Before claims are eligible
First American Home Warranty
3.8/5
“Owners of newer homes who prioritize appliance coverage and some improper-installation protection.”
Photo · Avi Werde / Unsplash
Old Republic Home Protection
3.9/5
“Real-estate buyers and sellers who want a financially backed provider with a long operating record.”
Photo · Im Greg / Unsplash
vs
§ 01Round by round
The Warranta verdict
Old Republic's financially backed insurance-group parent and real-estate track record earn it the edge in a transaction, despite narrower direct-consumer availability by state. For a newer home bought direct, First American is the better fit, with coverage for some improper-installation failures, accepting that its systems limits run thinner.
Round by round · 11 criteriaSourced ratings
| Criterion | First American Home Warranty | Old Republic Home Protection | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.8 | 3.9Wins | — |
| Pricing | 4.2Wins | 3.6 | — |
| Coverage | 3.7 | 3.8Wins | — |
| Claims process | 3.4 | 3.7Wins | — |
| Customer service | 3.5 | 3.9Wins | — |
| Contractor network | 3.8 | 3.8 | — |
| Pricing | Tie | Tie | Neither publishes a monthly price or a service fee Warranta could verify against a live source, so this round is a tie. Confirm the service fee in the contract before you buy. |
| Annual caps | Tie | Tie | Old Republic's sample contract caps heating and air conditioning at $6,500 per system and each appliance at $3,500, or $7,000 on its Elite plan. First American says its plans have no dollar limit on the total per contract term but that some items, such as appliances and roof leaks, have dollar limits; Warranta could not verify those amounts against a current sample contract, so the two cannot be compared. |
| Coverage breadth | Tie | Tie | First American covers some improper-installation failures; Old Republic's Comprehensive and Platinum tiers add HVAC, refrigerant, and modification allowances. |
| Customer sentiment | — | WinsWins | Old Republic's 3.9 overall leads First American's 3.8, with Old Republic ahead on the claims and customer-service sub-scores. |
| Real-estate channel | — | WinsWins | Old Republic is strongest in the real-estate channel and is backed by the Old Republic insurance group; First American is more direct-consumer oriented. |
First American Home Warranty
Founded 1984
3.8
Overall
Old Republic Home Protection
Founded 1974
3.9
Overall
Sources
- First American Home Warranty BBB profile (BBB profile, accessed 2026-05)
- Old Republic Home Protection BBB profile (BBB profile, accessed 2026-05)
- First American Home Warranty plan and pricing pages (Provider official, accessed 2026-05)
- Old Republic International company list, including Old Republic Home Warranty (Provider official, accessed 2026-09-23)
- First American Home Warranty FAQ (no cap or dollar limit on the total per contract term; appliances and roof leak coverage have dollar limits) (Provider official, accessed 2026-10-07)
- Old Republic Home Warranty sample home warranty coverage 7.2D (01/2026): heating and air conditioner limits $6,500 per system; appliance limit $3,500, or $7,000 with Elite (Provider official, accessed 2026-10-07)
§ 02Who wins for you
If
“Customer sentiment matters most”
Old Republic's 3.9 overall leads First American's 3.8, with Old Republic ahead on the claims and customer-service sub-scores.
EdgeOld Republic Home Protection
If
“Real-estate channel matters most”
Old Republic is strongest in the real-estate channel and is backed by the Old Republic insurance group; First American is more direct-consumer oriented.
EdgeOld Republic Home Protection
If
“Pricing matters most”
Neither publishes a monthly price or a service fee Warranta could verify against a live source, so this round is a tie. Confirm the service fee in the contract before you buy.
Evenly matchedToo close to call
If
“Annual caps matters most”
Old Republic's sample contract caps heating and air conditioning at $6,500 per system and each appliance at $3,500, or $7,000 on its Elite plan. First American says its plans have no dollar limit on the total per contract term but that some items, such as appliances and roof leaks, have dollar limits; Warranta could not verify those amounts against a current sample contract, so the two cannot be compared.
Evenly matchedToo close to call
Across 5 rounds, Old Republic Home Protection takes more than it loses, but the right pick still turns on which of these criteria you weight. See the verdict above.
§ 03The figures, side by side
First American Home Warranty
- Waiting period
- 30 days for many new customers, per its FAQ; the contract sets the details
- Eligibility notes
- No home-age limit; pre-existing conditions excluded
At a glance
Home age / pre-existing
Old Republic Home Protection
- Waiting period
- Not confirmed; check the plan contract for when coverage starts
- Eligibility notes
- No home-age limit; pre-existing conditions excluded
At a glance
Before claims are eligible
Home age / pre-existing
First American Home Warranty
3.8/5
“Owners of newer homes who prioritize appliance coverage and some improper-installation protection.”
Old Republic Home Protection
3.9/5
“Real-estate buyers and sellers who want a financially backed provider with a long operating record.”
Round winners and the use-case cards above reconcile against Warranta’s rating methodology. Scores are on a 5-point scale.
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