*Words of Wisdom From The Elder

A Seven Year Blogger Recounts His Blogging History

Total Protect Home Warranty is terrible. Do not buy it. They will not pay for anything. They find a 'loophole' in the contract in order to not pay. We bought the warrant because our appliances were all 10 - 15 year old. We had the warranty for almost 2 years. In that time our a/c went out ... they wouldn't pay - said it was a pre-existing condition. Our dryer almost caught fire due to mechanical failure - they wouldn't pay that because they don't pay for appliances that catch fire??? Our dishwasher went out ... again - 'pre-existing condition'. So the only thing we got out of this warranty was $36.95/mo * 24 mos + $50 deductible * 3 ... $1,036 out of pocket and nothing to show for it. They are a total rip off.

Total Protect is such a rip off. I don't know if they don't pay for any repairs, because I've had 5 claims with them and they haven't fixed anything yet. They have no service providers in our area. Currently ny hot water heater is scalding us or freezing cold, and my dishwasher is broken. They are trying to get contractors to drive 1.5 hours or more to get to our house. From what I've been told no one wants to do work for them because they don't pay enough, or don't pay at all. I asked a supervisor, what right they had to solicit business in an area were they had no service providers....she had no answer for me.

The thing that gets me about this is I originally heard about Total Protect from my service lender (Countrywide) not Quicken Loans my original lender. It seems that Countrywide would stop and investigate a company before putting their marketing ads in the mail along with other stuff. After this I stopped reading anything Countrywide sent me. I don't care if it is insurance, life insurance or whatever.

It appears in my case Countrywide just wants to make the referral fees from their clients.

I have a friend that is in Iraq right now and I am trying to help his wife and 15 month old baby from rosting in their house. TPHW is giving them the run around. The motor in the a/c broke and TPHW is trying to state that the compressor broke becuase of the motor. The A/C service company stated to us that it is impossible to prove that. What ever you do DON'T GO WITH TOTAL PROTECT HOME WARRANTY!!!

Run fast and far from Total Protect Home warranty. They wouldn't fix my dishwasher, which worked fine for a year before it developed a leak, because the problem was a "design flaw" and hence not covered. The technicians they send are there to keep Total Protect happy, not the customer.

My central AC went out (evap coil), water heater and refrigerator all within a week. TotalProtect came through for me. All three items were fixed to my satisfaction. I shudder to think without this plan, I would be in the hole for well over a $1000 in out of pocket repair costs. All these warranty companies are out to make money. It's a business. If you're not happy, report them to your State licensing authority.

I just moved out of my house with my parents and they have totalprotect when i left the temp. was 90 degrees and they keep sending someone which wasn't experienced at all. After almost a month in the heat the guy realizes that the coil is out and wants 600 dollars for it and totalprotect refuses to pay. My parents both have diabetes and high blood pressure and I'm really afraid something might happen to their health. Any suggestions?

First thing is to determine in the fine print if you can make them pay. What options do you have. Then if you feel they should be (not biased,just based on their policy because that is all a judge is going to do) then take them to court with a lawyer. In the meantime, go ahead and get the air conditioner fixed.

Don"t waste your time and money on Total Protect! All we have gotten is the run around. Over two weeks ago a service technichian came out to check our built in microwave. He determined it unrepairable. After numerous, lengthy phone calls to TP, (most of the time on hold) we are told that they are still investigating the repairability of our unit. They always need another 24 to 48 hours to make their decision. We are only talking about a replacement value of less than $200.00. I have heard of some respectable warranty companies and I will be changing. I do not like being ripped off!

TotalProtect is a huge ripoff. their website sounds good but is a big fat LIE!!! I had major backup in my toilets, into my tub and sinks ohhh pu!! it was gross! I called TP as emergency and had us on hold for over an hour and we called again, we got the runaround for 4 weeks before they sent plumber to change the inside of tank, which is not the problem at all. it was the plumbing, pipes, doughnut in toilet all needed to be updated. it was horrible, as soon as they are done, Im cancelling TP, I cant see paying 36.95 a month for nothing. they wouldnt do anything and I dont recommend them to anyone. sorry but they are crap! anddddd, they are not listed with BBB! I checked! no deal for me. uh uh! I would much rather save my 36.95 per month and buy my own stuff myself or get work done elsewhere.

Thusfar, I've had good customer service. I've had to call them twice, once for the A/C, once for plumbing. Both times I suffered average hold times on the phone (about 3-10 minutes depending), got callbacks from local service technicians within 48 of the claim and out to my house in a timely manner. However, I am not going to claim they are golden- I have buyers beware from the home warranty company that I had before TotalProtect. Best Home Warranty- 4 out of 5 service techs were from as far as 3 hours away from us. And those same 4 either didnt look at the problem at all or told the warranty company that it was pre-existing conditions when it clearly wasn't. I only managed to get them to send a local servicer to my home after I went through two and half weeks of contesting a denial based on pre-existing conditions.

