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Our Take
Total Protect is a home warranty company available in many states and has been in business for several decades. They are now a subsidiary of Cinch Home Services. They offer three plan options at extremely competitive rates, 24/7 customer service, free cancellation, high payout caps, and extremely fast average response times.
Investopedia surveyed consumers about what they look for in a home warranty plan and Total Protect performs very well on the factors respondents care about the most. 74% of survey respondents listed cost as the most important factor when choosing a home warranty. The average annual cost of a Total Protect home warranty plan is $423.40 which makes theirs the most affordable plan out of the twenty-five options we reviewed. 48% of respondents valued the speed at which requests for service are resolved and Total Protect has one of the shortest average response times of any company we reviewed with an average response time of 13 hours. In addition to these factors Total Protect also offers transparent pricing information on their website (valued by 46% of respondents), and customers can use their own technicians (valued by 38% of respondents).
Total Protect is one of the longest running home warranty companies we reviewed and their experience shows in their emphasis on providing coverage, options, rates, and features potential customers value the most. Unfortunately their average customer reviews are extremely low, implying that their warranties look better on paper than they perform in real life.
Top Rated For
- Pros & Cons
- specifications
Low annual cost of $423.40 on average
High payout caps of $500-$3,000 per item
Higher service fee of $100
Low customer satisfaction
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Company Overview
Total Protect was founded decades ago and operates in most states. The company is a subsidiary of Cinch Home Services.
States Covered
The service is offered in most states around the country.
Available Plans
Total Protect offers three different plans. Their ApplianceProtect plan covers larger appliances including refrigerators, stoves, washer/dryer, etc. It has a cost of $19.95 per month and comes with a $100 service call fee per claim. Their SystemsProtect plan covers HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems and includes emergency lodging reimbursement of up to $1,200 per year. It has a cost of $37.95 per month and also includes a $100 service call fee per claim. Their TotalProtect plan is a combination of SystemsProtect and ApplianceProtect which also includes up to $1,000 in homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement. Their TotalProtect plan has a cost of $47.95 and includes a $100 service call fee per claim.
Some customer reviews of this company list that they have not been able to be reimbursed for emergency lodging that was needed as a result of a covered issue.
Total Protect Home Warranty Plans
| Feature | ApplianceProtect | SystemsProtect | TotalProtect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan price | $19.95/month | $37.95/month | $47.95/month |
| Plumbing System | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Sump Pump | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Central Heat | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Garbage Disposal | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Electrical | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Water Heater | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Ceiling Fans | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Dishwasher | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Range/Oven/Cooktop | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Built-in Microwave | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Air Conditioner | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Washer/Dryer/Refrigerator | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Emergency Lodging Reimbursement | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Homeowners Insurance Deductible Reimbursement | ✓ |
Additional items not mentioned in this table may be covered as well. Consult the contract and plan details to know for sure what is covered and what is not.
Real Estate Plans
Total Protect does not offer specialty plans for real estate agents or home sellers.
Plan Pricing
Total Protect offers the lowest average annual plan cost ($239.40) of the 25 home warranty companies we reviewed. Their standard plan pricing ranges from $19.95 monthly to $47.95 monthly.
On paper their plans seem to be an excellent value compared to other home warranty companies but their high volume of extremely negative reviews suggest that this company over-promises and under-delivers.
Total Protect Home Warranty has very different options including lower service fees available depending on the promotional link you click on. They have promotions with ADT, Founders Insurance, and potentially others. Of course, this is subject to change. If you aren’t seeing the options you want available, try clicking through different promotional links from search results.
Types of Damage Covered
Total Protect Home Warranty offers detailed descriptions of the types of damage covered for each plan level in the sample contracts on their website.
Total Protect plans list coverage of mechanical parts and components on most systems. There are few exclusions on most items and most exclusions are focused on auxiliary or unrelated issues. For example: almost everything to do with the function of a central heating system is covered including pilot assemblies, wall units, fans, burners, thermostats, etc. Chimneys and flues, for example, are not covered.
Plan Exclusions
Total Protect 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 issues not directly related to the damage covered.
