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Achosa Home Warranty
Our Take
Achosa Home Warranty is a younger home warranty company only in business since 2018 operating in 20 states. Consumers considering Achosa should consider whether or not they actually need a home warranty before signing on to a contract.
In the case of Achosa, individuals with an existing emergency fund may be better served sending the average annual premium of $725.88 to their own emergency fund and taking care of their repairs themselves instead of paying Achosa, calling a number when an issue arises, waiting to see if an issue will be covered and paying a trade call fee of $70-$150. For those who don’t have emergency savings, or want peace of mind and are willing to pay for it, Achosa is a company with high coverage limits, high fees, high flexibility, and industry standard exclusions.
Investopedia conducted an online survey to consumers in January 2022 asking them what they looked for in a home warranty. Consumers responded that the most important factor is annual cost followed by service fees, coverage and support, choosing their own technician. and high payout caps. Achosa has high annual costs, high service fees, and comparable coverage options. However, they allow consumers choose their own technician and hav one of the highest total payout caps among the companies we reviewed.
- Pros & Cons
- specifications
Very high annual payout cap of $25,000
Can use your own repair person
No waiting period for coverage to start for home buyers
High annual plan cost of $725.88
Slow average claim response time of 48 hours
Only available in 20 states
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Achosa Home Warranty
Company Overview
Achosa Home Warranty is a relatively new home warranty company that was established in 2018 with headquarters located in Chesterfield, Missouri. They offer home warranty coverage in 20 states with comparable plans and coverage levels to other companies we surveyed. They do not offer coverage in three of the four most populous states - California, Florida and New York. While their plan costs are higher on average than other companies we reviewed they do offer the flexibility of using out of network repair technicians and have generous annual aggregate payout caps on covered systems and appliances.
States Covered
Achosa is available in limited states:
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Available Plans
Achosa Home Warranty offers plans on the more expensive range than their competitors with their base plan starting at $39.99 monthly and their top tier plan starting at $72.99 monthly. Their average yearly plan cost is $725.88, which makes them the second most expensive home warranty Investopedia has reviewed.
Among their plan options you can choose between their core plan, advantage plan, and advantage plus plan. The main difference between these plans is the coverage limit per item detailed in the table below.
| Feature | Core | Advantage | Advantage Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan price | $39.99/month | $57.99/month | $72.99/month |
| Plumbing System | ✓ ($1,500) | ✓ ($1,500) | ✓ ($1,500) |
| Sump Pump | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central Heat | ✓ ($2,000) | ✓ ($2,000) | ✓ ($2,400) |
| Garbage Disposal | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) |
| Electrical | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) |
| Water Heater | ✓ ($700) | ✓ ($700) | ✓ ($900) |
| Attic Fan | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) |
| Range/Oven/Cooktop | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) |
| Built-in Microwave | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) | ✓ ($1,000) |
| Air Conditioner | ✓ ($2,000) | ✓ ($2,400) | |
| Washer/Dryer/Refrigerator | ✓ ($1,000 fridge) ($500 W/D) | ✓ ($1,000 fridge) ($500 W/D) |
Real Estate Plans
Achosa offers plans to both home sellers and home buyers. The publicized difference between these plans is a $50 to $75 higher trade-call fee for seller’s plans over buyer’s plans depending on the plan level chosen.
Achosa does have plans available for purchase for real estate professionals but does not make the plan cost available to non-realtors.
Plan Pricing
Achosa’s plans are on the high end of the price range for home warranties with advertised pricing ranging from $39.99 monthly to $72.99 monthly on an annual contract with no free cancellation. With this higher price comes the flexibility of being able to choose your own contractors and a very high annual payout cap of $25,000.
In comparison to others, Achosa’s price may not be fully justified. America’s Preferred Home Warranty has an average annual plan cost of $517 with an annual payout cap of $25,000 and also allows individuals to choose their own contractors.
Optional Add-On Coverage
Achosa offers a limited number of add-on coverage options including:
- Additional Pool or Spa
- Additional Refrigerator
- Jetted Bathtub
- Mini-split System
- Non-Owner-Occupied Property
- Pool and Spa (Shared Equipment)
- Saltwater Pool & Spa
- Septic System
- Stand Alone Freezer
- Stand Alone Ice Maker
- Water Softener
- Well Water Pump
Achosa offers home warranty options on multifamily properties for landlords with up to four units at a cost respective to the number of units. A single family home Core plan would be $39.99, a two-unit Core plan would be $79.99, a three-unit Core plan would be $119.99 and so on.
Types of Damage Covered
Achosa Home Warranty offers detailed descriptions of the types of damage covered for each plan level on their website.
In general, Achosa has standard types of damage covered including: ducted central heating and A/C units, motors on attic fans, main electrical panels, outlets, switches, wiring, subpanels, doorbells, plumbing leaks, and so on.
Plan Exclusions
Achosa Home Warranty plans have several exclusions that are common among most home warranty companies detailed by plan level on their website. In general, their plan exclusions focus on misuse, wear and tear items, and catastrophic events.
Achosa does not cover repairs due to misuse like problems with a garbage disposal caused by bones, glass, or non-food objects. Achosa does not cover repairs due to wear and tear like replacing the rollers, springs, or seals on a dishwasher. Achosa does not cover catastrophic damage like roof damage due to a tornado.
In addition to misuse, wear and tear, and catastrophic exclusions, Achosa has a number of exclusions for specific unique situations including: oil hot water tanks, rotisseries, AV equipment connected to a fridge, solar components, geothermal systems, humidifiers, UV lights, backup power systems, and so on.
