From the beaches of San Diego to the Sierra Nevada mountains, California has a place for every homeowner. However, living in California can be expensive and create quite a few issues with maintaining your home. Home warranties are the perfect solution to help offset the expenses involved with the high cost of living in California and offer you peace of mind. Keep reading to learn about the best home warranty companies in California and how you can avoid the high costs of home maintenance.
In this guide, we will cover . . .
- What is a home warranty?
- Why should you have home protection on your home?
- What should you look for when purchasing a home warranty in California?
- The 4 best home warranty companies in California
- And much more!
California can have a wide range of weather conditions, but there will be some warm and dry weather for at least part of the year in most areas. Having an adequately functioning HVAC system is a high priority for California residents. If you want to ensure that you stay within your budget but keep your home central air conditioning, the home warranty is a perfect solution.
If you live anywhere from Sacramento to Irvine to Huntington Beach, a home warranty policy on our list will perfectly suit your California home.
Best Home Warranty Companies in California
- $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 and online service
- Large and established firm
- Choose your own service fee!
- Market veteran
- $150 off + 2 months free
- FREE Roof Leak Coverage
- Good selection of plans
- High contractor professionalism
- $0 transfer fee
- First 30 days: Free cancellation
- Lower chance of claim denial
- 24/7 service calls
- Great promotions available
- Limited coverage
- 1 day to submit a claim
- Limited plan selection
- Fewer contractors available
- $200 off + 1 Month Free + Free Roof Coverage!
- BBB's Only A+ Accredited Home Warranty Company!
- Newly designed customer claim portal
- Smaller company
- Newer on the market
- First 2 Months Free on all Plans! (exclusions apply)
- Industry-leading 180-day workmanship guarantee
- $500 Homeowner insurance deductible reimbursement
- 18,000 reliable & fast local technicians
- 24/7 customer service
- Low cancellation fee
- Best Customer Service 2020
- $100 Instant Online Discount
- Plans from $25/m
- Automatically renewed policy
Disclosure: ReviewHomeWarranties.com has referral agreements with some of the home warranty companies presented on our lists throughout this website, including our the above rankings. Referral income which we generate through these agreements helps us keep the content free of ads and accessible.
Top 7 Best Home Warranty Companies in California:
- Choice Home Warranty (Best Overall)
- American Home Shield (Most Customizable)
- Select Home Warranty (Most Affordable)
- The Home Service Club (Best For Quick Coverage)
- Liberty Home Guard (Best Customer Service)
- Cinch Home Services (Best Add-On Options)
- First American Home Warranty (Best Appliance Coverage)
Compare California Home Warranty Providers
Provider | Visit Site | Best For | Monthly Cost | Service Fee | BBB Rating |
Choice Home Warranty | Site | Best Overall | $40 - $48 | $85 | B- |
American Home Shield | Site | Most Customizable | $50 - $60 | $75 - $150 | B |
Select Home Warranty | Site | Most Affordable | $36 - $38 | $60 | B |
The Home Service Club | Best For Quick Coverage | $50-$63 | $65-$125 | NA | |
Liberty Home Guard | Best Customer Service | $40 - $60 | $60 | A | |
Cinch Home Services | Best Add On Coverage | $28 - $40 | $100 - $150 | A- | |
First American Home Warranty | Best Appliance Coverage | $38-$48.50 | $85 | B+ |
California Home Warranty Costs
A California home warranty will vary in cost based on the type of home you have and the coverage you choose for your home. The monthly fees, deductible, and coverage caps will all come into play when looking at the plan’s overall cost for California homeowners; it can be very important to understand the average costs of the plan. When calling around to get quotes from different companies, the average cost of protection plans is an important fact to have. At Review Home Warranties, we did some in-depth research on all of the coverage plans in California. Here are the averages sorted by the different types of homes that they represent. California home warranty costs should stay relatively the same throughout the state.
