Best Home Warranty Companies

American Home Shield (AHS) stands out for its comprehensive coverage of preexisting conditions, including rust, corrosion, and sediment damage. Preexisting conditions describe problems with systems and appliances that were already present before your home warranty coverage started. The home warranty industry rarely covers these conditions—Cinch Home Services is the only other provider on our list that extends coverage. AHS also provides generous coverage limits of up to $4,000 for appliances and $5,000 for most systems, and plumbing and electrical coverage don’t have caps. This makes AHS a good choice for homeowners with older homes that could require more repairs. 

However, AHS has limited add-ons, restricting your ability to customize your plan. Providers typically offer eight to 12 add-ons, but AHS only has six. Additionally, its top comprehensive plan, ShieldPlatinum, is priced higher than other top-tier plans we reviewed. Still, AHS is a solid choice if you’re dealing with older homes or items that need frequent repairs.

American Home Shield offers the following three plans for homeowners:

• ShieldSilver ($22 per month): The ShieldSilver plan covers 14 systems, including HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.
• ShieldGold ($32 per month): The ShieldGold plan covers 14 systems and nine home appliances, including dishwashers, laundry appliances, and refrigerators.
• ShieldPlatinum ($95 per month): The ShieldPlatinum plan includes the ShieldGold coverage and adds roof-leak coverage, HVAC tuneups, and other benefits.

Our AHS tester filed a claim for a bathroom and kitchen floor leak and found the process quick and straightforward. Using his smartphone, he logged in to his account, described the issue by selecting icons, and submitted the claim. Within five minutes, he received confirmation via email and text, followed by a call from a local contractor offering flexible appointment times.

The contractor arrived early the next day, completed the repair within two hours, and provided professional, courteous service. The contractor also went above and beyond by offering advice on how to address mold caused by the leak. Our AHS tester was pleased with the overall service he received, and only had to pay the service call fee for the visit.

Choice Home Warranty (CHW) is a good option for budget-conscious homeowners seeking mid-range coverage. Its comprehensive plans cost less than $60 per month, making it more affordable than most of the other providers in our review. Only Liberty Home Guard offers a similar, low-priced comprehensive plan in this range. CHW provides a generous $3,000 coverage cap per item, higher than Liberty Home Guard and Cinch Home Services. Plus, its 90-day workmanship guarantee on parts and 60-day labor guarantee offer peace of mind, and it doesn’t charge an extra fee for repairs needed within those time frames. 

However, Choice Home Warranty offers only two plans, limiting customization options. Its Basic Plan excludes coverage for essential appliances such as air conditioners (AC), refrigerators, and washers, which other companies typically include in their standard plans. CHW has a $100 service fee for all plans, unlike competitors with several service fee options, which can offer more pricing flexibility. The company is also facing an ongoing legal case with the Arizona Attorney General over allegations of deceptive practices, such as using fine print to avoid covering repair costs.

Choice Home Warranty provides two coverage plans:

• Basic Plan ($46 per month): The Basic Plan covers seven systems and seven appliances, such as heating, ovens, and plumbing. 
• Total Plan ($55 per month): The Total Plan covers eight systems and 10 appliances, including air conditioning, clothes washers and dryers, and refrigerators.

Our Choice Home Warranty tester started her claim over the phone, which took about five minutes once she reached an agent. After that, she was directed to use the company’s online portal. While she found the online portal easy to use, she had trouble finding the correct match for her product issue—she had to file her oven’s smoking problem under “burner stove.” After filing the claim, she received an email confirmation within 24 hours.

Generally, Choice Home Warranty provided contractors in her area, but the timing and quality of service varied. Some contractors fixed an issue right away, while others either left without providing a solution or required multiple visits to resolve a problem. Service appointment timing was also inconsistent, ranging from one day to one month. This left her frustrated, especially when she had to wait for essential repairs for her fridge and air conditioning.

First American Home Warranty (FAHW) offers the best appliance coverage in our review. Its Starter and Essential plans include a generous $3,500 coverage limit for appliances, which increases to $7,000 with the Premium Plan. For comparison, American Home Shield’s highest plan caps appliance coverage at $4,000, making First American a good choice if you have high-end appliances. Plus, FAHW offers unlimited coverage for most home systems, which AHS only offers for plumbing and electrical. If you’re in need of extra coverage, you can add the First American Advantage upgrade  to the Essential or Premium plans to cover damage from improper installation or modification.

