ARW Home (American Residential Warranty) Review
American Residential Warranty was established in 2008 and rebranded to ARW Home in 2021. The home warranty company partners with Lowe’s, buying appliances, replacement parts, and services through the Lowe’s Pro division. ARW Home offers three warranty plans that are available nationwide, with prices ranging from $40 to $80 per month. While the lower-tier plans are on par with industry-standard costs, ARW’s most comprehensive plan ($80) is more expensive than competitors’ offerings. During our extensive research, we calculated average monthly costs of $38–$66 for home warranty plans among the providers we reviewed.
ARW Home has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which indicates the business is likely to address customer concerns on the platform. This rating is higher than those of some other home warranty companies we’ve reviewed. ARW also offers some uncommon home warranty options, including coverage for electronics and water and sewer lines.
While ARW Home has a strong BBB rating, a variety of plans, and a few add-ons, you should also take into account its disadvantages. Its $125 service fee is well above the industry average, and the company has a substantial number of negative reviews on some consumer websites. Learn more about ARW Home’s warranties below to determine whether it fits your needs.
Our Take on ARW Home
Our team has spent over 4,800 hours researching home warranties. Along with conducting research exclusive to ARW Home, we surveyed 2,000 homeowners, reviewed 56 other companies, and read more than 57,000 customer reviews.
We consider ARW Home a middle-ground home warranty company. Unlike top home warranty companies, such as Elite Home Warranty, ARW Home doesn’t allow you to customize your coverage limits. ARW has three standard plans with five optional add-ons. Most home warranty companies have eight to 12 types of optional coverage.
While ARW Home’s add-on selection is limited, the company’s core plans cover the basic systems and appliances customers care most about. In our 2025 home warranty survey of 2,000 respondents, the top systems homeowners bought plans for were air conditioning and heating/furnaces, and the top appliances they bought plans for were refrigerators and water heaters. ARW’s Platinum and Platinum Premier plans cover all of these options, and the Kitchen Plus plan covers water heaters and refrigerators.
The typical service fee for a home warranty claim is $70–$100. One considerable con of using ARW Home is its $125 service fee, which is charged each time a customer needs service for an appliance or system. However, the electronics add-on only charges a $55 service fee for large electronics (or no fee at all for small electronics such as a keyboard). ARW Home’s Ultimate electronics protection covers an unlimited number of electronic devices, which may appeal to tech-savvy people.
ARW Home offers a 30-day workmanship guarantee. This means if you have a repair or replacement issue within 30 days after your service is completed, another service technician will be sent out for free. While 30 days is typical for the industry, many other companies, including Elite Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty, offer 90-day workmanship guarantees.
However, ARW Home does offer an extended 60-day guarantee on parts and labor for the water and sewer add-on. We also like ARW’s partnership with Lowe’s, a reputable home-improvement retailer. In some cases, ARW will send a Lowe’s technician for installations and repairs.
We Recommend ARW Home if You:
- Want a $5,000 annual limit (the industry standard is $2,500)
- Have a wide range of costly electronic devices
- Want a basic coverage plan
We Don’t Recommend ARW Home if You:
- Want low fees for service calls
- Have multiple appliances or systems that are over 10 years old and need costly repairs
ARW Home Coverage
All ARW Home warranty plans cover the eight appliances and systems in the Kitchen Plus plan, which are listed in the table below. If you want additional warranty coverage, consider add-ons or other providers.
Core Plans
ARW’s core plans are Kitchen Plus, Platinum, and Platinum Premier. Unlike some other providers’ plans, ARW Home’s warranties all have the same annual $5,000 coverage limit for repairs or replacements for all appliances and systems.
While each plan has a $5,000 annual limit, each system and appliance also has its own individual limit.
- System limit: Depending on the system, there’s a $500 or $1,000 annual coverage limit on costs for access, diagnosis, repair, and installation.
- Appliance limit: Every appliance has $500 in coverage for access, diagnosis, repair, and installation.
The differences between Kitchen Plus and Platinum coverage include central air conditioning, central home heating, and the washing machine and dryer.