As with many things- its always buyer beware in the end. And don't let them get away with anything.

Total Protect is a total rip off. My air conditioning unit, which is 25 years old, went out.The tech came out did a quick fix and said it needed to be replaced. Total Protect would only pay a portion of what the replacement was going to cost. I at that time could not afford the remaining portion. Surprisingly enough my a/c worked for the rest of the summer with no problems. Well this year the quick fix quit. So I made a claim thinking that since it didn't cost them any money last year would approve my claim, they denied it because I didn't fix it last year!

I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH TOTAL PROTECT AND I HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR 7 YEARS NOW. THEY HAVE FIXED MY DISHWASHER,WASHING MACHINE,REFRIGERATOR,STOVE AND REPLACED A FURNACE AND AN AIRCONDITIONER(TRUE THE AIR CONDITIONER I HAD TO PAY $300.00 FOR AS THEY WILL ONLY PAY $1500.00 , BUT YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU CAN BUY A NEW CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER FOR $300.00. )I THINK THEY ARE GREAT.

I am having a problem right now with total protect. My sewer pipe broke and smashed some water lines. I have had the water heater fixed previous and it was covered. Total Protect is trying to tell me that the water heat is part of the plumbing and I am telling them that it is on a seperate line on the contract and should be covered. Any suggestions.

I called TPHW because I had a leaky toilet. First they gave me the name of a contractor (who didn't know anything about them) instead of a plumber. The day before the Fourth of July, my toilet clogged up. They gave me a plumber's name. He showed up, looked at it, said the toilet wasn't on the claim, and left. (he said he was going to his truck to make a call and never came back) When I called they said he couldn't help because I have a bug problem (Terminix is working on that) Any way, I called a plumber that I have used before and they came out within an hour and fixed it right then and I had to pay out of pocket.

I am on the phone calling them AGAIN as I type this message. I am THREW with them not following through on their commitment. And never use the vendor "HOME MAINTENANCE NETWORK" if you reside in the Northern Virginia area. They have not returned my calls nor Total Protect calls to fix my air conditioner which has not been operating correctly for over a month. I am reporting both companies to the Better Business Bureau. It makes NO SENSE. I will not be renewing my contract with them. My furnace is over 20 years old and they don't even make the parts for it but somehow the same problem occurred previously and not even a good 2 months the same problem happened again. Now instead of my air conditioning operating until it meets the temperature you set the thermometer at, it runs non stop which means my electric bill would be outrageous. I have to take the battery out of the box for the furnace to turn it off completedly. I should not have to do this everyday to get my furnace to operate appropriately.

They are listed under BBB. You have to input the telephone number. They are listed under HomeSure Services. Go to this link http://www.bbbsoutheastflorida.org/nis/newsearch2.asp?ID=1&strBCode=06330000&ComID=0633000004004196

We've had TP for several years. We had put in probably 10 claims. Stove, oven, dishwasher, garage door, dryer; all minor but all needed. Without fail each time, items were fixed and not a minutes problem with TP. Oh, forgot to mention that this weekend dryer conked out and heat pump quit. Called this morning, service has already come out and parts are on order. No blues in Statesboro, Georgia!

I have had mixed results. Depends on the provider they send out. Right now I am in a battle over whether they should replace my dryer. They should and the process is long and way to complicated.

Total Protect is awful. Their service provider did not even check out what my original claim was for (toilet running) and insisted I needed Thermal Expansion tank, therefore the claim was denied and I was out $60. They never even addressed my initial issue. When I called to check why my initial issue wasn't addressed, they TP rep advised that it was cancelled out!!! I had to file another claim, but they did waive the fee, which I appreciated. However, I got the runaround from the service provider as well as TP. Also, I got a 2nd opinion on the expansion tank and was advised that I didn't even need one!!

With just a couple of "glowing" positive reports compared with the comments of the majority of unhappy customers, my first thought is the company itself is posting the positives. I too got the invitation from my mortgage lender (Wachovia) and almost bought it because of that. I am really glad I googled Total Protect Home Warranty.

The thing is I blame the mortgage servicers for sending this stuff out to there clients. You think they would have done some due diligence work before signing a contract to send that out. My home is serviced through Country Wide, although the loan closed with Quicken Loans. I was like you James, since it came from my servicer, I tended to trust that what they said was more legit than it has turned out to be.

We just had our central AC to go out with temps over 100 decgrees. My wife called Total Protect and they said that they had discontinued our warrenty. My wife informed them that they are still taking out for the monthly payment. We were told to call back.

TOTAL PROTECT IS A FRAUD...Several months ago my mortgage company sent out information to sign up for total protect. They claim they cover so much and will do so much until you have a claim. They cancelled my contract after I filed a claim due to my a/c going out and said I cancelled it. Even after the contract was cancelled they continued to take money out of my account. When I called them about my refund I was told I would get it in 2 weeks. It has been a month and when I called again I was told by someone named Steve in member services that it was set to be refunded and then voided but he would check into it..blah, blah, blah...I am launching a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission. If they are stealing from me I know they are stealing from others. If someone has information about filing a class action lawsuit against this company put the information on this site. I am looking into this NOW!!!

