Old Republic Home Warranty Review

A long-standing home warranty provider, Old Republic Home Warranty offers several plans and add-on services to provide coverage for your home’s most essential appliances and systems. It offers a Standard, Ultimate and Platinum plan with the option to add on coverage for your washer, dryer and refrigerator. Prices range from $420 to $950 per year.

Each plan comes with a long and specific list of covered items. While none of the plans specifically cover washers, dryers or kitchen refrigerators, they can all be added on. For Ultimate and Platinum plan customers, adding these on is made simple with the company’s Ultimate with W/D/R and Platinum with W/D/R plans.

Old Republic has a high rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and customers appreciate the company for its quick response time and 24/7 customer service availability.

Available Plans

Old Republic Home Warranty offers an extensive coverage list with three different plans to choose from: Standard, Ultimate and Platinum. The Standard plan is suitable for first-time homeowners who aren’t sure of their home warranty needs yet, but still want a long list of covered items.

The Standard plan covers essential home appliances, which the Ultimate and Platinum plans build on. The Ultimate Protection Plan covers code upgrades and cranes, while the Platinum plan offers increased coverage for HVAC systems, plumbing and further code upgrades.

To add coverage for your washer, dryer and kitchen refrigerator, opt for a plan “with W/D/R.” Old Republic offers its Ultimate plan with W/D/R and Platinum plan with W/D/R to make adding this important coverage simple.

You can also add coverage for your:

• Swimming pool and spa
• Well pump
• Roof (limited roof warranty)
• Outside gas line
• Outside water line
• Water softener
• Septic
• Stand-alone freezer
• Wine refrigerator
• Free-standing ice maker

Coverage with Old Republic Home Warranty is effective for 12 full months beginning 30 days after signing the contract. Coverage will be automatically renewed unless you cancel it, in which case you will be charged a $25 cancellation fee.

Old Republic offers a free re-service period for parts and labor for 30 days in case the contractor’s repair doesn’t hold up. While that seems generous, it is the industry minimum and you can find similar services with most other home warranty providers.

And like other home warranty providers, Old Republic charges a trade call fee when contractors are called in for repairs. The total amount due when the service provider arrives will depend on which plan you purchase, but costs range from $75 to $100.

Old Republic Home Warranty prices vary based on where you live because of differing contractor fees. Currently, its service is only available in 29 states. Old Republic Home Warranty does not offer coverage in these states:

• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Dakota
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Vermont
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

Old Republic Home Warranty offers multiple base plans to meet your coverage needs: Standard, Ultimate and Platinum. You can also opt to add coverage for your washer, dryer and kitchen refrigerator with Ultimate with W/D/R or Platinum with W/D/R.

The Standard plan costs $420 per year for a smaller house or apartment. Prices will increase as the home’s size increases, with prices reaching $615 for family homes.

The Ultimate and Platinum plans are more expensive than the Standard plan, but they have longer coverage lists. For an apartment, the Ultimate plan will cost $510 per year and the Platinum will cost $650. Expect to pay an extra $200 per year for larger family homes. And if you’re adding W/D/R coverage to your plan, it will cost an extra $100 per year on average.

Old Republic Home Warranty sets limits for covered items. Seller’s coverage limits and payout caps include:

• $3,500 per appliance
• $1,500 for heating, ductwork and air conditioning
• $500 for plumbing repairs and replacements

Payout caps will vary from state to state, so talk with an Old Republic representative to determine what caps are in effect in your area. Caps will also differ depending on which plan you purchase—they start at $1,500 for heating, ductwork and AC in the Standard plan, but increase to $2,500 with the Platinum plan. The best way to determine which plan works for you is to comb through the company’s policy options.

Old Republic gets high marks from the BBB with an A+ rating. While many customers are happy with its service, several complain about claim denial. If you choose Old Republic for your home warranty, be prepared to carefully review your contract agreement before filing a claim.

Old Republic is a great choice for both new and seasoned homeowners who want to cover their valuable home appliances and systems in order to prevent unexpected costs in the future when repairs or replacements are needed. And when a claim is accepted, the company is known to address the issue much quicker than other home warranty providers.

Why We Picked It

• 47-year-old company
• Offers three extensive plans with optional add-ons
• Prices range from $420 to $950 per year

Brief methods explanation: To determine this ranking, the Forbes Advisor editorial team analyzed data on dozens of companies, with each product’s rating determined by evaluating a variety of metrics, including:

• Pricing and discounts (30%)
• Customer reviews (20%)
• Response time (15%)
• Option to pick own technician (5%)
• Nationwide availability (15%)
• What’s included in coverage (15%)