Type | Average Annual Premium |
Overall | $530.21 |
Single Family Home | $484.21 |
Multi-Family | $787.48 |
Townhome | $467.38 |
Condo | $523.67 |
Home Over 5,000 sq. ft. | $1,232.50 |
Home Under 5,000 sq. ft. | $528.76 |
California Home Warranty Companies Reviews
Even though some regulations are in place that can limit California’s home warranty policy choices, there are still some unique coverage options. At Review Home Warranties, we analyze and compare these plans extensively. Looking at customer reviews, plan options, service fees, additional coverage, and more has helped us narrow this down to the top six California home warranty companies.
1. Best Overall: Choice Home Warranty
Choice Home Warranty is the best overall home warranty policy in the state of California. If you are a homeowner, you have probably been exposed to some service contracts or policies from companies filled with fine print. Choice Home Warranty does everything it can to make its policies as simple and straightforward as possible. Choice Home Warranty is an industry veteran with more than 13 years of experience, and has impressive customer service reviews regarding plan coverage, pricing, and technician professionalism. With an easy claims process and comprehensive coverage on all your home appliances and systems, you can't go wrong with Choice.
Pros | Cons |
Comprehensive plan options | No option to build out a custom plan |
Simple contract | |
High coverage limits or caps | |
Free Cancellation for the first 30 days |
Plans, Pricing, and Coverage
Choice Home Warranty offers two combo or comprehensive policies to choose from. These plans offer both system and appliance coverage, and they are priced very fairly for the depth of coverage. Choice's Total Plan is most popular among California homeowners because of the depth of coverage and is more affordable than the combo plans of other home warranty providers. You will pay the same service fee of $85 with either plan when you receive service from one of Choice's technicians.
Take a more detailed look at Choice Home Warranty's plans:
- Basic Plan ($42 per month): This plan covers 14 home systems and appliances: ceiling fan, cooktop exhaust, dishwasher, ductwork, garbage disposal, ductwork, electrical, garage door opener, heating system, oven, microwave, plumbing system, toilet and water heater.
- Total Plan ($53.33 per month): This plan covers all 14 items covered in the Basic Plan plus four more: clothes washer, clothes dryer, refrigerator, and air conditioner, for a total of 18 items covered.
- Optional add-ons: Choice offers nine optional add-ons to either of their plans such as central vacuum, septic tank, pool and spa, roof leaking, and stand-alone freezer. These additional items range from $40-$180 per month.
Plan | Cost Per Month | Service Fee |
Basic Plan | $42 | $85 |
Total Plan | $50 | $85 |
What Customers Are Saying:
“The couple of times that I have put in a claim, someone was sent promptly, and the issue was resolved right off!! I am pleased with this warranty and would recommend it to everyone that has bought a house. It has saved me a lot so far!” - Arnold M.
Read our Choice Home Warranty Review to learn more.
2. Most Customizable: American Home Shield
American Home Shield (AHS) is the most customizable plan for California residents, partly why we named it the second best home warranty company in California. American Home Shield has a reputation for providing excellent coverage at a cost that fits within each of its customer's budgets. AHS has been around for more than 50 years, and with their long history in the business and large payout percentage, American Home Shield has come to be known as a premium home warranty company. With AHS you can pick the plan that fits your coverage needs and adjust your monthly payments and service fee.
Pros | Cons |
It has been on the market for more than 50 years | Considered to be a more premium policy |
Can build out a custom plan | Some of the policy choices are priced a bit higher |
An excellent choice for high-end California homes | |
Impressive customer service | |
Plenty of add on coverage choices |
Plans, Pricing, and Coverage
American Home Shield has three plan options for homeowners to choose from: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. ShieldSilver is a great appliance plan option and ShieldPlatinum covers all of the essential home systems plus some. However, ShieldPlatinum is the ideal plan for comprehensive coverage of all your home systems and appliances. American Home Shield's policies have excellent coverage at every level with an affordable and customizable cost. AHS is unique in that it allows its policyholders to choose which service fee they want, $75, $100, or $125. If you choose a higher service fee, your monthly premium will be lower and vice versa. This makes AHS's plans fit within most people's budgets.
