With a huge variety of home warranty plans on the market, finding the one which is most suitable for your needs could be rather tricky. We have analyzed more than 100 different home warranty plans
by more than 2 dozen companies, and are proud to present our readers with a selection of the best home warranty plans for 2018. We stick to the plans which are well-balanced in terms of price and coverage, so in that in our expert opinion, they give you the best protection for your buck.
Use our charts below to compare both basic and more advanced home warranty programs. Make sure you read company reviews to get a complete understanding of the offering. Each of these comparison tables will change based on your location in the U.S, so it doesn’t matter if you are from California, Texas, Arizona, Maryland, Utah or anywhere else in the USA!
Top Rated Plans for August, 15th, 2018
Premier Plan
34.00
This is an excellent plan for the new homeowners to start with. It covers heating, electric and plumbing systems, and a whole range of kitchen appliances.
Basic Plan
29.00
This plan will give you a taste of home warranty for a very competitive price. Plumbing and electrical systems are included, as well as a water heater, whirlpool, bathtub, and an exhaustive list of kitchen appliances.
Systems Plan
36.00
Gold Care plan is an excellent choice for home systems coverage. It includes heating system, water heater, plumbing system, ductwork, A/C cooling, and electrical system.
Appliance Plan
19.99
White plan is recommended for those homeowners who want to get coverage for the following appliances: dishwasher, refrigerator, stove/cooktop, garbage disposal, oven range, built-in microwave, washer, and dryer.
How to Choose the Right Home Warranty Plan
Our unique 2000-word long guide. Click here if you want to read about the most recommended home warranty plans.
As soon as they buy a house, every homeowner has to face the question: which home warranty to choose? In some cases, real estate agents make this decision for the homeowners, by offering a one-year contract with the home warranty company of their choice as a housewarming gift. In other cases, a home warranty contract is transferred from the previous homeowner to the new one. However, these contracts may not be the optimal solution for the new owner of the house.
What are the most common problems that may arise when the homeowner does not select their home warranty carefully? First of all, you may not realize what is covered by your home warranty plan, and what is not covered. This may lead to very unpleasant surprises when a home system or appliance malfunctions, and the home warranty company denies the claim.
We have analyzed information for 43 home warranty companies including customer reviews. We found that about 7% of the customers complained about tricky terms and conditions, and more than 33% experienced problems with coverage of their home systems or appliances. In the figure below you can see how often the customers mentioned various problems with the home warranty companies.
Another big problem may arise when a crucial home system, like an air conditioning in summer or a heating system in winter, breaks. You call your home warranty company, but they don’t have emergency services. You have to wait several days until the company sends you a contractor, and then even more time until the contractor fixes the problem. According to our data, emergency services were available in 87% of the home warranty companies. Only 13% of the companies will make you wait for service.
Another unpleasant surprise that may occur—if you have not done your homework before signing a home warranty contract—is the unexpected expenses on top of the home warranty premium and deductible that you have already paid. Almost 8% of customers complain about the unexpected costs. Did you know that most home warranty companies have coverage limits for each covered item, and if repair expenses go beyond this limit, they are your responsibility?
These are the main reasons why homeowners like you need to choose their home warranty plans carefully, learn as much information about them as possible, and make an educated decision that will help avoid the pitfalls mentioned above.
Find The Best Home Warranty Plan
We at ReviewHomeWarranties have compared and rated more than 20 home warranty providers to date.
Come and see our findings and recommendations of the best value-for-money plans available right now:
Discover The Best Home Warranty Plans 2018
Selecting a Home Warranty Step-By-Step
So, you have bought a new house and are now looking for a home warranty, correct? First of all, congratulations on your purchase! Now let us lead you through the process of selecting the best home warranty plan for your new house.
Let’s assume your house is in Texas, and you want to purchase a home warranty for all major home systems and appliances. The most common home systems covered by home warranties are air conditioning, heating, electric, and plumbing. For the home appliances, the majority of the companies cover refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, built-in microwave, washer, and dryer.
Additionally, many companies cover ceiling fans, garage door, disposal, trash compactor, doorbell, water softener, and other appliances either as a part of the coverage plan or as an optional add-on item. In the figure below, you can see how often home warranty clients mentioned claims for various home systems and appliances in their reviews of different home warranty companies. Air conditioning and heating systems were mentioned the most often—fifteen and ten percent—respectively.
The first step will be to choose a company that works in Texas, but don’t rush to the plan selection yet. First, look at the company’s accreditation with the Better Business Bureau. As of April 2018, sixty-three percent of home warranty companies were accredited with BBB.
Another question that may be of interest to you is: How long has the company been on the market? The older the company, the more reputable it may be. Below you can see the statistics on the companies’ age. Almost 30% of the companies have been in business between 5 and 10 years.
It would be helpful to make a short list of the most reputable companies that satisfy your requirements including the following:
- The company accepts claims 24/7 (90% of companies)
- Emergency service available (87% of companies)
- The company offers reservice if repairs fail (100% of companies)
- Free second opinion (18% of companies)
- Automatic policy renewal (95% of companies)
- Free reservice for parts and labor (during 30-365 days)
- High coverage limits
- Other requirements that are important to you
The next step is to decide how much money you are ready to spend on your home warranty. There is a wide variety of plans offered by Texas home warranty companies, so it is possible to find one that fits your budget. Please keep in mind that the price for the home warranty, like for any insurance, consists of premium and deductible costs. Some companies, like American Home Shield and Landmark Home Warranty, offer a range of premiums and deductibles. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium. Overall, home warranty deductibles range from $50 to $125 with a median of $75.
In the figure below you can see how the average annual premium cost varies by state, and the percentage of the home warranty companies working in each. According to our data, Texas has the largest variety of home warranty companies, while Florida and California can enjoy the cheapest home warranty plans.
