We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. Learn more

Old Republic Home Warranty Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 2.2 / 5 (Average)
157 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
Our content is free because we may earn a commission when you click or make a purchase using our site. Learn more.
Old Republic Home Protection, formerly called Dependable Home Warranty, was founded in 1974 and became a subsidiary of Old Republic International in 1982. The California-based company has since undergone management changes that have contributed to its growth and expansion beyond California. It is currently considered the third largest home warranty company in the United States.

How is Old Republic rated?

Breakdown

0.0/5
Transparency
3.5/5
Claims Processing
3.5/5
Coverage Options
0.0/5
Additional Benefits
4.0/5
Customer Experience

Overall Rating: 2.2 / 5 (Average)

For 40 years, Old Republic Home Protection has remained among the three largest home warranty companies in the industry, providing comprehensive coverages for homeowners, home buyers, and real estate agents alike. Although their plans offer full protection for most systems and appliances, they can be rather pricey depending on the area of coverage and size of the home. Overall, Old Republic is a reliable option for anyone looking for enhanced protection and round-the-clock claims processing.

Coverage

Key Facts

Plan Types
Combo Plan
Build Your Own
Benefit Limit Type
Per Item
Typical Appliance Benefit Limit
$250
Typical Systems Benefit Limit
$1,000

Coverage Options - 3.5 / 5

Old Republic Home Protection offers three home warranty plans, the Standard Platinum, and Ultimate. The Standard coverage protects all main systems and most appliances, and clients can build on that coverage to customize their plans. The company also offers optional coverage for certain less usual items such as salt water equipment and ornamental fountains. On the downside, Old Republic's typical appliance benefit limit is $250, and their systems limit is $1,000, which is less than what other home warranty providers are currently offering.

What does Old Republic cover?

Covered Built-In Systems

  • Air Conditioning
  • Heating
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Water Heater
  • Instant Hot/Cold Water Dispenser
  • Central Vacuums
  • Ceiling Fans
  • Ductwork
  • Sump Pump

Covered Appliances

  • Refrigerators
  • Dishwashers
  • Clothes Dryers
  • Clothes Washers
  • Ranges/Ovens/Cooktops
  • Built-in Microwaves
  • Freestanding Ice Makers
  • Built-In Trash Compactors
  • Garage Door Openers
  • Garbage Disposal
  • Stand Alone Freezer
Display Less
1 More

Exclusions

For a full list of Old Republic exclusions, check out this page.

Specialty Items

  • Pool/Spa
  • Well Pump
  • Septic
  • Roof Leaks

Contract & Price

Contract Details

Annual Premium
Starting at $295
Minimum Contract Length
13 month(s)
Online Quote/Application

Contract & Price - 4 / 5

Old Republic plans are on the higher end in terms of price, with annual premiums ranging from $260-$500 depending on the state, size, and condition of the home. Contracts with this company may be cancelled upon mutual agreement, in which case the customer would be entitled to a pro-rata refund of the paid plan fee minus a $50 processing fee and service costs.

Sample Contract

Old Republic provides a sample contract for potential customers on its website: Old Republic Sample Contract

Cancellation Policy

This Plan is non-cancellable, except for 1) nonpayment of fees; 2) fraud or misrepresentation of facts material to the Plan or a request for service thereunder; 3) upon mutual agreement between you and ORHP; or 4) if you harm or threaten the safety or well-being of ORHP, any employee of ORHP, a Service Provider, or any property of ORHP or of the Service Provider. If Plan is cancelled, you shall be entitled to a pro-rata refund of the paid Plan fee for the unexpired term less service cost incurred and a $50 processing fee. If a refund calculation results in you owing us for services rendered, we will bill you the net amount due or the unpaid Plan Contract fee, whichever is less.

Claims & Service

Claims

Maintenance Records Required for Service?
No
24/7 Claims Department?
Waiting Period
30 days

Contractors & Service

Contractor Selection
In-Network Only
Service Recall Period
30 days

Claims Processing - 3.5 / 5

Old Republic charges a different trade call fee, ranging from $55 to $100, depending on the state, size, and condition of the home. They have the standard 30-day waiting period before coverage can begin, a 30-day recall period on labor, and mostly restrict customers to their network of contractors, unless they have been previously authorized by the company. Nevertheless, Old Republic does have a 24/7 claims department, which many customers find convenient and isn't offered by all home warranty companies.

Old Republic Reputation

Company Details

Year Founded
1974
NHSCA Membership
Number of Employees
550
BBB Rating
A+
BBB Positive Reviews
11
BBB Neutral Reviews
3
BBB Negative Reviews
113

Reputation - 5 / 5

Old Republic Home Protection is NHSCA-certified and accredited by the Better Business Bureau. The company holds an A+ rating with the BBB and a composite score of 3.81 out of 5 stars based on 140 reviews. There have been a substantial number of complaints filed against the company, yet they have resolved each issue and seem committed to providing a good customer experience.

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Company Phone
(800) 445-6999
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 5017, San Ramon, CA, 94583
Year Founded
1974

Leave a comment for Old Republic Home Warranty
Minimum 12 words.
 No maximum length.
* What's Your Rating?
To make this comment as helpful as possible for our community, please provide at least 2 sentences.

