I truly don't even know where to start other than this is the absolute worst company that has ever been allowed to continue in existence and they should be ashamed of themselves for the deceptive way they interpret the contractual language, which ultimately leaves the consumer in the dark. I've been with Allied for 9 years and have maintained my central a/c accordingly, getting yearly maintenance performed, to ensure proper coverage when it came time to having it replaced - without having to worry about Allied denying coverage, because I didn't properly maintain my system. So when the time came for replacement, they denied me and offered only $1400 for a $10, 000 unit, stating they are only contributing to the condenser and not "the coils, slap, upgrades, or any other additional components that are not part of the basic unit"...and this is how Allied spun their contractual explanation... "My name is M*** and I am with Allied Home Warranty’s Dispute Resolutions team and I sincerely apologize that we have been unable to provide a response for you. I can see that this complaint was in regards to work order 510193 where we had Services by Reliant out to your home and they recommended a new AC system because of the age and the condition of the equipment. We were providing $1, 135.00 towards the replacement of the unit which is being provided per the terms of the disclosure of coverage that is read to every single client when a claim is opened, where we are providing coverage for the part that has failed which in this case is the condenser. The relevant portion of that disclosure reads: “If Allied determines that a part needs to be replaced, the warranty will provide coverage for the failed part but will not cover the difference if you have an upgraded or specialty part or for any modifications needed.” That being said there are numerous items that are not covered under the home warranty associated with replacing the condenser such as proper disposal of the unit (Required under Federal guidelines), the recovery of the remaining refrigerant (Required under Federal guidelines), refilling of the unit with the new refrigerant which in this case would be the upgrade from the soon to be discontinued by the EPA R22 to R410a and of course, any additional modifications that may be needed to be able to install the new unit which as I can see here in the report, the technician did specify verbatim: When replacing an evaporator they replace the supply plenum, add start collars with mechanical dampers, add transition with access door for ease of inspections and maintenance, rerun the drain lines and add float switches including a new drain pan, and reseal the unit. When replacing a condenser and evaporator in addition to above mentioned items they install new service disconnect with electrical whip and add a composite coated base pad under the condenser. Finally when replacing the complete system in addition to above they: lift the furnace up on 9" stands (room permitting), reseal the return plenum add new furnace vent, cap and collar, also included is a new manual gas valve and flexible gas line with sediment trap and hard pipe. For all of these modifications required for the installation and in some cases are needed to bring the HVAC system up to code and make a proper installation, are disclosed to you as well in that same initial disclosure that continues: “Allied Home Warranty covers the major components and parts that affect the operation of the system when damage is caused by normal wear and tear. There may be situations that result in additional costs not covered by your warranty, such as additional modifications, access issues, upgrades, disposal fees, Freon, or specialty tests that may be needed to get your system operational.” I sincerely apologize for any confusion this might have caused as that is never our intention and we strive to make any repairs or replacement easier to manage. I did speak with my manager whom you spoke with earlier, Ms. Gloria, and she has given her approval for us to apply the full $400 from the Plus 400 add-on as a gesture of goodwill to your work order for a grand total of $1, 535.00 worth of coverage. This brings all of the options on the estimate down from what you were originally quoted and they are now ranging from Option 1 which is the most expensive, the Deluxe 5.0 Ton 16 Seer Gas System Replacement down to $6, 077.00 with coverage to the least expensive Option 4, the High efficiency Deluxe 5.0 ton Condenser + 4.0 Ton A/C Box Coil down to $4, 413.00 with coverage. Please let me know if there is anything else we can help you with or if you have any questions and we will be more than happy to assist. Customer Dispute Resolution" So of course I hit the ceiling at mock speed and went to the Houston BBB - who was deeply in bed with their A+ rating company and here's what they had to say... "Thank you for following up with BBB regarding your position in the above-mentioned dispute. We understand you are NOT satisfied with the business’s response, and have noted your dissatisfaction in our files. While we regret we were unable to reach your desired resolution, the business has provided BBB with its position. You requested a second opinion from Allied Warranty in regards to having your condenser and internal coils replaced. You submitted photos along with two (2) quotes. Allied Warranty responded stating they have reviewed your quotes and there were issues with both. The ARS quote, the company offers same financing similar to Services by Reliant, the diagnosis is exactly the same including the note that repair is not possible and the replacement is the only option, there is no estimate for replacement so Allied Warranty has nothing to company to Reliant's quote. You rejected their response, however, did not resubmit an estimate from ARS. The John Moore quote, the company offers financing similar to Services by Reliant, the diagnosis is exactly the same as the one provided by Services by Reliant, including the note that repair is not possible and replacement is the only option. Quote is high $10, 619.95. The company's replacement is $3131.95 less expensive than John Moore's quote, not counting warranty coverage. At this time Allied Warranty states neither quote is a valid candidate for either price matching or a second opinion as currently the best pricing is still Services by Reliant. The BBB cannot ask a company to operate outside of their company policy. Should you accept Allied Warranty's original offer of $1135.00 or the second offer of receiving $1535.00 worth of coverage towards your replacement unit please contact Allied Warranty directly. This matter is now closed in BBB files, and will appear in the company’s BBB Business Review as: “Answered - the business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer remains dissatisfied.” Please note, the text of your response may be publicly posted on BBB’s website. BBB reserves the right to not post in accordance with BBB policy, and we may edit your response to protect privacy rights and to remove inappropriate language. Again, thank you for contacting the Better Business Bureau. We hope you will allow us to be of service to you in the future. Sincerely, Dispute Resolution Team" And then additionally, after I refuted the Houston BBB decision, this was there lame rebuttal... "Good evening Mr. A., While I understand you did not receive the ideal outcome to your dispute against Allied Warranty, the BBB has assisted in having your concerns addressed. The BBB Dispute Resolution process is one that seeks information from all parties involved, in order to reach an amicable resolution. As explained to you earlier by our staff, we are unable to ask that any company operate outside of their policies and procedures. As I am sure you know, federal and state laws give companies such as Allied Warranty and the BBB, the right to operate within contractual agreements. I personally, as well as my staff have thoroughly reviewed your complaint in its entirety. While the policies may not end in personal satisfaction, we do require our accredited members to address disputes in a timely manner. We have thoroughly reviewed all correspondence, and closed the complaint administratively. Allied Warranty has offered a payment to you according to the contractual obligation to you. While you may not agree with our determination in this matter, we do believe the company made a satisfactory attempt to resolve the complaint. We have provided an update to Council as well as correspondence showing that the BBB has operated within our policies as well. We have a strong working relationship with our Council of Better Bureaus, the Attorney General's Office, and the FTC. All mentioned entities have the contact information for the Senior management team of our organization. We sincerely hope you are able to resolve your dispute directly with Allied Warranty. Wishing you a pleasant end to your evening, " The above was the final answer to a month long battle, where the BBB rolled over and did absolutely nothing!! So of course I'm now waiting to see what the BBB Council has to say about the behavior of the local Houston BBB. Oh, I've also gone to the Texas Real Estate Commission, the Texas Attorney General Office, the FTC, the Texas Insurance Commission, who I am still waiting to hear from. Did I mention that I live in Houston, so this entire time I've been without and air conditioner with pets, in extremely hot conditions - and the BBB REFUSED to force Allied into mediation or arbitration, because they said, "Allied did nothing wrong". This is like a nightmare come true. Lie after lie after lie. I truly hope no one else has to endure this type of terrible, unjust, unconscionable, and unacceptable treatment.