Compare the Best Home Warranty Companies in Texas
A home warranty in Texas costs anywhere between $35 and $90 per month or $420 to $1,080 annually. Exact home warranty costs depend on your provider, chosen plan and add-ons, and home location. You can also expect to pay a $65 to $125 service fee each time you use your home warranty.
Top 4 Best Home Warranties in Texas
After reviewing dozens of home warranty providers, we rated the following four companies as the best choices for homeowners in Texas.
- Liberty Home Guard: Most customer-friendly
- American Home Shield: Most experienced
- Select Home Warranty: Budget-friendly
- First American Home Warranty: Our pick for add-on coverage
AFC Home Club: If you’re looking for a longer-than-average workmanship guarantee, consider AFC Home Club. Unlike most home warranty companies that have 30- to 90-day guarantees on repairs, AFC Home Club offers guarantees for as long as you’re a policyholder. It also provides four plans to choose from, offering more policy customization.
What Is the Average Cost of a Home Warranty in Texas?
Based on our findings, the average price of a basic-coverage home warranty plan is $44, a mid-level coverage home warranty is $51 and a high-coverage plan is $67.
To help you get the most accurate pricing information, our team requested quotes for home warranty plans in some of the most populated ZIP codes in Texas. We used real sample addresses to collect quotes directly from each provider’s website. The table below summarizes our findings.
Provider | Basic Coverage Cost | Mid-Tier Coverage Cost | Highest Coverage Cost | Service Fee |
Liberty Home Guard | $50 | $55 | $60 | $75–$125 |
American Home Shield | $35 | $50 | $90 | $100–$125 |
Select Home Warranty | $44 | $44 | $48 | $75–$100 |
First American Home Warranty | $47 | $57 | $72 | $75–$125 |
Calculate Your Annual Home Warranty Cost in Texas
The MarketWatch Guides team developed a calculator to help homeowners like yourself determine the cost of a home warranty in Texas. To determine your projected annual cost, input your monthly premium, service call fee and estimated number of claims. While you can use our calculator for an estimate, we recommend getting quotes from our top providers directly for the most accurate rate.
Source: Home Depot
The calculators used on this website are being provided for educational purposes only. Data will not be collected or stored. The results are estimates based on the information you provide and may not reflect the actual pricing of your quote.
What Is a Texas Home Warranty and Why Do You Need One?
Home repair services are a big business in the Lone Star State. In San Antonio, a homeowner can expect to pay between $800 and $2,500 for major air conditioning repairs, while a washing machine replacement could cost up to $4,000.
If you have a home warranty, you are less likely to have to pay for these repairs or replacements alone. When you enroll in a home warranty policy, your provider will offer a contract with a list of covered appliances and systems, plus a per-use service fee due when you use your policy. You’ll pay a set premium each month to retain coverage for the items under your contract.
When a covered appliance or system breaks, your home warranty provider will arrange a repair appointment on your behalf with a technician from its local partner companies. Some home warranty companies allow you to use your own repair company of choice. During your appointment, you’ll pay your agreed-upon service fee and your home warranty provider will cover the repair bill up to any specified coverage limits.
A home warranty is different from homeowners insurance because it covers standard breakdowns rather than those occurring from a hazard like a fire or thunderstorm. This type of coverage can provide peace of mind if you have no household emergency fund. However, if you already have emergency savings or know you can cover repair costs, you may not need a home warranty.
How To Choose a Texas Home Warranty Company
Ready to continue comparing home warranty companies? You can use the following steps to compare options in Texas.
Research Local Branches
While most home warranty companies operate nationally, the number of branches and partners a provider has in each state varies. With the warranty company you are considering, research the nearest branch to your home. If a company only has a few branches in Texas or your nearest branch is miles away, make a note of how this could affect service quality.
Read Local Reviews
In addition to checking service areas, look at third-party reviews of any home warranty company you’re considering. Some review sites like Google Reviews separate reviews for home warranty companies by local branches, providing you with a more personalized look into the type of customer service you could receive. You can also use resources like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot to find information on a company’s quality of service.
Consider Texas-Specific Needs
Request a sample contract from each home warranty company you’re considering and review coverage limits and exclusions. Check coverage for the hazards you’re most likely to face in Texas. For example, if you live in Corpus Christi, you face average summer temperatures as high as 94 degrees. If you rely on your air conditioning system to get you through the summer heat, you’ll likely want a home warranty with more coverage in this area.
