Want to explore protection from unexpected home repair expenses? You’re in the right place!
This Universal Home Protection review will provide you with the information you need to fully understand the home warranty plans and protection this company offers.
Keeping your home’s appliances and systems working properly can be a strain on your finances. That’s where a home warranty for HVAC systems and other appliances can come in handy. Let’s see if UHP might be the right choice for your home warranty needs.
You’ll want to read his review carefully before signing a contract, to help you decide whether this company is a good choice for your home.
Our Preferred Home Warranty Alternatives
Today’s Homeowner recommends a few home warranty companies to our readers. Below, you’ll see our latest suggestions and their money-saving deals. You can also read our review of the companies with similar home warranty plans to learn more about these top picks.
Company Pros and Cons
This section covers Universal Home Protection’s high-level pros and cons. Keep these points in mind as you read the rest of the review.
Editorial Notes
Universal Home Protection is a Wisconsin-based service provider that offers policies to cover Wisconsin and Illinois real estate. Even though the company covers only two states, this is an expert provider with more than 25 years of experience. So whether you live in Milwaukee, Chicago, the northernmost parts of Wisconsin, or the southern tip of Illinois, Universal Home Protection has you covered.
The company has reliable home warranty products, offering Elite and Basic packages with appliance upgrades and other optional items. The premiums for these plans and the deductibles are comparable to many industry leaders like American Home Shield and Choice Home Warranty.
UHP has an A- rating from the Better Business Bureau, which is higher than average for the industry. There are some reported problems with customer communication that you should be aware of, but overall, the company gets solid marks from the BBB and other consumer rating sites.
What’s the difference between a home warranty and homeowners insurance? Great question! Well, your homeowners insurance company is meant to protect your home from damage due to theft, extreme weather, fires, and some natural disasters. So, what happens when your HVAC system malfunctions on a day when none of that happens? That’s when a UHP plan can help.
Overall, this home warranty has several good things going for it—its clear service contract, emergency service, customer ratings, and track record.
Trustworthiness
Home warranties are all about peace of mind. The first step to getting there is trusting the company offering the protection. To get a sense of Universal Home Protection’s reliability, our team has gathered and analyzed data on the company’s website and customer comments on consumer rating sites such as the BBB, Google Reviews, and Yelp.
Legal
| Information Type | Description |
| Ownership | Universal Home Protection LLC |
| Established | 1992 |
| CEO | James Imhoff |
| Registered in | Madison, WI |
| Address | 1289 Deming Way, Suite 201 Madison, WI 53717 |
| Available states | Illinois, Wisconsin |
| Type of company (private, public) | Private |
| Mediation and arbitration bodies | Disputes resolved in Wisconsin Office Of The Commissioner Of Insurance |
This company was founded in 1992 to provide the community with a better home warranty option, after complaints from real estate agents and homeowners in the Madison area.
UHP began serving customers in Wisconsin and later expanded to Illinois, including the metropolis of Chicago.
The company is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. If you’re not satisfied with the company’s services, you can open a dispute that will be resolved in the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.
Accessibility
| Information Type | Description |
| How to contact | Main page >> Contact us |
| Online chat | No |
How do you get a quote or contact the company to file a claim? To contact Universal Home Protection, you dial the phone number (608) 831-0285 or the toll-free number 1-877-225-5847.
The official website is uhpwarranty.com, and there is a contact form if you’re ready to speak to an agent, file a claim, apply for a warranty plan, or renew your contract.
The company website does not offer online chat. But they do have a Facebook page, so you can contact the company’s representatives via Facebook Messenger.
Benchmarks
| Information Type | Description |
| Company size | 21 |
| Annual revenue | $700,000 |
| Number of homeowners | No data |
| Number of BBB complaints closed within last 3 years | 8 |
| Traffic | 2,600 |
| Number of independent contractors | No data |
Universal Home Protection is a small company with only 4 employees. Within the last 3 years, they successfully resolved 6 complaints with BBB. In the past year, the company generated almost $700,000 serving an undisclosed number of households in Wisconsin and Illinois.