Here are more details on American Home Shield's plans (note: these prices are based on a $100 service fee):
- ShieldSilver™ ($34.27 per month): This plan covers a total of 17 major home systems such as air conditioning, electrical system, ductwork, plumbing system, water heater and alarms. ShieldSilver has great coverage on HVAC units and a coverage limit up to $1,500 on most systems.
- ShieldGold™ ($44.27 per month): This is a combo plan that covers 23 systems and appliances including washer, dryer, trash compactor, and electrical system. The appliances have a much higher coverage cap at $3,000 per item and there are many lesser-known coverages within the electrical system covered by this plan that aren't covered by other provider's policies.
- ShieldPlatinum™ ($64.27 per month): This plan is the most popular and comprehensive plan offered by AHS. ShieldPlatinum™ covers 27 systems and appliances, including the 23 in ShieldGold plus disposal, locksmith, water dispenser and free roof leak coverage. It also includes free HVAC tune-up, much higher coverage limits, and $1,000 for code-required changes, modifications, and permits for your systems and appliances.
- Optional add-ons: American Home Shield offers a few additional items, pool and spa, PC, TV, septic system and well pump coverage, that can be added to any plan for $4.17-$21.25 per month.
Plans | Cost Per Month | Service Fee |
ShieldSilver | $30-45 | $75 - $125 |
ShieldGold | $40-55 | $75 - $125 |
ShieldPlatinum | $60-75 | $75 - $125 |
What Customers Are Saying
"I had American Home Shield for my last 2 homes. In my current 3rd home, I thought I'd try another home warranty company just to see what I could be missing out on......MISTAKE!!! American Home Shield wins from the very beginning of contacting them. As always, they have the best professional customer service personnel, and their coverage is so complete compared to everybody else. I just dropped my "other" company and signed back up with AHS. The most important thing I can say about AHS is that when it comes to repairing or replacing a covered item, they strive very hard to either repairing the item back to 100% or to replace it.....while this "other" company I had for the past year always fought hard to get out of repairing it and never replaced any item. If that company would try as hard as possible to repair something instead of trying so hard to get out of repairing an item, they could be almost 50% as good as AHS" - Mike G
For more information, read our American Home Shield Review.
3. Most Affordable: Select Home Warranty
Select Home Warranty is the most affordable home warranty in California. Select Home Warranty's plan fits perfectly with the high cost of California living as it has priced its plans well below the industry average. If you are on a strict budget but still want coverage for your California home, then Select Home Warranty is considered the best plan. Select offers a few great plan options, and each one comes with free roof leak coverage. With close to ten years in the industry, California residents trust that Select Home Warranty offers an excellent value.
Pros | Cons |
Good history in the home warranty business | Some of the covered items have lower policy limits |
High workmanship quality | Not always the best plan for high-end appliances and systems |
Known for having a great value | |
Combo plan is one of the best prices in the industry |
Plans, Pricing, and Coverage
Select offers three plans: The Gold Care Plan and The Bronze Care Plan, which each offer simple and straightforward appliance or systems coverage at an affordable cost, and the Platinum Care Plan that covers both. The Gold Care and Bronze Care plans are very similar; they are offered at the same price, and one covers appliances while the other covers systems. The Platinum Care is the best value plan having a combination of both system and appliance coverage for just a few dollars more per month. Even with monthly deductibles on the lower end, Select also has one of the industry's lowest service call fees at $60-$75.
Here's a more detailed look at Select Home Warranty's plans:
- Bronze Care Plan ($60.42 per month): This plan covers seven appliances including garbage disposal, dishwasher, clothes dryer, microwave, oven, refrigerator and clothes washer. Bronze Care costs the same as Gold Care but doesn't cover systems. Most appliances come with a $500 coverage cap.
