Top 5 Best Home Warranties For Plumbing (2020 Review)
Looking for the best home warranty for your plumbing system?
Great, you have come to the right place. In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Do home warranties cover plumbing?
- Should you buy coverage for your plumbing system?
- How do you determine if a warranty for plumbing will cover pre-existing conditions?
- What is the waiting period to use a home warranty for plumbing after purchase?
- How do you choose the best home insurance plan for your plumbing system?
- And much more!
We’ve reviewed 68 different home warranty companies, and below are our top picks for plumbing systems specific to your state. Eager to learn more? 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
Out of all of your house’s major systems, your plumbing is one of the most important. Without a properly functioning plumbing system, we wouldn’t have running water, flushing toilets, or the ability to take a hot shower.
What's In This Guide?
That being said, plumbing is also one of the most expensive parts of a home. Repairing or replacing even a small part of a house’s pipes or a water heater can easily rack up hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
That’s where a home warranty can make a huge difference. When the plumbing in your home breaks down, a warranty can cover what homeowners insurance won’t.
But, with so many different home warranty providers out there today, it can be hard to find the right option for your needs. So, here’s our review of the best home warranty companies for plumbing, complete with top tips to choosing the perfect plan for your home.
Do Home Warranties Cover Plumbing Replacement?
When it comes to protecting your house’s plumbing system, not all home warranties are created equal. In fact, your home’s plumbing is quite complicated, as it includes things like pipes, pumps, sinks, valves, and faucets.
So, while most warranty companies will offer some sort of home protection plan that covers plumbing, it’s important that you know precisely what’s a covered item and what’s not. For example, many home warranty providers will offer either an appliance plan or a systems plan.
Top 5 Best Home Warranties For Plumbing System Coverage
With an appliance plan, you’ll get protection for various items, such as your washing machine, garbage disposal, dishwasher, and other major appliances. However, these basic plans will usually not include any protection for your plumbing.
Instead, if you want coverage for plumbing replacement, you’ll usually need to get a system or comprehensive plan. These will generally cover your HVAC system, septic system, electrical system, and, yes, your plumbing. Alternatively, you can build your own plan to ensure that your home’s plumbing system is covered.
What Do Home Warranties For Plumbing Cover?
While your service contract might state that you have plumbing coverage, you need to read the fine print to see exactly what’s included in your warranty cost. Home warranty plans will generally cover all or some of the following:
- Valves for showers and tubs
- Some fixtures and faucets
- Sump pumps
- Toilet tanks and mechanisms
- Built-in bathtub and whirlpool motors and pumps
- Pressure regulators
- Leaks and breaks in water, gas, vent, sewer, and drain lines (except when caused by freezing)
- Stoppages in bathtubs, showers, and sinks (when caused by normal wear and tear)
- The cost of returning your walls, floors, and ceilings to a rough finish condition
It’s important to note, though, that most home warranty companies consider your well pumps and septic systems to be separate from your home’s plumbing. Often, these home systems are offered as add-on coverage options, not as part of a basic plan.
Additionally, plumbing for pools, spas, and saunas are generally not included in a regular plan option, and you often have to pay an extra fee for this optional coverage.
Still curious about plumbing in your home? Check out this video to learn more about all the parts that make up your plumbing system.
Is Plumbing Coverage Worth It For Your Home?
A home warranty is worth it for your plumbing system. Warranties for plumbing have a number of benefits, including:
Financial Protection
The number one benefit of a home warranty is that it protects you financially from costly home repairs. Each warranty plan offers a different amount of protection, but you can generally expect about $500 per year of coverage under a plumbing plan.
It can cost hundreds of dollars just to get a plumber to come to your home to evaluate a problem during business hours. These diagnosis fees don’t even include the cost of labor or materials, which can easily rack up large repair bills.
So, the small service fee and the annual premium you pay for a home warranty is well worth the peace of mind you get from your service contract. There’s nothing better than knowing that you’ll be protected from paying extraordinary repair costs in the event of a plumbing-related emergency.
Read Also: What Are The Real Costs Of A Home Warranty?
