Select Home Warranty
4.2
I’d recommend Select Home Warranty (SHW) for homeowners who want good value. SHW’s premiums and service call fees are comparable to or cheaper than those of competitors when discounts are accounted for.
If you live in an area where SHW has a dedicated emergency response team, SHW is a great pick. Emergency response teams stand ready to fix broken air conditioning on the hottest day of summer or heat during a winter storm. They can provide same-day service for emergencies if you live in an area where they operate, and service calls after business hours or on the weekends don’t cost extra. If you live in an area where Select doesn’t have an emergency response team, though, after-hours service isn’t available.
What happens when it’s the coldest day of winter and you come home to an ice-cold house with a broken furnace? You likely have to pick up the phone and start calling HVAC companies, look at their online reviews, or ask friends for recommendations, all while trying to remember if it’s safe to heat your house with the oven (it’s not). Or, you could buy a home warranty and have peace of mind with one phone call.
Home warranty providers assess monthly or annual premiums and service fees when you need repairs. They arrange for service when systems and appliances break down. After you file a claim, a service technician arrives to fix the problem. Companies’ service networks are comprised of vetted service providers who meet the company’s standards. Typically, technicians must be licensed and insured.
Unfortunately, some home warranty providers have tarnished the industry’s reputation, which is one reason why Today’s Homeowner does the work for you to investigate and rate providers. Our ratings look at affordability, the claims process, availability, the company’s reputation, and more. Here’s what we found when reading Select Home Warranty reviews, scrutinizing their service contract, and secret shopping with the company.
Here’s how we ranked and reviewed the nation’s top home warranty companies to bring you the most accurate information.
Our team of experts reviewed over 70 home warranty providers to compare plan options, coverage limits, prices, and customer feedback.
We collected over 100 sample quotes from dozens of home warranty companies to give you an accurate look at industry pricing.
Our rating system scores providers based on 6 key factors: coverage options, affordability, customer experience, reputation, claims processes, and availability.
For more information, check out our Home Warranty Methodology page.
Select Home Warranty: Best Value
If you’re trying to stick to a budget or have a fixed income, SHW offers the best home warranty value of all its competitors. It combines reasonably priced plans with low service fees and a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
Plans are as cheap as $44 a month with the discount I’ve been offered every time I’ve spoken with the company. When pricing out home warranty plans, don’t forget to factor in service fees. While competitors’ service fees start at $100 and go up from there, some charging even more for calls after business hours, every plan under Select Home Warranty charges a $75 to $85 service fee with no extra fees for emergency calls where emergency service is available.
In certain states, such as Kentucky and Maine, Select has a strong presence that allows them to have an emergency response team standing ready. This dedicated team provides same-day service for a water leak that won’t stop, air conditioning that fails during a heat wave, or a furnace that stops working mid-January. It’s an excellent perk, and if you live in one of their high-coverage areas, Select might become your top pick for a home warranty.
While Select offers good value for the money, its customer service may be less than optimal. Customers complain online about long wait times for service technicians assigned to non-emergency repairs. They also say that it’s difficult to cancel their policy, and Select is one of the few home warranty providers to charge a $75 cancellation fee.
Select Home Warranty only sells a few add-ons coverages, too, which won’t be adequate for homes with non-standard or luxury features such as wine coolers or guest houses.
Select Home Warranty Bottom Line:
8.4/10
If you live in the right state, Select is the best value out there. You’d get an emergency response team for reasonable premiums and cheap service fees. The workmanship guarantee has a longer period (90 days) than with some competitors, such as Liberty Home Guard or American Home Shield, which only cover 60 and 30 days, respectively.
Select Home Warranty Plans and Coverage
8.3/10
The pricing for Select Home Warranty’s three coverage plans — Bronze Care, Gold Care, and Platinum Care — varies depending on discounts. For example, the Bronze Care plan costs $60.42 a month at normal rates but $44.92 with discounts. Since you can’t get pricing for your area online, you’ll need to call.
And at $75 to $85, depending on where you live, SHW’s per-visit service fee is also one of the lowest among competitors.
The three plans’ coverage options include either appliances, home systems, or both.
Under the Bronze Care appliance plan, you’ll receive coverage for your refrigerator, including your ice maker and water dispenser (which many companies only offer for an additional charge or exclude entirely). It also includes other home appliances such as your range/oven/cooktop, clothes washer, dishwasher, clothes dryer, built-in microwave, garbage disposal, and ceiling fans.
