After a thorough, all-day inspection of a residential property located at 201 Eagle Valley Lane in Liberty Hill, Texas, we purchased the house in the latter part of April of 2018. The residence was built in 2014, and was in excellent condition at the time of our purchase. As responsible home owners, on May 23, 2018, we purchased a home warranty contract with Choice Home Warranty to cover any unexpected problems and expenses.
The air conditioning system worked perfectly for a year. The first date of an issue with our AC system (a covered item) was on April 25, 2019, when I made a claim. A technician was arranged by CHW who supposedly repaired the problem.
The second time there was an issue with the AC I made a claim on December 1, 2019, and again Choice Home Warranty arranged for a technician to make repairs.
Then on March 31, 2020, there was a third issue with the AC and I made a claim. Daniel Siboni, case manager for CHW, wrote on April 17, 2020, “It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.”
It is obvious that there were TWO improper previous repairs since our AC kept failing. Both of those repairs were made by technicians arranged by CHW. It is apparent that those technicians were the ones who bypassed the pressure switches.
On April 16, 2020, at 11:32 a.m., Sheila Izzard wrote: “Thank you for your email. We have contacted the technician and informed him to contact you and schedule the appointment to complete the repair. The technician will be reaching out to you shortly. Thank you for being a valued customer of Choice Home Warranty.”
The next day, April 17, 2020, CHW’s reply denying my claim was: “It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.”
On 4/16/20, you tell me that a technician will contact me to make the repairs, then the next day, 4/17/20, you tell me that my claim is denied.
Now, I do not consider that fair and a good business practice for CHW to make such a contradiction.
It was stated in an email to me that, ” It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.” I think it is obvious that the previous technicians dispatched to make the repairs on my AC were the ones responsible for the improper previous repair which created the “pre-existing condition” which is claimed by Daniel Siboni, the case manager.
I sent a letter dated April 22, 2020, to Choice Home Warranty’s office in Edison, New Jersey, and also I sent a letter to Mr. Victor Mandalawi, dba HWAT, Inc., under Choice Home Warranty on the same date. I have received no responses.
Those letters are set out below:
Judy Cox
201 Eagle Valley Ln.
Liberty Hill, Texas 78642
[protected] ~ [protected]@gmail.com
April 22, 2020
Choice Home Warranty
1090 King Georges Post Road
Building 10, Suite 1007
Edison, NJ 0883 Policy #[protected]
Claim #[protected]
To Whom It May Concern:
On April 21, 2020, I attempted to talk to Daniel Siboni, the case manager who was assigned to my claim. It was extremely difficult to carry on a conversation with him since he talked practically non-stop, not allowing me to ask questions or giving me the opportunity to state my case. Finally, I had to talk over him in order for him to listen to me at all. He was too busy telling me that my claim was denied. I take great issue with this denial. Below are the reasons:
On April 23, 2019, and on December 1, 2019, when my air conditioning unit failed, I filed claims both times and Choice Home Warranty sent out technicians to make the repairs, which obviously were improperly done because my AC failed again on March 31, 2020, so I made a third claim.
The technician that CHW sent out on April 3rd, 2020, discovered that the two previous technicians had made what I call Band-Aid repairs which only kept the unit operating for short periods of time as indicated by the dates of failure. CHW is now calling this a “pre-existing condition”. The “pre-existing condition” was caused by the previous two technicians who obviously were incompetent since my AC was not properly repaired. Of course, I had no knowledge of that until March 31st when the most recent technician you sent out from Absolute Indoor Comfort, LLC, diagnosed the problem and has the expertise to repair it properly.
The case manager has refused my claim for repairs. Due to the facts surrounding this issue, that certainly is not a common sense approach. CHW’s denial of my claim is totally unfair and blatantly wrong.
Mr. Siboni kept repeating to me that due to the “pre-existing conditions” the repairs for my AC are denied. What kind of business is Choice Home Warranty? If you weren’t going to cover the proper repairs for my AC, why did you send out technicians for the first two claims?
Now, here is another issue which CHW has created. Can you explain to me the contradiction set out below?
On April 16, 2020, I received an email from Choice Home Warranty
which said that a technician would be contacting me to schedule an
appointment to complete the repair of my AC unit.
