Action News Troubleshooters help woman recover money from home warranty company

BRIGANTINE, N.J. (WPVI) -- If you pay money to a home warranty company, then you expect your claims to be covered. But one viewer tells Action News it did not work out that way in her case.

"I was very happy because of how you people helped me," said Rosemarie Jones from Brigantine, New Jersey.

The Troubleshooters via Call for Action helped Jones with her home warranty company.

Jones says she'd been paying the company $55 a month for years.

"And I had full coverage for my air conditioner and heater," she said.

Jones said earlier this year, her air conditioner broke, which meant both her AC and heating unit had to be replaced. But the warranty company was willing to pay only $1,500.

"I was very upset because I have full coverage for both," she said. "So, I had my contractor call them several times. I called them several times and they said, that's the amount they're giving me, the $1,500."

That's when Jones decided to try a different approach.

"So that's when I decided to call Action News Troubleshooters," Jones said.

It's important to know, home warranty companies are service contracts, not insurance policies. And some consumer experts believe for most people, they aren't worth the investment.

"There's lots of fine print exclusions. We find that most people have really difficult times when they do have a claim getting them honored. And for most of us, they're just bad buys," said Kevin Brasler.

Brasler is the Executive Editor with Consumers' Checkbook magazine. He said before buying into one, ask yourself if you already have protection. Even if your appliance isn't new, a lot of credit cards extend the length of warranties.

As for Rosemarie Jones and her experience with Call for Action...

"Right after I spoke to them, they got right on this. They called the company and within hours, the company called me back," Jones said.

The home warranty company sent Jones a check for more than $4,000 to put toward her HVAC replacement.

"And it never would have happened if it wasn't for your Action News troubleshooters. I really appreciate what you did for me," she said.

If you are considering a home warranty, read the terms and conditions carefully.

Consumer Reports warns many plans cover your refrigerator but not the icemaker. They cover your water heater but not the tank itself.

Also, make sure you understand if the warranty will pay to repair or replace a broken item and always do a search of the company's complaint history.

If you think you have a consumer issue for the Action News Troubleshooters to look into, you can fill out the contact form HERE.