The Gold Care plan could be a better pick if you already have warranties on your appliances. It covers items including your air conditioning, heating, electrical, plumbing, water heater, and garage door opener. It expands systems coverage beyond the usual to also cover plumbing stoppages and plumbing fixtures (such as your faucet), which are either rarely included or cost more with other companies.
The Platinum Care plan combines the coverage of the other two plans to protect both home systems and appliances. All plans have a $75 to $85 service fee, depending on where you live.
| Plan | Monthly Cost* | Service Fee | Available Discounts |
| Bronze Care | $44.92 | $75 to $85 | $150-off discount on the phone, and two months free if you pay the annual fee up-front |
| Gold Care | $44.92 | $75 to $85 | $150-off discount on the phone, and two months free if you pay the annual fee up-front |
| Platinum Care | $47.75 | $75 to $85 | $150-off discount on the phone, and two months free if you pay the annual fee up-front |
* Note: monthly cost figures provided include the discounted rate offered at time of writing. Select Home Warranty has been running this promotion since the beginning of this year.
Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Portland, Maine. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.
Available Add-Ons
Select Home Warranty sells a very basic list of optional add-ons. If you need more coverage, this could be frustrating. It sells just nine options — only American Home Shield sells fewer. Both Elite Home Warranty and Liberty Home Guard have more than 30 options for additional coverage.
Choose from the following list with SHW:
- Central vacuum: $3.33/month
- Lawn sprinkler system: $5.83/month
- Pool: $8.33/month
- Roof leak: $0/month
- Septic system: $5.83/month
- Spa: $5.83/month
- Standalone freezer: $3.33/month
- Sump pump: $3.33/month
- Well pump: $3.33/month
I do like that roof leak coverage doesn’t cost extra, as many competitors charge around $10 for this coverage if they offer it at all. A roof leak that’s left dripping can lead to mold and mildew or other damage in your home.
Exclusions
An exclusion in a home warranty contract is a repair or replacement the company will not cover. SHW doesn’t cover preexisting conditions or a problem that a customer reasonably should have known about. Other exclusions are:
- Secondary damage (i.e., your home warranty may cover roof damage but won’t cover water damage caused by the leak)
- Incorrect installation or malfunctions due to construction damage or improper wiring
- Issues with systems or appliances related to hazardous or toxic materials (for example mold, asbestos, and gas leaks.)
- Common areas in condominiums or family homes
- Solar heating systems
- Damage caused by natural disasters and rust
- Defects or damages caused by the foundation and structure of the home
You’ll read in the fine print of Select’s sample contract that the company reserves the right to request three years of maintenance records on covered systems and appliances before approving repairs. If you don’t have complete maintenance records, it will only cover up to $150 in repairs on any system or appliance.
Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it is imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.
Select Home Warranty Affordability
9.1/10
Select charges high prices — from around $60 to around $64 — for its plans before any discounts are accounted for. I’ve now called Select five times while secret shopping to get a quote and have always received a discount. Deals also include two free months of service, free roof leak coverage, and $150 off the annual fee.
If you receive the discounted pricing, plans are cheaper than comparable plans at Liberty Home Guard or AFC Home Club. Select’s service fee is also on the low end — competitors’ fees go up to $125 per service call, and some charge more for service after business hours.
Select Home Warranty Customer Experience
8.1/10
Even if you complete the online request for a quote, you can’t buy a policy online. Select Home Warranty forces customers to call them, but don’t worry about forgetting — they will call, email, and text you incessantly after you request a quote. After I’ve applied for a quote while secret shopping, they’ve texted me up to three times a day.
Their website answers basic FAQs and has their plans’ details laid out in a chart format. However, it isn’t easy to navigate, and sometimes you have to go to a search engine and enter a term to find a page. Sales representatives have been friendly and volunteered information about reviews and online rankings but have refused to commit on how fast you’ll receive service after filing a claim.
When I’ve asked why customers complain about waiting days or weeks for service, customer service representatives refused to answer the questions directly. Instead, they sidestepped the question and continued to reference their high scores with the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot. This lack of transparency is not reassuring.