I hope everyone reads these comments before signing up for Total Protect, I didn't! I thought since the flyer came from my mortgage company Countrywide, then they should be a reputable company. I've paid $36.95 to them for 1-1/2 years and used them about 3 times for repairs and paid my deductible. Everything went good on the repairs, but when my air conditioning unit went out, they would not pay. My claim was denied last Thrusday. The air went out on Sun. night and I filed a claim right then and there. It took me many many phone calls and Total Protect telling me that they have 24 to 48 hours to make a decision, finally on Thursday I got the call of the denied claim due to rust and/or corrosion. Of course my unit would have rust or corrosion due to the age, but I thought they would replace it. My husband and I had been in a hotel since it went out on Sun evening and the hotel bill was over $600. Read the contract very carefully. Total Protect is protected from REPLACING any item. They won't even pay for three days of our hotel bill since they stalled giving me an answer for 4 days! I tried. The only thing they will remiburse is the $60 deductible I paid. I have sent letters to Countrywide, but not sure what I'm going to do next. We had our air conditioiner installed ourselves. I have cancelled the policy effective September 1.

I think the thing to remember folks is if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. Put your business hats on for a second and see if you think their business could survive replacing several thousand dollar items for $36.95 a month. The last poster gave the company over 18 months roughly $665.00. And she had 3 claims. That $665 was already gone. They would have to have had four other customers who had been paying for 18 months that were claim free to cover Connie's one claim. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see they would be flat broke.

I still blame CountryWide for not doing their diligence before sending that out to customers.

I agree with you, Keith, pertainting to the fact that CountryWide has some fault in this, but why does Total Protect advertise "replacement" of appliances and systems when it's not true. That is false advertising. Repairs are the only item they should advertise. And, why does it take them so long to decline a claim? Bad business practices....."Rocket Scientist" or not, their business practices and courtesy to the customer are horrible.

I just received this offer in the mail from Ever Home Mortgage Company. After reading the information I new there had to be something wrong with the offer. Thank you all for all the comments and thank you for not allowing me to have some of your problems.

I am so glad I read these comments. I also received information about Total Home Warranty in the mail from Ever Home Mortgage Company. It sounded good but what bothered me was the fact that you had to sign up first and then you had 30 days to actually "review" what is covered and what isn't covered. Based on the comments posted here, I will take my chances.

I also received the information on Total Protect from Countrywide. I was just about to call them and sign up for the 30 day "review" period when I decided to check the internet for any information and I'm glad I did. I have a home warranty right now that I haven't had problems with, I think I'll keep them.

Diana in Phoenix, I read your comments....do you mind telling me what home warranty company you are using? Thank you in advance.

glad i googled this before i fall into their prey. i have discussed this with my partner and he said yes on this already. like most of us, i got this mailer fr countrywide. i wish they will research what they endorse to their clients before sending us mailers. i guess, total protect pays countrywide for using them in return? thanks for all the comments and experiences that have been shared here. big help for innocent consumers like me.

I am pleading with anyone who got suckered into this program to please contact the Better Buisness Burea and Attorney General and make a report. PLEASE, I don't want anyone else to go through the hassle so many of have had to go through. Thanks!

I have just filed my first claim with Total Protect. My air conditioner went out 2 days ago. They are finally sending someone out to repair it tomorrow. I will let you know how my experiece was. PRAY FOR ME...HA!

So far, great! We have only had this policy for a few weeks and have had three claims. We were answered quickly and got immediate response from technicians. All three claims have been covered. 1) a.c. - turned out to a be smple problem; 2) dryer - approved ordered parts;
3) Water heater - would not stay lighted. Hope it continues like this if we have other problems. If so, we can only refer them positively to others.

So far so good for me. They have repaired multiple items and replaced my evaporator coil. No complaints --- $3000.00 in retail repairs covered by my $600.00 is premiums over the last couple years.

Total Protect runs hot and cold. They can be tough to get repairs done. Most of the time they come out - figure out what the problem is and return a few days later after ordering parts. But over the years - I would say it has more than paid for itself - despite the hastles. Lot's of little plumbing problems, eltrical, Washer/Dryer, Water heater etc. If you stay on them and ask for a different reapir company if you don't like the first one you should be o.k.
Deductable went up this year from 35.00 to 60.00 but yearly cost around 350.00 so I would keep them.

Crap, my co-worker told me to look up TotalProtect on google to see all the bad reports that TotalProtect has. It scares me that I did not know all this before. The reason it scares me is because I sell totalprotect on behalf of their company. Now I am going to feel bad when I do my job.

