Old Republic Home Warranty review: A comprehensive guide to cost and coverage

Old Republic Home Warranty at a glance

Old Republic Home Warranty didn’t make our list of the best home warranty companies, but it may still suit some homeowners.

Fast facts

What we like

Old Republic’s sample contracts are easy to locate on its website, written in plain language and use tables that clearly explain covered items and applicable limits. I also like that Old Republic’s pricing is fixed and not affected by the location of the covered property.

What we don’t like

I’m not fond of Old Republic’s geographical limitations. The company only sells policies in 25 states and Washington, D.C., and it serves only homeowners in the southern and western United States. Finally, Old Republic’s website isn’t as user-friendly as other providers, and customers can’t request a quote online.

*BBB scores are accurate as of September 2024.

Old Republic Home Warranty pros and cons

On the positive side, Old Republic’s Platinum Plan is much more inclusive than many home warranty plans. While home warranties often exclude items covered by other warranties, Old Republic’s Platinum Coverage plan will cover labor costs, even if you have a manufacturer’s warranty. Old Republic’s plans can also be extended longer than the typical one-year plan term.

The biggest plus is Old Republic’s generous limits for appliances. The lowest-tier plan covers $3,000 per appliance, the next tier covers $5,000 per appliance, and the most comprehensive plan covers $7,000. All three plans are competitively priced.

On the flip side, the company’s $100 service call fee isn’t flexible and is more expensive than the $75 service call fee that’s standard across the home warranty industry, so it may be out of reach for budget-conscious homeowners. Similarly, there’s a hidden $5 convenience fee to process monthly payments when you don’t pay for the whole term upfront.

Pros

Cons

How much does Old Republic Home Warranty cost?

Unlike many home warranty providers, Old Republic doesn’t offer a customizable online quote process. Instead, you’ll find brochures tailored to your state and pricing will be outlined there. Though the brochure doesn’t advertise monthly costs, I spoke to a representative who confirmed that the advertised premiums can be split into more affordable installments throughout the plan term. Some areas may add a $5 convenience fee to these payments.

If you’re selling your home, you can purchase bare-bones coverage for some appliances and systems for only $70. However, single-family properties will have more expensive premiums than condominiums, townhomes or mobile homes. The Silver Plan costs $560 per year for condos, townhomes and mobile homes and $615 for single-family homes. The Gold Plan costs $680 for the former and $745 for the latter.

There’s a big jump to the Platinum Plan.

It costs $900 for condos, townhomes and mobile homes and $960 for single-family homes. Your costs may vary if you purchase add-on coverage. Because Old Republic doesn’t have a custom online quote process, you don’t have to worry about price fluctuations between ZIP codes. It’s purely based on the amount of coverage you buy and the type of property you intend to cover.

All plans have a $100 service call fee, sometimes referred to as a trade call fee, when you file a claim. It’s like an insurance deductible, meaning you’ll have to pay this fee out of pocket before utilizing your coverage.

What services does Old Republic offer?

Old Republic’s home warranty coverage is extensive compared to other providers. Not only are its appliance coverage limits generous, but its plans cover items such as rekey services, fans, central vacuums and sump pumps — all of which are often left out of competitors’ offerings.

You also have the option to select a contractor for the repair if you meet the company’s strict criteria, including having the contractor call Old Republic’s authorization department with a complete diagnosis and breakdown of costs for the required labor and parts.

All repairs completed through your home warranty coverage will be guaranteed for 30 days, also known as a workmanship guarantee. If an item malfunctions again within these 30 days, Old Republic will send a repair technician without requiring an additional service call fee.

Old Republic Home Warranty services

Old Republic add-ons and optional features

Old Republic has 12 extra coverage options that homeowners can add to their base policies. It prices these extras individually, and costs range from $25 to $230 or more, depending on your location. Some states are more expensive than others.

Add-ons range from pool and spa coverage to septic to well pumps to roof-leak repairs and more.

Additional refrigerator or freezer

For $75 per plan term, the additional refrigerator and freezer add-on will cover up to $1,000 for four additional systems. It covers all components that affect the unit’s cooling function.

Appliance limit upgrade

If you have the Silver or Gold Plan, this add-on will increase your coverage limit by $2,000. It costs $100 (one year) or $200 (two years).

Enhanced slab leak

If you buy the enhanced slab leak add-on, Old Republic will increase the financial protection for plumbing systems encased in concrete by $1,000 and provide up to $1,000 in coverage for external pipe leaks outside the covered property’s foundation. This add-on doesn’t cover

faucets, sprinkler/irrigation systems, landscape drains, pipes connected to your swimming pool or damage from tree roots. It costs $100.

Limited roof leak

The roof leak add-on will cover the costs of repairing leaks in the home’s main dwelling. To qualify, wear and tear or rainfall must cause the leaks (as opposed to a named storm or other disaster). Also, the roof must be watertight at the start of the plan term. It will add $100 to your annual plan costs.

Pre-season HVAC tune-up

This add-on covers one cooling system tune-up between February and April and one heating system tune-up between September and November. During the tune-up, a technician will calibrate the thermostat, test the temperature split, add refrigerant (if needed), inspect the unit, clean the burners and check for leaks. The extra coverage costs $25 per plan term.

