Learn more about First American Home Warranty and its coverage, costs and plans in this comprehensive review. | Shutterstock © romakoma
Having a home warranty gives you peace of mind knowing that if something breaks, your service provider will handle the task of finding a technician and paying them for repairs. Our team has researched and reviewed the best home warranty providers, including First American Home Warranty.
In This Article:
- Overview
- Pros & Cons
- Plans & Coverage
- Cost
- Get a Quote
- Filing a Claim
- Our Verdict
- Frequently Asked Questions
Today’s Homeowner works with an independent reviews team to create evidence-based research that helps our readers make informed decisions. The reviews are always independent. For transparency, we may be compensated if you purchase through a link.
First American Home Warranty Overview
First American Home Warranty has served more than 450,000 homeowners across the U.S. since its founding in 1984. Its long history, coupled with its comprehensive home warranty policies, makes First American Home Warranty one of the leading veterans in the home warranty space.
Excluded states include: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Pros & Cons of First American Home Warranty
✔️ Generous coverage caps
✔️ Covers improperly installed and maintained appliances
✔️ Affordable plans
✘ Above-average service call fees
✘ Have to pay extra for air conditioning coverage
Home Warranty Resources
- What is a Home Warranty?
- How Much Do Home Warranties Cost?
- Is a Home Warranty Worth It for You?
- Best Home Warranties in 2023
- Do Your Appliances Need Extended Warranties?
First American Home Warranty Plans & Coverage
First American Home Warranty offers two protection plans — Basic and Premier. The Basic Plan providers coverage for some of the most commonly used appliances, while the Premier Plan is the comprehensive option that includes protections for home systems, too.
First American Home Warranty provides additional upgrades for both plans for the following items: Air conditioning, additional refrigeration, pool/spa equipment, well pump, *First Class Upgrade
*The First Class Upgrade unlocks items typically excluded from protection. When you purchase this upgrade, the company will handle the costs associated with removal and disposal of items.
| Basic Plan | Premier Plan | |
| Washer and dryer | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Refrigerator | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Dishwasher | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Oven range | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Cooktop | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Microwave | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Garbage disposal | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Trash compactor | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Plumbing | ✔️ | |
| Plumbing stoppages | ✔️ | |
| Heating | ✔️ | |
| Water heater | ✔️ | |
| Electrical | ✔️ | |
| Garage door opener | ✔️ | |
| Ductwork | ✔️ | |
| Central vacuum system | ✔️ |
For any appliance or system, First American Home Warranty will not cover:
- Repair and replacements due to missing parts, fire, flood, freeze, smoke, lightning, theft, storms, accidents, war, improper installations, damage from pests or misuse
- Repair and replacements due to cosmetic defects
- Solar systems and components
- Repairs due to manufacturer’s recall of covered item or items covered under an existing manufacturer’s warranty
- Repair and replacement of a system, appliance or their components if it’s deemed defective by the manufacturer
- Routine maintenance
First American Home Warranty Cost
The exact price will vary by location. You will also be charged a $3 handling fee per payment, if you have a monthly payment plan. The service fee associated with the company’s policies is $75 to $100 per service call. This fee goes to the technician who performs the diagnosis and repair.
The monthly costs for both plans are lower than or consistent with other home warranty companies. Keep in mind that purchasing add-ons can increase your monthly payments. First American Home Warranty’s optional coverage price ranges from $4 to $15, depending on the selected item(s).
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Handling fee per payment |
| Basic Plan | $28.00 | $3.00 |
| Premier Plan | $42.50 | $3.00 |
Get a Quote from First American Home Warranty
To get a quote from First American Home Warranty, call 800-891-9778 or fill out this quick online form. You only need to provide your basic information, such as your name and contact information. You can then view your coverage options, as well as what the price would be per month or year.
Filing a Claim with First American Home Warranty
Here’s what to do to file a claim with First American Home Warranty when a covered system or appliance stops working:
- Sign into your First American Home Warranty account to place a service request online, or call their claims center at 800-992-3400. The hotline is available 24-7.
- First American Home Warranty will tap into their network of contractors within four hours of service request and assign you a technician. This contractor will contact you to schedule an appointment and initiate the diagnosis within 48 hours.
- You will pay a $75 trade call for each service request. This fee goes directly to the contractor who is an independent worker, and not the company’s employee. That said, the contractor’s work is warranted for 30 days. If the same item fails after this window of time, you will be charged a trade call fee again when soliciting service.
If First American Home Warranty is unable to find a contractor to handle your claim, they will allow you to use an independent licensed contractor. They will be reimbursed for any authorized repairs. If the contractor doesn’t invoice the company, then you will be directly reimbursed the authorized amount.
Our Verdict On First American Home Warranty
There’s plenty that the reviews team likes about First American Home Warranty. It has been in this industry for many years, makes a solid effort to suit the budget of most Americans and offers some of the lowest premiums among competitors.
First American Home Warranty is also quite transparent about what’s included and excluded in its coverage. Most companies only include this information as fine print in sample contracts, but with First American Home Warranty, you can easily find the excluded items, as well as coverage caps right within its website.
Our Recommended Provider: American Home Shield
First American Home Warranty offers decent plans for an attractive price. In addition to this company, we think you should consider American Home Shield. The home warranty provider has a long-standing reputation in the industry, in business since 1971 and available in all states except for Alaska.
Here are some highlights:
- 3 plans with increasing levels of coverage
- 98% of claims are addressed within 24 hours
- Huge network of service contractors
Other top-rated providers: Select Home Warranty and The Home Service Club
Frequently Asked Questions About American Home Shield
Does First American Home Warranty have a waiting period?
Yes. The waiting period is 30 days, after which you can start placing service requests.
What is the First American Home Warranty First Class Upgrade?
First Class Upgrade is an add-on coverage that unlocks coverage for particular excluded items, as well as extra services. This feature is available for an extra $9 per month.
Does First American Home Warranty offer cash in lieu of repair?
Yes. However, the amount may be less than retail since the company negotiates the rates with its suppliers.
Home Warranty Rating Methodology
To help you find the best home warranty, our reviews team researched numerous home warranty companies, analyzing their coverage plans, pricing and customer service, among other factors:
- Coverage: Home warranty companies that provide extensive coverage and protect important systems and appliances, including your air conditioning, refrigerator and heating, scored higher than companies with minimal coverage.
- Plan variety: A provider with more coverage plans allows for more flexibility among customers. In general, most home warranty companies provide an appliances-only plan, systems-only plan and combination plan.
- Pricing: We scored providers based on their monthly plan prices and service call fees compared to the industry average pricing. Companies with more affordable coverage received more points than companies with more expensive plans.
- State availability: Where you live will determine what companies are available in your area. Home warranty companies that covered more states received more points than companies with a limited state availability.
- Trustworthiness: There are some home warranty companies that are scams and don’t follow through on their service agreements. We rated companies based on their years of experience, ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and customer reviews.
To keep our data current, our team regularly updates the data points for each company to ensure their coverage offerings, pricing and availability are accurate.
Reviews of Other Home Warranties
