Old Republic Home Protection Review

Company Overview

Old Republic Home Protection was established in 1974 with the company’s headquarters located in San Ramon, California. It is a division of the Old Republic Insurance Group and provides home warranty plans in 27 states and the District of Columbia. Old Republic Home Protection provides plans to homeowners to help offset the cost for the repair or replacement of major home systems and appliances. The company offers a selection of four to six plans, depending on the state in which you live.

Old Republic Home Protection has a very average annual cost of $576.67 compared to the 25 other home warranty companies we reviewed. According to our consumer survey, cost was the most important factor to 74% of our respondents, and service fees were the most important to 63% of respondents. For both of these metrics, Old Republic performs directly in the middle of the pack. Where this company truly stands out is in its high payout caps per covered item, which ranges from $3,500 to $5,000. High payout caps were the most important factor to 44% of survey respondents.

Old Republic also provides optional coverage for things like solar hot water systems and outdoor kitchens. Our Old Republic Home Protection review considers costs, coverage items, limits, and exclusions.

States Covered

Old Republic Home Protection offers plans in 27 states and D.C., included areas are:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wyoming

Available Plans

Although it is not uncommon for warranty companies to vary plan prices from state to state, Old Republic Home Protection takes things one step further and gives you four to six plan choices depending on where you live.

Prices differ per state; this includes standard plan coverage as well as the optional coverage. As an example, coverage for a washer, dryer, and refrigerator is part of the Standard, Ultimate, and Platinum plans in Georgia. In California, however, this coverage is an add-on fee for two available plans.

The trade call fees (TCF) also vary by state. While residents in states like Florida and Georgia can choose between a $75 or a $100 trade service fee, many other states only have a $75 TSF.

We used the Georgia plan options to give you an idea of the type of coverage you might expect from an Old Republic Home Protection warranty plan.

Old Republic Home Protection also provides optional coverage for items such as pool or spa equipment, household electronics, well pumps, and limited roof leak repair. In addition, they cover some items that are not typically covered by home warranty companies such as outdoor kitchens and pool fountains.

Plan Pricing

Old Republic Home Protection allows you to view pricing for your state by accessing a brochure (PDF) through their website. The company's pricing structure varies significantly by state, but the average annual plan cost nationwide is $576.67. This puts their pricing right at the average of the 25 home warranty companies Investopedia reviewed. The sample plans on the Old Republic website not only provide you with plan pricing but also give costs for optional coverage specific to your state. You can choose a $75 or $100 trade service fee if available (some plans only offer the $75 TSF option).

Sample Monthly Plan Fees

Plan Exclusions

Old Republic Home Protection covers almost all types of breakdowns for major home systems and appliances. The number of exclusions is about the same as they are for other home warranty companies. For example, in Georgia's plan, breakers and fuses are covered, but light fixtures and ballasts are not.

However, the major difference from industry competitors is that the company offers a combination of plans that either do or do not cover washers, dryers, and refrigerators. Additionally, some states offer coverage within the plans for air conditioners and coolers while others only offer this as an add-on coverage option.  

Payout Caps

Payout caps vary greatly by state. As an example, in Georgia, there is a $3,500 payout cap per appliance, but California has a $5,000 payout cap per appliance. The type of plan that you purchase can also affect the amount of coverage you receive. Payout caps start at $1,500 for major home systems, but if you choose Platinum Protection, your coverage will increase to $2,500. We suggest carefully reading through the policy options for your state to ensure you understand the limitations and caps.

Claim Response Times

An appointment with a service provider is typically set within 48 hours of a service request. This is about average within the industry. Since the company uses a network of independent contractors, you will need to get authorization to use a provider that is not in the company’s network. At their discretion, they will expedite service to within 24 hours if your problem is deemed an emergency.

Customer Service and Claims

There is support service available 24/7, and filing a claim is a simple process that is done online or by calling 800-972-5985. An appointment with a service provider is generally set within 48 hours of a service request.

Complaints and Third-Party Assessments

Old Republic Home Protection has received many complaints by third-party reviewers. Most of the negative reviews are due to issues with the independent contractors that Old Republic Home Protection hires. Complaints range from failure to fix the issue to failure to complete the work in a timely manner.

To the company’s credit, it does go above and beyond to address any issues that customers have.

Competition: Cinch vs. Old Republic Home Protection

We compared Old Republic Home Protection with an average annual cost of $576.67 with Cinch Home Warranty with an average annual cost of $567.49. Both companies are available in multiple states, have comparable plans, and their prices fluctuate depending on what state you live in.

While exclusions for both companies are also similar and standard for the industry, we found that the payout caps for Old Republic Home Protection plans are what put the company ahead of Cinch Home Warranty in the end. This is because they provide a $3,500 to $5,000 payout cap for appliances and the ability for you to increase the major home system payout cap from $1,500 to $2,500. Cinch Home Warranty only provides an industry standard of $2,000 for covered appliances and only $1,500 for major home systems.

FAQs

How Much Does a Old Republic Home Protection Plan Cost?

The average annual nationwide cost of an Old Republic Home Protection Plan was $576.67 according to our research. This cost will vary widely depending on where you live, if you are buying a plan as a home buyer or seller, and which plan level you choose.

What Does a Old Republic Home Protection Plan Cover?

Old Republic Home Protection Plans cover most of the common items that other common plans cover. Including major home systems like HVAC, electrical, and plumbing; and major home appliances like refrigerators, stoves, and in some cases washers and dryers.

How Much Is a Old Republic Home Protection Plan Service Fee?

This depends on what state you live in and what plan you choose, but the service fee is most commonly $75, with a $100 fee in some areas.

How Do You File a Claim With Old Republic Home Protection Plan?

You have two options for filing a claim with Old Republic Home Protection Plan.

Online: https://www.orhp.com/

Phone: (800)-972-5985

Methodology

Our home warranty evaluation process uses our home warranty review methodology. We look at a number of factors, including monthly and yearly cost, exclusions, payout caps, and service fees. We also take a look at how each company compares with other warranty companies in terms of coverage options, the amount of complaints, and overall price.

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 18 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 your 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.