Texas Home Warranty Coverage
As a Texas resident, you may be more likely to use home warranty coverage because of the state’s harsh climate. Texas experiences numerous natural disasters because of its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, its severe summer temperatures and raised levels of humidity. While most standard home warranty policies do not cover damage from hurricanes and tropical storms, these hazards put more strain on your home systems over time.
Texas residents can mitigate these risks by prioritizing home warranty plans with higher limits and more inclusive coverage terms. These policies will cover more damage and situations you could face because of increased system usage. Some major systems and appliances to focus on in Texas homes include:
- Air conditioning: Texas residents are used to sweltering summers — most parts of the state see highs in the 90’s throughout the summer season. These high temperatures can mean a higher use of your air conditioning and HVAC systems.
- Roofing damage: If you live in a known tornado-friendly area, you’re likely to deal with wind damage throughout the year that may wear your roof over time. While homeowners insurance policies cover most roof damage, most home warranty providers offer an add-on that extends coverage to missing shingles and limited roof leaks.
- Refrigerators: Texas also experiences higher-than-average humidity, which affects refrigerant and temperature controls on your refrigerator. For this reason, we recommend homeowners consider insurance providers with refrigerant coverage.
The table below summarizes the coverage limits imposed by our top providers for the above-listed systems and appliances.
Liberty Home Guard | American Home Shield | Select Home Warranty | First American Home Warranty | |
Air conditioning | $2,000 | $5,000 | $3,000 | Not specified |
Roof leak protection | $500* | $1,000 | $500 | $1,000 |
Refrigerators | $2,000 | $2,000 | $500 | $3,500 |
*Indicates items available as an add-on.
How Home Warranties Are Regulated in Texas
Both state government oversight and industry associations generally regulate home warranties. In Texas, the 2005 Residential Service Company Act requires home warranty companies to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration (TDLR) before selling policies in the state. Licensed companies must follow sound business practices set by the TDLR and demonstrate financial responsibility by providing mid-year and annual financial reports.
Before you purchase a service contract, you can use the TDLR database to verify a company’s license. If you currently have a home warranty and believe your provider has not honored your contract, you can file a complaint directly through the TDLR website. Dr. Bennie Waller, a faculty fellow at The University of Alabama and author specializing in residential real estate, recommends reviewing your service contract carefully before purchasing a plan or disputing a denied claim.
While home warranties receive government regulation at the state level, industry associations that oversee service contracts and home warranties do so nationally. For example, the National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA) is a nonprofit trade association that promotes sound business practices and promotes consumer-confidence among homeowners.
Best Home Warranty Company by State
If you are not looking for a home warranty in Texas, select your state below to find the best options.
Our Conclusion: Is a Home Warranty Worth It in Texas?
Our team found that with consistent, everyday use, your home’s essential systems and appliances may experience unexpected breakdowns due to normal wear and tear. A home warranty can help lessen the financial burden of covering those costs out of pocket.
Our top recommended company for Texas homeowners is Liberty Home Guard because of its higher-than-average coverage limits and range of add-on options. Competitors like American Home Shield and First American Home Warranty also offer notable coverage caps, but affordable options like Select Home Warranty may fit better with stricter budgets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Warranties in Texas
Texas does not require you to carry a home warranty as a condition of owning a home. Likewise, homeowners do not have to offer a home warranty when selling a property but may buy one to attract more potential buyers.
Most home warranty policies include 12 months of coverage, which starts after a specified waiting period. Some home warranty companies offer the option to purchase multiple years of coverage.
Yes, Choice Home Warranty is licensed to offer policies in Texas.
Some homeowners may find that service fees and deductibles offset overall cost savings, decreasing the value of a home warranty. Home warranties also come with various coverage caps, which you should consider compared to each plan’s monthly cost to determine if it is worth it for you.
How We Ranked the Best Home Warranty Companies in Texas
To determine which home warranty companies to recommend to Texas residents, our team began by identifying systems and appliances most likely to break down due to the state’s climate. We then created a list of reputable providers offering policies in the Lone Star State and obtained a series of sample quotes for each. We used real Texas addresses to get the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information.
Then, we looked at each company’s sample contract and compared options head-to-head. Companies with comprehensive coverage, higher coverage limits and more add-on options scored higher, while those with lower air conditioning coverage and fewer customization options received lower scores. We also prioritized recommendations of companies with longer histories and higher third-party customer service reviews.
Learn more about how the MarketWatch Guides team ranks home warranty companies or review our full editorial guidelines.
Additional Home Warranty Resources
If you have questions about this page, please reach out to our editors at editors@marketwatchguides.com.