- Gold Care Plan ($60.42 per month): This plan covers six systems including air conditioner, ductwork, electrical, heating, plumbing systems, and water heater. Gold Care costs the same as Bronze Care but doesn't cover appliances. Unlike appliances, AHS has a high $2,000 limit on A/C, heating and water heaters.
- Platinum Care Plan ($65.83 per month): This plan offers the most comprehensive coverage of all plans, covering the seven appliances and six systems plus three more items: ceiling fans, garage door opener and plumbing stoppages.
- Optional add-ons: Selects add-on options are pool, spa, septic system, lawn sprinklers, stand-alone freezer, central vacuum, well pump, and sump pump. Free roof leak coverage up to the $400 limit is covered under each plan.
Plans | Cost Per Month | Service Fee |
Bronze Care | $57 | $60 |
Gold Care | $57 | $60 |
Platinum Care | $63 | $60 |
What Customers Are Saying
"This home warranty company goes above and beyond the call of duty I was able to get my HVAC in just one day and it was a HOT day too." - Leslie T.
For more information, read our Select Home Warranty review.
4. Best for Quick Coverage: Home Service Club
The Home Service Club offers the best quick coverage for a California home warranty. The Home Service Club has been on the market for more than 12 years. During this time, The Home Service Club has built up an excellent reputation with many California homeowners. The Home Service Club has a unique feature that helps it stand out from others on the market. Your coverage will start with the Home Service Club after a ten-day waiting period. This is about twenty days shorter than other home warranty companies. The Home Service Club has very comprehensive coverage and fair pricing.
Pros | Cons |
No inspection is needed before the plan starts | Can be a high service fee |
The plan starts after ten days | Not accredited by the BBB |
Extensive coverage options even in the basic plan |
Plans, Pricing, and Coverage
Although the The Home Service Club only has two home warranty policies to choose from, you will have no trouble getting the home warranty coverage that you need between these two plans. The Home Service Club has excellent value with their plans; there is just no option for a cheap plan as the coverage in the Standard Plan is still very extensive. Homeowners in California will have the ability to choose their service fee when they sign up for this home warranty policy. Service fees range in price from around $65 to $125.
Take a more detailed look at The Home Service Clubs' home warranty plans:
- Standard Coverage ($50 per month): This plan covers both systems and appliances for a home. You will have coverage including air conditioners, ceiling fans, water leaks, water heater, electrical system, central vacuum, dishwasher, refrigerator, trash compactor, oven, and more. Standard Coverage from The Home Service Club Standard Coverage has 18 covered items.
- Comprehensive Coverage ($63.00 per month): This plan covers all of the items on the Standard Plan and about ten extra coverages. The extras are gas leaks, ductwork, sump pump, pest control, doorbells, plumbing stoppages, attic fans, whole house exhaust, and more. Many of the coverages included in the Comprehensive Coverage plans are add ons with other companies. Having 32 coverages as part of a home warranty plan is a tremendous benefit.
- Optional add-ons: The Home Service Club offers 12 additional or add-on coverages as part of their home warranty plan. These include things like well pump, service line, plumbing sprinkler, spa and spa heater, free-standing freezer, water softener, and more. Optional coverages vary in price and start at around $5 a month.
Plan | Cost Per Month | Service Fee |
Standard Coverage | $50 | $65-$125 |
Comprehensive Coverage | $63 | $65-$125 |
What Customers Are Saying:
“I do not have the time nor the patience to prepare my meals, so my microwave is important to my daily living. HSC has already helped me 2 times this year alone. Thank you to everyone running this!.”(Source)
Read our The Home Service Club Review to learn more.
5. Best Reviewed: Liberty Home Guard
Liberty Home Guard plans are an excellent choice for those looking for a highly rated company in the state of California. Customer reviews are a great way to tell whether or not a home warranty will be worth the money, and Liberty Home Guard has thousands to vouch for its professionalism, excellent plan coverage, and seamless claims process. LGH has an A- rating from the BBB, which is quite impressive for only having 2 years of experience in the home warranty industry. Liberty Home Guard is known for responding to their customers quickly and handling issues the first time they come out to the property.