Simplified Service Calls
With a home warranty plan, you don’t have to worry about searching for the best plumbing service provider when you have a burst pipe or a backed-up system. The best home warranty companies will contact a plumber on your behalf and send them to your home, even if it’s outside regular working hours.
Best Home Warranty For Plumbing System?
Choice Home Warranty is our top pick in the plumbing insurance market. Choice has more than 10 years of experience and offers low service call fees whenever you call a plumber to your home.
This is particularly beneficial for new homeowners who might not be familiar with the best home service providers in the region or busy families that don’t have time to research local plumbing companies. With the right warranty plan, you simply need to submit a service request, and then a plumber will be sent straight to your home to deal with the problem.
Covers What Homeowners Insurance and Manufacturer’s Warranties Won’t
Sure, you probably have homeowners insurance, but that’s explicitly designed to protect you in the event of a fire or natural disaster. Your insurance policy won’t help you pay for issues in your plumbing system caused by normal wear and tear.
Additionally, most manufacturer’s warranties on plumbing-related appliances and fixtures are quite limited. So, they’re not going to offer you the quick repairs that you need in an emergency.
Home warranties, on the other hand, will help cover the costs of plumbing repairs and replacements even when your insurance and manufacturer’s warranties won’t.
Read Also: Home Warranty vs. Home Insurance
Protection During Real Estate Transactions
Whether you’re buying or selling a home, a warranty plan can protect you from expenses created by unforeseen plumbing emergencies. For sellers, home warranty coverage can help keep a pending sale on track, even if you have a plumbing problem during negotiations.
Alternatively, for home buyers, warranties provide protection for various aspects of your new home, including your plumbing, air conditioning, and heating systems. Warranties can even help real estate agents prevent any disputes between buyers and sellers if the house has a malfunction in any of the covered home appliances or systems.
Are Pre-Existing Conditions Covered For Plumbing?
At some point, your plumbing system will need to be repaired or replaced. If you have a home warranty, most of your issues will be covered under your plumbing plan, saving you money on costly repair costs.
But, most warranty plans do not offer coverage for pre-existing conditions if these issues are obvious to a professional repair technician and easy to detect visually. So, if a part of your plumbing system has a pre-existing issue, then you may have to pay for the repair out of pocket.
That being said, these exclusions generally only apply to pre-existing conditions that are detectable through regular maintenance and visual testing.
Therefore, if you have a pipe leaking behind a wall, that would likely be covered by your warranty since it’s impossible to know there’s a problem brewing behind the scenes until you have water on your floor. Alternatively, if you’ve known for years that your shower is blocked before you purchased your warranty, you’ll probably be liable for those repair costs.
To protect yourself from having to pay for repair costs on detectable pre-existing conditions, it’s helpful to arrange for a home inspection when buying a house. Even if you’ve owned your home for years, though, these inspections can help you identify any pre-existing issues that need to be fixed but won’t be covered by a warranty.
How Soon After Purchase Can You Use Your Plumbing System Warranty?
Generally speaking, home warranty plans have a “grace period” between when you sign up and when you’re able to make your first claim. This usually lasts about 30 days after the date that you enroll in your plan.
Companies will normally wave this grace period if you’re simply looking to change from one warranty plan to another. In these situations, you’ll be able to make a claim as soon as you finish enrollment, with no waiting period if you can prove that there’s never been a gap in your coverage.
What Should You Look For In A Plumbing System Home Warranty Plan?
You have a lot of different options when it comes to a home warranty for your house’s plumbing system. So, here are some of the most important things to look for as you’re shopping around to ensure that you get the best coverage for your needs.
Basic Plan vs. Add-Ons
For some warranty companies, plumbing systems are covered under their basic plans. However, some providers categorize plumbing as an optional coverage item that can be added on to other service packages.
Since basic plans generally have more affordable annual premiums, it’s important to see if they will protect your plumbing. Simply put, if you’re buying a home warranty for your plumbing system, you don’t want to end up with a plan that only covers your appliances.
Alternatively, you can often get a comprehensive or combo plan that protects most of what you’d find in a standard house. These are often the best value for homeowners that want to maximize their coverage.