Then the next day, on April 17, 2020, I received another email from CHW
which said that CHW denied my claim because “It has been determined
that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.”
Your CONTRADICTION is an unethical business practice and is totally unacceptable to me, “a valued customer” (a quote in an email sent to me).
Well, who is responsible for that “improper previous repair”? CHW is responsible. CHW sent the incompetent technicians out to my home to make that “improper previous repair, ” and now I’m told my present claim is denied. Wow! That makes a whole lot of sense, doesn’t it?
I have paid three service call fees and my air conditioner is still not properly repaired because CHW has refused to do so.
Mr. Sarboni, the case manager was very difficult, rude, and unprofessional. It was obvious to me that he already had his mind made up to deny my claim and was extremely reluctant to hear any comments I tried to make. I had to interrupt and talk over him to try to state my case or to say anything on my behalf.
I finally had to talk over him to interject through his diatribe that if CHW wouldn’t cover the repairs for my AC, that I would not renew my contract. I said, Why do I even need a policy if you aren’t dependable and won’t honor my contract? He had the audacity to tell me that CHW would cover my home appliances, et cetera, so why wouldn’t I want to renew my contract. Does he think I’m stupid? I am not! Since your company is refusing to repair my AC, don’t you think there’s an excellent chance that I wouldn’t be able to depend on CHW to cover repairs on any future claims I may need to make should one of my appliances fails or something goes awry with my plumbing system or electrical system?
Due to dealing with Mr. Sarboni’s attitude and my frustration in trying to converse with him, I asked him for the name and phone number of his direct supervisor, which he refused to give to me. He claimed he had no supervisor, that he was the manager and he would continue to deny my claim no matter how many times I made it or what I did. I also asked for the location and address of CHW and he refused it by saying it was a matter of security.
Then this rude, unprofessional, so-called case manager, Mr. Sarboni, broke our telephone connection as I was still trying to converse with him. In other words, he terminated my phone call. Can a so-called case manager be any more unprofessional?!
I am thoroughly disgusted, disappointed, and angry. I feel that I have wasted my money on a home warranty contract with Choice Home Warranty. At this point, I would never recommend this company to anyone! I plan to notify the Consumer Protection Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office of CHW’s unsatisfactory and unfair business practices, i.e., refusal to honor my contract in a fair and just manner.
Should you glean an understanding of my position in this matter and choose to conduct your business in a professional and responsible manner and rescind your denial of my claim, please respond to me as soon as possible. Otherwise, I would appreciate a refund for the remainder of my contract with you which terminates on August 23, 2020.
Sincerely yours,
Judy Cox
________________________________
Letter to Mr. Mandalawi set out below:
Judy Cox
201 Eagle Valley Ln.
Liberty Hill, Texas 78642
[protected] ~ [protected]@gmail.com
April 22, 2020
Mr. Victor Mandalawi, Owner
Choice Home Warranty
HWAT, Inc.
515 Congress Avenue
Suite 2300
Austin, TX [protected] Policy #[protected]
Claim #[protected]
Dear Mr. Mandalawi:
Enclosed is a copy of the letter I sent to Choice Home Warranty’s office in Edison, NJ.
The letter explains my situation and the issues I have with CHW/HWAT.
I am requesting that you see fit to intervene with positivity to resolve my issue and rescind the case manager’s decision that denied my claim of March 31, 2020. Please advise me at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Sincerely,
Judy Cox
_____________________________________
Below are the emails sent between CHW and myself:
Claim Details #[protected]
Claim Date: 03/31/2020 Appliance Air Conditioning Units 1 Issue Not Cooling Last Time Working 03/31/20
More Notes Unit constantly running but not cooling.rnAt times the outside unit will not come on.
Claim Updates
Choice Home Warranty:
(03/31/2020): Absolute Indoor Comfort LLC has been assigned to your claim and an appointment has been scheduled for Wednesday April 1st, 2020 between the hours of 03:00 PM and 08:00 PM. Please make sure someone is available at the covered address at that time. For your reference the phone number for Absolute Indoor Comfort LLC is [protected]. Upon the technicians arrival you will be required to pay a $45.00 service call fee.
