Platinum Home Warranty Review

Platinum Home Warranty is a small player in the home warranty industry, only offering home warranty plans in Arizona. The company was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Scottsdale.

Here’s what makes Platinum different from most home warranty companies:

1. Platinum Home Warranty hires and uses its own staff repair technicians. Other warranty companies contract with third-party service providers.
2. The company puts a heavy emphasis on customer service. After every service call, a Platinum employee makes a follow-up phone call to check for customer satisfaction.
3. The service center is local. Unlike most home warranty companies, which operate in multiple states, Platinum Home Warranty serves only Arizona. Its call center is also located in Arizona.

We have investigated dozens of home warranty companies so that we can provide you with unbiased information about your best options. In this review, we’ll do a deep dive into Platinum Home Warranty and discuss plans, coverage specifics, and pricing and offer our recommendation for the best home warranty.

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Platinum Home Warranty Plans and Coverage

Platinum Home Warranty offers coverage for:

• Single-family homes under 5,000 square feet
• Coverage for condos, townhomes, and mobile homes
• Duplex, triplex, and fourplex buildings
• Single-family homes larger than 5,000 square feet
• Newly built homes

Customers can choose from three levels of plans: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

Note: Customers who purchase the Bronze or Silver plan can add coverage of their laundry appliances or refrigerator.

Homeowners can also select optional coverage for the following items:

• Clothes washer and dryer
• Refrigerator and icemaker
• Built-in pool and spa
• Additional pool or water feature
• Saltwater pool system upgrade
• Septic coverage
• Soft water system
• Drip and sprinkler system
• Additional dishwasher
• Additional garage door opener

Platinum Home Warranty also offers coverage for a guest house, whether it’s a detached unit or an attached unit.

Additional Services

In addition to offering home warranty coverage, Platinum Home Warranty has other services available. Warranty customers receive a 20% discount on non-warranty services they have performed by Platinum’s in-house technicians.

Platinum techs are available to perform:

• HVAC coil cleanings and duct cleanings
• Plumbing fixture upgrades
• Plumbing leaks and blockages services
• Thermostat upgrades
• Garbage disposal services

Homeowners can also purchase water heaters and air conditioning units through Platinum Home Warranty. The company offers low-interest financing for these purchases.

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How Much Does Platinum Home Warranty Cost?

When you purchase a home warranty, there are several different expenses you need to be aware of: the premium, service fees, and coverage caps.

Premiums

All home warranties charge a premium, which is the monthly or annual cost of purchasing the contract. On average, home warranties usually cost between $300 and $600 per year, depending on the level of coverage.

The premium for a basic warranty from Platinum Home Warranty is on the high side of industry averages. However, Platinum Home Warranty’s basic plan covers things like pest control and re-keying, which are not normally included in basic plans.

For a single-family home under 5,000 square feet, Platinum Home Warranty’s premiums are as follows:

• Bronze: $479 per year, or $45.91 per month
• Silver: $599 per year, or $55.91 per month
• Gold: $779 per year, or $70.91 per month

If you pay the lump-sum, once-a-year payment, you could save 10% compared with making monthly payments.

Service Fees

When a covered appliance or system fails and you report the issue, the home warranty company sends out a repair technician. You’ll have to pay a service fee for the repair visit. On average, companies in this industry charge service fees between $75 and $125.

All Platinum Home Warranty plans set the service fee at $75, which matches the industry average.

Coverage Limits

Warranty companies also set a limit, or cap, on how much they will pay for many repairs or replacements. The caps vary by appliance. For instance, a home warranty company will usually pay more to replace a heating system than an oven.

Platinum outlines its coverage limits in the terms and conditions of the contract, which is available online, but here’s a look at what some of those coverage caps look like:

• Repair/replacement of HVAC unit: $2,000
• Repair/replacement of water heater: $1,500
• Repair/replacement of electrical system: $1,500

The Premium Plus coverage also places limits on some of the covered services. These caps include:

• Crane fees: $250 per contract term
• Permits: $250 per contract term
• Haul-away fees: $100 per occurrence with a maximum of $500 per contract term

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What is the Platinum Home Warranty Quote Process?

The Platinum Home Warranty website clearly outlines the cost structure and options for most homes it covers. That makes it easy to determine what your desired coverage would cost.

To purchase Platinum Home Warranty coverage online, click the “Order Warranty” button on the top of the website and fill out some basic information to see the annual or monthly cost of your desired service contract. Owners of very large homes or people buying newly built homes can call the company to receive a customized quote.

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What Is the Platinum Home Warranty Claims Process?

If you have a home warranty through Platinum Home Warranty, there are two ways to submit a claim.

You can report the issue through the online service request form, or you can call the service center at 602-733-5000.

