| Choice Home Warranty | Fast Uber-style dispatch system100% transferable to new buyersFirst month free |
| Select Home Warranty | Comprehensive plansResponse time of up to 2 working daysMany easy ways to make a claim |
A home warranty policy can cover a whole range of items in your home. Typically, it will include:
- Air conditioning and heating systems
- Plumbing systems
- Electrical systems
- Washing machine and dryer
You can usually choose to add extra coverage for items like swimming pools or kitchen appliances such as your refrigerator and freezer, oven and range, and garbage disposal unit.
You will have to pay monthly or yearly premiums for your home warranty, and you'll also need to pay a service charge or call-out fee every time you call a contractor through your policy. There might be a deductible to pay as well, depending on your policy. Every home warranty provider has slightly different fees, but usually, the price is determined by the size of your property and the number of items that you're including in the coverage.
What’s the Difference Between a Home Warranty and Home Insurance?
Home insurance pays for damage done to your home itself or to your personal possessions by some kind of catastrophe. It could be a fire, flood, burglary or other natural disaster—home insurance will cover it.
Home warranties are different. A home warranty covers the cost of fixing or replacing your electrical or mechanical appliances only. Unlike home insurance, a home warranty pays for damage due to the wear and tear of regular use.
Why Do Homeowners Need a Home Warranty Plan?
A home warranty plan is a good choice for many homeowners. You know that every appliance is going to break down or wear out at some point—you just don’t know when. A home warranty policy gives you the peace of mind of knowing that whenever it happens, you’ll be covered.
Usually, a home warranty gives you better prices for repair or replacement of your appliances than you'd be able to negotiate on your own. It helps that the age of your home doesn't make much difference to the cost, so if you have an older home with appliances that are more likely to need fixing, you'll be able to get coverage without paying through the roof.
Having a home warranty policy also makes it easy for you to access a reliable local contractor. It’s an especially good idea for older homeowners who might find it difficult to do small repairs on their own, or for anyone who’s too busy to search for an electrician in an emergency (which would be most of us).
A home warranty is particularly recommended for home buyers and sellers. If you’ve agreed to buy a home, a home warranty provides reassurance that if anything breaks down between signing the contract and your move-in date, it’ll be fixed. For home sellers, offering a home warranty can be a good sweetener to attract buyers. It also means that you won’t worry about a broken furnace tanking your deal at the last minute.
The 4 Best Home Warranties for Homeowners
1. Choice Home Warranty
Choice is popular with many homeowners, thanks largely to its superlative customer service, which is operational 24/7. Choice boasts an ‘Uber’-style dispatcher system which locates the nearest available contractor to your house so that you get help as soon as possible, a comprehensive list of appliances covered by its basic policy, and the option to add even more through the Total plan. If you have items that aren’t included, you can add them to your policy as extras.
Pros
- Excellent customer service
- Fast response using ‘Uber’-style dispatch program
- Comprehensive list of included appliance
Cons
- Policy doesn’t cover professional-quality items
- Long list of exclusions could be an unpleasant surprise
2. Select Home Warranty
A solid choice for homeowners looking for a reliable home warranty policy, Select’s 3 plans offer varying levels of coverage, from Bronze, which covers only kitchen appliances, up to Platinum, which even pays for your garage door opener and ceiling fans. You can add extra items to your policy for an additional charge. Select’s response time is good, with 24/7 customer service, online chat, and the promise to have a contractor at your door within 2 working days.
Pros
- Flexible policy plans
- Multiple easy ways to make a claim
- Frequent special offers for lower-cost policies
Cons
- Lower cap on coverage value during your first 3 months of coverage
- Warranty only covers essential elements of your appliance
The Choice is Yours
As a homeowner, you know the importance of keeping your appliances and systems running like new, which is why it’s vital that you protect them with a home warranty plan. Select the plan that’s right for you and never worry about home repairs again.
Top10.com's editorial staff is a professional team of editors and writers with dozens of years of experience covering consumer, financial and business products and services.
