We recommend the best products through an independent review process, and advertisers do not influence our picks. We may receive compensation if you visit partners we recommend. Read our advertiser disclosure for more info.
Since 1984, First American Home Warranty (FAHW) has served as a leader in the home warranty industry, distributing more than 8.9 million home warranties during its time in business. House Method’s in-house research team nominated FAHW as the best home warranty company for appliance insurance on the market, specifically for its generous $3,500 per-item annual coverage allowance on all included appliances for just $38 per month.
To help you determine whether First American Home Warranty is the right provider for you, we dug through the fine print of FAHW’s service contract and summarized the most important bits to know in this review.
For a free quote from First American Home Warranty, call 833-204-7164 or get a quote online.
Pros
Cons
After evaluating 60+ home warranty companies across the U.S., we scored First American Home Warranty with 4.2 out of 5 stars. To assign this rating, we closely evaluated the overall quality of FAHW’s standard home protection plans, as well as its financial strength, cost-to-coverage ratio, and commitment to customer service, among other benchmarks, as disclosed in our methodology.
Why Trust House Method
House Method’s Experts collected and analyzed 2000+ critical data points to identify what makes a great home warranty company in the eye of the consumer. Our reviews team used this data to assess over 60 home warranty providers for coverage extent, annual cost, and national availability to provide unbiased reviews so homeowners can confidently navigate key decisions about their homes.
First American Home Warranty carries two base plans: the Basic Plan and the Premier Plan. The Basic Plan is an appliance-only option offering tier-one coverage for repairing or replacing 12 home appliances. For roughly $10 more per month, the Premier Plan provides comprehensive protection against everyday wear and tear for a mix of 20 major systems and appliances
FAHW offers adequate coverage for most home types and homeowner budgets. Still, we especially recommend this provider to anyone who recently purchased a home with any chattels or fixtures.
Hand-me-down appliances and systems can come with many unknowns — previous owners may not have maintained, installed, or used the item correctly, even if it passes inspection. Unlike many competing providers, FAHW will cover items of any age with unknown pre-existing conditions or signs of visible rust, corrosion, and sediment.
Item | Basic Plan | Premier Plan |
Attic Fans | ✓ | ✓ |
Ceiling Fans | ✓ | |
Cooktop Exhaust Fans | ✓ | ✓ |
Dishwasher | ✓ | ✓ |
Garbage Disposal | ✓ | ✓ |
Built-in Microwave | ✓ | ✓ |
Oven/Stove/Range | ✓ | ✓ |
Refrigerator | ✓ | ✓ |
Trash Compactor | ✓ | ✓ |
Cold/Hot Water Dispenser | ✓ | ✓ |
Clothes Washer | ✓ | ✓ |
Clothes Dryer | ✓ | ✓ |
Heating | ✓ | |
Ductwork | ✓ | |
Plumbing | ✓ | |
Plumbing Stoppages | ✓ | |
Hot Water Heater | ✓ | |
Electrical | ✓ | |
Central Vacuum | ✓ | |
Garage Door Openers | ✓ |
First American Home Warranty has a total of six optional coverage riders available for homeowners wanting to extend their coverage beyond a base plan. It’s still important to understand how standard inclusions vary between providers to ensure you aren’t paying extra for something that would be automatically covered in your primary policy elsewhere.
Option add-ons available for coverage:
FAHW is one of the only home warranty companies that doesn’t provide basic coverage for air conditioning systems in its plans. Instead, coverage for A/C units and related components is only available to policyholders as an optional add-on. We deducted points from our star rating of FAHW for this exclusion in particular. Seeing as most homeowners use air conditioning daily, we don’t believe customers should have to pay an additional fee to access proper coverage.
Coverage for household heating systems is only included in FAHW’s Premier Plan. Policyholders who opt for this plan level will be covered for up to $1,500 per year in heating-related repairs and replacements.
