Complaint Review: Home Warranty of America

Have an ailing refrigerator.  First noticed the problem on the weekend.  First, we tried unloading everything (and turning it off for 24 hours), then firing it up again, as recommended.  Worked fine for the first 6 hours or so, then started to labor and warm up again. 

So, called HWA, because we have the so-called PREMIER warranty with them, and they said they'd put in the order for a repair person, who would call us to schedule a service call, which would be $75 payable at the time of the call.  Fine.  A day and a half later, heard from the repair service.  First appointment available was 4 days away (it was Thursday, they couldn't come until Monday and someone needed to be at home between 1 pm and 6 pm).  So, at this point, we've been without a working refrigerator for 9 days.  (We've been buying ice to supplement what we can make in the freezer portion, which still works). 

Monday (and 5 bags of ice later) -- service tech showed up about 5:30 pm (so hubby had to sit around waiting half the day -- I couldn't do it, because I have this pesky day job ... ).  Said everything worked OK (compressor, fan, etc., EXCEPT the "control module" was shot and would have to be replaced.  Said they would be ordering it, and would call us back to come and install it.  We've now been without a working refrigerator for 12 days. 

One week passes, and we hear zero, zip, nada from the repair tech.  Finally, on the following Monday, of the following week (after he was out to diagnose the problem), after we've without a working refrigerator for 19 days, he calls and says the part is not made anymore and is no longer available.  BUT, if they shut the refrigerator off completely and remove the control module, they can PROBABLY send it in to the factory and get it rebuilt and it'll PROBABLY work.  It'll PROBABLY take a couple of weeks to send it out, get it rebuilt, and get it back, they will then call us and schedule a time to come out and install it (it'll be another 6-hour window), but first, they have to come and remove the part (ANOTHER 6 hour window) which will then shut the refrigerator AND freezer down totally. 

I'll admit -- I was getting a little testy at that point, so I tried calling HWA when I got home from work (bringing another 2 bags of ice).  Of course, no one answered, so I left a message to call me ASAP. 

Tuesday a.m., HWA called me.  I pointed out that we had been without a working refrigerator for -- as of Tuesday -- 20 days, and that our home warranty appears to indicate that they owe us a new refrigerator at that point.  They said, no, that's not how it works.  They will attempt to repair first, and THEN if it doesn't work, we get a new refrigerator (I guess ... maybe it's just a used hunk o junk, who knows). 

I pointed out to HWA that, to me, the first attempt WAS that attempt, especially since the "try again" will mean that we're TOTALLY without a refrigerator OR freezer for another two to three weeks, minimum.  AND, it may not work that time, either -- so by the time the come out and remove said part, ship it out, get it back, come out and reinstall it, fire the refrigerator up and check to see if it works, we will have been without a refrigerator for 35-40 days. 

This is San Antonio, TX, people -- refrigeration is a MUST!!!  It's not like winter in North Dakota or something, where you can set your goodies out on the windowsill and they'll keep just fine ...

And no, they don't provide loaners and no, they don't reimburse us for renting a refrigerator ... and, we have a situation here where we have medication that MUST be refrigerated.  Guess we can hope the neighbors will give us a key and let us keep at least our essentials at their place (and be able to come and get them at all hours).  Worth a try, I suppose. 

I am normally a patient person, but this smells very much like a MAJOR ripoff to me (smells almost as bad as that boatload of food we've had go bad, as a matter of fact).  Time will tell -- we've got another 3 weeks or so to go on this oddyssey.  From my law school days, I'm thinking fraud-fraud-fraud, deceptive trade practices, you name it.  Anyone out there interested in a class-action lawsuit ????