However, First American offers a more limited variety of plans—it only offers comprehensive plans that cover both systems and appliances. Many other providers offer different options, such as system-only or appliance-only plans, giving you more flexibility. Plus, the lowest-tier Starter Plan doesn’t cover some essential items, such as air conditioning systems and washers and dryers. You can add central AC coverage as an upgrade, but will need to choose a higher-tier plan for laundry appliances.

First American Home Warranty offers three comprehensive plans: 

• Starter Plan ($45 per month): The lowest-tier plan offers appliance and system coverage for some major items, such as built-in microwaves, heating systems, and refrigerators.
• Essential Plan ($45 per month): The next plan tier includes Starter Plan items, plus air conditioning, ceiling/attic/exhaust fans, and clothes washers and dryers.
• Premium Plan ($45 per month): The highest-tier plan covers all items in the Essential Plan, plus luxury appliances, roof leaks, and window air conditioning units.

Our First American Home Warranty tester filed a claim for a broken garage door opener and found the process was simple and intuitive. After logging in to his online account, he submitted a claim describing the issue. First American immediately confirmed receipt, sending a text with the assigned contractor’s contact information. Within an hour, the contractor called to schedule an appointment for the following Monday, as the claim was submitted on a Friday.

The contractor arrived on time, completed the repair in 20 minutes, and provided a clear explanation of the issue and the fix. The tester was satisfied with the service he received, and he only paid a service call fee.

Unlike our other top providers, which only offer set coverage plans, Elite Home Warranty has a fully customizable plan option and an extensive add-on catalog. Along with its three standard plans, Elite offers a “Customize Your Own” plan that lets you handpick the major appliances and systems that you want covered. This is the most customizable home warranty plan in our review—preventing you from overspending on coverage when you only need to protect a few items.

Elite offers one $70 service call fee, which is reasonably priced based on our review. However, you’ll owe a $150 service fee if you need repairs during off-hours, for high-end appliances, or most add-on items. Other providers, including American Home Shield and First American Home Warranty, don’t impose higher charges for these types of repairs. Elite also has a $15,000 aggregate limit for claims, which is the maximum amount the company will pay for covered repairs or replacements over the course of your contract. While the aggregate limit is fairly generous, it’s important to keep in mind that once you hit that cap, you’ll owe any additional repair costs out-of-pocket.

Elite Home Warranty provides the following three coverage plans:

• Elite Appliances ($44 per month): The Elite Appliances plan covers eight appliances, including built-in microwaves, clothes washers and dryers, and ovens.
• Elite Systems ($49 per month): The Elite Systems plan covers eight key home systems such as cooling, heating, and water heaters.
• Elite Complete ($59 per month): The Elite Complete plan combines coverage to include eight appliances and eight systems.

Our Elite Home Warranty tester submitted an online claim to repair a high-end dishwasher, providing the necessary details, including the item’s serial number. The process was simple and straightforward. Within 30 minutes, an Elite claims specialist contacted him to schedule a next-day appointment. Our tester appreciated the personalized service—the representative quickly switched to email communication after realizing that was his preferred method of communication. 

The assigned technician arrived as planned but needed to order out-of-stock parts. After the initial visit on a Tuesday evening, the technician returned the following Monday morning with the parts and completed the repair in under an hour. Despite the delay, our tester was satisfied with the service provided.

America’s First Choice (AFC) Home Warranty is our top choice if you’re looking for pricing flexibility. The company offers four plans and three service call fee options, making it easier to build coverage within your budget. Elite Home Warranty also has four plans, but it doesn’t offer the same service call fee flexibility. We also like AFC Home Warranty’s workmanship guarantee, which lasts for the length of your policy. This could save you money on service call fees if an item needs multiple repairs. Plus, you have the freedom to choose your own service technician, which is rare in the home warranty industry.

However, AFC Home Warranty offers low $500 caps for electrical and plumbing systems, which may not help offset repair or replacement costs for more complex issues. The company also has a depreciation policy that reduces claim payouts for items five years old or older. Also, AFC Home Warranty doesn’t cover preexisting conditions, a potential drawback for homeowners with older appliances and systems. Instead, it could serve as a beneficial starter plan for new homes that might require fewer system or appliance repairs.

AFC Home Warranty offers four coverage plans:

• Silver ($29 per month): The Silver plan includes nine appliances, including cooktops, garage door openers, and kitchen refrigerators. 
• Gold ($46 per month): The Gold Plan covers nine appliances and six home systems, including air conditioning, heating, and plumbing. 
• Platinum ($52 per month): The Platinum Plan covers 10 appliances and nine home systems, such as built-in microwaves, plumbing stoppages, and faucets. 
• Diamond ($77 per month): The Diamond Plan includes Platinum coverage, plus coverage for electronics and exterior sewer and water lines.