FAHW’s heating coverage includes:
Protection against interior leaks, pipe breaks, clogs, etc. is included in both the Basic and Premier Plan levels. FAHW will cover up to $500 per year in plumbing expenses for select scenarios, including:
Repairs or replacements for fixtures, showerheads, faucets, and shower arms are not included.
For stoppages, FAHW will cover the clearing of clogs in toilets, sinks, and shower/tub drains. Clearing of sewer and mainline stoppages is also included, but only for backups within 125 feet of an existing ground-level cleanout. First American’s plumbing system coverage doesn’t extend to stoppages due to foreign object obstruction, root infiltration, collapsed exterior lines, or location/excavation fees.
All parts of your washing machine and clothes dryer are covered by FAHW under an annual coverage limit of up to $3,500 per item, except for:
FAHW offers industry-standard coverage for interior electrical items, including:
For any electrical issue behind unobstructed walls, FAHW authorizes its contractors to create a necessary access point in the wall, only returning the opening to a rough finish. Any further restoration for aesthetic purposes is not covered.
Nearly all parts and components of your refrigerator that fail due to normal wear and tear are eligible for up to $1,000 in coverage per year through FAHW. This coverage applies to both freestanding and built-in kitchen refrigerator/freezer units.
Fridge features that won’t be covered by FAHW include:
Like any other home warranty service provider, First American Home Warranty won’t cover everything. Specific exclusions as stated in its sample policy include:
With plans starting as low as $1 per day, First American Home Warranty offers some of the most affordable coverage options industry-wide. Given that the Basic Plan and Premier Plans differ in price by a little over $10, we strongly recommend that homeowners go ahead and invest in maximum protection from the get-go.
Given that the national average monthly premium for a home warranty ranges between $33-$58 per month, the price of FAHW’s most comprehensive plan falls at the lower end of that cost spectrum.
Most home warranty companies, including FAHW, offer a slightly discounted rate to customers who opt to pay annually rather than monthly. FAHW policyholders who pay on an annual basis will save $36 per year on the Basic Plan or the Premier Plan.
Plan | Monthly cost | Annual cost |
Basic Plan | $38 | $420 / 12 months |
Premier Plan | $48.50 | $546 / 12 months |
Add-On Costs
First American Home Warranty charges a fixed service fee of $75 each time you request service for a new issue. A service call fee is an out-of-pocket payment that’s used to compensate the technician sent out to your home for labor costs and any travel expenses they may have incurred. Most deductibles range between $60-$125 across the home warranty market, so FAHW’s service fee is about the industry average.
A coverage limit is the dollar amount a home warranty company will contribute toward an approved repair or replacement cost. Any balance exceeding a provider’s specified coverage cap will be left to the policyholder to pay.
Here are First American Home Warranty’s coverage limits, pulled directly from its sample contract:
Item | Coverage Limit (per year) |
Per appliance | $3,500 |
HVAC and Ductwork | $1,500 |
Plumbing | $500 |
Concrete Encased Issues | $500 |
Well Pump | $1,500 |
Septic System | $500 |
Additional Refrigeration (up to four units) | $1,000 |
Saltwater Pool/Spa Equipment | $1,500 |
Steam, Heated Water, or Glycol Heating | $1,500 |
Code Violations/Permits (First Class Upgrade) | $250 per occurrence |
First American Home Warranty’s cancellation policies differ from state to state, with unique clauses affecting Montana and Wyoming residents. According to FAHW’s sample policy, homeowners in every applicable state will be charged a $50 cancellation fee if the contract is terminated after the first 30 days of coverage. Cancellations within the first 30 days warrant a full refund.
For Wyoming residents, the same cancellation window and fee apply. However, WY customers are also entitled to 10% interest for each month their refund is not credited back by
FAHW. Wyoming customers cannot cancel their contract and receive a refund if they are not the original contract purchaser.
In Montana, if FAHW opts to void the contract for justified reasons, customers will not be charged a cancellation fee and will receive a full refund for unpaid premiums.
