Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Homeownership in Sussex comes with many positives, but it also comes with worries and concerns. Your home’s appliances and systems will eventually need repairs, and this could mean a burdensome expense. A home warranty in Sussex can help lower your out-of-pocket costs by covering repairs or replacements to major home systems and appliances that malfunction due to normal wear and tear.
Choosing the best home warranty on the market can be difficult because of the many options available. If you're overwhelmed by trying to compare them all, keep reading for our guide to the best home warranty companies in Sussex.
Over 10 years of experience
24/7 customer service team
Home inspections aren’t required
90-day repair guarantee
Plans aren’t customizable
Customers can’t choose their own contractor
Not available in washington
Choice Home Warranty is the best overall home warranty for Sussex residents. Choice has over 15 years of experience in the industry and in that time has built a a skilled network of service professionals nationwide. The 2 plans that Choice offers include options for appliance and system coverage. Choice offers very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts. Plus, it also has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties.
There are 2 home warranty plans from Choice Home Warranty: Basic Plan and Total Plan. Choice’s service fees are an affordable $85, and the coverage limits come out to around $3,000 per covered system or appliance.
To read more, visit our review of Choice Home Warranty. To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, you can fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164.
Basic Plan
Total Plan
The oldest and most trusted company in the industry
Allows customers to build their own plans
Ability to choose the service fee you want to pay
Broad coverage on up to 33 appliances and systems
Doesn’t let customers choose their own technician
Doesn’t provide coverage in alaska
American Home Shield is the most customizable home warranty for Sussex residents. AHS has over 26 years of experience in the industry and in that time has built a a skilled network of service professionals nationwide. The 3 plans that AHS offers include options for appliance and system coverage. AHS offers the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home. Plus, it also has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies.
There are 3 home warranty plans from American Home Shield: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. AHS’s service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125, and the coverage limits come out to around $2,500 per covered system or appliance.
To read more, visit our review of American Home Shield. To get a free quote from American Home Shield, you can fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839.
ShieldSilver
ShieldGold
ShieldPlatinum
Offers home insurance deductible of $500
Extra long 180-day workmanship guarantee
Offers free cancellation in the first 30 days
Charges high service fees of $75-$150
Doesn’t allow customers to choose their own technician
Isn’t available in hawaii or alaska
Cinch Home Services is the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee for Sussex residents. Cinch has over 44 years of experience in the industry and in that time has built a a skilled network of service professionals nationwide. The 3 plans that Cinch offers include options for appliance and system coverage. Cinch offers a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done. Plus, it also has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Cinch Home Services: Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, and Complete Home Plan. Cinch’s service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150, and the coverage limits come out to around $1,000-$2,000 per covered system or appliance.
To read more, visit our review of Cinch Home Services. To get a free quote from Cinch Home Services, you can fill out this online form or call 877-589-0505.
Appliances Plan
Built-in Systems Plan
Complete Home Plan
Policy starts in ten days
24/7 customer service support
Generous coverage caps on important systems and appliances
30-labor guarantee and 90-day parts guarantee
Offers utility and home service outside line coverage
Higher service fee of $95
Not accredited by the better business bureau (bbb)
Only 2 plan options
The Home Service Club is the best home warranty with the quickest service for Sussex residents. HSC has over 15 years of experience in the industry and in that time has built a a skilled network of service professionals nationwide. The 2 plans that HSC offers include options for appliance and system coverage. HSC offers quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days. Plus, it also has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee.
There are 2 home warranty plans from The Home Service Club: Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan. HSC’s service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90, and the coverage limits come out to around $2,000 per covered system or appliance.
To read more, visit our review of The Home Service Club. To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, you can fill out this online form or call 800-750-9443.
Standard Coverage Plan
Comprehensive Coverage Plan
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on home warranty companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
| Home Appliance | Repair Cost |
|---|---|
| Air Conditioner | $6,343 |
| Heating | $4,228 |
| Electrical | $634 |
| Toilets | $529 |
| Washer/Dryer | $846 |
| Plumbing | $634 |
| Oven | $1,691 |
| Fridge | $634 |
A home warranty is a protection plan that helps Sussex homeowners reduce the high costs of household repairs. These plans provide financial coverage to fix or swap out appliances and systems that break down from normal wear and tear.
Homeowners file a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty provider then finds a contractor to make the fix or replacement. The only time you may pay out-of-pocket is if the cost of the repair or replacement exceeds the item's coverage limit. A home warranty gives homeowners reassurance, as it helps avoid expensive emergency repairs. The coverage is particularly helpful for buyers of older houses or houses with fixtures near the end of their life span. However, homeowners with newer homes and working appliances may not need a home warranty.