(04/16/2020): I’ve had no response from you since your email of 4/10/20 so I called the tech who was last here and he said he was told that the repair is the responsibility of the previous company that came out when my AC was out. Why haven’t I heard from you or anyone else to resolve this situation and COMPLETELY REPAIR my air conditioner? I’ve been patient since I contacted you regarding this issue on March 31st. It is now April 16th. PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE correctly repair my AC. Also, I would appreciate being kept in the loop regarding this issue. Thank you, Judy Cox
Choice Home Warranty:
(04/16/20 11:32 AM) Sheila Izzard: Thank you for your email. We have contacted the technician and informed him to contact you and schedule the appointment to complete the repair. The technician will be reaching out to you shortly. Thank you for being a valued customer of Choice Home Warranty.
Choice Home Warranty:
(04/17/2020):
Friday April 17th, 2020
Claim [protected]
201 Eagle Valley Ln
Liberty Hill TX 78642
Dear Judy Cox,
This letter is in reference to your Air Conditioning claim. We have been processing your claim for coverage and a determination has been reached.
During the coverage period, our sole responsibility will be to arrange for a qualified service contractor to repair or replace, at our expense, the systems and components mentioned as “Included” in accordance with the terms and conditions of your contract so long as such systems and components:
Are located inside the confines of the main foundation of the home or attached or detached garage (with the exception of the exterior pool/spa, well pump, septic tank pumping and air conditioner);and
Become inoperative due to normal wear and tear; and
Are in place and in proper working order on the effective date of this home warranty contract. This contract does not cover any known or unknown pre-existing conditions. Coverage is for occupied, owned or rented residential property.
Your claim was submitted on 03/31/20 and was assigned to Absolute Indoor Comfort LLC on 03/31/20. After the appointment date on 04/01/20 the technician submitted details pertaining to your system failure.
It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.
Please refer to your terms and conditions section F number 11; we are not responsible for repairs related to inadequacy, lack of capacity, improper installation, mismatched systems, oversized systems, undersized systems, previous repair or design, manufacturer’s defect, and any modification to the system or appliance.
Appeal Rights
You may request a review of this claim in writing by visiting https://www.choicehomewarranty.com/cads/claimreview.php?ccid=g11FTEoCsP2-ZbwUyguHN7R8D-LtczK0M_FjH5o-Ckw. The request for review must be sent within 7 days of receipt of this letter and state the reasons why you feel your claim should have been approved.
Nothing contained in this letter should be construed as a waiver of any rights or defenses under the policy. This determination has been made in good faith and without prejudice under the terms and conditions of the contract, whether or not specifically mentioned herein.
Thank you for choosing Choice Home Warranty to be part of protecting your home from unexpected covered repairs.
Sincerely,
Team CHW
* Click Here to view complete limits of liability and any exclusions. CHW offers service contracts which are not warranties.
________________________________
(04/20/2020): ADDITIONAL COMMENTS to my email dated April 17, 2020:
TO: Case Manager
FROM: Judy Cox
Over the weekend I had an opportunity to cogitate further the issue at hand.
NUMBER ONE:
As set out below, CHW has completely contradicted itself since it is stated in the email of April 16, 2020, that a technician will be contacting me to complete the repair on my air conditioner. Then on April 17, 2020, I received
an email stating that CHW is not responsible for repairs. Those two emails are completely contradictory. Your position on this matter fails to meet good and fair business practices. If this is the way “a valued customer of Choice Home Warranty” is treated, why would future customers be interested in doing business with your company?
Your email of April 16, 2020:
“Thank you for your email. We have contacted the technician and
informed him to contact you and schedule the appointment to
complete the repair. The technician will be reaching out to you
shortly. Thank you for being a valued customer of Choice Home
Warranty.”
Your email of April 17, 2020:
“This letter is in reference to your Air Conditioning claim. We have been
processing your claim for coverage and a determination has been reached.
“During the coverage period, our sole responsibility will be to arrange for a
qualified service contractor to repair or replace, at our expense, the systems
and components mentioned as ‘Included’ in accordance with the terms and
conditions of your contract so long as such systems and components:
1. Are located inside the confines of the main foundation of the home or
attached or detached garage (with the exception of the exterior
pool/spa, well pump, septic tank pumping and air conditioner); and
2. Become inoperative due to normal wear and tear; and
3. Are in place and in proper working order on the effective date of this
home warranty contract. This contract does not cover any known or
unknown pre-existing conditions. Coverage is for occupied, owned or
rented residential property.