Pros | Cons |
BBB rating of an A | Optional plan choices tend to be priced a bit high |
Quick response times to inquiries and claims | To get a very comprehensive policy, the price increases considerably |
Easy to get in touch with | |
60 Day workmanship guarantee | |
Add on coverage list is very extensive |
Plans, Pricing, and Coverage
The three Liberty Home Guard plans include Appliance Guard which is an appliance option, Systems Guard which is a systems plan, and the Total Home Guard plan which covers both appliances and systems. Total Home Guard is the most popular and comprehensive plan amongst California homeowners and runs for less than $80 per month. Although the costs of Liberty Home Guard's plans run high, the industry-low service call fee of only $60 allows for these policies to fit within most people's budgets.
Take a look at Liberty Home Guard's plan options:
- Appliance Guard ($69.99 per month): This plan covers 11 appliances including ceiling fans, cooktop exhaust fan, garbage disposal, dishwasher, clothes washer, clothes dryer, garage door opener, microwave, oven, refrigerator, and refrigerator ice-maker. This is a great option for basic coverage all of the essential appliances.
- Systems Guard ($74.99 per month): This plan cover nine major home systems including air conditioner, bath exhaust fan, ductwork, electrical, heating system, plumbing and plumbing stoppages, toilet, and water heater. This plan offers the perfect amount of coverage on all the necessary home systems.
- Total Home Guard ($79.99 per month): This plan is only $5-$10 more than the other two plans, but covers all of the systems and appliances of both plans for a total of 20 items covered. Most items included have a $1,600 coverage limit, however, A/C and heating systems have a high limit of $2,500. This limits are significantly higher than what's offered by any other providers in California.
- Optional add-ons: Liberty Home Guard has one of the most extensive lists of items offered as add-ons, including some unusual ones such as re-key service, pest control, gutter and floor cleaning, lawn sprinklers, and wine refrigerator. These coverages run anywhere from $49.99 to $299.99 per year.
Plans | Cost Per Month | Service Fee |
Systems Guard | $74.99 | $60 |
Appliance Guard | $69.99 | $60 |
Total Home Guard | $74.99 | $60 |
What Customers Are Saying:
"Courteous staff. Easy to understand. Communicative with policy details and information. Quick response. Professional companies that have been dispatched. I do not have enough good things to say so far. I was with an alternate company once before and they were HORRIBLE! Liberty Home Guard is a breath of fresh air!" - Carolynn W.
Read more at our Liberty Home Guard Review.
5. Best Workmanship: Cinch Home Services
Cinch Home Services offers the best workmanship for a California home warranty. When you pay a service fee to have a repair completed, you will want to ensure that this repair will last. Cinch Home Services offers a 180-day workmanship guarantee, one of the longest in the market. With more than 40 years in the home warranty industry, Cinch Home Services is one of the most trusted plans in California.
Pros | Cons |
40 years in the home warranty business | Higher service fees or deductible pricing |
180-day workmanship guarantee | Some negative customer reviews |
Moderately priced and well-trusted plans | It seems as though contractors can be hit or miss |
Plans, Pricing, and Coverage
Cinch Home Services offers three plan options to California homeowners: the Appliances Plan, the Built-in Systems Plan, and the more comprehensive Complete Home Plan. Most California homeowners will find the most value in the Complete Home Plan as it covers both appliances and systems. However, the former two plans offer great coverage if you're looking for coverage on only systems or only appliances. Cinch Home Services is similar to American Home Shield in that it allows its policyholders to choose their monthly premium and service fee. Again, a lower monthly premium would equal a higher service fee and vice versa.
Here are the details on Cinch Home Services (note: these prices are based on a $100 service fee):
- Appliances Plan ($44.99 per month): This plan covers 11 appliances including cooktop exhaust fan, dishwasher, clothes dryer, food center, free-standing ice maker, microwave, oven, refrigerator, refrigerator ice-maker, trash compactor, and clothes washer. Most appliances come with a $2,000 coverage cap.