I have been looking at getting a home warranty plan and WAS considering Total Protect until I read these comments. It appears that the few positives that I read were for repairs with the exception of the air conditioner that was replaced up to $1500. Has anyone had a true replacement of appliances or equipment? Does anyone know of a better provider?

They replaced my main panel and dishwasher. Fixed the clothes washer. Would have cost me atleast $1500.00 for the panel, I only paid a $60.00 permit fee. I have no complaints!

I have total protect, they just paid $976.00 to replace the cooling coils in my AC, no problem
was only without Ac for 2 days, washer broke down
and was fixed in 2 days I think they are great.

Thank-you all for the info.If anyone can recommend
a reputable company ,please post

I HAVE HAD THIS SERVICE FOR 3 YRS THEY HAVE REPLACED THE REFIRIGERATOR MICROWAVE HOT WATER TANK AND REPAIRED THE DRYER SERVICE HAS BEEN GREAT I REALLY BELIEVE IT DEPENDS ON THE AREA YOUR IN AND THEY HAVE REPUTABLE REPAIR COMPANIES IN THAT AREA THAT WORK FOR THEM

No complaints here. They fixed my AC unit and a plumbing leak. The contractors on both were extreme professionals! Called at 2am for a plumbing leak and the provider was here by 7am which is acceptable to me!

I'm glad these postings exist. I too got an "endorsement" from my mortgage company, World Savings now Wachovia and I'm seeing a pattern with these lenders.
You know, they are making money selling these ads to their lists of customers. THEY are scum. I'm sorry some of you had to pay the price for their misleading advertising. I actually thought TP would be more reputable since it was a referral from a big mortgage co. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I received the info from Total Protect from Bank of America who had my mortgage. I bought into it and had 2 claims with my Central H&A unit during the first year and they covered both of them with no question. My only concern was that I had to pay the $50 deductible twice when the problem could be traced back to the first problem and the repair. It's time to renew and I've been debating it and after reading some of these I think I'm going to let it lapse and just put that $36 in an account to at least cover part of any major problem that might come up.

I signed up for the free 30 day review and became suspicious with all the exclusions in the contract. So I googled and found this comment section. Read all the comments, the problem seemed to be that some service providers are good, some aren't. Total Protect probably doesn't screen them. I called and asked them who the providers were in my area and was told they couldn't provide that information til a claim was filed. I promptly cancelled the contract, I'll call around locally and find someone reputable who will provide the same service. I got my flyer thru suntrust mortgage company.

I agree, TP is hot and cold. I have had one claim that went well. However, I now have some problems with a dryer and the service man came out and looked at it and said he would order the parts. It is now a week later and I called the service man and he said he was ill and had not ordered the parts. I am now going through the process and just got off the phone with them. The woman said the claim had not been finalized yet. It has been a week. I told her I was posting to this site and if I did not hear back from them tomorrow I would be canceling my contract with tme. Thanks for the info. guys. I also plan to turn this over to the licensing agency.

The absolute worst company around. Customer Service is non-existant. The service companies they provide are worse.

I just got the information from Wachovia and really thought about this plan, now I not so sure!

Total Portect is a FRAUD. We should all get together and file a lawsuit against them as they do not stand by the contract. I now have learned the hard way. I will be searching for a lawyer to sue and hopefully it will be a class action and put them out of business.

I bought Total Protect for $34.95 a mth through my mortgage company over 3 yrs ago. My HVAC went out which required a new motor, and only paid $50. for what would cost hundreds of dollars I'm sure. The thing that bothered me was that it was the 1st claim last summer, and I got a letter stating that the $34.95 will remain the same,however the deductible will be $60.My 1st thought was "are they going to raise the deductible or the mthly amt every time I file a claim?"**The 1st company was a failure, I complained to TP, and another company came out and worked very hard on my HVAC for 4-5 hrs. Suggestion:Have your model,serial,brand,and year you bought the appliance on hand before calling the company furnished by TP.If you don't know the year bought then give an approx.I learned all of this with this 1st claim,so have the info ready before calling the company TP has provided you. My Washing machine just quit on Thanksgiving and just spoke to TP to make sure that they have faxed the info to the company.I hope I was helpful for you.

I also wanted to mention that I am in the process of getting my Washing machine fixed as the agitator stopped.I will keep you updated with my claim # 2. I also want to mention that my very first claim on my HVAC kept me stressed out, and no one should have to be stressed over something that one is paying 30 to 40 dollars a month for. This being said,the reason I took this "plan" is for the fact that I would be paying hundreds of dollars for extended warranties on over 10 of my appliances.

Rip off, definitely. I have been without heat now for a month in Chicago in hte winter, they have ordered the wrong furnace and i am still waiting in the cold. Their providers do not come within a 2 hour window, that is a lie, when i mentioned it they said it was not guaranteed, so you may as well disregard that. They have offered me nothing for the inconvenience and if anyboy does file a class action suit I want in.