“Your claim was submitted on 03/31/20 and was assigned to Absolute Indoor Comfort LLC on 03/31/20. After the appointment date on 04/01/20 the technician submitted details pertaining to your system failure.
“It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.
“Please refer to your terms and conditions section F number 11; we are not
responsible for repairs related to inadequacy, lack of capacity, improper
installation, mismatched systems, oversized systems, undersized systems,
previous repair or design, manufacturer’s defect and any modification to the system or appliance.” ?
NUMBER TWO:
Abel, the technician with Absolute Indoor Comfort, LLC, apparently has the expertise and skill to repair my AC properly, but CHW is telling me that it is not responsible for the repair at this point. Does that make sense to you? The reason I paid for a home warranty contract was to cover repairs, and my AC is included as a covered item. If you aren’t going to provide me, “a valued customer of Choice Home Warranty, ” with coverage on my AC due to normal usage, then for what reason do I need home warranty coverage?
NUMBER THREE:
I have paid fees for three service calls and my AC is still not completely and properly repaired.
I would appreciate a fair solution to this issue, and I thank you for your time.
Judy Cox
Choice Home Warranty:
___________________________________
(04/20/20 10:36 AM) Daniel Siboni: following up
Choice Home Warranty:
(04/20/2020): Dear Judy Cox
201 Eagle Valley Ln
Liberty Hill, TX 78642
RE: CLAIM # [protected]
I received your voice message for claim number #[protected] and returned your call. My priority is to assist you through the claim review.
Please call back at your earliest convenience at [protected] Ext 3946. If I am on the phone, I will return all voicemails in the order they were received. Please leave a voicemail with your name, property address, claim number, and the best available phone number. Please speak clearly as all voicemails are transcribed to email.
Kind Regards,
Daniel Siboni | Case Manager
Choice Home Warranty
V: [protected] Ext: 3946
E: [protected]@choicehomewarranty.com
__________________________________
Note sent to CHW on April 30, 2020
After a thorough, all-day inspection of a residential property located at 201 Eagle Valley Lane in Liberty Hill, Texas, we purchased the house in the latter part of April of 2018. The residence was built in 2014, and was in excellent condition at the time of our purchase. As responsible home owners, on May 23, 2018, we purchased a home warranty contract with Choice Home Warranty to cover any unexpected problems and expenses.
The air conditioning system worked perfectly for a year. The first date of an issue with our AC system (a covered item) was on April 25, 2019, when I made a claim. A technician was arranged by CHW who supposedly repaired the problem.
The second time there was an issue with the AC I made a claim on December 1, 2019, and again Choice Home Warranty arranged for a technician to make repairs.
Then on March 31, 2020, there was a third issue with the AC and I made a claim.
CHW wrote on April 17, 2020, “It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.”
It is obvious that there were TWO improper previous repairs since our AC kept failing. Both of those repairs were made by technicians arranged by CHW. It is apparent that those technicians were the ones who bypassed the pressure switches.
On April 16, 2020, at 11:32 a.m., Sheila Izzard wrote: “Thank you for your email. We have contacted the technician and informed him to contact you and schedule the appointment to complete the repair. The technician will be reaching out to you shortly. Thank you for being a valued customer of Choice Home Warranty.”
The next day, April 17, 2020, CHW’s reply was: “It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.”
On 4/16/20, you tell me that a technician will contact me to make the repairs, then the next day, 4/17/20, you tell me that my claim is denied.
Now, I have a question for you: Do you consider that fair and a good business practice for CHW to make such a contradiction?
It was stated in your email to me that, ” It has been determined that the pressure switches were bypassed and need to be replaced due to an improper previous repair.” Don’t you think it is obvious that the previous technicians dispatched to make the repairs on my AC were the ones responsible for the IMPROPER PREVIOUS REPAIR which created the “pre-existing condition” which is claimed by Daniel Siboni, the case manager?
I would appreciate fair and honest answers from your company.
Sincerely,
Judy Cox
________________________________
As of this date, I have no response to my letters or recent note. If CHW refuses to repair my AC, after my request for fairness and reconsideration of my claim, I would like a refund for the remainder of my contract which terminates on August 23, 2020.
Found At: Choice Home Warranty – Unethical business practice