were having 90+ degree weather and when I called to have the air conditioning looked at, they gave me a two week waiting time for a technician to get here. Needless to say we had to call a local one and they came promptly and fixed the problem and all this time we continued to have the 90+ degree weather we could have suffered all that two weeks if we had waited for their guy. Never again, it will never be recommended…
I wish I read the reviews before purchasing a policy. I know the policy is cheap but save yourself from being disappointed and upset when you have to make a claim. DO NOT BUY. I was scammed out of a few hundred bucks by Total Home Protection. Please do not fall for the same thing I did. They make suffer by waiting a week only to tell you the appliance is not covered. There are definitely see some fake reviews out there. There is no way this company would replace an appliance. They will promise you the world but give you nothing.
I had been with this company for several years with good results. May 2019, my refrigerator quit working. A service company came out and could not do the repair. I was told to get my own provider and I would be reimbursed. It’s been over 2 months and no payment. After several calls and disconnects, I gave up and cancelled. All premiums had been paid and now they tell me because I cancelled, even though my service was intact at the time of the repair, they are NOT going to reimburse me… The quality of service provider they are using today is horrible. The last 2 tech’s they sent out were not qualified to fix anything… STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY
I have a Sears plan for total home services and I see the name in my state as cross country. They are the worst possible. I called in weekly about my dishwasher, asked for someone to find out about it, said someone would call me back, never got a call.. I changed my visa number and they called the day it was due asking for amt. The company never responded to any request. Finally they said I was approved, for what I didn’t know. Made an appt., sent repairman here without parts to fix it. A then the amount to fix it was $350, my refund was 106, 206, and then another amount. I gave up and bought a new dishwasher myself.
This took over a month while the dishwasher sat there with the water getting really nasty. When I talked to someone I said no one responds, I’m sorry, no calls back.
How this gets an adequate rating is beyond me.
We are getting ready to buy our first home (we sign the papers next week). I’m a little bummed because we forgot to ask about the sellers including a home warranty, but I’m also kind of glad because we get to pick our own. Anyways, we’ve settled on Total Protect but does anyone have a coupon for Total Protect? We’d like to save any money we can. Thanks ahead of time!
Hi George, Total Protect is indeed running a couple promotions at the moment. Details in the Discount section of the article above.
I presently have Sears Home Warranty and they only cover certain types of appliances (Ex.: “built-in microwave”, refrigerator w/ icemaker in door, etc. The first time I called them about my water heater, they stated that it was covered and then on or a little before the day the repairman was to come to my house, another person with the company called and said that it was not covered and then told me that to replace the “uncovered” water heater, it would cost me $650.00 just for the water heater itself. We bought a 50-gal. water heater for our remodeled master bathroom for a little over $400.00 so that was a crock. Called them again about our dishwasher and instead of replacing the product with a new one, they only ordered a part for it and said when it was delivered to our house, we could put it on ourselves. Pay over $400 a year for this “coverage” and $75.00 for each service call just to have them order a $39.00 part. What’s the deal. I’m tired of paying for something that doesn’t pay off in the long run or short run or any other types of run. This is a waste of money, as we can get parts, appliances, etc. and “fix it ourselves” for a lot less money and hassle.
Hey Kimberly- I see the review is a year and a half old. I wanted to ask- is total home protect still the highest rated for you guys? we are looking at them, Choice and American Home club.
thanks
Great question Alan! Take a look at our home warranty comparison article, which has up to date rankings. Total Protect is still our #1 at this time. I suggest reaching out to any friends/family that have a home warranty provider nearby and see who they are using. The big difference in service is who these companies hire to repair the issues. If the repairmen/women are rude or not good, that will effect your experience. Talking to local customers is always helpful in finding out which company is the best in your area. Let me know if you have any questions!
Why do these companies, such as Total Protect, at times only agree to pay X amount of the replacement cost whe they advertise to pay full replacement. This is my hold up in signing up.
When I signed up for total protect, the assured me “Unlimited Claims Coverage; No matter what the total cost of repair or replacement, all covered claims will be paid for by Total Protect.” However, when my hot water heater cracked and required replacement, they only covered $648.65 out of the $1876.88 cost to replace. To make matters worse, the hot water heater was specifically listed as a covered item.
TotalProtect also assured me that “There are plenty of service technicians in your area to help with any claim” and that “Total Protect pre-screens the service professionals in your area so that you’re guaranteed a reputable and trustworthy service company.” However, there was only 1 pre-screened plumber in the entire city of Raleigh who wasn’t even professional enough to return our multiple phone calls and/or voicemails. It has been 4 days and I still have received a call. What’s an even bigger violation of their promise that “Total Protect will take care of things further,” is that when TotalProtect was notified their service provider failed to return our calls, they said “Figure it out yourself.” My wife had to call every plumber in Raleigh to see if they would accept 3rd party billing. After hours of calling people she found 1 person who would. However, because they were fixed rate and not itemized, TotalProtect refused to honor the full claim amount.
I could not be more disappointed in the coverage TotalProtect provided. They violated the terms of the warranty coverage and then Robin and her supervisor; Crystal, refused to work with us after the fact to cover the entire cost of the repair. Since I have 3 homes warrantied through TotalProtect, I will not be renewing my contract with them. 100% dissatisfied with their service!
I am so sorry to hear about your bad experience with Total Protect. Did you end up choosing another home warranty company or do you plan on going without one?