The 8 Best Home Warranty Companies of 2024
- Liberty Home Guard: Most customer-friendly
- American Home Shield: Most experienced
- Elite Home Warranty: Most unique add-ons
- Select Home Warranty: Most budget-friendly
- AFC Home Warranty: Most coverage options
- First American Home Warranty: Our pick for add-on coverage
- First Premier Home Warranty: Our pick for discounts
- Cinch Home Services: Our pick for bonus benefits
Some of the other home warranty companies we considered include Choice Home Warranty, Old Republic, Landmark and Home Warranty of America. Although all legitimate home warranty providers, the companies did not rate as highly under our home warranty methodology as our top picks.
Are Home Warranties Worth It?
A home warranty policy can be a worthwhile investment because it can make home repairs and maintenance costs more predictable. You pay a monthly fee to your provider, and when something in your home stops working, you can schedule a repair at a reduced cost.
While home warranties can help cover the up-front costs of home system and appliance repairs, whether a home warranty is worth it for you depends on your needs.
“The pros of home warranties include potential financial savings on expenses due to repair or replacement of systems and appliances in your home,” says David Resischer, real estate attorney and CEO of LegalAdvice.com, “as well as peace of mind knowing that your systems and appliances are covered in the event of an unexpected problem.”
But on the other hand, Resischer adds, “The cons of home warranties include the cost, which can be significant depending on the plan and size of the home … It’s important to read warranty details carefully to understand any exclusions or limitations.”
Compare Top-Recommend National Home Warranty Companies
Compare the cost and ratings of our top picks for national home warranty providers. We compiled the providers and top criteria such as cost of plans, service fees, and trust signals like BBB ratings. Review them below and pick a warranty servicer that is the best option for your needs.
*Pricing information was gathered in 2023 and is based on a combination of first party information from reviews, secret shoppers, and public information found on the providers public database. These estimates are based on a set square footage- for the most accurate pricing information we highly recommend getting multiple quotes and shopping around for your specific requirements.
Top 8 National Home Warranty Reviews
Liberty Home Guard
Most Customer-Friendly
American Home Shield
Most Experienced
Pros and Cons
Why We Picked American Home Shield
- Most experienced provider: American Home Shield (AHS) has been in business for over 50 years and is available in 48 states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii).
- Comprehensive coverage: American Home Shield covers heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems in its most basic plan, which starts at just $29.99 per month. It also has higher-than-average coverage caps of $3,000 to $6,000 for systems and appliances.
- Above-average service fee: AHS only offers two service call fee options: $100 or $125. These rates are slightly higher than some competitors.
For all these reasons, plus its tenure in the industry and high coverage caps, American Home Shield earned 4.58 out of 5 stars in our rating system, which solidified its position as our top choice for home warranty companies.
Coverage and Cost
You can expect to pay between $42.31 and $93.37 per month for an American Home Shield home warranty, depending on the policy you choose. You can also choose a service call fee of $100 or $125 to adjust your monthly cost. American Home Shield may also offer a discounted $75 service fee for certain customers in select states.
American Home Shield’s home warranty plans are as follows:
- ShieldSilver™ ($42.31 per month): Covers heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems
- ShieldGold™ ($65.63 per month): Covers heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing systems, plus kitchen and laundry appliances
- ShieldPlatinum™ ($93.37 per month): Covers everything under the ShieldGold™ plan, plus roof leak repairs, code upgrades and discounted HVAC tune-ups
- Coverage add-ons: Protection for electronics, guest units, pools, septic pumps, spa and well pumps, and roof leak repairs (if not already included in your plan)
American Home Shield is available in every state except for Alaska and Hawaii.
American Home Shield’s quote form was easy to fill out and it took us less than two minutes to get a personalized quote through the company’s website.
Unlike other home warranty companies, you can click into more detailed coverage explanations under each American Home Shield plan once you receive your quote. We like how AHS makes accessing information about exclusions and coverage caps easier than other service providers.
American Home Shield texted us several times within the first day of requesting a quote, and the messages stopped after around three weeks.
Elite Home Warranty
Most unique add-ons
Select Home Warranty
Most Budget-Friendly
AFC Home Warranty
Most Coverage Options
First American Home Warranty
Our Pick for Add-on Coverage
First Premier Home Warranty
Our Pick for Discounts
Cinch Home Services
Our Pick for Bonus Benefits
Best Home Warranty Companies by State
Didn’t find the perfect home warranty? Click here to search for the best home warranty company in your state.
How Much Does a Home Warranty Cost?