- Built-In Systems Plan ($51.99 per month): This plan covers 21 systems including air conditioner, smoke alarms, attic fans, bath exhaust fans, cooktop fans, garbage disposal, doorbells, ductwork, electrical system, garage door opener, heating system, plumbing and plumbing stoppages, septic tank pumping, spa, sump pump, toilet, central vacuum, water dispenser, water heater, and whole house fan. Most of these covered systems do not have coverage caps but don't include coverage on certain parts.
- Complete Home Plan ($61.99 per month): This plan combines everything in the other two plans to cover a total of 32 major home systems and appliances. Most of these items come with high coverage limits of $1,000-$2,000 , but some systems don't have limits. The Complete Home Plan also comes with a homeowners insurance reimbursement of $500 per contract term.
- Optional add-ons: Cinch offers three add-ons including pool, septic systems, and well pump coverage. The Premier Upgrade Package can also be added to any of the plans, which includes $1,000 for unexpected costs that occur during a claim.
Plans | Cost Per Month | Service Fee |
Appliances Plan | $34.99-50.99 | $75 - $150 |
Built-In Systems Plan | $39.99-57.99 | $75 - $150 |
Complete Home Plan | $49.99-67.99 | $75 - $150 |
What Customers Are Saying
"From calling in because my heat wasn't working to having a new system installed, everyone was so helpful and kind, fast working and oh so helpful. I recommend a home warranty to anyone that owns their home!" - Debbie P
Get more information on Cinch at our Cinch Home Services Review.
6. Best Appliance Coverage: First American Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty is the best California home warranty for appliance coverage. The appliance plan choice from First American is quite good, and the coverage caps are fair. In fact, for HVAC coverage, there is no coverage cap, which is essential for the wear-and-tear of HVAC systems in California homes. First American has been on the market since 1984 and has a B rating with the BBB. Customers enjoy that First American has speedy service and a good list of coverage choices for a California home.
Pros | Cons |
Almost 40 years experience in the industry | You cannot choose your contractor |
Below average costs for a plan | The contract is more complicated than American Home Shield |
No coverage cap on HVAC coverage |
Plans, Pricing, and Coverage
There are two First American Home Warranty plans to choose from, the Basic Plan and the Premier Plan. If you are simply looking for appliance coverage, then the Basic plan is a great choice, and it comes at a very fair value. For those that need bit more comprehensive coverage, the Premier Plan has both systems and appliances coverage. FAHW offers one of the lowest monthly premiums on the market at under $50 per month for either plan, but the service fees are a bit high at $85 per service call. For the amount of coverage, First American Home Warranty offers plans at a great cost.
Here are the details on First American Home Warranty's plans:
- Basic Plan ($38 per month): This plan offers coverage on 12 appliances including attic fans, ceiling fans, cooktop fans, garbage disposal dishwasher, clothes dryer, microwave, oven, refrigerator, trash compactor, clothes washer and water dispenser.
- Premier Plan ($48.50 per month): This plan covers all 12 items covered in the other plan plus nine more systems: ductwork, electrical system, garage door opener, heating system, plumbing system, plumbing stoppages, toilet, central vacuum, and water heater. Many of these items come with a $2,500 coverage cap or no limit at all.
- Optional add-ons: Some of the typical add-ons offered are pool, spa, septic tank and system, well pump and the first class upgrade which covers fees associated with the use of lifting equipment, up to $250 per local building permits, haul away services, and coverage on appliances and systems that have been insufficiently installed or modified. FAHW also offers air conditioner as an add-on rather than included in one of the plans.
Plans | Cost Per Month | Service Fee |
Basic Plan | $38 | $85 |
Premier Plan | $48.50 | $85 |
What Customers Are Saying
"First American Home Warranty has been on the ball for us several times during the last few months of home ownership. Very prompt, courteous, and professional. Fixed 2 issues with our ac, 1 issue with our garbage disposal, and 1 with our microwave." - Jason S.
