American Residential Warranty Review 2023 (2023)

American Residential Warranty at a Glance

ARW was founded in 2009 in Boca Raton, Florida. Its parent company, AIG Warranty, has been in business for more than 30 years and has provided warranty programs for some of the largest global service brands.

The Kitchen Plus plan covers your major kitchen appliances, electrical and water heater. Platinum Premier, the most popular and comprehensive plan, goes beyond to include even more appliances, plumbing, heating and cooling systems. The 4-in-1 Bundle plan includes everything offered by Platinum Premier, plus everything covered under Deluxe Advantage, Ultimate Electronics Protection and Sewer & Water Lines.

All the other plan options fall somewhere in between, with the exception of Heating & Cooling, which covers only central air conditioning, heating, a humidifier and the interior electrical system.

Service fees for most home warranty companies will usually run customers anywhere from $75 to $125 each time a technician is dispatched, but ARW’s are well below the industry average at only $55.

For $24.99 per month, the Ultimate Electronics Protection covers eligible new and used electronics—laptops, desktops, TVs, gaming consoles and more—with a number of helpful benefits, including coverage of failures caused by normal wear and tear, a brand new replacement laptop battery every year and accidental damage from handling (ADH) on select portable devices.

The company also offers lots of add-ons to customize your coverage for a number of home systems, including A/C, plumbing, a second refrigerator, freezer or oven/cooktop, washers and dryers, ice makers, well pumps, built-in microwaves, external water or sewer lines, ceiling fans, pool and spa, water heaters and even food spoilage.

American Residential State Availability

Home warranty coverage, in all states except CA, VA, IA and TX, is provided and administered by AIG WarrantyGuard, Inc.

For CA residents, coverage is provided and administered by AMT Home Protection Company. For IA, TX and VA residents, coverage is provided and administered by TMI Solutions LLC.

Other Benefits

ARW offers the perk of choosing your own technician or contractor(s) when in need. To make sure the work is covered by your warranty, contact a claims representative to let them know that you would like to use your own contractor and, prior to completing any repairs, make sure your contractor calls ARW to be authorized. That way, you should only be responsible for the service fee.

There is also optional coverage for things like food spoilage, which can be helpful in the event of a power outage—particularly if you live in an area where that’s prone to happen during severe weather seasons.

Fine Print

American Residential home warranty does not have a process to file claims online; you must call your designated phone number. A service technician will be dispatched to your home, usually within 48 hours, to assess and recommend repairs or replacements. The homeowner will be responsible for paying the service fee before the technician leaves. All service repairs are guaranteed for 30 days.

Coverage applies if an appliance or home system malfunctions due to normal wear and tear, and does not include pre-existing conditions. All appliances and systems must be in good working order at the effective start date of your plan, and must remain reasonably clean and accessible during service.

There is no fee for a contract cancellation policy, but in order to do so, you do have to provide the company with written notice sent to their headquarters. You will receive a full refund if you cancel within 30 days, after which you will receive a refund equal to the prorated amount for the remaining length of coverage.

How American Residential Stacks Up

Company	Company - Logo	Service Fee	Customer Rating	Number of State Services	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text	Learn More
American Residential		$55	4.5	46 + D.C.
Choice Home Warranty		$85	4.0	48 + D.C.
Select Home Warranty		$60-75	4.4	46 + DC

Is American Residential Right for You?

American Residential has seven plan options and many add-ons to customize your coverage of your essential home systems and appliances. Their pricing is transparent on the company’s website and their service fees ($55 per technician dispatch) are below industry average.

However, plan pricing varies based on where you live, the size of your home and how many appliances you want covered by your plan and add-ons. Additionally, American Residential doesn’t have the option to file a claim online, so if getting on the phone isn’t your cup of tea, there may be a better provider for you.

They also require cancellation by mailing a letter to their headquarters, which makes it more work for the customer, adds the potential of a letter getting lost and makes it harder to track dates of receipt by the company.

We recommend getting pricing information from ARW and competitors that service your area to get the best rate and protection customized to your needs.

Methodology

To determine the best home warranty providers ranking, the Forbes Home Improvement editorial team analyzed third-party data on 13 major companies, with each company’s star rating determined by evaluating a variety of metrics, including:

• Pricing (20%)
• Customer happiness (20%)
• Response time (15%)
• What’s included in coverage (15%)
• Nationwide availability (15%)
• Discount availability (10%)
• Option to pick technician (5%)