Home warranties protect your home systems and appliances. Common covered appliances are dryers, microwaves, dishwashers, washers, refrigerators, garbage disposals, and more. Covered systems are usually air conditioning, electrical, heating, and plumbing. Many home warranty companies provide add-on coverage for septic systems, central vacuums, locksmiths, and roof leaks. Sussex homeowners should know that most home warranty plans have a 30-day waiting period before repairs are covered. Additionally, most policies only cover repairs and replacements resulting from normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't include natural disasters, pre-existing conditions, cosmetic issues, or improperly using a system or appliance. Make sure to keep up with preventative maintenance to help ensure your next repair or replacement is covered.
Before agreeing to a home warranty contract, you should learn key terms like:
There are several important factors to consider when choosing a home warranty provider:
Home warranty plans can have major differences in covered items. Most plans cover electrical, plumbing, AC, heating, and appliances. More inclusive options also extend protection to other items such as roof leaks, pools, spas, and well pumps. Look for providers with flexible coverage choices, including upgraded plans. This helps you tailor protection to your needs.
With any home warranty claim, you'll pay a service fee, usually falling in the $60 to $100 range, which gets paid per repair request filed. The per-request costs can add up. You may decide to look for providers with more affordable fees to maximize your savings on each claim. Some providers also offer disappearing deductibles for customers who don't file any claims over a certain timespan.
A home warranty company's reputation can offer insight into things such as speed of repairs, approval rates for claims, contractor quality, and customer satisfaction. Look at third-party review sites such as Google Reviews, TrustPilot, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to research companies. Good ratings and reviews indicate that a company is known for top-tier service.
Home warranty providers maintain networks of professionals to handle covered repairs. Larger networks improve the likelihood of getting qualified technicians to quickly service your home. Reach out to potential providers and ask how many contractors they have in Sussex to get a sense of how soon your repairs could happen in an emergency.
Home warranty companies often offer perks such as maintenance discounts, energy efficiency upgrades, and coverage for smart home devices. These extras add value beyond repair coverage. Additional perks maximize the usefulness of your home warranty.
Temperatures in Sussex can drop to the negatives in the winter, which means your heating system is most likely going to get a decent amount of use. As a homeowner in Sussex, one of the benefits of having a home warranty is that these home systems and major appliances can be covered in the event they need to be repaired or replaced.
A home warranty also saves you time and energy. Instead of spending hours finding and selecting a repair person to fix your appliance or system, home warranty companies do the hard work for you and send a trusted professional to your door whenever you need them. Plus, having a home warranty can make your house more appealing to potential homebuyers if you ever decide to sell later. Many home warranty providers will allow you to transfer your plan to a new owner and give them the same protection you’ve been receiving.
One major drawback of a home warranty is not everything may be covered. It’s important to research the different policies and purchase one that covers all the appliances, systems, and add-ons you need.
In addition, if you don’t maintain your home systems or appliances properly, or if they need repairs due to a natural disaster or animal infestation — anything besides normal wear and tear — the home warranty may not cover it.
A home warranty policy costs, on average, about $300 to $600 a year in Sussex. Our top-rated home warranty companies' most comprehensive coverage options vary from $546 to $840 per year. You can lower your monthly bill with some companies by opting for a higher service fee. Additionally, it's often cheaper to pay annually rather than monthly.
The difference between a home warranty and homeowner's insurance lies in what types of damage each covers. A home warranty covers normal wear and tear to systems and appliances in a home. Homeowners insurance protects the entire home in case of something such as a fire or natural disaster. With a homeowners insurance plan, you will not be able to file a claim if you need a new dryer or air conditioner, unless the damage is a result of a natural disaster, which isn't that common in Sussex.
Homebuyers, home sellers, real estate agents, homeowners, and landlords can all get home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your home more appealing to prospective buyers and save you money in the long run.
A home warranty will cover your home’s systems, appliances, or both. Combination plans are great if you need more coverage for your home, but a system- or appliance-only plan can be useful if you're concerned about one more than the other.
Generally, a home warranty plan lasts for a year and can be renewed yearly. Some companies may offer month-to-month options.
Usually the person who owns the home is responsible for paying for the home warranty. In some cases, though, the one selling the home may purchase a home warranty plan and transfer the policy to the buyer. The new homeowner will then need to pay the service fees when using the policy. Since the average home value in Sussex is $440,174, a home warranty can save you some money when buying a home.