This is the second time in a year that Washington Mutual has invited me to join their home warrenty program. The first time I "googled" the warrenty company and was astounded at the hundreds of negative comments. So, now, they are pushing a different name but the same game. I printed out the 18 pages of negative comments and gave them to our WAMU loan officer asking for a response. Of course, I didn't get one. I have been pleased with WAMU but find their association with this warrenty company disturbing. Remember, folks, it's the bottom line they care about not their integrity. Does anyone know of a "reputable" home warrenty company.

I'm experiencing the hazard of dealing with Total Protect. I just recently bought into this plan. Then my hot water heater bursts. I call and make a claim. Customer Serv is horrible. You never talk to the same person. I basically had to repeat myself over and over.

There were no plumbers in my area that would even deal with them. One plumber told me he didn't mind doing the work, but he's had nothing but nightmares with home warranty plans. Stating they take too long to reimburse them for their services.

Finally, I found a plumber to comply only if TP sent the check first. They agreed to send it in my name & the plumbers name. I called and they said they mailed it on Friday to my address, since I'm the insured.

Oh, and all this hassel went on for a month. I've been without hot water for over a month now. So I've been checking the mail box daily.

Im definitely glad to have found this post... Im shredding the stupid "TotalProtect Home Warranty Certificate" as I type this... Ok, well right after I hit send ;)

I just received a similar type of item from my lender WAMU. i am glad I read these postings before joining Total Protect. Are they any good home warranty companies. My air conditioning and furnace are about 20 years old

I was ready to sign up for this great sounding home warranty plan, but my brochure (from Countrywide) just went in the trash. Thanks to the internet and everyone's comments we no longer have to be sucked in by these rip off companies. A few positive experiences compared to all the bad are not good enough for me. Thanks to all who took the time to write.

It seems that the quality of service depends on location, though I could be mistaken in that.

I bought my first Home Warranty from Total Protect about 6 years ago, premiums were added to my monthly mortgage and were $35 less then a standalone plan. I had the plan for two years, then refinanced with a mortgagor that didn't offer the plan and allowed it to expire.

During that two years I had nothing but excellent service and response. With the annual premiums + copays spent by me not even coming close the actual costs of the repairs done.

Water leaking into my fridge during defrost cycle, clogged drain hose, my cost $60, actual reported cost from SP, $195.
Oven would not light, igniter bad, My cost $60, actual reported by SP, $375.
Kid crashed into my central air unit with bike, caused a coolant leak, required one day to diagnose, a second day to repair, required authorization from TP which was received on second day, My cost $60, actual reported by SP, $900.
Dishwasher stopped heating water, needed new heating coil, My cost $60, actual reported by SP $475.
Furnace had intermittent issues where it would simply shut down, its "brain" died, required authorization from TP, received same day, My cost $60, actual reported by SP $1235.

My total premium cost plus copays= $1186.80
What it would have cost me OOP= $3180.00
Savings= $1993.20

I just received the mailing from Countrywide (finally) and will not hesitate to reapply, I saved almost $2000 in two years, with all things in my home still aging gracefully, I wouldn't even mind if I had to fuss and argue to get things done. Though I never had to in the past, not once.

Yea this 'home warranty' offered by Total Protect (sent by Countrywide in my case) seems like most all the 3rd party car warranty companies. Good luck getting it fixed! You might luck out but many many people will not be so fortunate having anything fixed due to exclusions in the contract. Where is that shredder... ah right next to me an it works. It needs emptied again!

Ok, all of these comments are making it hard to make a decision. I was ready to sign on the dotted line when I found all these postings. It looks like about a third of the people posting have had a positive (or at least a "somewhat" positive) experience, while the other two thirds are totally opposed. Our home is getting older, and things are starting to go wrong, so I'm thinking that even if we signed up for a few months - just to try it out - we should be ok... right? The paperwork says that you can cancel at any time. The most I might be out is a little over a hundred dollars if I keep it for 3 months.

The one thing that seems apparent, is that it depends on where you live as to what type of service you receive. I was just wondering if anyone lives in the Dayton OH area. If so, have you had a positive or negative experience?

I'm glad I found this post. I have about 20 days to review the contract, so hopefully you all can help me make a decision. Thanks for all the posts!!!

I can't agree enough with those of you who said TotalProtect is a TOTAL ripoff. I should have read your blogs before we purchased this in 2006. Our heat pump has said bye bye. They will not pay any portion of replacing it because they said it had corrosion on the pan and on the coil. The TWO AC companies who came said only the pan was corroded but the coil has a leak. I went round and round with them and they still will not pay for it. The thing is 19 years and they knew the age of our appliances/heat pump when we joined their plan. I am so furious that we got rooked into this company. My mother had a warranty repair company when she was alive who never said no to a repair/replacement. This company is getting rich on our money. We have cancelled the contract and instructed our VISA not to accept any further auto-withdrawals.