Find The Best Home Warranty Plan
We at ReviewHomeWarranties have compared and rated more than 20 home warranty providers to date.
Come and see our findings and recommendations of the best value-for-money plans available right now:
Discover The Best Home Warranty Plans 2018
Once you have a short list of the companies you like and have made a decision on your budget, it is time to select a plan. For this purpose, look around your house and make a list of the items that you want to be covered under a home warranty. There are companies, such as Select Home Warranty, that cover home systems and home appliances in two separate plans. Alternatively, you can select one of the comprehensive plans that cover both home systems and appliances from companies such as Choice Home Warranty.
While comparing home warranty plans, you need to pay attention not only to the list of items that are covered under each plan but also to the coverage limit for the items that you want to be covered in the first place. In some companies, the list of items may be shorter compared to others, but the coverage limits are higher.
Find The Best Home Warranty Plan
We at ReviewHomeWarranties have compared and rated more than 20 home warranty providers to date.
Come and see our findings and recommendations of the best value-for-money plans available right now:
Discover The Best Home Warranty Plans 2018
In the figure below you can see which home systems and appliances may be covered by a regular plan or optional coverage, and percent of the home warranty companies that offer any type of coverage.
| Covered under a Regular Plan | Covered as Optional Coverage |
|---|
| % Companies | Limit Average | % Companies | Limit Average | Premium Average |
|---|
| Heating System | 93% | $2,444 | 22% | $950 | $74 |
| Air conditioner | 97% | $2,917 | 30% | $950 | $70 |
| Water heater | 97% | $2,212 | 22% | $700 | $47 |
| Plumbing | 93% | $1,887 | 7% | $400 | $28 |
| Refrigerator | 86% | $1,493 | 52% | $1,317 | $32 |
| Fan | 59% | $525 | 4% | NO DATA | $4 |
| Vacuum | 38% | $400 | 30% | $367 | $22 |
| Pool / Spa | 7% | $1,000 | 100% | $2,162 | $96 |
| Washer | 76% | $1,409 | 41% | $1,250 | $44 |
| Dishwasher | 100% | $1,242 | 7% | NO DATA | $23 |
| Microwave | 90% | $1,218 | 7% | NO DATA | $15 |
| Garage door | 79% | $886 | 15% | NO DATA | $24 |
| Electrical | 97% | $2,333 | 4% | NO DATA | NO DATA |
| Disposal | 83% | $532 | 4% | NO DATA | $15 |
| Trash compactor | 59% | $1,486 | 4% | NO DATA | $4 |
| Septic | 10% | $500 | 67% | $1,315 | $42 |
| Pump | 3% | $500 | 19% | $700 | $79 |
| Oven | 86% | $1,140 | 15% | NO DATA | $45 |
| Water softener | 7% | $1,000 | 44% | $2,831 | $31 |
| Roof leaks | 3% | NO DATA | 33% | $514 | $40 |
| Sprinkler | 0% | N/A | 19% | $367 | $23 |
| Alarm | 17% | $400 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Crane | 3% | $150 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Door bell | 31% | $500 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Water dispenser | 24% | $500 | 4% | $200 | $25 |
| PC | 3% | NO DATA | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| TV | 3% | NO DATA | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Air cleaner | 0% | N/A | 4% | NO DATA | $35 |
| PEST | 10% | NO DATA | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Humidifier | 3% | NO DATA | 4% | $500 | $4 |
| Well | 0% | N/A | 4% | NO DATA | 8% |
| Locksmith | 10% | NO DATA | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Outside line | 3% | NO DATA | 22% | $1,900 | $48 |
| Food center | 7% | $3,000 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Toilet | 24% | $800 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Improper actions | 3% | $250 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Dryer | 66% | $1,563 | 41% | $1,250 | $44 |
| Well pump | 0% | N/A | 85% | $2,367 | $57 |
| Sump pump | 21% | $500 | 26% | $2,320 | $26 |
| Ductwork | 55% | $804 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Refrigerator ice maker | 21% | $1,500 | 26% | $700 | $26 |
| Free standing ice maker | 14% | $2,250 | 19% | $1,000 | $53 |
| Wine refrigerator | 0% | N/A | 15% | $583 | $20 |
| Stand alone freezer | 10% | $500 | 37% | $2,580 | $25 |
| Plumbing stoppages | 38% | $836 | 0% | N/A | N/A |
| Ceiling fan | 48% | $560 | 4% | NO DATA | $96 |
In case the plan you selected does not cover all of the items on your list, check the optional coverage section. In many cases, optional coverage items can be added to the plan for an additional fee. These include swimming pool and spa, central vacuum, stand-alone freezer, second refrigerator, and more.
Final Remarks About Choosing the Right Home Warranty Plan
Choosing the right home warranty plan is not an easy task. There are more than 60 companies on the home warranty market, and each company offers multiple coverage plans. There are plans for home systems, home appliances, and various combinations of both.
What you need to know before you even start selecting a home warranty plan is what home systems and appliances you want to cover, and what your budget is. With these two things in mind, you may now start selecting the home warranty company. On average, it takes a potential customer up to four hours to find information about a home warranty company on their own. With ReviewHomeWarranties.com this process will take only 41 minutes on average.
To make the process of selecting the right warranty company even easier for you, ReviewHomeWarranties.com has organized the companies by state. We have collected information on the most prominent companies operating in Texas, Florida, California, Virginia, Ohio, and other states, and hope this will help you find the right home warranty plan for your house.
Best Home Warranty Plans by Plan Type
Now that you need what to search for in a home warranty plan, as well as what to look out for, we present to you the best home warranty plans in the USA for 2018. These plans are tailored to your location and are all offered by the top home warranty companies in the market.
