Arizona AG Brnovich accuses home warranty company of ‘false promises’

PHOENIX – Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is suing a home warranty company for allegedly making “false promises” about its policies.

Brnovich accused Choice Home Warranty of using exclusions and payment caps to avoid paying for repairs they’d led customers to believe would be covered.

“We filed a lawsuit against Choice Home Warranty basically alleging that they made false promises to consumers who purchased a home warranty policy,” he told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday.

The attorney general wasn’t sure how many Arizona customers have been impacted, but he said his office had received more than 220 complaints about the New Jersey-based company over the last three years. He also said the Better Business Bureau has logged more than 4,000 complaints.

“This is a real significant issue,” Brnovich said.

Brnovich said consumers shopping for home warranties should read the fine print, be aware of coverage caps and exclusions and research the companies.

“Go to websites like the Better Business Bureau and see if there have been complaints against a company, if it’s something systematic,” he said.

The consumer fraud lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in Maricopa County Superior Court, calls for fines of up to $10,000 for each violation.

“And we are also seeking restitution for the victims,” Brnovich said.

Anybody who believes they’ve been a victim of consumer fraud can file a complaint online with the attorney general’s office.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jeremy Foster contributed to this report.

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