Payout Caps and Limitations
Achosa Home Warranty has a very high total annual payout cap of $25,000 for all plans. The payout cap on specific items depends on the specific plan level which can be seen in the table in the Available Plans section above.
27% of survey respondents listed that a high maximum payout cap is important to them when comparing a home warranty policy. Achosa has one of the highest annual payout caps in the industry. Keep in mind that due to individual item payout caps multiple items would have to need repairs for the total annual payout caps to be relevant.
Repair Time
Achosa’s average repair time is 48 hours from the time of initially calling them to scheduling a contractor to getting a work authorization and having work completed. This timeline is common with ten other home warranty companies having average repair times of 48 hours or longer according to our market research.
For customers looking for quicker repair timelines there are other options with shorter timelines including as short as two hours during business hours for Sears Home Warranty.
34% of survey respondents listed choosing their own repair person as important to them when comparing a home warranty policy. Achosa’s entire business model is based on customer’s choosing their own service workers for repairs.
Customer Service and Claims Process
Achosa has an extremely straightforward five step claims process.
- Call Customer Service (888)-509-2916 and select option 2. A customer service representative will verify that the item in question is covered by your plan, give you a request number and will recommend contractors on request.
- Schedule service with the local contractor or repair person of your choice.
- Call Customer Service (888)-509-2916 and select option 3 after the contractor has diagnosed the problem but prior to the repair. A customer service representative will speak to you and the contractor to determine the dollar amount that will be covered.
- Authorize the contractor to perform the work.
- Call Customer Service (888)-509-2916 and select option 3 after the work is completed. Achosa will then arrange their portion of payment to the contractor. You are responsible for paying the lesser of a trade call fee ($70-150 depending on your plan) or the actual cost of the service. Be aware that you will be required to pay for any items replaced or repaired that were not covered in addition to the trade call fee.
Customer Satisfaction
Achosa is a relatively new company with very limited customer satisfaction reviews. The business is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and currently has a A- rating with 2.41 out of five stars based on 27 customer reviews.
Their BBB profile shows 12 complaints of which 8 were closed within the last 12 months. The majority of complaints are similar to criticisms of other home warranty companies including claims being denied for existing issues and customers disagreeing with having to pay trade call fees they were not aware of in the contract.
Achosa Vs. ARW Home
We compared Achosa Home Warranty with ARW Home, formerly American Residential Warranty. They both have a similar number of plans available and allow customers to choose their own contractors. ARW Home offers significantly more add-on options including personal electronics. Achosa has a significantly higher annual average plan cost with higher trade-call fees. To compensate for their higher fees, Achosa has a much higher annual payout cap than ARW Home.
Unless customers are concerned that all of their systems will fail within a year needing the increased annual payout cap, ARW Home is an option that will cost less in yearly premiums when it isn’t used and will cost less in fees when it is used, which makes it a better choice for most buyers.
| Achosa Home Warranty | ARW Home | |
|---|---|---|
| Investopedia’s overall rating | 3.5 | 4.7 |
| Annual average plan cost | $725.88 | $629.88 |
| # of Plans Available | Three | Four |
| Can choose contractors | Yes | Yes |
| Annual Payout Cap | $25,000 | $5,000 |
| Trade-call fee | $70-150 | $0-75 |
Achosa Home Warranty is an expensive warranty option to own with a high annual plan cost and an expensive warranty option to use with relatively high trade-call fees. Unless you have reason to believe you will need the high annual payout cap Achosa offers by having multiple systems in your home fail, you may be better served by going through an option that is cheaper to own and use.
A relative newcomer to the Home Warranty market, Achosa gets some things consumers want right, like letting them choose their own contractors. Achosa misses the mark on other features consumers want, such as not offering any online claim submission or tracking options. The lack of the latter is puzzling for a company founded in 2018.
Customers who want the greatest peace of mind may be better served by choosing a company with a longer tenure and a more robust review history than Achosa Home Warranty.
FAQs
How much does the plan cost?
The plan costs between $39.99 monthly and $72.99 depending on which option you choose.
What does the plan cover?
The plan has standard coverage options on systems and appliances comparable with most home warranty plans on offer from other companies.
What does the plan not cover?
The plan does not cover wear and tear, misuse, catastrophic events, and specific unique situations.
How much is the service fee?
The service fee varies based on your plan between $70 and $150.
Is there a cancellation fee?
Achosa cancellation fees are $25 or 10% of the remaining contract price, whichever is the lesser.
How do you file a claim?
You file a claim with Achosa home warranty by calling (888)-509-2916.
Are there customer service complaints?
Achosa is a young company with 12 customer service complaints with the Better Business Bureau. Complaints are focused on issues common with home warranties including complaints about repairs not being covered and customers being charged fees they didn’t notice in their contracts.
Methodology
There are several aspects to consider when evaluating a home warranty company and its coverages. To assist in your decision process, our methodology for reviewing home warranties includes a quantified scoring system that evaluates four major categories - total plan cost, coverage and support, customizability and transparency. Within those four major evaluation categories we look at 15 core features that include annual plan fees and service fees, claim response times, payout caps, states available, contract length range, customizable coverages, ability to use own repair person, free cancelation, plan pricing, plan exclusions and other plan provisions available online. We assign fractional score values ranging from 0.00 to 1.00 points for each feature and then weight those feature values according to subject matter expert advice and consumer survey importance ranking. We also compare features for each company to industry average values determined from our data collection for the top 25 home warranty providers. Third-party ratings and customer satisfaction scores are factored in to help assess a home warranty company’s overall quality, suitability and value.
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