Twenty years ago this month, HomeServe launched its first U.S. utility partnership to educate homeowners and offer optional protection against potentially costly emergency repairs to residential lines and systems. Today nearly 5 million homeowners are benefitting from HomeServe solutions, and over 1,200 utilities and municipalities are increasing customer engagement and satisfaction, boosting their local economies and advancing important community initiatives by partnering with HomeServe to offer value-added services.
Since the beginning, HomeServe has addressed crucial needs for homeowners. Its annual State of the Home Survey consistently demonstrates that home repair emergencies are prevalent and, when they occur, homeowners are often unsure of who is responsible and who to call for assistance. Many are also financially unprepared. In the most recent survey, 70% of homeowners reported having one or more home repair emergencies in the past 12 months, with home heating/cooling emergencies topping the list with 28% of homeowners reporting having one in the past 12 months. Other home repair hassles included water heater troubles (19%); blocked/overflowing toilets (19%); and leaking water pipes (18%). Compounding the problem, 14% reported having no funds set aside for an emergency home repair and 31% said they have $500 or less or nothing set aside for an unexpected repair.
HomeServe’s first partner was Aqua America, a major national water company that is now part of Essential Utilities, one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater, and natural gas providers in the U.S. According to Tom Rusin, HomeServe CEO, HomeServe’s offering was a relatively new concept back in 2003, and finding the right partner to launch it was key. “When things would break around the house, people accepted the hassle of finding their own contractor and paying an expensive bill out of pocket,” said Rusin “Our aim then, as it is today, was to help take that worry and inconvenience out of emergency home repairs, and Aqua gave us the opportunity to help prove to homeowners that enrolling in plans with HomeServe was a great option.”
Over the past 20 years, HomeServe has developed a network of more than 2,600 exceptional licensed, local contractors, including its partners’ preferred trade allies, who have expertly completed millions of repairs for its customers, saving them over $2 billion while providing them with unmatched service and satisfaction. The positive customer experiences are attributed to municipalities and utilities that offer HomeServe solutions. Furthermore, HomeServe partner research demonstrates that, in addition to customers who have purchased a protection plan, customers who have not purchased but are simply aware of the protection plan offer have higher satisfaction with the utility.
HomeServe has relationships with recognized North American associations, including the National League of Cities, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives, National Rural Water Association, Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and numerous state municipal leagues and state rural water associations.
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