Our AFC Home Warranty tester filed a claim for a running toilet that wouldn’t fill. She found the online claim process intuitive and quick, taking about five minutes. Although the provider communicated frequently through phone calls and text messages, she found the texts a bit overwhelming. Despite this, she was pleased with the customer service and was impressed that the company found a contractor in her rural area. 

Although the first contractor’s repair didn’t solve the problem, a second contractor promptly fixed the issue. Overall, the issue took about one-and-a-half weeks to resolve, but our tester was satisfied with the outcome and didn’t incur any out-of-pocket costs for the second repair visit.

Of the 13 companies we reviewed, Liberty Home Guard (LHG) offers the largest add-on catalog with 42 options—only Elite Home Warranty comes close with 30 options. LHG offers a wide range of add-ons, including secondary items, professional kitchen appliances, pools, and guest houses. The company also features some unique home service add-ons, such as gutter cleaning, pest control, and window washing, all of which can help streamline home maintenance with a single provider. Plus, LHG has a mobile app and live chat feature that can provide convenience for claims and support.

We don’t like that LHG has $500 caps for electrical and plumbing systems, which are lower than the $2,000 industry standard. In comparison, American Home Shield and First American Home Warranty offer unlimited protection for the same systems. LHG also doesn’t disclose its service call fees or let you choose your own amount. Instead, a fee amount is assigned after you sign up, typically ranging from $65–$125, making it harder to plan your home warranty budget.

Liberty Home Guard includes three coverage plan options:

• Appliance Guard ($55 per month): The Appliance Guard plan covers nine appliances, such as built-in microwaves, dishwashers, and kitchen refrigerators. 
• Systems Guard ($55 per month): The Systems Guard plan includes six systems, including cooling, electrical, and plumbing. 
• Total Home Guard ($55 per month): The Total Home Guard plan includes comprehensive coverage for nine appliances and six systems.

While we haven’t had the opportunity to test LHG’s claims process ourselves, our team made some notable observations during our secret shopping experience.

When we called LHG’s customer support for a sample quote, we were connected with a representative in under 30 seconds. We also tested the online chat feature, which issued quick responses. However, we were initially connected to an automated bot that mainly reiterated information found on the company’s website. We had to request an agent twice before being connected to a real person.

We also noticed that LHG’s online quote tool highlights the most common add-ons in your state, helping you identify additional coverage specific to your area. We haven’t seen this type of personalized recommendation in any other home warranty tool.

Like American Home Shield, Cinch Home Services covers items damaged by rust and corrosion, as well as preexisting conditions, which is especially beneficial for homeowners with older systems or appliances. However, Cinch stands out with more affordable plans, making it a budget-friendly option if you need coverage for preexisting issues.The company also provides unique perks, such as a $25 credit for air conditioners or water filters, and a homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement of up to $500 for one covered claim per year.

However, the company’s annual coverage limit is $10,000, which is lower than some competitors, such as Elite Home Warranty. Additionally, Cinch excludes roof-leak coverage from its baseline plan and add-on options, unlike most other providers we reviewed. Cinch also offers only six add-ons, with a strong emphasis on pool and spa-related coverage—a limited variety compared to other companies.

Cinch Home Services offers the following three coverage plans:

• Appliances ($54 per month): The Appliances plan includes 12 appliances, such as built-in food centers, ranges, and wall ovens.
• Built-In Systems ($62 per month): The Built-In Systems plan includes 16 built-in systems, such as air conditioners, garbage disposals, and plumbing. 
• Complete Home ($73 per month): The Complete Home plan covers 12 appliances and 12 built-in systems, and offers up to a $500 homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement.

Our Cinch Home Services tester filed an online claim for a low-pressure faucet in a half bathroom, which took about 10 minutes to complete. The process was easy, and it didn’t require any documentation. She found the online portal intuitive, although she could only address follow-up questions by contacting customer service via phone.

Unfortunately, our tester’s claim was denied due to an incorrect entry on her part—she mistakenly listed the wrong dates for the “last time the item worked properly,” which was outside her coverage dates. 

Although the faucet issue was resolved without relying on the home warranty plan, she regretted not reaching out to customer support to address the claim error directly.