PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Home Depot’s insurance coverage is under scrutiny after complaints from some consumers.
A recent lawsuit may make you think twice before renting a tool from the home improvement giant.
Justine O’Brien bought a new stove at Home Depot in July.
But she hadn’t prepared for the extra costs she would pay for damaging the installation.
“They drilled a hole right through the water pipe,” O’Brien said.
She said the accident resulted in a $300 plumbing bill and drywall that needed to be replaced and painted.
She said she received more than $600 worth of appraisals.
“I got a call on October 14th and they said, ‘Your claim has been denied,'” O’Brien recalled. “And then I called Channel 6.”
USP Home, which insures Home Depot’s installations, denied her claim, saying their investigation “found no liability.”
But when our team contacted Home Depot, they changed course. A spokesperson told Action News: “We always want to make sure our customers are taken care of. We thank her for allowing us to get it right.”
O’Brien received a check for the repairs.
But further investigation by Home Depot revealed other insurance and warranty complaints about tool rentals and damage protection.
“This is a nationwide problem and it’s been going on for several years,” said prosecutor John Luckett.
A new lawsuit filed by his firm says claims for coverage were unfairly denied.
Lockett and partner Bradley Pratt filed an action seeking class action certification after a client purchased tool protection for a plumbing drain chamber.
Their customer paid $20 for a $140 rental. When the camera got stuck and was damaged, Home Depot didn’t pay for it in the lawsuit, saying he was misusing the equipment and it wasn’t covered by the contract.
“Through Home Depot’s internal document, we found that the protection was limited to wear and tear,” Lockett said.
This is despite the fact that the damage protection contract states that repair and replacement costs are covered under “normal use”.
The lawsuit says Home Depot charged the customer more than $3,000 for the damaged plumbing pipe and late fees.
“Home Depot is the largest tool rental company in the world,” added Pratt. “So it’s a huge business and we expect to find that it’s a huge profit center.”
Home Depot told Action News it cannot comment on pending litigation, but is filing a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
Lockett and Pratt told us they continue to add clients to the class action, including one from our area.
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