Here are some alternative providers to choose from if you’re located in any of the following states that First American Home Warranty doesn’t serve:
The best way to predict your future experience with any home warranty company is by gaining insight from current or past policyholders through verified customer reviews. But, because consumers statistically are more likely to write an online review when wanting to vocalize a negative experience rather than a positive one, always take customer testimonials with a grain of salt.
FIRST AMERICAN RATINGS | INDUSTRY AVERAGE RATINGS | |
YELP | 1.0 / 5 (out of 770 reviews) | 1.2 / 5 (out of 375 reviews) |
BBB | 2.8 / 5 (out of 1,376 reviews) | 2.0 / 5 (out of 956 reviews) |
TRUSTPILOT | 4.0 / 5 (out of 3,632 reviews) | 1.9 / 5 (out of 937 reviews) |
We dug through 70+ reviews posted by FAHW policyholders just this year on popular online review platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and TrustPilot and pulled excerpts that we felt accurately highlighted both the positive and negative sides of the customer experience.
Here are a few of the BBB reviews from FAHW customers that stood out to us:
“A little over a year ago, we purchased a beautiful, 35-year-old home. At that age, things wear out. First American has been true to [its] word, repairing or replacing the needed items listed in our agreement. In February, both central heating units upstairs and downstairs failed and thus were replaced. In late April, an A/C condensing unit failed and was also replaced. Our cost was minimal. First American saved us thousands of dollars. I would highly recommend First American to anyone buying an older home. The policy is worth every penny!” – Tim L., 05/10/2023
“I filed a claim on my pool/spa heater, and First American sent out a contractor. The contractor said it was a faulty part, and he replaced the part but it did not fix the problem. I filed another service request. The next contractor said it [needed] a different part and he had to order it. I never heard back and the problem is still not fixed. I called First American to ask what the status is and was told that the claim was closed as resolved. They said because it had been two months I had to open another claim and pay another $85. I explained that I was waiting for the contractor to let me know when they would be back out but they didn’t care.” – Trimonisha S., 06/11/2023
“You better know what your problem is before you request a service. I put in a request for garbage disposal as the issue in a house I recently bought. The contractor came out and told us it was not the garbage disposal but a “stoppage” and to “run hot water through our sink regularly”. That was it. Didn’t fix our problem and then the contractor filed this with nothing about a stoppage and instead only talked about our reverse osmosis not being covered… I paid 85 dollars for them to tell me it wasn’t the garbage disposal and that I need to do the whole process again but this time submit a request for a stoppage. I’d rather pay full price for a real contractor to fix it than deal with this again.” – Brittany W., 04/27/2023
First American Home Warranty (FAHW) is one of the more experienced home warranty providers in the industry, with over 38 years in business and a B-rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Though it’s not quite as old as American Home Shield, FAHW still holds seniority over younger competitors like Choice Home Warranty. With more time on the market, FAHW is more receptive to the unique coverage and budget needs of different homeowners, reflected in its comprehensive yet cost-effective base plans.
Despite having pretty robust coverage, keep in mind that FAHW doesn’t include basic coverage for air conditioning in its standard plans. If you live in a warmer state like California or Texas, where A/C is a must, you’ll have to tack on optional coverage at an additional cost. First American Home Warranty currently only offers service in 35 states and Washington, D.C.
Based on our key takeaways, First American Home Warranty is an ideal plan option for home buyers and sellers as it offers unique real estate add-ons and upgrades designed specifically for homes on the market. And, with high coverage limits on all laundry and kitchen appliances plus guaranteed coverage on items of any age and bonus haul-away services, FAHW could be incredibly valuable to homeowners who recently purchased an older home or any fixer-upper.
To find out how a policy from First American Home Warranty might look for your home, generate a free custom quote by filling out this online form or by calling 833-204-7164.