Get more information at our First American Home Warranty Review.
Home Warranty Coverage in California Cities
What is a Home Warranty?
A home warranty policy is a type of home insurance that covers the normal wear-and-tear of your home's appliances and systems. A home warranty is different from homeowners insurance in that it will not cover damages from natural disasters (fires, storms, floods, etc.) like homeowners insurance does. There are over 80 home warranty companies in the USA to choose from and by reading home warranty reviews, customer reviews, and example policies, you can find the perfect one for your California home.
In order to sign up for a home warranty you will sign a service contract that outlines the items covered, coverage caps, monthly deductibles, service fees, and the specific coverage types. When you want to use your policy, you submit a claim via the provider's online claims portal or phone number, and the company will send an experienced technician to come assess and resolve the issue. You will pay the service fee outlined in your plan when the technician comes to your home.
Home warranty plans will cover the cost to repair or replace systems such as your heating, electrical or plumbing system or appliances such as a refrigerator, oven or built-in microwave. If you're looking for coverage on a specific item, be sure make sure it's listed in the service contract. Home warranties typically do not cover pre-existing issues on systems or appliances, cosmetic issues or intentional tampering.
How to Find the Best Home Warranty In California
Narrowing down the best home warranties in California to the top four is tough, but getting it down to the best plan for your home can take a little more work and research. Here are some of the things you should consider when choosing the best California home warranty.
Customer Reviews
In California, there is such a wide range of issues that you could need to use your home warranty for that it can help to read home warranty reviews to see how the policies are helping other customers. Keep in mind that people are more likely to write negative reviews than positive reviews, but you can get an overall idea of what a policy will do for your California home.
Plan Coverage
You cannot determine if a home warranty plan is a good value until you look at the combination of coverages that are offered for the price. Put together a list of the items you would like covered for your home warranty plan, and then look for the policy that most closely matches.
Workmanship Guarantee
California has some of the highest-priced real estate in the country. Ensuring that you have contractors in your home that know what they are doing and will adequately care for the needs of your home is essential. Some workmanship guarantees will last 90 days; others will go 180 days or more. Make sure that the workmanship guarantee matches what you would expect for your home.
Are You A First-Time Buyer? Check Out This Article!
Home Warranty Tips for California Residents
When California residents choose a home warranty, they must be aware of the specifics of the climate and the location in the California area. Whether you live in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Napa Valley, or Fremont, your climate and the terrain will change. These changes will impact the coverage choices you make for your home.
Although the climate in most parts of California is nice and warm, it may vary a lot from north to south and east to west. When selecting a home warranty in California, you should consider the climate of the region as it may influence the normal wear and tear on the major home systems and appliances in your home.
For example, in the south, where the weather is hot, home warranty plans in California must include maximum coverage for the air conditioner. Areas like Anaheim, Santa Monica, and Huntington Beach can get quite warm. One of the best companies that offer excellent A/C coverage for California residents is American Home Shield.
Proximity to the ocean brings humid conditions, which may impact the work of electrical systems and home appliances, so think about using companies like Cinch Home Services that make it easy to customize coverages.
In the mountains, it is a good idea to select those home warranty plans in California that cover as much of the plumbing and septic system as possible. The best home warranty companies in Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay Area, make sure that their plans cover heating systems and water heaters to maximum capacity.
Home warranty insurance in California is different from homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance covers the damage in the case of a natural disaster like wildfires in California. Home warranty insurance is coverage on your home's individual appliances and systems as state in the policy plan you choose.
It is always recommended to read through each of the California home warranty company reviews appearing on this page to understand the pros and cons of each company. Although the reviews are not specific to California, the coverage and plans are similar regardless of where you reside (as long as the company can service you).
Home Warranty Regulations in California
Ensuring that the state properly regulates your California home warranty can be a great benefit. California is pretty strict about these things, and they require the Department of Insurance to ensure that each of the home warranty plans on the market is working properly to serve their customers. These home warranty regulations are put in place to help you as a customer.