The service center is staffed by live operators at all hours. If you need emergency service, the company asks that you call for immediate service.

Platinum has repair technicians on call for urgent service seven days a week between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. If the call isn’t considered an emergency, the company says it will “make every reasonable effort to be out to your property within 24 hours” or will aim to have a contractor out the next business day if you report the issue over the weekend.

Here’s what the claims process looks like:

1. When the company receives a service request, the customer support person stamps the time the request was received and schedules a service tech as soon as possible.
2. The service tech will visit your home and diagnose the issue. Repair vans are stocked with common parts, so if the part you need is on the van, the service person will install it immediately.
3. If a special part has to be ordered, the technician will return and install it after it arrives.
4. If the repair is beyond what the warranty covers, you can choose to bring in your own repair person or pay Platinum to do the work. If Platinum does the repair, you’ll be charged for it. If you bring in another repair person, you’ll have to pay the $75 fee for the service call from Platinum.

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Platinum Home Warranty Reviews

Platinum Home Warranty is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds an impressive A rating from the organization. Customers rate Platinum Home Warranty almost a full 5 stars, with many glowing reviews. Platinum Home Warranty leaves personalized responses to both positive and negative reviews.

“The service they provided was very professional and easy. The tech, Serena, was very professional and polite. She troubleshooted and explained the problem. She made the repairs and checked it to ensure it fixed the problem. I would highly recommend Platinum Home Warranty to protect your home investment. We will be renewing our warranty once the current plan expires.” — Joseph S., 5 stars, 11/27/2019

“I began using Platinum 3 years ago and found them excellent. During the past two years, they’ve begun using their own repair folks and the service has improved even more. The repair folks have always been on time and have been friendly and helpful in explaining what they’re doing and what to expect. I’ve already recommended them to two folks and will continue to do so.” — Norm L., 5 stars, 4/13/2018

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Our Final Platinum Home Warranty Review

We rate Platinum Home Warranty an 8.55/10. As a small, local home warranty company, Platinum Home Warranty seems to have a good grasp on what Arizona residents need. For instance, the company understands the importance of air conditioning in a desert environment.

Platinum Home Warranty also seems to live up to its customer service claims. The company offers a wide range of coverage, and the optional add-ons available make it possible for anyone to customize a home warranty.

However, the company only operates in Arizona, which means it’s not an option for any resident outside of Arizona. Also, the cost of a Platinum service contract is on the high side of industry averages. While it covers extras like pest control and rekeying, some homeowners may not want extra cost built into their premium to pay for extras they don’t actually care about.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a home warranty?

A home warranty is a service contract that covers repair or replacement of appliances and home systems. With a home warranty, you have peace of mind that you won’t have to cover the entire bill if a covered system or appliance quits working. For a deeper insight into these contracts and their benefits, explore our article on the fundamentals of home warranties.

What does Platinum Home Warranty cover?

Platinum covers most major home systems and appliances, such as air conditioning, heating, refrigerators, and dishwashers. It also offers some maintenance services such as pest control and HVAC maintenance.

A Platinum warranty does not cover improper installation, improper maintenance, damage from pets or pests, acts of God, manufacturer recalls, obsolete parts, or cosmetic repairs.

Does Platinum offer coverage for homes over 5,000 square feet?

Yes, homes over 5,000 square feet require custom quotes. To get a quote, call 602-733-5000.

Our Rating Methodology

We back up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to score each provider objectively. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys. 

We score each provider against our review standards, which include four comparison categories: coverage, value, trust and transparency, and availability and service. We rate each provider across 31 factors within these categories. Each factor is assigned a point value based on its importance to a homeowner, totaling 100 points. We then convert the final scores to a 5-star rating. 

Here’s a breakdown of our weighted factors:

• Coverage (40%): We scored coverage based on included home systems and appliances, add-on options, and unique benefits. We also compared coverage caps and policy exclusions.

• • Additional coverage items
  • Annual coverage cap
  • Home systems coverage
  • Major appliances coverage
  • Obstructed wall coverage cap

• Value (30%): We compared the coverage level received to monthly pricing to determine plan value. We considered premium pricing, service fees, and flexibility in customizing plan costs. 

• • Average monthly cost
  • Cost flexibility
  • Lowest service fee

• Trust and Transparency (16%): We evaluated each company’s reputation using the Better Business Bureau ratings and customer reviews on third-party review sites. We read through plan change policies, workmanship protections, and sample contract availability. 

• • Brand reputation
  • Policy change flexibility
  • Sample contract availability
  • Workmanship guarantee length

• Availability and Service (14%): We award higher scores for faster claim processing and response times. We also considered service technician policies, including options to choose your technician. 

• • Claims process
  • Guaranteed response time
  • Service flexibility

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.