Select Home Warranty Company Reputation
8.0/10
Like many home warranty companies, Select Home Warranty has mixed reviews. By their very nature, home warranty companies will disappoint customers who don’t understand exclusions or coverage limits. However, SHW does have a B rating from the BBB and relatively high scores on Trustpilot and Google.
Positive reviews talk about how easy it was to sign up and pick a plan, but negative reviews address service and coverage. Numerous reviews mention that it took a while — sometimes weeks —for a service technician to show up and that Select didn’t keep the customer informed of their claim’s status.
Customers also complain about excluded items or repairs that cost more than planned. Always read the fine print for exclusions to avoid unpleasant surprises. Some struggled to cancel their policy, even within the 30-day window.
| Rating Site | Rating | # of Reviews |
| BBB | B / 1.39 out of 5 stars | 2,113 |
| Trustpilot | 3.8 out of 5 stars | 4,817 |
| 3.8 out of 5 stars | 19,805 |
Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.
Select Home Warranty Claims Process
7.6/10
If you need to request service, you can either call SHW or log into the customer portal and submit the request online. The company will contact a technician in the next 48 hours to schedule the repair, but it makes no promises about when the technician will come to your house to do the work. Only emergency repairs receive faster service.
Other companies give customers a more concrete turnaround time. Given that some customer reviews mention that it took quite a while for a technician to come to their house, I find it concerning that Select has no commitment to service times.
Select Home Warranty Availability
10/10
Select Home Warranty sells coverage plans nationwide. It’s available online, by phone, or via email and accepts claims 24/7.
Select Home Warranty vs. The Competition
| Company | Rating | Monthly Cost | Service Fee | Response Time | BBB Rating | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
$50-$60 |
$75 |
12-48 hrs. |
NR |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$35–$75 |
$100–$125 |
24-72 hrs |
B |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$44.99-$58.99 |
$70 |
48 hours |
A+ |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$46–$55 |
$85 |
24-48 hrs. |
B |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$52–$58 |
$60 |
24-48 hrs. |
B |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$38–$62 |
$75–$125 |
48 hours |
B |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$38–$48 |
$75–$125 |
48 hours |
B |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$17–$60+ |
$65–$100 |
2–24 hrs |
A- |
VISIT SITE | |
 |
$28–$68 |
$100–$150 |
2–24 hrs |
B |
VISIT SITE |
Select Home Warranty vs. Liberty Home Guard
Liberty Home Guard’s policies can cost more than Select Home Warranty’s, but it depends on your state. Liberty Home Guard offers significantly more add-ons than Select, with 42 options for additional coverage versus SHW’s nine. Select’s pricing for the add-ons the two companies have in common is cheaper, however. Select charges $3.33 a month for a central vacuum as compared to $8.99 a month with Liberty Home Guard. Adding a lawn sprinkler costs $5.83 a month with Select instead of $9.99 with Liberty.
SHW’s service fee is also cheaper — $75 to $85 per service call vs. $125 with Liberty Home Guard. However, Liberty Home Guard has much higher customer satisfaction ratings online. We rated them lower than SHW for customer experience because some of its plans have longer wait period for plans to become effective after sign-up.
Liberty says they will try to have a technician at your house within 24 to 48 hours of your filing a claim. In some areas, such as Allston, Massachusetts, it has statistics about average response time and service calls per day which support the claim it has an even faster response time. Unless price heavily influences your home warranty decision, I’d recommend Liberty Home Guard.
| Provider Subscores (10 Point Scale) | Select Home Warranty | Liberty Home Guard |
| Plans and Coverage | 8.3 | 10.0 |
| Affordability | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Customer Experience | 8.1 | 7.8 |
| Company Reputation | 8.0 | 9.1 |
| Claims Process | 7.6 | 10.0 |
| Availability | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Overall | 8.4 | 9.3 |
Select Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield
American Home Shield (AHS) and Select Home Warranty both offer limited add-ons, probably because they’re both two of the cheapest home warranty companies. AHS does charge more-affordable premiums for its two lower-tier plans, though pricing for its top-tier plan is comparable. Depending on your plan and where you live, when you file a claim with AHS, you’ll pay a service fee that’s $25 to $50 higher.
