Cinch Home Services Review 2024: Good For (Almost) Everything—Except Your Roof
Updated March 28, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Cinch is one of the most comprehensive coverage options on the market—unless you’re looking for structural component coverage or support for your outdoor grill station.
Our Methodology Our research is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of personal finance services and products that best suit your needs. To help you in the decision-making process, our expert contributors compare common preferences and potential pain points, such as affordability, accessibility, and credibility.
Cinch Home Services
Expert Take
Our experts appreciated how transparent Cinch was about its coverage options. They offer generous support for appliances and covered items that have suffered from wear-and-tear or pre-existing conditions. If you choose to pursue a Cinch home warranty, you can expect to enjoy many different perks, including a free month of coverage and a 180-day workmanship guarantee.
Pros
- 24/7 customer support options
- No-commitment coverage structure—cancel anytime
- $500 homeowner’s insurance deductible reimbursement perk
Cons
- No roof or outdoor patio/appliance coverage
- Reduced coverage options for smaller appliances (i.e., your air purifier)
- Costs and higher-than-average service fees may deter some users
Additional Information*
- No maintenance records required
- Bespoke national network of specialists
- “A replace if we can’t repair” promise
*Offer available at the time of this publication. Users will receive the first month of service free after signing on for monthly billing for their new Appliances, Built-In Systems or Complete Home Plans. This offer is subject to state availability.
Vault’s Viewpoint on Cinch Home Services
Cinch is a reputable home warranty service that was launched in 1978. They continue to innovate and provide comprehensive coverage backed by 45+ years of experience for nearly 1 million clients and reply to over 1 million service requests annually, making them a standout and trustworthy choice in an otherwise volatile space. This level of service is made possible by the over 900+ nationwide experts in their employ, who support clients across a range of fix-it tasks.
The service is fairly more comprehensive where coverage is concerned; offering complete coverage across several key areas of home ownership. These include areas such as plumbing, air conditioning and electrical systems—most of which may or may not be covered by competing options. The catch? Pricing is not transparent, and average package estimates are buried behind a quote “wall.” This may deter some users who are hesitant to share their personal information with Cinch home warranty, or any other services.
Another point we’d like to highlight in this Cinch Home Services review is the lack of coverage for roofs, outdoor appliances or patio items, in most cases. However, the service makes up for this con by providing optional add-ons for traditionally ignored areas of coverage that homeowners have requested—such as swimming pool, well pump and septic tank coverage. Unfortunately, though, these are currently only available as add-ons and must be paid for in addition to your routine fees. They also might not be available in your specific service area.
All-in-all, we believe that Cinch Home Services are a good fit for those who have a primary scope of need for indoor appliance coverage, or for those looking for the aforementioned add-on service coverage options. We don’t believe this would be a strong fit for those looking for a steep discount on home warranty services or for those looking for coverage for their exterior elements or their roof.
About Cinch Home Services
Cinch brings 45+ years of experience to the table, showcasing their expertise in fresh, customer-forward package options and 24/7 customer support you can count on. They offer coverage regardless of age—even if your appliances have been damaged by negligence or normal “wear-and-tear.” This level of coverage for pre-existing condition issues is rare to see on the market—but so is the lack of coverage for exterior elements and your roof—and the overall lack of pricing transparency.
Who is Cinch Home Services Best For?
Cinch Home Services is best for homeowners who are looking for comprehensive coverage for their indoor appliances and key home systems—such as plumbing, air conditioning, heating, ventilation, and electrical elements. It’s also a great choice for those who don’t mind paying a little extra for peace of mind coverage for their pool or septic tank. Lastly, Cinch home warranty options are also ideal for those who have items that could be affected by pre-existing conditions, or that might not be able to be repaired. Cinch is one of the few home warranty services on the market that doesn’t require maintenance records for coverage—and that has an industry-leading “replace if we can’t repair” promise.
Who Should Consider an Alternative to Cinch Home Services?
If you’re averse to providing your information to start the quote process, or if you’re looking for complete home coverage for both interior or exterior elements, you might want to consider an alternative to Cinch Home Services. You should also consider alternative coverage if you’re located in Hawaii or Alaska, as the service does not yet provide coverage to homes in those areas.
