Independent
Warranty Journalism
Vol. I
No. 7
The Warrantyist
Warranties are promises. We report on who keeps them.
Column · Ask the Warrantyist · No. 1

"My AC broke and Choice Home Warranty denied my claim. What do I do?"

The denial was reversed. Three steps, sixteen days, and one $150 decision that flipped the appeal file. A playbook for homeowners staring down a pre-existing-condition denial.

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Comprehensive Home Warranty Quote Guide

Comprehensive Home Warranty is a quote-matching form, not a carrier. An ex-adjuster explains who calls after you submit and the five questions to ask them.

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The Home Warranty Complaint Index, 2026 Edition

Same-day BBB home warranty complaints data for seven major companies, one honest normalized rate, and the 2026 enforcement context behind the numbers.

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AHS, First American, 2-10: Claims Desk

An adjuster's read on American Home Shield, First American, and 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty. Pricing, coverage gaps, lawsuit history, live-agent reality.

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Choice Home Warranty: A Real Claim

Twelve years of claims experience answering the common Choice Home Warranty questions: cost, coverage, ownership, ratings, and the 'is it a ripoff' one.

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Home Warranty Claims: Paid vs Denied

An adjuster's view of how home warranty claims get adjudicated. Pre-existing conditions, code upgrades, the uneconomical-to-repair clause, and how to file.

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HVAC Quotes 2026: 6 Line Items to Audit

A flat-rate HVAC quote is a red flag. Legitimate quotes separate equipment, labor, permits, refrigerant, electrical, and disposal. Here's what to demand.

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HVAC Service Plans 2026: $14-$25 Math

HVAC service plans run $168-$300 annually in 2026. Two tune-ups and priority dispatch. The fine print decides if they pay back or void your warranty.

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Consumer Rights Audiobooks: Reading List

From a former warranty claims adjuster: the consumer rights audiobooks worth your time, the lemon-law primer, and what to listen to before buying anything big.

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Home Appliance Warranty: What Gets Covered

Twelve years adjusting appliance warranty claims. Refrigerator denials cluster in three clauses, washer claims have an age cap most buyers miss.

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Choice Home Warranty Phone Number: 1-888-373-7924

Choice Home Warranty customer service is 1-888-373-7924. The phrase that reaches a claims supervisor, hold-time tells, and the appeal playbook, from an ex-adjuster.

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HVAC Home Warranty 2026: What's Covered

Refrigerant rules, age-based denials, the ductwork exclusion most homeowners do not know about, and the appeal that flips HVAC warranty claims.

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American Home Shield 2026: BBB + Claims

An ex-warranty-adjuster's 14-month review of American Home Shield: BBB complaint patterns, waiting periods, per-item caps, and how AHS earns or loses.

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AC Unit Replacement Cost 2026: SEER

Replacing an AC unit in 2026 runs $5,500-$11,500 by tonnage, SEER, and home setup. The headline quote rarely includes three add-ons that add 18-32% more.

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Choice Home Warranty BBB Complaints 2026

A claims adjuster's read of the Choice Home Warranty BBB file, the Arizona $11.8M settlement, and the four patterns that keep showing up.

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Home Warranty Denied: 3-Step Fight Back

A three-step playbook for appealing a denied home warranty claim. Templates, evidence standards, and when to escalate to your state.

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Six Months Inside Choice Home Warranty

A first-person six-month test of Choice Home Warranty across three real claims. Sign-up, each claim outcome, and whether it delivered.

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Choice Denied My AC Claim: I Won Appeal

Choice Home Warranty denied my AC claim in summer. The three-step appeal that reversed it in 16 days, and the exact wording that flipped the adjuster.

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Home Warranty Clauses That Decide Claims

The six contract clauses that decide whether your home warranty claim gets paid. Real contract language explained, and how to compare providers.

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Is a Home Warranty Worth It? A Framework

A first-person framework for deciding whether a home warranty is worth buying. Real math, real scenarios, and when to skip coverage.

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AC Maintenance 2026: What Tune-Ups Cover

A professional AC tune-up includes 14 checks across indoor and outdoor units. The $99 specials cover 4. Here's the full list and homeowner schedule.

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AC Not Cooling: 7-Step Before-Tech Check

Most AC failures show up as warm air on a hot day. Seven checks separate ones a homeowner can fix in ten minutes from the ones that need a tech same-day.

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Furnace Replace vs Repair: The 50% Rule

A $4,500-$7,500 furnace replacement vs a $1,400 repair: the math every homeowner runs. The decision rule is older than the contractor pushing it. It works.

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AC Capacitor Cost 2026: Part vs Bill

AC capacitors cost $15-$40 at any HVAC supply house. Installed replacement runs $200-$400. The gap isn't a ripoff. The reason matters when reading the quote.

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Central AC Cost 2026: 6 Hidden Line Items

Central AC installation runs $5,500-$9,000 in 2026. The gap between $4,800 and $8,400 quotes isn't dishonesty. It's six line items most quotes hide.

From the Editor

I started The Warrantyist after a denied AC claim and three hours of Reddit threads. The answers I needed were not in top Google results. They were in fine print, class action filings, and stories buried eight comments deep in consumer forums. The FTC's consumer guidance on warranties is the clearest public primer on your rights, but it does not teach you how to fight a denial.

This is the publication I wished existed. Warranties are promises. We report on who keeps them.

— David Keppler, Editor