I think some of these experiences could be any Home Warranty company -- be careful. I've had AON for years, and each year, there are enough repairs -- only takes 1 AC repair -- to cover the costs. AON requires a full year paid in advance... but customer service has been good. The repair people get paid on a schedule -- far less than they would for repair on their own, so you get the worst ? cheapest? repair people.... Even so, I think of it as a pre-screen--if they were really bad, the company wouldn't keep them-- sometimes you can hire yr own, we did, and they will pay for the repairs from that company--we did this with a trusted AC repair company, and they paid. So I'd say, if you have an older house, old stuff, it's worth it -- if it is a good company backing it -- but read the contract -- I don't understand the pre-existing -- ours wants maintenance, which makes sense... but it's not been an issue. I got this from wachoiva as well -- yes, suspect when the bank wants you to pay them... THE BIGGIE - countrywide penalizes people who pay off their loans early... and as a business has been shaky in the sub-prime market... if they are involved with this, it makes me leary even though I've been paying out $435 / year in advance. This year, we've not needed it :) :( paying monthly has a certain appeal--but just realize there are other companies out there. What suprises me -- with the monthly pay in -- why not fix it-- and keep you as a customer.

A TOTAL RIP OFF BEWARE!!!!

3-25-08 My name is Tim Austin my phone is 903-445-1785, I live in Plano, Texas. Please call me or read this before using these Liars and Thieves. I called Total protect about my AC not working. They sent Rangers Heating and Air out to my house. The rep from Rangers said that my compressor was out and that it would cost me $300.00 for the gas & freon recovery. I gave the O.K. to Total Protect to have the work done and they again explained to me that I would have to pay the $300.00 for the gas and freon recovery. I told them I understood and had them to get it on order. When the compressor came in, Rangers AC called and told me that they were ready to come and do the work and that they would need to pick up a check for $680.00 at the time of service. I was dumbfounded, as this was the first that I had heard of this extra $380.00. I asked what it was for and they told it was to have the coils cleaned. I called Total Protect to find out what was going on. They called Rangers AC and the guy there said that the coils had to be cleaned before he could install the compressor and that he would not install the compressor without cleaning the coils and without the extra fee being paid. Total Protect backed him up and then explained to me that if Rangers damaged the coils in any way while cleaning them that they would not cover paying for the coils, so if there were any further problems with the issue of the coils, I would have to take that up with Rangers AC. I had no choice, but to have the work done. Both Companys are out to stick you and waiste your money. Make sure that you stay away from these people. THEY ARE LIARS AND THIEVES, AND THEY ARE IN IT TOGETHER. I have spoken to three other AC companies that assure me that they could have cleaned the coils for half the price and they hear many complaints about both of these companies. They expalined to me that this is the reason that none of them will work for Total Protect Home Warranty Company. If you are trying to get Rangers on the phone it is 469-335-3125. I am sure that he had to change it from to many complaints coming in on the old line.

Folks...after reading all these negative write-ups on TPHS, I put a call into their customer service office to have them explain why such a negative rating from their customer base. Of course the phone technician (Percy) couldn't answer this....so I ask to speak to his supervisor...which he indicated wasn't available. So, I requested the supervisor to call me and explain why I should retain TPHS for home warranties given their dissatified customer base. I'll be happy to report back to this blog website should their Supervisor return my call and pass on what I find out. If they don't, I'll be dropping TPHS too and find a better service.

I too have purchased a Total Protect Warranty. Just filed a claim this week, they don't have a service person in my area. They asked me to call around and get someone. I got to thinking about it, why should I do they're job? So I started searching the internet for complaints and found a site called my3cents.com. The following was posted:

I am a lawyer and investigating similar complaints against HomeSure. Contact me if you wish, john@sharbroughlawfirm.com - Posted on 02/28/2007 in consumer reviews.
In his discription he is looking for people with denied claims based on pre-existing conditions. If I were some of you I would contact him.

I may be if my claim doesn't work out. Is there anyone else in Washington State that has had dealings with these people? I would love to hear from you.

I had written a long note of warning about Total Protect in January 2008 but it was never posted. Here is a link that tells the whole story.

http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=31570

Just had TP send out Arrow Service Center from Austin Texas to check out a horrendous noise that the ac was making. According to the tech since it was cooling there isn't any problem even if it sounds like the fan is getting ready to take off. I was told that until is breaks completely they won't do anything. Seems to me that they would save money fixing a minor problem before something major develops. I have had this issue before with the ac and total protect. It is such a major item that they advertise they will repair/replace but they do patches they don't really fix anything. I wouldn't use the service company either and won't recommend them since they diagnosed the problem without even opening up the unit (unless they did it in less than 5 minutes with the fan running). I have placed a call to tp to complain and will see if anything comes out of it. The tp person I spoke to asked if the noise in the background was the ac, when I told her yes she was kind of shocked that they said there wasn't anything wrong with the unit. As with all things we will see....