Reputation
| Information Type | Description |
| BBB accreditation | B+ (Not Accredited) |
One of the most important aspects of a home warranty company’s credibility is its rating on the Better Business Bureau and other consumer reporting sites. Its BBB rating is A-, which is higher than most of the companies in the industry. For example, Service America Home Warranty has the same rating with the BBB.
Coverage
Whether you are in the midst of a home purchase or have lived in your home for some time, finding the right home warranty coverage options will ensure that you have the exact protection you need without paying extra money. Home warranties are meant to cover home appliances and systems from breakdown due to normal wear and tear. They take up the slack for problems a homeowner’s insurance policy won’t cover.
In this section of the review, we will explain in detail the company’s plans and coverage.
Universal Home Protection offers three home warranty plans: the Basic, the Elite, and the Appliance plans for home buyers, home sellers, and Realtors.
Their Basic package includes protection for plumbing, electrical, heating, and air conditioning systems, as well as toilets, ceiling fans, bathroom exhaust fans, dishwashers, garbage disposals, microwaves, icemakers, ovens, refrigerators, trash compactors, washers and dryers, doorbells, garage door openers, and water heaters.
Their Elite package includes everything the Basic plan does, with the addition of stand-alone freezers, sump pumps, water softeners, and wine refrigerators.
The Appliance Upgrade Package, which will cost you $75, can be added to the Basic or Elite Warranty. It covers one additional of each of the following: dishwasher, microwave, oven, or refrigerator.
UHP home warranty also extends add-on coverage for special items such as swimming pools and spas together, or pool or spa separately, as well as well pumps, with a limit up to $1,200 for each item.
The Basic plan is priced at $525 for 13 months, while their Elite package costs $625. These premiums are lower than the average price in Wisconsin and Illinois.
Both options are available with a one-year minimum contract term and have a $75 deductible, an average price in the industry.
The coverage limits are comparatively high, between $500 to $2,000, which can be compared to Select Home Warranty, one of the best home warranty companies on our list. It means that this sum is enough for the repair or replacement of the unit or appliance.
Each time you file a claim and a licensed repairman comes to your home, there is a service call fee of $75.
So instead of paying out-of-pocket each time any of these items fail, you pay one monthly fee for coverage, and $75 each time a problem arises on a covered system or appliance.
Summary of Plans and Coverage:
What does HMS Home Warranty cover?
To answer this question, we took an HMS Home Warranty brochure for Texas, as an example, and carefully studied the information and summarized it below. It will give you a general idea of coverage plans and limits. For other states, information may slightly differ.
Air Conditioning
Unless you pay for add-ons, the UHP home warranty covers one central air conditioning system with a limit of up to $2,000. The coverage includes thermostats, compressors, condensers, air handlers, interior refrigerant gas lines, and accessible ductwork.
Heating System
The same goes for the heating system. UHP covers one central warm air heat system or one central hot water or steam heat system. Thermostats and all accessible ductwork are covered under the home warranty.
Plumbing System
Universal Home Protection offers comprehensive plumbing home warranty coverage. This coverage extends to all gas, water, waste, drain, and vent lines within the boundaries of your main foundation. Additionally, UHP includes protection for permanently installed sump pumps, faucets, motors, jetted bathtub blowers, tub or shower valves, primary water heaters, water softeners, toilets, and their associated components. In the event of any issues with these plumbing components, UHP will dispatch a licensed plumber to assess and address the situation, ensuring prompt and reliable repairs.
Electrical System
The limit for the electrical system is $2,000. All electrical wiring that is contained within the boundaries of the main foundation, as well as the circuit breaker panels and fuse boxes, receptacles, bathroom exhaust fans, ceiling fans, doorbells, and garage door openers, will be covered.
Home Appliances
Universal Home Protection offers coverage for the following appliances: built-in dishwashers, disposals, microwaves, built-in ovens, refrigerators, freestanding freezers, trash compactors, wine chillers, and washers and dryers. Covered home appliance repair costs may not exceed $1,000 according to the UHP warranty terms.