For example: Total Protect does not cover damage to panels or cabinetry that cover heating or cooling systems. If damage to clothing occurs because of a washing machine malfunction, Total Protect does not cover that damage.
In addition to those exclusions, Total Protect excludes coverage of hazardous items like asbestos. Total Protect also does not cover commercial-grade appliances or systems.
Payout Caps and Limitations
Total Protect has payout caps ranging from $1,500 per item to $3,000 per item. The sample contracts available for each of their promotional deals have different payout caps. If you are considering this company and are looking for higher payout caps then clicking through a different promotional offer may give you them. While this company appears to have transparent pricing and terms on first glance, in reality their pricing and coverage options are extremely opaque and variable.
27% of our survey respondents listed that a high maximum payout cap is important to them when comparing a home warranty policy. Total Protect has payout caps per item that are average among the 25 home warranty companies we reviewed.
Repair Time
Many customer reviews complained of repairs taking weeks and in some cases months. This is yet another example of Total Protect underserving customers.
34% of survey respondents listed choosing their own repair person as important to them when comparing a home warranty policy. Total Protect does not allow someone to choose their own contractor. The company will select a contractor they approve of and refer you to that chosen contractor.
Customer Service and Claims Process
Total Protect Home Warranty has a customer service phone number of (800)-474-4047 that it lists as available 24/7. They also refer customers to an online claims process for requesting service through the Cinch Home Services website.
Customer Satisfaction
Total Protect seems to have terrible customer satisfaction. The customer reviews for Total Protect are extremely negative. Common complaints are about extremely long repair timelines, in several cases many months for vital repairs like heating and cooling systems and critical appliances.
To get your repair covered, you must work with a contractor chosen and approved by Total Protect who is a part of their network. However, many customers complain that Total Protect has no one available in their area. This made it difficult for them to get timely repairs, if at all. If these customers choose a repair person who completes work without approval from Total Protect out of necessity, then Total Protect denies their claim.
Total Protect Home Warranty Vs. AFC Home Club
We compared Total Protect Home Warranty with AFC Home Club. While Total Protect offers three plans, AFC Home Club offers four. AFC Home Club will assign you a contractor or let you choose your own. Total Protect restricts you to a contractor within their network that they refer you to. Both are highly rated based on our data points.
While AFC Home Club has a much higher average plan cost, AFC Home Club has significantly higher customer satisfaction than Total Protect.
| Total Protect Home Warranty | AFC Home Club | |
| Investopedia’s Overall Rating | 4.6 | 4.7 |
| Plan Cost at Full Price | $19.95 to $47.95 | Geographic based quotes but generally higher than Total Protect |
| # of Plans Available | Three | Four |
| Can Choose Contractors | No or with restrictions | Yes |
| Annual Payout Cap | $1,500-3,000 per item | As high as $3,000 per item |
| Trade-call Fee | 125 | $75-125 |
At first glance Total Protect seems like the perfect home warranty. They offer the lowest average annual plan of any company we reviewed. They have reasonably high payouts, standard fees, reasonable exclusions, and have a variety of plan add-on options.
Unfortunately the overwhelming number of bad customer service reviews calls the quality of their services into question. Saving the most money on a home warranty doesn’t mean much if it’s impossible to get the repairs advertised. We’d suggest going with a home warranty company that has a better track record of delivering on their promises than Total Protect.
FAQs
How much does the plan cost?
Total Protect has a number of plans, with their cheapest being $19.95 monthly, only covering major appliances.
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 detailed in their sample contracts.
What does the plan not cover?
The plan does not cover auxiliary damage, hazardous materials, or commercial grade systems. Specific details of what the plans do not cover can be found in their sample contracts.
How much is the service fee?
The service fee is $100 per call for all plans.
Can you cancel the plan for free?
Total Protect Home Warranty has free cancellation within 30 days if no claims were filed under the warranty. Cancellations made within 30 days where a claim was filed are subject to being billed for services provided or the remainder due on the annual contract. The sample contracts available on their website do not detail what fees they charge for cancellations after 30 days, if it is possible at all.
How do you file a claim?
You file a claim by calling (800)-474-4047 or requesting service online through the Cinch Home Services website.
Are there customer service complaints?
Ratings around the web were overwhelmingly negative.
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 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 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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