Call (929) 400-6169 Top 5 Best Home Warranties For Plumbing (2021 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 $100 off
- Lower chance of claim denial
- 24/7 service calls and online service
- Large and established firm
- Choose your own service fee!
- Market veteran
- $175 off + 2 months free
- FREE Roof Leak Coverage
- Good selection of plans
- High contractor professionalism
- $0 transfer fee
- First 30 days: Free cancellation
- $100 Off + 1 Month Free
- Good BBB rating B
- 24/7 service calls
- Smaller company
- Online chat not supported
- $200 off + 2 month free + Free Roof Coverage
- Newly designed customer claim portal
- The BBB's #1 Home Warranty Company
- Smaller company
- Newer on the market
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.
Read Also: How Can A Home Warranty Help With Water Damage From Your Toilet?
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 Review (Best Overall Home Warranty)
- Service Fee: $85
- Coverage: 9/10
- Limits: 9/10
- Exclusions: 9/10
- Affordability: 10/10
- Customer Service: 9.5/10
- Rating: 97.50
Why Do We Like Choice?
Out of all the home warranty companies we reviewed, Choice Home Warranty has the most comprehensive plans, good payout limits, minimal number exclusions, quality customer service, and affordable cost.
Choice has two main home warranty plans. The “Basic Plan” and the more comprehensive “Total Plan” covering 15 home appliances (dishwasher, etc) and systems (duct work, water heater, etc). They also have “Optional Coverage” for add on items most homeowners don’t usually have, which include pools and spas, well pump, sump pump, roof leaks, other extraneous items.
Based on our review, Choice’s “Total” plan covers these items at a more affordable price point than its competitors although has a few more exclusions, which is how they can justify charging a lower monthly payment.
The thing about home warranties is that they are a bit complicated with a lot of moving parts that may confuse most homeowners on what’s covered versus what’s not covered.
A key deciding factor in our review looking for the best home warranty company is finding one with top quality customer service to help customers like you walk through the claims process so you don’t have to worry about nasty surprises when you need service.
That said, Choice has 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year availability and a 48 hour response time to get a contractor out to your home. Other providers tend to have slower response times and are less communicative about when technicians are assigned to your claim.
Policy On Pre-Existing Issues or Older Units?
Choice covers appliances regardless of age or existing wear and tear, so you don’t need to worry about signing up and not getting covered due to age assuming you’ve properly maintained the item over it’s life.
What’s not covered is if you or someone else breaks the unit regardless of when it happens. All home warranties, regardless of company, won’t cover a unit you break through negligence or misuse (i.e., baby sticks chocolate bar into VCR).
Pros
- Good Limits (up to $1,500)
- Minimal Exclusions
- More Affordable
Cons
- Only 15 Home Appliances & Systems Covered
American Home Shield Review (Editor’s Choice)
- Service Fee: $75 – $125
- Coverage: 10/10
- Limits: 10/10
- Exclusions: 9.5/10
- Affordability: 7/10
- Customer Service: 9/10
- Rating: 97.00
Why Do We Like American Home Shield?
Far and away the most thorough and transparent home warranty company we reviewed is American Home Shield. They are the gold standard. If you spend any amount of time on their website, it’s clear that they are very upfront about what they do cover and don’t cover when compared to their competitors.
In fact, they go out of their way to tell you they cover things their competitors don’t like rust or plumbing stoppages.
They also have the best home warranty coverage with an astounding 21 systems and major appliances including trash compactor, smoke detectors, and clothes washer. They also have the fewest number of exclusions with the highest dollar limit payout amounts ranging from $1,000 – $3,000 per claim.
Think of American Home Shield as the “BMW” or “Mercedes” of home warranty companies. More expensive than Choice, but with better coverage and limits.
Policy On Pre-Existing Issues or Older Units?
Very similar to Choice, American Home Shield covers old systems and appliances that break down due to wear and tear, but they do not cover pre-existing issues or negligence related to the misuse of your appliance or system!
Pros
- Highest Payout Limits (up to $3,000)
- Widest Coverage (21 systems and appliances)
- Fewest Exclusions
Cons
- Most Expensive
Select Home Warranty Review (Most Affordable)
- Service Fee: $75
- Coverage: 8/10
- Limits: 8/10
- Exclusions: 8/10
- Affordability: 10/10
- Customer Service: 8/10
- Rating: 95.80
Why Do We Like Select Home Warranty?
Select Home Warranty made our list as a best budget friendly home warranty option. They have lower limits ranging from $500 – $2,000 per claim but also lower service fee costs and potentially reduced annual premiums as low $325 per year if you opt into multiple year contracts, far below other competitors.
