What is a Home Warranty?

Learn About Home Warranties

A home warranty is your best defense against upcoming home repairs and replacements. It's not your homeowner's insurance policy. A home warranty is a separate contract covering repairs and replacements on systems and appliances in your home, usually for a period of one year.

Normal Wear & Tear

Home warranties cover some, but NOT ALL, of these appliances and systems. Contract costs and coverage can vary widely. Always compare before purchasing. Home warranties cover normal wear and tear on these systems and appliances, and they MUST be in working order BEFORE the contract is entered into with the warranty company.

In Working Order

A home warranty can be very beneficial and save you money when it is understood and utilized for its intended purpose which is to cover systems and appliances for normal wear and tear, that were in working condition before the contract began.

Read Your Contract

Make sure you have reviewed your contract and coverage BEFORE you need it to understand what is covered and what is not. When you buy a home warranty, consider premium and optional coverage to customize the plan to fit your needs.

Why Choose HWA?

HWA has been in business since 1996, and is a leader in the home warranty industry. We provide high value and protection against the ever-increasing cost of home and appliance repair. Compare our plans to others, and you'll find HWA covers more for less. Plus, you'll have our nationwide service network to rely on and positive, helpful customer service staff. Come to the Orange Company! We're your best defense against the unexpected.

How Can You Customize HWA's Plans?

HWA offers various plans, many options and premium coverage to customize a package to fit your needs. We are the first home warranty company to offer a truly green option, GreenPlus, which replaces covered equipment with ENERGY STAR qualified products.

Our Premium Coverage is an option you can buy to cover parts that are not covered by typical home warranty contracts. For example, in a dishwasher, racks, baskets, rollers and door seals are not typically covered, but if you have premium coverage they are covered. There are over 30 items covered in HWA's Premium Coverage. See Costs & Coverage for details.

What is the Trade Call Fee for?

This is a fee the homeowner pays in order to have the service contractor come to their home to diagnose a problem. This fee covers the visit and is clearly stated on every contract. It ranges from $50 to $75. It's a fee you would pay when you call a contractor out to your home.

Will Every Breakdown be Covered?

No. Our contract is clear, section by section, what is covered in each plan and option and what is not. Our consumer video also helps explain coverage in general and can be found at www.hwahomewarranty.com/videos. Our sample contracts are also on line for your review under our Costs & Coverage areas. Call us if you have ANY questions on coverage.

How Do Homeowners Request Service?

Simply call one of our toll-free numbers, which is clearly printed in your contract, and throughout our Website. The main toll-free number is 1-888-492-7359. Clients in California call 1-888-325-5143. You can also request service online anytime. HWA takes service requests 24/7/365.

Keeping Up with Customer Satisfaction

At HWA, we survey each of our customers after a claim experience, often several times, to catch any problem they may be experiencing. We report these results daily and adapt and change to improve all of our operational areas for our valued customers. We are members of the Better Business Bureau and work to properly resolve any complaints we receive. HWA has an A+ rating with the BBB.

What is the difference between home insurance and a home warranty?

Home insurance and home warranties are both designed to help you in the event that you experience a loss or damages to your home and/or your belongings. A typical home insurance policy covers many things including the structure of your home, your personal belongings, and other structures on your property if damage or loss is caused by a covered peril.

A home warranty, on the other hand, offers repairs and replacements for your covered home appliances and systems that fail due to normal wear and tear - which a homeowner's insurance policy does not. A home warranty is a contract, not a policy.

Let's look at a few examples:

Another way that homeowner's insurance and home warranties are different is a homeowner's insurance policy carries a deductible and has variable rates. For example, you may have a $1,000 deductible on your homeowner's insurance policy which means that in the event of a covered claim you would have to pay $1,000 out of pocket before the insurance company would begin paying for damages. Also, your rates could increase from one policy term to the next. Typically after filing a claim, or multiple claims, your insurance premiums will increase to some extent.

A home warranty, however, does not typically carry a deductible but a trade call fee every time a service professional comes to your home. For example, let's say your hot water heater breaks due to normal wear and tear and you file a claim with your home warranty company. You will be required to pay the stated trade call fee on your contract at the time of service for the service technician's visit. However, if covered, your home warranty company would then pay the remaining costs to replace or repair the hot water heater (check contract limits). Usually, your annual premium for a home warranty does not increase when you file a claim, but can increase from year-to-year due to service cost increases and other factors.

Why choose HomeInsurance.com?

For home insurance coverage and quotes we recommend HomeInsurance.com. In business since 1992 they are the #1 source for home insurance quotes on the web. Compare rates from the top providers and save today.