I do not expect that this will help me resolve my issues with Old Republic Home Protection Company (ORHP), but I do hope that my story will help others to realize that these home warranties are a scam, and to stay away.
I bought my house in Phoenix, AZ in late 2006. As part of the deal, the sellers purchased a home warranty from ORHP for one year, for $545 (in essence, I purchased the warranty, because it was part of my purchase of the house).
In July I contacted ORHP to request service on my pool's filter, which was leaking and not functioning properly. They sent a contractor, who charged me a $55 service call fee, and told me that all that needed to be replaced was an O-Ring, which he replaced. The unit functioned properly for a few months, but the leak returned. I called ORHP, which sent out a different contractor. That contractor again charged me a $55 service call fee (I had now paid $110 for an O-Ring which had temporarily solved the problem), and, 2 weeks after the technician visited my property, he sent me a report, which stated that the leak was caused by my improper maintenance of the unit (not true), and denied coverage by ORHP.
I subsequently called ORHP's "customer service" department, and was treated very rudely by a guy who obviously has great disdain for the customers he is supposed to be "servicing." I then filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, but that went nowhere, as ORHP continues to cling to the story that the unit was improperly maintained. I merely asked for my $110 in wasted service call fees refunded, together with the part of the coverage which paid for my pool ($145, for a total refund request of $255), but ORHP has simply refused.
It is difficult to imagine how a consumer can overcome a big company like ORHP. Obviously, the contractors which they employ have great incentive for finding "issues" which would bar coverage under the warranty, and thus keeping ORHP profitable. If just one person reads this and changes their mind in terms of not buying a home warranty from ORHP, I will feel justified.
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