If you opt for their “Platinum Care” they are on-par with other providers in terms of what they actually cover.
Overall, a great budget option for people who want a home warranty but can’t afford Choice or American Home Shield.
Policy On Pre-Existing Issues or Older Units?
Very similar to Choice and American Home Shield, Select covers old systems and appliances that break down due to wear and tear, but they do not cover pre-existing issues or negligence related to the misuse of your appliance or system!
Pros
- Most Affordable Service Contracts
- Roof leaks Are Covered In Their Platinum Plan
Cons
- Ultra Pushy Sales
- 3 Days To Submit Claim
- Weaker Network Of Contractors
Total Home Protect Review (Best For Larger Systems)
- Service Fee: $75
- Coverage: 8/10
- Limits: 7/10
- Exclusions: 7.5/10
- Affordability: 8/10
- Customer Service: 8/10
- Rating: 95.20
Why Do We Like Total Home Protect?
Total Home Warranty made our list as a home warranty with above average protection on more robust systems like septic systems and roof coverage.
Their monthly cost comes out to around ~$45 per month for their basic “Gold” plan, which puts them on the more expensive side of the scale when compared to other top home warranties on our list with better coverage.
Most home warranties do not cover anything related to your roof but Total Home Protect does, which we found to be unique to their offering helping them crack our top list.
Policy On Pre-Existing Issues or Older Units?
Very similar to Choice and AHS, Total Home Protect covers old systems and appliances that break down due to wear and tear, but they do not cover pre-existing issues or negligence related to the misuse of your appliance or system!
Pros
- You Can Choose Your Own Technicians
- Roof Coverage
Cons
- More Exclusions Than Most Competitors
- The Worst BBB score
- Low Payout Limits ($500)
First American Home Warranty Review (Best Customer Service)
- Service Fee: $75 – $100
- Coverage: 8/10
- Limits: 7/10
- Exclusions: 7.5/10
- Affordability: 8/10
- Customer Service: 9.5/10
- Rating: 94.90
Why Do We Like First American Home Warranty?
First American Home Warranty made our list as a home warranty with above average customer service mixed with in with a decent price point.
The only drawback was that they aren’t nationwide lacking coverage in the following states: ND, MN, WI, IL, NY, VT, NH, ME, MA, CT , RI , DE, AL, HI, LA.
Their plan options include a “Basic“ plan, which only covers appliances and will run you about $28 per month. Their combo plan, which covers major systems and appliances branded the “Premier” plan costs around to ~$43 per month.
Overall a good home warranty provider, but just lacking the coverage, which would have helped make a better case for “best overall home warranty company”.
Policy On Pre-Existing Issues or Older Units?
Again, all of the home warranty providers seem to have adopted a similar policy in that they cover “old” appliances and systems that break down due to wear and tear, but they do not cover pre-existing issues or negligence related to the misuse of your appliance or system!
Pros
- Great Customer Service (B+ BBB Score)
- Online Chat Support
Cons
- Not Available In 15 States
- Can’t Choose Your Own Contractor
FAQs for Plumbing Home Warranties
Do home warranties cover plumbing systems?
Does Choice cover plumbing systems?
Which home warranty offers the best coverage?
Home Warranty Provider | $$ Limit | |
Choice Home Warranty | $3,000 | |
American Home Shield | $1,000 | |
Select Home Warranty | $500 | |
Liberty Home Guard | $500 | |
Cinch Home Services | $1,000 |
What does a home warranty cover?
Most Common Coverage
- HVAC (heating and air conditioning)
- Plumbing system
- Electrical system
- Water heater
- Refrigerator
- Oven / Range / Stove
- Cooktop
- Dishwasher
- Clothes Washer
- Clothes Dryer
- Built-in microwave
2. What some cover
3. What few cover
Is a home warranty for plumbing systems worth it?
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.
Read Also: What Are The Recommended Home Warranty Companies For Sewer Lines?
Our Top Picks Recap
- $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 $100 off
- Lower chance of claim denial
- 24/7 service calls and online service
- Large and established firm
- Choose your own service fee!
- Market veteran
- $175 off + 2 months free
- FREE Roof Leak Coverage
- Good selection of plans
- High contractor professionalism
- $0 transfer fee
- First 30 days: Free cancellation
- $100 Off + 1 Month Free
- Good BBB rating B
- 24/7 service calls
- Smaller company
- Online chat not supported
- $200 off + 2 month free + Free Roof Coverage
- Newly designed customer claim portal
- The BBB's #1 Home Warranty Company
- Smaller company
- Newer on the market