Or, you can make your own plan if you want to mix and match coverage for your plumbing and other home fixtures, like your sprinkler system or your ductwork.
Service Fee Cost
Every home warranty company will charge you a small service fee every time they send a plumber or repair technician to your home. This fee is sort of like the co-pay that you’re charged when you go to the doctor’s office.
Of course, no one wants to spend more out of pocket than they have to on home repairs. So, lower service fee costs are a nice way to save a bit of money when you request a repair or a replacement of your home’s most important appliances and systems.
Inclusions
“Plumbing” refers to a wide range of different appliances, fixtures, and systems within your home, so you need to know precisely what’s covered by a plan before you commit to it. Here are some of the most important thing to look for when reading through home warranty sample contracts:
- Leaks And Breaks In Lines. Ideally, a plan would cover any leaks or breaks in water, gas, waste, drain, and vent lines. Issues caused by freezing or roots are usually not included, though.
- Stoppages. Most plumbing plans will protect you if you have a stoppage or clog in your drains or sewer lines, up to a certain distance from a given access point.
- Toilet Tanks And Bowls. Toilets can be surprisingly expensive to replace and repair. Check to ensure that you’re covered for any malfunctions in your toilet tank, bowl, or mechanisms.
- Showers And Tubs. A quality plan will cover any shower valves and bathtub motors/pumps.
- Return To Rough Finish. If a plumber needs to break through a wall to access your pipes, you’ll want to ensure that your warranty will pay to return your room to a rough finish condition when the repair is complete.
- Access Through Concrete. Some parts of your home’s plumbing may be located under concrete slabs. If this is the case, you’ll want to see precisely how much coverage a plan will offer for repairing or replacing system components that are sealed off with concrete.
Exclusions
Some parts of your home’s systems are not included within the “plumbing” section of a home warranty. In some situations, they may be included within other parts of your plan. Or, you may have to pay a bit extra for optional coverage and add-ons to your basic plan. Common plumbing-related exclusions include:
- Pools, saunas, and spas
- Caulking and grouting
- External sump pumps
- Well pumps
- Septic systems
- Water heaters (often included in an appliance plan)
- Washing machines
Top Home Warranties For Plumbing Reviewed
Now that you know what to look for in a warranty plan, here are five home warranty reviews for plumbing systems, featuring the best coverage options on the market today:
Choice Home Warranty
Choice Home Warranty offers comprehensive plumbing system coverage as part of both their total and basic plans. Their coverage includes:
- Leaks and breaks in lines (except when caused by freezing or roots)
- Replacement and repair of toilet tanks, mechanisms, and bowls
- Valves and angle stops for showers and tubs
- Whirlpool motors and pumps
- Interior sump pumps
- Stoppages and clogs up to 100 feet from an access point
- Will return rooms to rough finish condition
We particularly like their plumbing coverage because they charge a low service fee whenever you call a plumber to your home. Choice’s call center is also open 24/7 to handle emergency plumbing issues that can happen at any time of day.
They provide up to $500 in coverage just for plumbing related repairs and replacements. This is in addition to the coverage they offer for other home systems and appliances.
Finally, they offer some of the most competitive premium rates for their annual contracts. Since Choice Home Warranty’s plumbing coverage is included in their basic plan, you can get comprehensive protection without breaking the bank.
Read Our Full Review of Choice Home Warranty
Pros:
- Industry-leading list of included items for plumbing system
- Low service call fee and competitive premium rates
- 24/7 call center hours for emergency help
Cons:
- Does not include coverage for accessing pipes enclosed by concrete
American Home Shield
American Home Shield (AHS) offers plumbing coverage under their systems and combo plans. You can also choose to Build Your Own Plan that includes plumbing systems coverage.
The company offers a good total limit of $1,000 per contract term for plumbing repairs and replacements. This includes any costs associated with accessing plumbing systems through concrete walls and returning your room to a rough finish condition.