Company | Why we chose it | Pricing* | Waiting period | BBB rating | States Covered |
Choice Home Warranty | Best Overall | Basic Plan: $45/month Total Plan: $53.33/month Service Fee: $85 | 30 days | B- | 49 states (Not including WA) |
Select Home Warranty | Most Cost-Effective Plans | Bronze: $58/month Gold: $57.67/month Platinum: $62.08/month Service Fee: $60 | 30 days | B | 46 states(Not including NV, NY, WA, WI) |
American Home Shield | Best Customizable Plans | ShieldSilver: $29.27-$44.27/month ShieldGold: $39.27-$54.27/month ShieldPlatinum: $59.27-$74.27/month Service Fee: $75, $100 or $125 | 30 days | B | 49 states (Not including AK) |
The Home Service Club | Quickest Service | Standard Coverage Plan: $50 Comprehensive Coverage Plan: $62.90 Service Fee: $60, $75, or $95 | 10 days | N/A | All 50 states and Washington, D.C. |
Liberty Home Guard | Most Trustworthy | Appliance Guard: $70/month Systems Guard: $74.99/month Total Home Guard: $79.99/month Service Fee: $75 | 30 days | A+ | 45 states (Not including CA, WA, WY, WI, IL) |
First American Home Warranty | Best Appliance Coverage | Basic Plan: $38/month Premier Plan: $48.50/month Service Fee: $75 | 30 days | B | 35 states (not including AL, CT, DE, HI, IL, LA, ME, MA, MN, NH, NJ, NY, ND, RI, VT, WI) |
Cinch Home Services | Best Workmanship Guarantee | Appliances Plan: $34.99-$50.99/month Built-in Systems Plan: $39.99-$57.99/month Complete Home Plan: $49.99-$67.99/month Service Fee: $75, $100, or $150 | 30 days | A- | 48 states (Not including HI or AK) |
*Note: The cost of premiums will vary on plan, location, and service fee selected.
First American Home Warranty vs. Liberty Home Guard
First American Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield
While First American Home Warranty has more limited state availability than its competitors and also doesn’t include air conditioning in its standard plans, it does provide coverage for items that are improperly installed, modified, or maintained — something that most other companies don’t. Additionally, its plans are relatively inexpensive compared to other leading service providers.
First American Home Warranty costs between $38 and $48.50 a month. The actual price of your home warranty will vary depending on your location and the level of home warranty coverage you choose. There’s also a $75 service fee which is paid to the pre-approved contractor at your first service appointment.
Read your home warranty contract for clear cost and coverage information.
No, First American Home Warranty does not cover mold, nor does it cover damage due to bacteria, yeasts, mildew, viruses, fungi, mycotoxins, or other metabolic products.
If you want to cancel your plan, call the First American phone number at 800.992.3400 or send your cancellation request to cancellationsupport@firstam.com.
At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each home warranty provider according to our methodology.
We’ve done the homework for you and have researched over 50 home warranty companies so you can have the information you need to make the best choice for your home. Additionally, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader.
That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each home warranty provider according to our methodology. Our team spent hours on the phone speaking to representatives from each home warranty company to get information right from the source. We also dug into the fine print on each company’s service agreement to make sure no detail was left out.
To make the most of our research, we developed a formula to objectively determine the best home warranty companies based on the following criteria:
We want to make sure we’re providing you, the consumer, with the most current data available for every home warranty company we’ve researched and rated. That takes significant effort but we feel that’s vital to providing you thorough and trustworthy reviews.
With that in mind, we have dedicated staff members who regularly update our database of home warranty research.
For those that want to come home to a house that is comfortable and functioning, a home warranty makes a lot of sense. For the price that a home warranty is offered, you will quickly learn that it is indeed a good value. At an average of around $40 per month, your policy will cost you just under $500 per year.
If you have ever had an appliance or a home system that needs repair, you probably understand quite well that you will quickly reach that $500 mark to get your home back up and running. Take your time to carefully consider your home warranty options, check around for discounts and then give yourself the peace of mind that you deserve.
For more details, check out our affiliate disclosure and rating methodology.
Additional Home Warranty Companies to Consider
Get the best of House Method in your inbox
By creating an account you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy