Top 5 Best Home Warranties For Heat Pump (2020 Review)
Want to know more about the best home warranty for heat pump coverage?
Good news, you have come to the right place!
In this ReviewHomeWarranties.com guide you’ll learn:
- Do you even need a home warranty for your heat pump system?
- What do home warranties for heat pumps actually cover?
- Will a home warranty cover you for any pre-existing conditions your heat pump system might have?
- Which are the best home warranty service providers with heat pump coverage?
- And Much More!
We’ve reviewed 68 different home warranty companies, and want to share with you our top picks for heat pump coverage specific to your state. Want to learn which company will protect your home and wallet? Continue reading!
Our Top Picks Overview
- $50 Off + 1 month free
- Won't deny coverage if systems/appliances are old
- Free cancellation within 30 days
- Emergency service available
- Reservice for failed repairs
- Get $50 off
- Lower chance of claim denial
- 24/7 service calls
- Large and established firm
- Choose your own service fee!
- Market veteran
- $100 off + 2 months free
- $0 transfer fee
- Good selection of plans
- High contractor professionalism
- Quick replacement payments
- First 30 days: Free cancellation
- $100 off + 2 months free
- Comprehensive coverage plans
- Emergency service available
- 1 day to submit claim
- Limited availability (6 states)
- Best Value for Money 2019
- Large and established
- Plans from $25/m
- Automatically renewed policy
- Limited selection of extra coverage
What's In This Guide?
A heating and air conditioning system is one of the most expensive features of any home. HVAC systems can cost thousands of dollars to install and a single service call to repair a heat pump can easily eat up a substantial portion of your paycheck.
Read Also: What are the best home warranties for HVAC?
However, like any home system, air conditioners and heating systems can break with little notice. Plus, if you don’t have the cash on hand to cover a costly repair or replacement of a home appliance like a heat pump, you could be in big financial trouble.
That’s why home warranty coverage is so important. But, with so many options, it can be hard to find the right home warranty company for your heat pump coverage.
Thankfully, we’ve conducted an extensive amount of research on the top home warranty providers so you don’t have to waste your time reading through the fine print. Up next, we’ll give you all the information you need to find the best home warranty contract for your heat pump.
Do Home Warranties Cover Heat Pump Replacement?
Every home warranty is different. But, for the most part, covered items under a home warranty include major appliances and home systems, like water heaters, plumbing systems, garbage disposals, sump pumps, and dishwashers.
The majority of these appliances won’t be covered by your homeowners insurance policy. So a home warranty contract is necessary if you want to protect yourself against unexpected expenses.
However, if you read through the basics of most home warranty contracts, you’ll probably find that they don’t explicitly mention heat pumps. But, this is just because most companies list heat pumps to be part of an HVAC or heating system.
The vast majority of home warranty companies will cover heat pump repair or replacement, since this appliance is considered to be part of an HVAC unit, just like a home’s ductwork. But, the actual terms and conditions of this replacement and how much the warranty covers is up to your individual warranty agreement.
Top 5 Best Home Warranties For Heat Pump Coverage
Is A Home Warranty Worth It For Heat Pumps?
If you’re new to the world of home warranties, you might be wondering if it’s worth getting one, just in case your heat pump breaks. The answer?
Since most home warranties will cover the cost of HVAC repairs, they are a good back-up if you don’t have the cash on hand to pay for heat pump expenses out of pocket. Here’s why a home warranty is worth the investment for a heat pump:
- Critical For Heating And Cooling. A heat pump is one of the most important parts of your home’s heating and cooling system. They are surprisingly complex systems that can break with little notice if they’re not cared for properly. You can learn all about heat pumps and how they are an integral component of your home from the HVAC (see below video).
- Costly To Replace. A new heat pump can easily cost upwards of $8,000, depending on the size of your house. This is a substantial cost that many homeowners can’t afford to pay out of the blue.
- Repairs Tend To Be Expensive. Most heat pump malfunctions will require an experienced HVAC professional service provider, which can leave you with a bill of up to $1,000 for a more complicated repair.
- Regular Maintenance Fees. Heat pumps require regular maintenance. One of the most costly parts of owning a heat pump is refilling your refrigerant tank with freon. In fact, freon can cost up to about $50 per pound. Since many heat pumps can hold up to 6-12 gallons of freon, a single fill-up can cost you up to $600.
What’re The Benefits of a Home Warranty For Heat Pump Coverage?
Having a home warranty that covers your heat pump can make a huge difference if you’re saddled with an unexpected and costly HVAC repair bill. These are some of the things that you can expect from a standard home warranty:
- Repair And Replacement Cost Coverage. Depending on the terms of your warranty and any add-ons, your contract may offer low-cost home repairs of your heat pump. This is particularly important if your heat pump is no longer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. Often, you just need to pay a small service fee, and then any repairs or replacements will be covered up to the value listed on your policy.
- Trusted Service Providers. Generally, a good home warranty provider will also arrange for a local service contractor to come to your home. So, you don’t even need to go through the hassle of finding a repair company on your own. This is especially beneficial for first-time homebuyers who may not have a lot of experience vetting service professionals.
- Refrigerant Expense Support. Many warranties will cover some of the cost of refrigerant refills.
If we simply look at the cost of repairing or replacing a malfunctioning heat pump, it’s easy to see that a home warranty is well worth the monthly premium, should an issue arise. The convenience and security that warranties provide to homeowners can be really important if something as costly as a heat pump were to break.
Would A Home Warranty For Heat Pumps Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
Unfortunately, most home warranties do not cover pre-existing conditions for home appliances and systems like a heat pump. This is true whether the issue is on something as simple as a garage door opener or as complex and costly as a septic system.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to get your home inspected before you purchase a home warranty policy. When you purchase real estate, an inspection is generally part of the new home buying process. However, if you’ve owned your home for a while, your house may have underlying issues that you don’t know about.
In this situation, getting an inspection will help you figure out precisely what will and will not be covered by a home warranty. If you don’t know about any issues in your home before you sign a warranty contract, you may end up having to pay for any potential repairs caused by pre-existing conditions.
Read Also: What Are The Best Home Warranty Plans For A Furnace?
How Soon Can You Use A Home Warranty For Heat Pumps After Purchase?
Every home warranty policy is different and has unique rules about how long you have to wait before your coverage is in effect. Most companies will require you to wait at least 30 days after enrolling before you can make your first claim.
This may seem a bit odd, but companies have this waiting period to prevent people from purposefully signing up for a policy right before they need a costly repair. However, many warranty providers will cover you immediately after enrolling if you already had a home warranty policy and you’re just switching companies. When in doubt, always as a company about their coverage conditions before signing your contract.
Best Home Warranty For Heat Pump?
Choice Home Warranty is our top pick for a heat pump on home insurance market. Choice offers coverage on all components and parts necessary for the operation of the heating system, including reservice for failed parts.
What To Look For When Picking The Best Home Warranty For Heat Pumps?
With so many different home warranties out there, it can be tricky to find the policy that’s best for your needs. Here are some of the most important things to look for when finding the right plan to cover your heat pump:
Warranty Premium
A warranty or insurance premium is how much you pay to the company in exchange for their coverage. This fee can vary widely based on the size of your home and where you live. Of course, a lower premium is better for your bank account, but these kinds of policies might not cover certain appliances in your home.
Service Fee
When you use your home warranty company to contact a service provider, you will often have to pay a small fee directly to the repair company, regardless of what the issue is. Depending on the company, this fee can be as low as $50 or as high as $100.
Coverage Period
As we’ve mentioned, some home warranties require that you wait at least 30 days after enrolling before you are eligible for coverage. Sometimes, this waiting period is waived if you’re just switching to a new company. So, read your contract carefully to ensure you don’t have any gaps in coverage.
Coverage Exclusions
Even the best home warranty in the world will have some coverage exclusions. You can usually find a full list of excluded appliances and repairs in a company’s terms of coverage document, which you should read thoroughly before committing to a specific policy.
For heat pumps, you should check that your specific type of heat pump is covered by a company’s policy. Some providers will not cover geothermal or water heat pumps, so you should fully understand what you’re paying for before you sign up.
Service Availability
If your warranty company organizes repair services for you, you’ll want to learn more about the availability of their help center. While some companies have a 24/7 service center, others aren’t open at night or on the weekends.
Needless to say, if your heat pump were to fail on a Friday night in the middle of the winter, you’ll certainly want to get that fixed as soon as possible. So, it’s generally best to find a home warranty company that has a 24/7 service center that’s always available to help you in an emergency.
Read Also: What are the different options for home warranty plans?
Top Home Warranties For Heat Pumps Reviewed
Choice Home Warranty
Choice Home Warranty offers coverage for home heating systems as part of their basic and total packages, so long as they are designed for residential use and don’t exceed a 5 ton capacity. The warranty covers all parts of the system that are necessary to produce heat, including heat pumps.
That being said, they do not offer coverage for geothermal or water source heat pumps or any of their accessories. For air source heat pumps (ASHP) they provide coverage up to $1,500 per item per year. Additionally, they offer free re-service for up to 30 days on labor and up to 90 days on parts for any repairs or replacements.
Pros:
- Coverage for heat pumps included in basic and total packages
- Free-reservice for up to 30 days on labor and 90 days on parts
Cons:
- Does not offer coverage for water source or geothermal heat pumps
- Maximum $1,500 coverage per item, per year
Read Our Full Review of Choice Home Warranty
American Home Shield
American Home Shield provides coverage for air sourced heat pumps (ASHP) up to $1,500 per item per contract period. However, they will not provide coverage for geothermal or water sourced heat pumps, nor any of their parts.
With American Home Shield, you only receive coverage for heat pumps if you have the systems plan or combo plan. The appliance plan, alone, will not provide any protection for heat pumps. You can also choose to build your own plan if you want to customize your benefits.
Pros:
- Coverage for air sourced heat pumps in systems plan
- If they can’t repair the heat pump, they’ll replace it
Cons:
- No coverage for water source or geothermal heat pumps
- Higher service fee than some competitors
Read Our Full Review of American Home Shield
Select Home Warranty
Select Home Warranty’s gold and platinum care plans offer coverage for heat pumps as part of their heating systems package. According to their terms of service, Select Home Warranty will cover the replacement or repair of all parts of a home’s heating system that are necessary for it to function, including a heat pump.
Unlike many other companies, they do not exclude water-source heat pumps from coverage. However, they will not cover solar heating systems or geothermal heating units. Additionally, Select Home Warranty offers up to $2,000 in coverage for each piece of heating equipment.
Pros:
- Provides up to $2,000 in coverage for heating equipment
- Covers air and water sourced heat pumps
Cons:
- No coverage for heat systems offered in their bronze plan
- Higher premium costs
Read Our Full Review of Select Home Warranty
Total Home Protection
As part of their platinum plan, Total Home Protection offers coverage for up to two separate heating system units. Their coverage includes protection for any centrally-ducted forced air heat system, including those with heat pumps.
However, solar heating devices, geothermal pumps, and water-source pumps are not covered by Total Home Protection. Heating systems must be designed for residential use and be under a 5 ton capacity to be eligible for protection. They provide up to $500 of coverage for each piece of heating equipment that needs to be replaced or repaired.
Pros:
- Offers protection for centrally-ducted forced air heat systems with pumps
- Covers up to two separate heating units
Cons:
- Low coverage limit
- Does not cover solar, geothermal, or water-sourced heat pumps
Read Our Full Review of Total Home Protection
First American Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty offers coverage for home systems, including heat pumps as part of their premier plans. This coverage includes recharging of a heat pump’s refrigerant. The company will also replace the entire heat pump split system if necessary to restore heat to your home.
Similar to most other companies, First American Home Warranty will not offer coverage for geothermal or water source heat pumps. But, they will provide up to $1,500 in repair and replacement fee coverage for each unit of your heating system.
Pros:
- Covers air sourced heat pumps with basic plan
- Will cover unknown pre-existing conditions
- Coverage includes recharging heat pump
Cons:
- Does not provide coverage for heat pump refrigerant recapture
- Heating coverage is not included in basic plan
Read Our Full Review of First American Home Warranty
Our Top Pick For A Home Warranty On Heat Pumps
You have a lot of choices when it comes to a heat pump home warranty. After reviewing all of the options, our top pick is Choice Home Warranty.
With Choice Home Warranty’s coverage, you get the following great heat pump coverage features:
- Coverage For Air Heat Pumps. Choice Home Warranty will cover air source heat pumps (ASHP) as part of your home’s heating system. However, geothermal and water source heat pumps are excluded from coverage.
- 24/7 Call Center. The service call center at Choice Home Warranty is available all day, every day. They will help get a service provider to your home quickly, especially in an emergency.
- Good Coverage Amount. Choice Home Warranty will cover up to $1500 of any heat pump repairs and replacements that you need.
- Reasonable Service Fee. When you call Choice Home Warranty to service your heat pump, they charge a reasonable fee of just $85 to get a technician to your home.
- Coverage For Old Heat Pumps. Choice Home Warranty won’t deny coverage just because you have an old HVAC system. While they don’t cover pre-existing conditions, they won’t reject your claim just because you have an older heat pump.