In particular, their plumbing coverage includes:
- Breaks and leaks in lines (except when caused by roots or freezing)
- Pressure regulators
- Stoppages up to 100 feet from an access point
- Internal sump pumps
- Bathtub and whirlpool motors
- Shower, toilet, and sink mechanisms and fixtures
One of the benefits of American Home Shield is that you can purchase the Build Your Own Plan to best suit your needs. This is particularly helpful if you’re mostly interested in protecting just a few of your home’s major systems, like your plumbing. Custom plans also make it easier to add on protection for your swimming pool, spa, well pump, or septic tank.
Read Our Full Review of American Home Shield
Pros:
- Will cover repairs due to corrosion or rust
- Covers faucets and shower fixtures
- Can build your own plan or choose from pre-set options
Cons:
- High service fee for the industry
Select Home Warranty
Select Home Warranty offers protection for plumbing systems under both their platinum and gold care plans. Their plans are particularly popular because they have some of the lowest service fees in the industry, which is helpful if you frequently have issues with your home’s plumbing.
They will cover up to $500 of your plumbing repair or replacement costs per contract period. Most notably, this coverage includes:
- Breaks and leaks in lines (except when caused by roots or freezing)
- Toilet bowls, tanks, and flushing mechanisms
- Angle stops and risers
- Stoppages in lines up to 100 feet from an access point, including mainline cleaning
Read Our Full Review of Select Home Warranty
Pros:
- Low service fee
- Will cover cleaning out of mainline stoppages
Cons:
- Higher than average annual premiums
- No coverage for return to rough finish condition
Total Home Protection
Total Home Protection will cover plumbing systems under both their gold and platinum plans. They also include protection for plumbing-related systems like your permanently-installed sump pumps, water heaters, and whirlpool bathtubs in all of their plans.
With Total Home Protection, you get up to $500 in total protection per year for your plumbing system. This limit includes repairs and replacements of:
- Leaks and breaks in lines (except when caused by roots or freezing)
- Stoppages up to 100 feet from access points
- Return to rough finish condition of all rooms after repair services
- Toilet tanks, bowls, mechanisms, and wax ring seals
- Cleanout of mainline stoppages
Read Our Full Review of Total Home Protection
Pros:
- Plumbing protection included in every plan
- Will cover mainline stoppages in addition to those in other lines
- Coverage for sump pumps, water heaters, and whirlpool bathtubs
Cons:
- Limited availability in some states
- No coverage for sink or shower fixtures
First American Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty offers affordable plumbing coverage as part of their premier plan. Their premier plan also covers plumbing-related systems like water heaters.
You can also choose from a selection of optional related add-ons for septic systems, well pumps, and pool/spa equipment. When it comes to interior home plumbing, First American will cover:
- Leaks and breaks in lines (except when caused by freezing)
- Pressure regulators and hot water pumps
- Bathtub motors and pumps
- Shower and tub valves
- Toilet tanks, bowls, and mechanisms
- Access to systems below concrete slabs
- Stoppages up to 125 feet from an access point
- Return to rough finish condition
They cover plumbing repair and replacement costs up to $500 per contract period, including access below concrete slabs. First American will also return your room to a rough finish condition after completing any plumbing repairs. Their plans offer reasonable premiums and low service fees, making them a good option for homeowners on a budget.
Read Our Full Review of First American Home Warranty
Pros:
- Covers access to systems below concrete slabs
- Will clear stoppages up to 125 feet from an access point
- First-class upgrade options for faucets and fixtures for real estate transactions
Cons:
- Doesn’t cover sinks, showers, or other fixtures
- Limited availability in some states, particularly the Northeastern USA
Our Top Pick For A Home Warranty On Plumbing
There are a lot of great home warranty options to choose from. But, if we had to choose just one to protect a plumbing system, we’d opt for Choice Home Warranty.
Choice stands out from the crowd when it comes to plumbing coverage because they offer a good mix of affordability and value. They have reasonable premiums and low service call fees, but still, maintain quality service and coverage for plumbing systems.
Choice Home Warranty includes plumbing coverage in all of their plans. Plus, they will repair or replace items like interior sump pumps and whirlpool bathtub motors, which some other policies won’t. When it comes to overall value for your money, Choice Home Warranty’s plumbing protection is hard to beat.