How Do Cinch Home Services Stack Up Compared To Its Competitors?
We want to offer you the most unbiased and accurate information in this Cinch Home Services review—enabling you to make the best possible decision for your current scope of need.
We know that Cinch Home Services can be a competitive choice for most, however, there could be alternatives that better suit you. Here’s how Cinch stacks up against the competition.
Cinch Home Services vs. First American Home Warranty
Cinch Home Services is renowned for its 48-state coverage and generous package offers. They also offer client-first policies when it comes to repair, offering to completely replace whatever they can’t fix with their nationwide network of over 900+ service technicians and specialists. First American Home Warranty, however, offers more competitive pricing than Cinch Home Services does when you add up the additional costs of service fees and coverage limits.
If you don’t mind paying a little extra for coverage, however, you might still consider choosing Cinch home warranty plans for your home’s peace-of-mind coverage. First American’s plans are similar to Cinch’s as far as offerings go. However, they also come with more “strings” attached, as many coverage options require older systems to still be in “proper working condition” before coverage can be secured. Cinch has much more forgiving requirements and is ideal for homeowners who are looking for coverage for older or more well-loved appliances and systems.
Cinch Home Services vs. Choice Home Warranty
Across the expert research process for this Cinch home services review, our experts found that Choice Home Warranty and Cinch Home Services run nearly parallel to each other—offering many of the same perks and package options. However, Choice offers slightly more than Cinch for those looking for specific coverage—such as options for a secondary refrigerator, a sump pump, septic tank pumping plumbing and a central vacuum. They also offer limited roof leak coverage, which Cinch doesn’t (and hasn’t, historically).
While Cinch’s pricing is behind a quote wall and is subject to change, many users note that pricing varies regionally and is between $75-$95 per month. Choice Home Warranty also buries pricing behind a quote wall and offers regional pricing. However, their pricing is slightly lower on average—ranging from $55-$80 per month. Our consensus? Both options are competitive, but Choice offers slightly lower fees with slightly more customizable coverage.
Cinch Home Services vs. Liberty Home Guard
Like Choice Home Warranty above, Liberty Home Guard offers slightly lower prices overall—across service fees, monthly rates and annual premium costs. However, they also offer less comprehensive plans and a lower service guarantee (which remains at 60 days compared to Cinch’s generous 180 days). To (possibly) make up for this, our experts do want to note that they do offer an extensive selection of a lá carte options that Cinch doesn’t, including roof leak repair coverage.
Despite Cinch’s higher costs and more limited regional availability, it does offer more comprehensive done-for-you package selections, a longer work assurance guarantee and is higher-rated for customer service and quality of work across a range of commentary- and forum-based sites. While either option could technically work depending on what you’re in the market for, Cinch may be the better all-around alternative for users across segments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did Cinch Home Services Used To Be Called?
While many know about Cinch’s impressive longevity in the home services industry, few know that it actually used to have an entirely different name and marketing scheme. What we now know today as Cinch Home Services used to be called Cross Country Home Services. It remained known as Cross Country until 2019, when the company underwent a national rebrand. They updated everything—from logos to web presence—but kept the customer-forward selections and package perks.
What Is Typically Included In A Home Warranty?
Home warranty package inclusions typically vary in an attempt to meet the specific needs of homeowners across the country. Common areas of coverage to expect from your average home warranty include interior appliances (such as your stove, fridge and coffee maker), your air conditioning system, your electrical framework and your plumbing system.
Other services may be included as a là carte service options, such as pool and spa coverage and coverage for roof leak damage or exterior appliances. Sump pump, well pump and sewer system coverage can be included in certain plans, possibly on a custom basis.
Are Clogged Drains Covered By Home Warranties?
Clogged drains and damage caused from leaks may be covered by your home warranty if you have plumbing provisions in your plan. However, this is not included in every plan—so if you anticipate having leaks in the future or are looking to risk manage, we recommend reaching out to your provider to ensure that you are covered.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. We may earn a commission from partner links on Newsweek, but commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