The Fine Print
| Item | Value | Comparison to Industry |
| Coverage effective after | 30 days | Above industry average |
| Cancellation with refund within | 30 days | Above industry average |
| Cancellation fee | $50.00 | Above industry average |
| Automatic policy renewal | Yes | As 92% of industry |
| Time to cancel automatic renewal | Unknown days | n/a |
| Fee for contract transfer | $Unknown | n/a |
| Max time to submit claim | Unknown days | n/a |
| Repair timeframe | 2 business days | Below industry average |
| Repair timeframe (weekends and holidays) | 2 days | Below industry average |
| Free second opinion | Unknown | n/a |
| Emergency service available | Yes | As 87.3% of industry |
| Hours for service calls | Unknown | n/a |
| Reservice if repairs fail | Yes | Standard for industry |
| Free reservice period (parts) | 60 days | Below industry average |
| Free reservice period (labor) | 60 days | Below industry average |
Ok, so what are some of the coverage details you should know about?
First of all, the plans of Universal Home Protection go into effect 30 days after enrollment. Choice Home Warranty, Total Home Protection, Amazon Home Warranty, and Cinch Home Services offer the same delay in the enrolment period. This is the industry standard.
There is an automatic policy renewal offered by UHP warranty, which is standard in the industry. You can cancel the contract and fully refund the money within 30 days from the date of signing, which is the industry’s maximum point.
The cancellation fee is $50, which is a little bit higher than the average industry price. Total Home Protection and Advanced Home Warranty have the same price for their cancellation fee.
Like most other home warranties, the company provides reservice if the repairs fail. A free reservice period for parts and labor is 60 days, which is below the industry average of 90 days.
Customer service can be contacted 24/7, and emergency service is available as well. In non-emergency cases, the repair timeframe during weekdays, weekends, and holidays are two business days.
A home inspection is not required to apply for a UHP home warranty. The plans do not cover pre-existing conditions, so we recommend having your home items inspected before purchasing a contract, so there are no surprises during the contract period.
Feedback
Before signing a service agreement with Universal Home Protection, the best thing to do is explore other people’s reviews on the internet. To provide you with an objective opinion about the company and give you a clear vision of the company’s credibility and efficiency, we’ve analyzed the most recent reviews from Google Reviews, Yelp, and the BBB.
In analyzing the customer feedback, we found that most clients used the company’s plumbing, water heater, and air conditioner services.
The summary level of customer satisfaction is higher than the industry average. For instance, customers gave the company a 3.9 rating on Google Reviews, compared to a 3.1 rating average in the industry. Also, this home warranty provider has an A- rating from the BBB, which is quite a remarkable indication of the company’s credibility.
A total of 36% of Universal Home Protection customers reported the good work and professionalism of the contractors, which is two to four times higher than the industry average, while 13% were pleased with the communication and the reimbursement offer.
On the other hand, 8% of the clients had communication problems less than the industry average. A total of 3% of the customers stated claim denials, and 3% also complained about repair delays, which is less than the average by 16%.
Final Thoughts: Is Universal Home Protection Good?
For protection against unexpected breakdowns of your most crucial home appliances and systems, a home warranty can be a good investment. UHP is a solid option for residents within its service coverage area.
Universal Home Protection has been serving its clients across Illinois and Wisconsin for more than a quarter of the century. Although the company covers only two states, it has a good reputation among the customers in this area. Its longevity shows that this home warranty provider can be relied upon.
Its BBB rating is A-, which also indicates the high quality of the services provided. Satisfied customers stated good service from UHP home warranty and the professionalism of its contractors.
There are three home warranty plans available for a reasonably low cost. The coverage limits are pretty high, but they provide a limited selection of optional coverage items.
Overall, considering the company’s rating, clear terms and conditions, comprehensive coverage, and emergency service, Universal Home Protection is a nice choice for your home warranty provider.
You can get a free quote by visiting the company’s website, filling in the contact form, and phone. Alternatively, you may check the reviews of the best home warranty companies.