Platinum Premier includes all items covered by the Kitchen Plus and Platinum plans, as well as fans, humidifiers, ductwork, garage door openers, and plumbing.
| Coverage | Kitchen Plus | Platinum | Platinum Premier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in microwave | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ceiling fans | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | ✔ |
| Central air conditioning | 𝗫 | ✔ | ✔ |
| Central home heating | 𝗫 | ✔ | ✔ |
| Clothes dryer | 𝗫 | ✔ | ✔ |
| Clothes washer | 𝗫 | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dishwasher | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ductwork (accessible ductwork from cooling or heating unit to point of attachment to registers or grills) | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | ✔ |
| Garage door opener | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | ✔ |
| Garbage disposal | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Humidifier | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | ✔ |
| Interior electrical system (all interior AC wiring, including receptacles, switches, fuses, and single- and two-pole breakers) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kitchen exhaust fan | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Plumbing stoppages | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | ✔ |
| Plumbing system | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | ✔ |
| Range/oven/cooktop | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Refrigerator (including ice maker) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Water heater | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Add-Ons
ARW Home offers add-on packages to protect your water line, sewer line, and electronics. The water line plan covers repairs, replacements, and relines for leaks and breakages for the line that runs from your water supply company to your water meter. The sewer plan covers repairs, replacements, and relines for issues related to the private lateral sewer service line that collects and conveys from your home.
While most ARW Home plans come with a 30-day workmanship guarantee, the water and sewer line plan has a 60-day guarantee.
The electronics coverage includes spills, drops, and cracked screens, along with mechanical failures due to normal wear and tear. Many home warranty plans don’t provide this coverage, which can make ARW Home particularly appealing for tech users.
ARW Home Add-On Plans
- Water line protection plan
- Sewer line protection plan
- Water and sewer line plan
- Ultimate electronics plan
- Pool and spa plan
Important!
- ARW Home doesn’t mention pool or spa coverage on its plans page. However, when we spoke to a representative, they said this coverage was available as an add-on.
The Fine Print
Whether you receive coverage depends on your appliance or system’s issue, as well as its age.
- For most appliances and systems over 10 years old: You’ll receive a $300 replacement allowance instead of service or a replacement if the repair is over $300 or replacement parts aren’t available. This allowance increases by $50 each year you’re an ARW Home member, up to a maximum of $500. You must have a receipt for the item to receive this allowance.
- For AC systems or central home heating systems over 10 years old: You’ll receive a $600 replacement allowance instead of service or a replacement if the repair is over $600 or replacement parts aren’t available. This allowance increases by $50 each year you’re an ARW Home member, up to a maximum of $1,000. You must have a receipt for the item to receive this allowance.
Similar to most other home warranty companies, ARW Home only covers specific issues for each appliance or system. For example, ARW Home will fix problems with a refrigerator’s condenser, but issues with its media center aren’t covered.
Below is an example of coverage for a central heating system through ARW Home.
ARW Home Cost
With one of ARW’s core plans, you can expect to pay a monthly premium of $40–$80 on top of a $125 service fee each time you need a repair. Monthly payments for ARW Home’s add-ons are $11–$25.
Plan Cost
The pricing info in this section is based on quotes for a 1,500-square-foot, single-family home in Florida. Here are the monthly costs for ARW Home’s three plans:
- Kitchen Plus: $40
- Platinum: $65
- Platinum Premier: $80
You can add any of ARW Home’s extra protection options to any home warranty plan. The electronics plan comes with a $55 service fee for each large electronic service call. But small electronic fixes, such as fixing a keyboard or mouse, don’t require the $55 charge. Instead, ARW Home simply sends you the replacement.
ARW Home’s water and sewer line plans charge a $125 service fee, just like the main plans.
| Expense | Water Line | Sewer Line | Water and Sewer Line | Electronics | Pool and Spa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $11 | $13 | $24 | $25 | $23 |
| Service fee | $125 | $125 | $125 | $55 | $125 |
Discounts
As of January 2025, ARW Home is offering two months free on a 12-month warranty plan. This offer is subject to change and excludes add-ons.
ARW Home also runs seasonal sales throughout the year. During the cyber sale, all plans cost $10–$15 less than normal.
When we spoke to a customer service representative on the phone, they also offered a $60 discount per year. This offer wasn’t listed online. Call ARW Home to verify any additional discounts.
Comparing ARW Home to Top Providers
ARW Home scored 3.0 on our 5-point rating scale. It earned a lower score than the best home warranty companies because of its high $125 service fee for most repairs, as well as its poor customer reviews and limited coverage for select systems and appliances.
| Company | Logo | Our Rating (Out of 5) | Monthly Plan Cost | Service Fee | BBB Rating* | Get a Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | $40–$80 | $125 | A | Read Our Review | ||
 | $30–$90 | $100–$125 | B | Get Quote | ||
 | $46–$55 | $100 | B | Get Quote | ||
 | $44–$59 | $70 ($150 for after hours and weekends) | B | Get Quote | ||
 | $45–$85 | $100–$125 | B | Get Quote |
*BBB ratings are accurate as of January 2025.