AHS’s workmanship guarantee only lasts 30 days — the shortest in the business. If a repaired item breaks again 45 days later, you’ll be paying an additional service fee. But since AHS rates higher for plans and coverage, customer experience, and claims process, they’re my pick over Select.
| Provider Subscores (10 Point Scale) | Select Home Warranty | American Home Shield |
| Plans and Coverage | 8.3 | 9.0 |
| Affordability | 9.1 | 8.7 |
| Customer Experience | 8.1 | 8.4 |
| Company Reputation | 8.0 | 7.7 |
| Claims Process | 7.6 | 8.4 |
| Availability | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Overall | 8.4 | 8.6 |
Select Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield
Select Home Warranty vs. AFC Home Club
AFC Home Club and Select’s pricing for plans is quite similar when you look at Select’s Gold Care and Platinum Care next to AFC Home Club’s comparable Gold and Platinum plans. However, AFC gives customers flexible pricing. Picking a higher service fee of $125 lowers your monthly premiums.
AFC Home Club sells a fourth plan that covers luxury electronics, which isn’t even an add-on with Select — so homeowners with top-tier home entertainment systems might prefer AFC’s coverage instead. AFC also has a workmanship guarantee for the life of the plan. As long as you keep renewing your policy, any older repairs fall under this guarantee.
If you need coverage for luxury electronics and want a better customer experience, AFC Home Club is your better choice.
| Provider Subscores (10 Point Scale) | Select Home Warranty | AFC Home Club |
| Plans and Coverage | 8.3 | 8.1 |
| Affordability | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Customer Experience | 8.1 | 9.2 |
| Company Reputation | 8.0 | 8.3 |
| Claims Process | 7.6 | 6.8 |
| Availability | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Overall | 8.4 | 8.5 |
Who is Select Home Warranty Best For?
Select Home Warranty is best for home warranty buyers on a budget. When discounted, Select’s plan pricing is low-cost, but its plans are comprehensive. For just $47.75 for their Platinum Care plan, you’ll have coverage for all your home’s systems and appliances. Competitors such as American Home Shield, Liberty Home Guard, and AFC Home Club all charge a higher monthly fee for their top-tier plans.
In addition to reasonable monthly plan pricing, Select charges service fees of only $75 to $85, whereas some competitors charge $100 and up for each service call. Many of its options for additional coverage, such as a central vacuum or lawn sprinkler, also come in cheaper than those of competitors.
The company receives a BBB rating of A+, and from us, a rating of 8.4 out of 10 overall and 8.1 out of 10 for customer experience. The lower score in customer experience relates to the multiple points of contact after you apply for a quote — the company calls, emails, and texts over five times in a short time period. However, budget-conscious shoppers looking for great value would be wise to check out Select Home warranty.
FAQs About Select Home Warranty
Is Select Home Warranty Legit?
Yes, the company has been in business since 2012 and has good BBB ratings.
How Much Does Select Home Warranty Cost?
On average, Select’s plans cost $61.53 without a discount and $45.86 with discounts the company consistently offers. Factors such as add-ons and your location impact your total home warranty cost.
What Does Select Home Warranty Cover?
Select Home Warranty covered items are:
- Plumbing system
- Heating system
- Electrical system
- Water heater
- Ductwork
- Plumbing stoppage
- Clothes washer
- Garbage disposal
- Refrigerator
- Stove/oven
- Built-in microwave
- Cooktop
- Dishwasher
- Clothes dryer
- Garage door opener
- Ceiling fans
- Air conditioning system
Some of Select Home Warranty’s key exclusions are:
- Secondary damage (i.e., your home warranty may cover roof damage but won’t cover water damage caused by the leak)
- Incorrect installation or malfunctions due to construction damage or improper wiring
- Issues with systems or appliances related to hazardous or toxic materials (for example, mold, asbestos, and gas leaks)
- Common areas in condominiums or family homes
- Solar heating systems
- Damage caused by natural disasters and rust
- Defects or damages caused by the foundation and structure of the home
Before choosing a home warranty company, read through the service contract and learn the meaning of common terms used in home warranty coverage. It’s not uncommon for policies to exclude a part or valve within an appliance — if you know that’s what broke, why waste the money on a service call?
How Do You Cancel Select Home Warranty?
You can cancel within 30 days of signing up for a Select Home Warranty policy and receive a full refund if you haven’t used their services. After that period, the company refunds a prorated amount for time not used, less a $75 cancellation fee.