In certain cities like San Francisco, there could be other regulations in place regarding permitting and the right to work in the area. We can assure you that all of the policies on our list are in good standing currently with the state of California. You can always call the state to verify these claims.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now feel as though you can choose a home warranty that is a perfect match for your California home. As great as living in the state of California is, there are always risks involved with the systems and appliances that you have in place. The American Home Shield policy is the perfect solution to these issues. You can put this plan in place and know that you have premium protection and excellent customer service to back up any issue that you could come across.
Review Home Warranties Rating Methodology: How We Chose the Best Home Warranty Companies
At Review Home Warranties, we are committed to providing our readers with comprehensive and unbiased information on each provider that we review. Our methodology is a step-by-step process that ensures we maintain your trust through transparency and data that is backed-up through routine check-ins. When we picked our best home warranty companies, we reviewed and analyzed over 50 different companies. We then narrowed down our findings based on criteria that we find to be the most helpful for a homeowner in choosing a home warranty plan. Here is what our review process looks like:
- We call every home warranty provider, talking to sales agents and company representatives to gather accurate information on:
- Availability
- Pricing
- Coverage
- Fine Print
- Plan Options
- Service Contract Details
- Customer Service
- Trustworthiness
- Ratings and Reviews
- Add-On Options
- Promotions
- Additional Benefits
- We test the customer service, including factors such as wait times, friendliness, and problem-solving ability.
- We analyze the sample contracts and fine print from each brand we review. This allows us to break down the industry jargon, check for hidden stipulations, and see what is and isn’t covered so we can give readers straightforward information.
- We update all of this information on a continuous basis, storing it in a proprietary database that allows us to compare dozens of home warranty companies against each other.
From here we created a comprehensive, 100 point, rating scale based on the following factors:
- Plan options (25): Providers that offer more flexibility in their plans are rated higher.
- Coverage specifics (5): The more items covered in a home warranty plan, the higher the score.
- Pricing (25): We take the monthly fee and service fee into consideration when rating pricing.
- Trustworthiness (25): We comb through hundreds of reviews and check on BBB ratings to determine the trustworthiness of a company.
- State availability (5): Finding coverage in your state can be a challenge if home warranty companies aren’t located there. The more states covered, the higher the score.
- Customer service (10): Is this home warranty company responsive? Do they respond quickly to claims filed? Are they helpful in answering questions? All of these factors are considered when rating customer service.
- Additional benefits (5): Home warranty companies will typically offer special promotions or benefits for signing up for their services. The companies with the most benefit scored higher.
Of the 50 different companies that we’ve reviewed, we've broken down the seven best providers for home warranty coverage. To keep our ratings and data current, we have a full-time researcher who collects (and regularly updates) more than 100 specific data points from each company to help us compare them on key factors such as coverage, cost, service, and dependability. This list is ever-changing, as companies will update policies and procedures, and we will change our information accordingly.
Resources for California Homeowners and Home Buyers
- HUD California Homeownership Assistance: HUD Helps families of all income levels with issues that can come up during home buying or homeownership. The HUD program is something that has helped many first-time California homebuyers and those that have fallen on hard times.
- California Housing Finance Agency: If you are looking to finance the purchase of your California home, the California Housing Finance Agency should be your first contact. With this agency, you can be sure that you get a great deal and fully understand how the financing on a new home works.
- Homebuyer and Homeowner Resources LA County: Los Angeles County is one of the most highly populated areas in California. There are many real estate transactions happening each day in LA Country, and this website can help homeowners save money and see what they qualify for.
- Long Beach Homebuyers Program: Long Beach Homebuyers Program will help homeowners who are looking for grants and programs in the Long Beach, California area. This is a very common and popular area to own a home, with tremendous benefits for the homeowner.
- California Weatherization Organization: California Weatherization Organization is a federally funded program that helps homeowners to get their homes prepared for any climate or weather-related issues. In addition, the California Weatherization Organization can also help to make a home more energy-efficient.