I have had total protect since 2003. They have been wonderful for us. We have had them out for plumbing , water heater and also our who havac system. Not once had a problem with customer service. They replaced water heater and havac and I only had to pay the fee that the tech comes out to check the system!!! So I guess its hit or miss for people

I currently have TotalProtect and have had them for 3 years. I have called them out of 4 occassions. Each time they arrived within a 1-2 day period.

1st repair - AC condenser, I think I paid $150 out of pocket of $2k. I had to wait a week. But that is because they had to order the part.

2nd repair - Over oven microwave - Replaced it.

3rd repair - Front load washer - Fixed $50 Out of pocket.

4th repair - Refrigerator - Faulty water line to ice maker. Fixed.

As with all things. You will get varying service all over the country due to the fact they use independent contractors. I have had no problem with them. I am completely satisfied at this point.

There was even a billing discrepancy on Countrwide side and they kept the policy active for over 9 months before I caught the error. That was the worst part of this. But that was Countrywide fault for not paying the correct amount to TotalProtect each month from my escrow.

Like others say. Service will vary all over.

No issue here. I've used it one for no electrical in the home and they replaced a main breaker. Had service same day. Nothing to complain about.

Please do not waste your money with this company.I have been waiting for 2 weeks for an repair on my ac system.I told them I have bad asthma and they said they would expedite my claim.....everyday is a new lie with them.I have asked to speak with supervisors with no avail.I might as well open my window and throw money out.What a waste of time.

So what home service plan is recommended? Thanks

Total Protect is the worst Company that I have ever had to deal with. There is no doubt in my mind that this company's intention is to give the cusyomer the run around a, frustrate them so the costumer just pays the bill
My A C unit went out.
I called Total Protect and they issued me with a file number and their repair consultant. The repair company came out, removed the broken part and took it away to be repaired.
Now T. P refuses to pay THEIR repair contractor, because the contractor did not get authorization to remove the broken part.
So now I have the Total Protect repair Contractor holding my repaired A.C motor part They will not return it , until they are paid and T P will not pay.
I urge "ANYONE" to steer clear of this company and in order to avoid the Rip-Off.

One last note
I also urge you all to contact your mortgage broker who introduced this company to you.

Just one more update in the battle with Total protect.
I have made seven calls to this compant over a five day period. During each of these calls i have asked for a supervisor and also for someone to call me back to update me with the
progress In all these instances I have not received ONE call from the company
Oh how foolish I feel to have to have been ripped off by this company.
This company seems to only pay out on those who have been with them for years
My total bill is $356.00. Not too excessive for any insurance company to pay out.

THIS IS A CONTINUATION FROM THE LAST TWO POSTS>

DAY SIX. in my battle with total Protect

As stated above. This horrible rip off company has re-assigned me to another repair company. Two different representatives from T P have stated over 24 hours ago that they had sent a work order out to this new repair company. As of 1430 hrs this afternoon ( Tues April 30) the repair company has received nothing.
I again contacted Total Protect and spoke to a Miss A She informed that she could not comment on whether the previous representatives ( Her Collegues ME D, MR J. MISS A and MR E) had sent the work order or not.
Miss A then stated that she would again send the work order.
I again asked to speak with a supervisor and again was told that there was none available.. This is my fourth request to speak with a supervisor and so far there are none available. Furthermore none of the supervisors have returned my call.
So this is six days that we have been without A/C and heat.
y advice to any customer s of this company is to consider them a total Scam

PLEASE WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER UPDATES, IN ORDER TO FAMILIARIZE YOU TOO WITH WHAT TO EXPECT FROM "TOTAL PROTECT"

This thread is almost 2 years old but they're still ripping people off. We've been with them for almost two years, because they were recommended to us by Washington Mutual. We've paid $37 each month. Our shower broke and we called them to fix it... They sent a guy over who stayed for 5 minutes, notified us the shower was broken (duh), didn't fix anything, then tried to charge us $60 (why are they charging us money for nothing? why are they charging us at all when we pay the insurance company monthly?) We refused to pay unless the job was actually done, and they told us that now we'll have to pay $260, and that they're not coming to fix our shower anymore. We tried to get through to the manager or supervisor on the phone, and they took our number down and said the manager would call later that day but we got no call.
Basically these guys are completely useless, and are nothing more than theives and scammers. Hopefully someone will raise a lawsuit against them sometime soon.

Total Protect is the absolute worst. They make it impossible to follow up on a claim and do everything in their power to make sure you don't collect. You will hold on the phone for at least an hour trying to talk to someone about your claim. If they dont like your tone, which cant possibly be happy after waiting onhold for anhour, they will hang up on you. I am personally going to file a complaint with the secfetary of state in florida and the better business bureau. They have told me that they were sending a check for a refrigerator replacement. 8 weeks later I called because I havent received the check. They then inform that they require additional paperword in order to send the check. They addd new conditions as they go along to avoid making payment. So if you want to pay 40 dollars a month and then tear your hair out if you ever have claim go ahead and deal with them. They are the absolute worst company I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with.