Customer Reviews: Reddit, Trustpilot, and More
To get a better idea of what it’s like to have a home warranty plan from ARW Home, we read more than 100 customer reviews from third-party sources, including BBB, Reddit, and Trustpilot. Customers on the BBB rate ARW Home 2.19 out of 5 stars based on more than 300 reviews, with most complaints centering on denied claims and delayed repairs.
Trustpilot gives ARW Home 3.0 out of 5 stars from more than 1,000 reviews. Many of the 5-star reviews on the site reference billing fixes rather than service. Reviewers also mention denied claims and delayed repairs, similar to the BBB reviews.
A 2024 Reddit comment also mentions delays in repairs. The user said they were wrongfully charged an additional service fee and received daily phone calls and emails asking them to renew their policy.
While these reviews make up a smaller portion, several customers praised ARW Home’s customer service. Below are two reviews from ARW Home customers:
“Been with ARW for 2 years and never had a problem with them. Their staff and customer service is top-notch! They make it clear what is needed when filing a claim and any other issues or questions you may have. Highly recommend them for new homeowners!” —Terence W. via BBB on June 19, 2024
“Filed a claim for an upstairs leak on July 2, 2024. Today August 21 it has yet to be completed. I now have a huge water stain on my ceiling due to their failure to follow up on this claim.” —Jeremy R. via BBB on Aug. 21, 2024
Our Experience With ARW Home
One of our in-house testers, Sonia C., obtained a warranty plan through ARW Home and filed a claim. Despite mixed satisfaction with the overall process, her problems were eventually fixed.
“Signing up was very easy,” she said. “Filing a claim was a bit difficult.”
Sonia had a broken garbage disposal that needed repairs. When she filed the claim online, the website said she could pay the service fee right away to be given priority. However, her garbage disposal wasn’t a priority, so she decided to wait until ARW Home reached out. Two weeks after she submitted the form, no one had reached out to her.
“ARW Home said my claim was opened but never completed since I had not paid,” Sonia said. “Their website did not say anything like that. Once I paid the $150, they said the repairs would get done in seven to 10 business days.”
This is a lengthier process than advertised—ARW Home’s website says service will be initiated with a technician in as few as 24–48 hours.
Sonia received the replacement garbage disposal in the mail, and ARW Home arranged for a Lowe’s technician to do the replacement. “Overall, the process was lengthy, but it was completed eventually and done well,” she said. “The claims process could be improved upon.”
Is ARW Home Worth It?
ARW Home has some less common coverage options, such as its electronics add-on, as well as a high $5,000 annual coverage cap and an extended 60-day workmanship guarantee for its water and sewer add-ons. The company also has an A rating from the BBB. However, its BBB customer review score—2.19 out of 5 stars—suggests many customers aren’t pleased with its service. You should also note ARW Home’s high service fee and small selection of coverage add-ons.
Several of ARW Home’s features are comparable to industry standards, such as its basic plan monthly costs and 30-day workmanship guarantee for most types of repairs. However, if cost is a concern, you may want to consider Cinch Home Services instead.
How We Evaluated Home Warranty Providers
We use a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each home warranty company we review. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts, and running focus groups and homeowner surveys.
We use this information to score each provider in six comparison categories that we think are most important when choosing a home warranty. We rate each provider across 23 factors within those categories. Each factor is assigned a point value based on its importance to a homeowner, totaling 100 points. We convert the final scores to a 5-star rating.
Here’s a breakdown of our weighted factors:
- Coverage (35%): This category looks at how comprehensive each provider’s coverage is, including whether it covers unique items. Companies that covered the most items and had higher annual limits received the highest scores. We docked points from providers that impose long waiting periods or had depreciation policies that decrease your payouts for aging items.
- Cost (20%): We looked at average monthly prices and service call fees. We gave the most points to companies offering pricing at or below the industry average that don’t impose any surcharges or extra fees.
- Trustworthiness (15%): To gauge reputation and reliability, we reviewed customer ratings across sites such as the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot, as well as companies’ responses to complaints. We also checked for National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA) membership. Providers with the highest ratings and longest workmanship guarantees received higher scores. We deducted points for any ongoing legal issues.
- Plan transparency (10%): We read terms, policies, and disclosures in provided contracts and on each company’s website. Providers with transparent contract details and policies received more points.
- Customer support (10%): Companies with multiple claims filing options, fast response times, and accessible customer support scored well in this category.
- Flexibility (10%): We awarded more points to providers offering more plan options, larger add-on catalogs, the ability to choose your own technician, and customer-friendly cancellation policies.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
