Fidelity National Home Warranty - Delux Plan ripoff Fidelity states It was installed wrong by the builder but has worked well for five years. Nationwide
Imagine spending $405.00 for a Delux Policy to protect your major systems and appliances in the house you bought. Now imagine what you will feel like when you call them when your garbage disposal will not work.
They send out a plumber to supposedly fix it at the tune of YES! MORE of your hard earned money. $40.00. You think all is well until the plumber ( Instead of fixing it SAYS ) it was installed wrong so it is not covered by the policy. The garbage disposal was installed by the builder that built the home and has been working for five years.
Hmmm.
Could this be there way of not paying for the repair? In the policy they state that all parts and components are covered. Sounds like dirty water to me.
They claim in their in their advertisement... Relax. We've got you covered! Now I'm covered in smell.
Cheri
Murrieta, California
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
John
Califon,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
How is a homeowner
#4Consumer Comment
Wed, November 22, 2006
suppose to know 1)if an item is indeed installed properly? 2)if the repair indeed was indeed in reference to #1?
This whole warranty thing is a real scam. The average homeowner is not going to know this stuff and is precisely why they purchased the warranty.
Pat
Fresno,California,
U.S.A.
Read the home warranty contract in full!!!
#4UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, November 22, 2006
I used to work at Fidelity National Home Warranty which is now located in Concord, CA. Every new home warranty customer should understand how the warranty works. Please read the home warranty contract in full!!!
There is a service fee that is due at the time of service regardless if any service work is performed or not. This is stated in the contract. You pay the service fee just to have someone come out to tell you if your claim will be covered or not. It is like paying a co pay when you go to the doctor.
If you go to the doctor and you do not agree with what the doctor is saying. You never will get your co pay back. It is the same way with a home warranty company. The warranty covers the failures of the system, brand, or appliance if it failed due to normal wear and tear only.
If the item has failed due to any other reason then your claim will not be covered by the warranty. If the claim is not covered by the warranty then you as the consumer have the right to not let the home warranty tech fix the problem. You can hire your own tech to fix the problem.
In the case of this consumer's garbage disposal claim not being covered because the garbage disposal did not fail due to normal wear and tear. If you do not agree with the warranty tech's diagnoses. Ask for a 2nd opinion or go out and get your own 2nd opinion and if your tech's diagnoses is different then the 1st tech then the warranty will have to fix the problem. Good Luck!
Larry
Tucson,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Home Warranties are bad investments
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, June 26, 2005
Home warranties are OK if someone else is paying for them, such as the person who sold you the house.
You found out the hard way that after paying the premium, you still have to pay part of the repair cost and they will wriggle out any way they can. Even if they somehow do cover a repair, they will control who does it and what materials are used; you will have no control over repairs to your house.
Dump the warranty and go it alone.
Yeah, I know. You're scared of having to pay for a high-ticket item like a new A/C. Guess what? They won't pay for it no matter how long you paid their premiums.
Put $405 in a savings account every year and apply it to repairs as needed.