Just canceled the war. They tried to tell me that the info on the web is not true. I laughed and said just cancel it.

Well these rip off artist sent me out another of their trusted experts on air conditioning who tried for 20 minutes to sell me a hot tub When I checked on these experts sent by Total Protect, I was shocked to find out that they did not for the last lot of years work on air conditioning
I again called Total Protect and they informed me that they were not repairing my A C unit as it would need total replacment and cost too much I immediately went to "Yellow pages and called a A C technician He came and repaired the A C in 45 minutes for $488 dollars.
This technician knew of Total protect and he urges everyone to steer away from them
Their reputation as low-life rip off artists is legendary
I truly urge all you readers to pass on this information and make complaints if you have been ripped off

I am also going to complain to the Florida better business bureau I am also going to check with a T V program which does investigation on criminals like Total Protect
Just have a look at the Complaints here We all cannot be wrong

Just found out that the first tecnichian sent out by T P was not only unlicenced but he was also uninsured
I checked with other heating and cooling companies in the city and they have all told me that they will not deal with T P
Reason is that even T Ps contractors do not get paid

It is total Fraud. garbage warranty, Please don't buy it.

Total protect just informed me that they are paying me $200.00 out of a $500 repair on my A/C They insisted that was all they were paying and they sent a check to me. for $200
Today I called them and told them that I wished to discontinue their policy They are telling me that I can't because I am supposed to be in contract with them for a year They also told me that if I cancel I will have to return the $200 that they sent for the repair
What a bunch of thieves
I warn everyone
STAY AWAY FRIM THIS COMPANY !

Wow, I'm so glad I checked this thread. I received the offer from my Mortage Co, Wachovia today. I signed and dated the acceptance offer and was ready to mail it...well, it's now in the trash.
This month would be 1 year since owning my 10 yr old home. So far I've been lucky to have minor repairs done by using reputable people on craigslist.
I know my AC evap coil upstairs in the attic has a really slow freon leak. It last for 8 months before having to recharge it (it cost me $150 parts & labor last time 8 months ago).
I found a reputable licensed HAVAC tech who would change my evap coils for $650 Parts & labor. I was considering signing up for TP and having them repair it, but after reading this thread, I don't think it's worth the trouble. They would probably give me the "it was an existing condition" and gladly take the $60 service fee.
When my appliance breaks, I need it fixed right away and in most cases, the same day. I dont think I can get that kind of service with TP. With craigslist, I've always had people come within hours of calling them for service.
Anybody live in the Houston area and can recommend a reputable home warranty company?

Home warranties, and total protect are good to have....if you maintain you appliances/air conditioning system etc... So many people place claims and have not had their air conditioner maintained, or cleaned the entire time they have owned the unit, and then when it is clogged and stops the compressor, expect someone to pay for their laziness in not keeping up their appliances. You can't expect a company to pay out on every claim, there are limitations...that is in regard to everything in life. For most of the warranties, you have a 30 day review period, where they actually mail you the warranty to look over. Those who do not look over it, I do not feel any remorse for, that is you own negligence and stupidty to not know what something you are paying for will cover....just doesn't make sense. Most people start the warranty having something in their home that is already broken....that obviously will not be covered....it didn't fail within the warranty period. If you never change the oil in your car, or have any of the fluid topped off, and then go to the dealer and expect them to replace you engine.....they would laugh in your face. This is the same thing, If you read the warranty it covers mechanical malfunctions....due to normal wear and tear. The majority of the complaints on this blogg are from people who didn't read the information that was provided to them......they can only point the finger back at themselves.....why would you pay for somsomething and not read the warranty....and then complain or "blog" when it was stated in black and white. This is a good priced warranty if you are someone who takes care of your appliances and systems. Would you replace something for someone if they didn't take care of them???I didn't think so.

US Bank sent out information about Total Protect Warrenty with my bank statement. I signed the paperwork after I finished reading it, however, I soon found out that it was not all that it was cracked up to be. I submitted a claim to have my thermostat replace in my home which took me a week to just try to get through and then took me fifteen plus minutes just to get someone on the line, anyway they sent Preferred Mechanical to my house to replace my thermostat and the next day my a/c that was working perfectly fine until June 19th was not cooling the house. We have always maintance our appliances and had someone out last year to make sure things were in proper order, however, we called Preferred Machanical back they were rude and hateful, not to metion during the time that we were trying to get this fixed they called and left a message that Total Protect was not authorizing our claim because it was already pre-exsiting and then laughed as they hung up the phone. I had to call Total Protect, when I finally got someone they could not get me a Supervisor on the phone because they were already busy on the phone with another customer so he verified my information and told me that it could be anywhere from 2-4 hours before a supervisor would call me back and I am still waiting. From what I am reading they are a total rip off!!!! How can something that was working before they got to my home all of a sudden be pr