According to our poll of 1,000 homeowners, 64% of respondents said that price of a home warranty is the most important factor they considered when shopping for a warranty plan.
The average monthly home warranty cost is between $39 and $63, and the average service call fee is $77. These estimates are based on our internal research, secret shopping, reviews of dozens of home warranty providers quotes and homeowner survey results of their own warranty plans.
Key Takeaways for Homeowners
Many top home warranty providers offer several service call fee options, which allow you to adjust your monthly premium. In general, the higher your service call fee, the lower your monthly premium will be.
Compare cost based on sample quotes:
How much your home warranty plan costs will depend on several personal factors like where you live, your selected service call fee and which policy you choose:
How To Choose a Home Warranty Company
Every home warranty is different, so it’s important to find one that fits your lifestyle and budget. To help you select a home warranty provider that is right for you, consider the following factors while researching your best options.
Determine Your Coverage Needs
Everyone’s situation is different, and yours greatly impacts whether you want to focus on appliance coverage, systems coverage or both. Think about what you want to protect the most, and consider whether you already have coverage through individual appliance manufacturer warranties or other means.
Decide on Your Budget
The cost of a home warranty is largely determined by how much coverage it provides. It's a good idea to decide how much you want to spend at the outset and then prioritize the coverage you want to include to stretch your dollar as far as possible.
Read the Terms and Conditions
Home warranty contracts enclose the terms of the deal. Make sure to read your contract carefully before you purchase the policy so you fully understand what it covers, its waiting period, service fees and other stipulations.
How Does a Home Warranty Work?
If you are new to home warranties you may be wondering how you can file a claim after enrollment. The following steps can help demystify how home warranties work:
Step 1: Enroll in a plan, having peace of mind that your home warranty provider can help cover the cost is half the battle!
Step 2: If the worse (or inevitable happens) you can typically file your first claim after a 30-day waiting period from enrollment.
- You will typically have the option to file your claim over the phone or online,
- You’ll pay the service call fee that essentially acts as the deductible for your plan- this price varies based on the provider you pick.
- Cinch Home Services is a great option if you need home warranty coverage with no waiting period before filing a claim. They also offer little to no rejections for maintenance issues or pre-existing issues.
Step 3: Next, you’ll schedule a service visit for a technician to come to your home. If your service contract covers the home appliance or system breakdown, you won’t owe anything except the service call fee.
Step 4: The technician will inform you if he can fix or replace the system and if your plan covers the full price or if there will be an out of pocket fee that you will need to cover before proceeding with any fixes.
What Do Home Warranties Cover?
Warranty coverage can vary by home warranty plans but there are a few appliances and systems that the majority of the national providers will automatically cover. This includes:
Air conditioning and Heating systems (HVAC)
Plumbing
Electrical systems
Common household appliances (dishwasher, washer, dryer, oven, microwave, fridge etc)
For comprehensive coverage refer to listed coverage options from the provider you select.
Home Warranty Market Trends
- Market Analysis concludes that the global market for home warranty companies “looks promising in the next five years.”
- Some of our top-rated companies, including First American Home Warranty, AFC Home Warranty and Select Home Warranty, are listed as key players in the market.
- Today’s Homeowner reported that the home warranty market grew from $3.3 billion in 2020 to $3.6 billion in 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Warranties
Yes, home warranties are ideal for older homes. Appliances and other systems used in older homes are prone to breaking down — it’s a good idea to get a home warranty to enhance your home’s value.
No, they are not. Home warranties are different from home insurance and are offered on a contractual basis.
The main difference between a home warranty and a home insurance policy is the situation in which events happen. Home insurance covers unpredictable events. For example, if a fire starts in your home. But a home warranty plan covers situations that are somewhat predictable like a home appliance not working.
The top-most benefit of a home warranty is that it helps homeowners avoid expensive repairs. Most home warranties cover all expenses associated with systems or appliances breaking down in the home.
Related Resources
More Home Warranty Guides:
- Cheapest Home Warranty Companies
- Are Home Warranties Worth It?
- How Much Do Home Warranties Cost?
- How Does a Home Warranty Work?
- Home Warranty vs. Home Insurance
Best Home Warranty by System:
- Best Home Warranty for HVAC
- Best Septic Warranty
- Best Home Warranty for Furnace
- Best Water Heater Warranty
- Best Home Warranty for Plumbing
- Home Warranties for Sewer Line Coverage
Best Home Warranties by Appliance:
Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Home Warranty Companies
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If you have questions about this page, please reach out to our editors at editors@marketwatchguides.com.