157 Customer Comments & Reviews

Loading Reviews ...
D
Dan J
6/27/2017
I have been without a fully charged AC unit for about a month now. That means it runs constantly except for a few hours at night. Resulting in a power bill hundreds of dollars higher than average! The first call to Old Republic a month before that was answered by a tech in a smart car that did not do anything other than get out of his car and charge the unit then leave. This time a contractor showed up actually knew what an AC unit was and found the condenser coil had a hole in it. Contractor stated that ORHP did not want to replace the unit and that he could not locate the coil due to the age of the unit. After contacting ORHP I was told they could order the part. Since then it has been... Read More


D
Don T
6/22/2017
This company has been a nightmare to work with and Old Republic, its employees, leaders and executives, should be ashamed of the exceedingly poor customer focus under which they operate. From the beginning, Old Republic has done nothing but take money and fail to provide any service of value despite multiple issues being brought to their attention. How much is too much? At what point should Old Republic focus on the customer instead of their own pockets? Deny this, deny that, take money and “have a good day.” That seems to be the modus operandi by which Old Republic functions. It is my sincere request that everyone heeds this warning and does not use Old Republic in any of their... Read More


T
T. S
6/15/2017
Possibly the worst customer service I have ever experienced. There is a very long wait time just trying to reach someone to speak to. The techs they send out are rude and make you feel like you're a tenant instead of a home owner. The techs don't communicate with you about their findings or what needs to be done. They do a diagnostic and tell you they have to send a report to the company, get permission to do the work and then will schedule a time to come out to do the work. If you're a new home owner and find out something is wrong with something in your home don't get this service because EVERYTHING is considered pre existing and therefore NOT COVERED. You have to wait at... Read More


D
daniel
6/12/2017
I am currently haggling with this so called warranty company. We have had a problem with them earlier on with A/C repairs and are still trying to resolve our claim. But the current event concerns our pool controller. They sent out their preferred pool contractor to verify the problem and he reported to our property management company that the problem is not covered. I have yet to this moment been able to confer with his opinion. I was apparently ,(from what I have read in this rating blog) fortunate to get a hold of (Jimmy) at the customer service number on our "Platinum Coverage" Yah-uh-huh . He came up with some pretty impressive phrases and terms why I wasn't covered but the one term he... Read More


Lauren G
6/11/2017
If I could give zero stars I would. I have never dealt with a company that spends more time trying to NOT pay for the coverage they stated they would cover in our plan. So far we have had a hot water heater that they would not replace to age, an air unit that had to be replaced but had to pay OVER $600 in "modifications" but every other company we spoke with states that as part of installation and now we are waiting on them to find an electrician to fix electrical problems that the air company they required us to use have caused. And guess what, we will have to pay the $60 service fee to have the electrician come out just to see what is wrong. I am sure they will find more "modification"... Read More


Michael F
5/31/2017
Had a warranty plan with optional coverage for pool and a spa for fixer upper we bought. Had 6 claims over the life of the year plan, 5 of which were related to the pool. Two of the 5 visits were counted as additional claims, even though they were call backs on issues that didn't get finished the first time they came to repair it. One of the claims the repair person came out to look at the air conditioning and said all it needed was a recharge; that there were no leaks. Two weeks later I lost air again and hired someone on my own to look at it, and they did a leak test and said my coil had a giant hole in it. Old Republic wouldn't offer our policy for renewal this last month... Read More


Natalie P
5/27/2017
It wouldn't let me give 0 stars but it deserves 0 stars. Our ac went out and we called ORHW and they sent a technician out. He inspected it and said we didn't have filters on the outside unit so he couldn't fix it until he got approval from ORHW. ORHW called us the next day and said because it didn't have filters on it it didn't meet code and they wouldn't cover it. We got a good friend that is a ac repairman to come look and said that there isn't any code that requires filters on the outside ac unit. So we were lied to and didn't get anything paid for from ORHW. We paid our friend to fix it and all that was wrong was a leak in the hose that carries the coolent. One he changed the hose and... Read More


M
Mrs P
5/26/2017
Yes I called this Company 8 times Today starting at 3:05pm CST and each and every time I was literally hung up on, then I called back finally got a Person on the Phone his name is Sealth time was 3:10pm he said let me connect you to Billing and then hung up, so I decided to call Billing again myself and stayed in hold for 15 minutes and the Auto can on and said "instead of holding you can be called back without loosing your spot leave a call back Number and your call will be returned", well it's 5:10pm and I'm still waiting. My advice to anyone that is interested in Purchasing Extra Home Insurance for Select Home Warranty Please look some where else this is the worst Company I have come... Read More


K
KERRI
5/23/2017
Old republic sells insurance in lassen county and they make it so difficult for a contractor to contract with that there are none in the area. So why are they allowed to sell this insurance to home owners in the county if they cannot get a licensed contractor hired to do any work. Huge waste of money


B
Bridget
5/22/2017
Do NOT waste your money on this company. I have had the worst customer service I've ever experienced with Old Republic. By the end of my annual membership with them, it ended up costing me a small fortune because they do NOT adhere to their warranties - must have really good corporate lawyers, because they ALWAYS weaseled out of paying what should have been covered.



Top Rated
Our Partner

🔥 SALE: $150 OFF + 2 Months Free

  • Trusted by Forbes, NerdWallet & MarketWatch
  • Coverage for HVAC Systems & Home Appliances
  • Free Roof Leak Coverage & Multi-Year Discount 
  • Flexible: No Home Inspection Required
  • Hassle-Free Claims Online or by Phone