Ornamental water fountains

This extra protection covers the motor pump and assembly for ornamental water fountains, pools and ponds. It doesn’t cover water pipes, filters or electrical elements. Buying it costs $100.

Outdoor kitchen

For $125 per plan term, the outdoor kitchen add-on extends coverage to ice makers, refrigerators (including wine refrigerators), freezers and the plumbing and electrical systems that supply the kitchen by $1,000.

Septic system and septic tank pumping

For $75 per plan term, the septic system and septic pumping add-on will pump one full or stopped-up tank per contract term. However, coverage is capped at $500.

Swimming pool and spa equipment

For $230 per plan term, the swimming and spa equipment add-on covers up to $3,000 for accessible above-ground components of the heating and filtration systems and up to $1,500 for saltwater circuit boards and cells.

Water softener/reverse osmosis system

This add-on covers repairs to owned water softeners and reverse osmosis systems used for drinking water. It doesn’t cover leased or rented units, systems used for pool water, filter components, salt or replacement membranes. It will add $75 to your annual plan costs.

Well pump/booster pump

This coverage protects pump servicing if your home has a well or booster pump. It won’t cover pumps that serve multiple units or the cost of locating the pump. Well pump coverage costs $100, and booster pump coverage costs $75.

What does Old Republic Home Warranty not cover?

In its sample contract, Old Republic Home Warranty explicitly lists the parts of each covered item it won’t cover. For example, the Platinum Plan protects plumbing systems, including plumbing issues caused by tree roots, but it doesn’t cover costs to excavate the line or repair broken lines outside the main foundation. I recommend reading your sample contract to make sure you understand your coverage and its limitations.

You’ll also want to review your contract’s limits of liability.  The contract will list the scenarios it doesn’t cover in this section. I’ve broken down Old Republic Home Warranty’s general limitations. It won’t cover the following:

Of Old Republic’s three tiers of plans, the Silver Plan has the most limitations. Gold and Platinum Plans are far more inclusive, expanding coverage to some of the above exclusions, such as malfunctions due to mismatched items or labor costs for items covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.

Old Republic Home Warranty customer experience

Old Republic Home Warranty’s website is lacking compared to many of its competitors. Customers are expected to request service using the Homeowner Central portal.

If you can’t file a claim that way, call (800) 972-5985. I called this number several times throughout the day and experienced varying wait times and customer service quality. My longest wait time was midday on a Wednesday, and it took about 30 minutes to speak to a representative. Customer service representatives were patient when I asked clarifying questions about contract terms and the purchase process. This line has a recorded message outside of business hours with instructions for accessing emergency services. Old Republic says it will process non-emergent claims within 48 hours.

I wanted to know more about the real-life experiences of customers who had subscribed and requested service. Like any service, there is a range of experiences. Here’s a review detailing an overall positive experience despite some hiccups along the way:

While the company largely has positive customer reviews, not every customer has the same experience. Here’s a review of a less-than-satisfactory experience:

Old Republic representatives responded to dissatisfied customers to try to make things right, which is something I commend them on.

The fine print: Terms and conditions you should know

Like its limitations of liability, Old Republic’s sample contract neatly lays out its coverage limits for each plan and covered item. Here’s a quick breakdown of the most important systems and appliances:

Old Republic Home Warranty vs. competitors

Old Republic Home Warranty didn’t score highly enough in our unbiased evaluations to earn a spot on our list of the best home warranties of 2024. Its main issue was that its basic plan didn’t cover as many VIP systems and appliances as top-ranking providers like Select Home Warranty and American Residential Warranty and American Home Shield.

Old Republic Home Warranty has a much more limited service area, poorer user experience of its website and higher service call fees than Select Home Warranty and American Residential Warranty. While American Residential Warranty charges a competitive $55 per claim and Select Home Warranty’s $75 service call fee is spot on with the industry average, Old Republic’s service call fee is $100. Likewise, American Home Shield has fully built-out platforms, convenient quote processes with online purchase options and 24/7 claims hotlines, Old Republic doesn’t.

However, Old Republic’s best highlight compared to competitors is its exceptional appliance coverage caps. each appliance is covered up to $3,000 with its most basic plan. With its most comprehensive plan, each appliance can be covered up to $7,000, making it an attractive option for customers with high-end or high-value appliances.

Old Republic Home Warranty competitor comparison

Methodology

The CNN Underscored team is deeply entrenched in the home warranty industry, thoroughly investigating home warranties and determining the providers most likely to deliver value to our readers. When we write each review and round-up, we dig into customer reviews, request quotes to evaluate pricing and vet the company’s reputation, including but not limited to its standing with the Better Business Bureau and previous and pending legal actions. We also read sample contracts to identify key coverage terms, such as coverage limits, exclusions and workmanship guarantees.

Overall, we consider nearly 1,500 data points from over 21 providers so we can deliver well-researched and unbiased assessments to our readers. We fact-check these data points by secret shopping and consulting industry experts, such as contract lawyers and home services providers.

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