HomeGuard HomeWarranty Review

HomeGuard HomeWarranty has provided residential service contracts since 2006, offering coverage to homeowners and realtors in California, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, and Georgia.In this review, we’ll break down HomeGuard’s coverage plans, pricing, and customer feedback. We’ll also compare its offerings to top nationwide providers to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your home.

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Pros and Cons of HomeGuard HomeWarranty

Pros

• Has a customizable service call fee
• Includes coverage for uncommon items like pest control and code upgrades
• Offer comprehensive coverage for key home items

Cons

• Excludes some home appliances and systems from its basic plans
• Limits coverage to five states
• Varies coverage plans based on location

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HomeGuard HomeWarranty Plans, Coverage, and Costs

Since housing laws vary by state, HomeGuard adjusts its coverage plans accordingly. Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Tennessee offer similar plans, while California includes different coverage options. Below is a breakdown of the available plans.

California Plans

For California homeowners, HomeGuard offers three levels of coverage: Standard, Advantage, and Total Protection. After the 30-day waiting period, these contracts last a full 12 months, making them 13-month plans. The service call fee, which must be paid every time a technician visits your house, is typically $90, but you can pay a reduced service fee of $55 with an add-on.

Item	Standard Plan	Advantage Plan	Upgraded water heater/heating coverage
Dishwasher	✔	✔	✔
Built-in microwave	✔	✔	✔
Range/oven/cooktop	✔	✔	✔
Garbage disposal	✔	✔	✔
Trash compactor	✔	✔	✔
Instant hot water dispenser	✔	✔	✔
Re-key coverage	✔	✔	✔
Heating system	✔	✔	✔
Plumbing system and stoppages	✔	✔	✔
Electrical system	✔	✔	✔
Central vacuum	✔	✔	✔
Garage door opener	✔	✔	✔
Ceiling, attic, and exhaust fans	✔	✔	✔
Water heater	✔	✔	✔
Pest control	✔	✔	✔
Telephone wiring	✔	✔	✔
Doorbells	✔	✔	✔
Smoke detectors	✔	✔	✔
Limited roof leak coverage	✔	✔	✔
Carbon monoxide detectors	𝗫	✔	✔
Air conditioning	𝗫	✔	✔
Improper installation/repairs	𝗫	✔	✔
Mismatched systems	𝗫	✔	✔
Crane	𝗫	✔	✔
Limited code upgrade	𝗫	✔	✔
Building permits	𝗫	✔	✔
Lack of maintenance	𝗫	✔	✔
Refrigerant recapture, reclaim, and disposal	𝗫	✔	✔
Ice makers	𝗫	✔	✔
Appliance racks, filters, grills, and other cosmetic items	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Zone control coverage	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Total code modification/upgrade	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Total plumbing stoppage coverage	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Toilet replacement	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Updgarded water heater/heating coverage	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Total plumbing coverage	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Radiant heat upgrade	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Enhanced slab leak and additional pipe leak coverage	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Increased coverage limits	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Smart home features	𝗫	𝗫	✔
Public safety power shutoffs	𝗫	𝗫	✔

California Add-on Options

All plans can be supplemented with the following extra coverage:

HVAC & Systems

Outdoor

Plumbing

Additional Add-ons

• Advantage Plan option
• Red tag option
• Smart home features
• $55 trade service call fee
• $250 increased coverage limit

HomeGuard’s premiums in California will vary based on the size and age of your home. Here’s what each plan costs per year.

California Plan Costs

Below are the annual costs of HomeGuard’s coverage plans, ranging from $415–$735 for single-family homes. By comparison, national home warranty costs fall between $564 and $984 annually, making HomeGuard more affordable.

Other State Plans and Costs

HomeGuard structures its plans differently for homeowners in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and Tennessee. There are three options: the 3-Star, 4-Star, and 5-Star plans. Like the California plans, each offers a different level of coverage, with the 5-Star Plan providing the most comprehensive protection.

Add-on Options

You can add the following supplemental coverage to its plans:

HVAC & Systems

Outdoor

Plumbing

Addition Add-ons

• Appliance limit upgrade
• Red tag option
• Renewal rate guarantee
• Smart home features
• $55 trade service call fee
• $250 increased coverage limit
• Homeowners insurance deductible

Plan Costs

Home	3 Star Plan	4 Star Plan	5 Star Plan
Single-family home	$450 (or $875 for two years)	$520 (or $990 for two years)	$635 (or $1,220 for two years)
Condo/townhome/mobile home	$405 (or $790 for two years)	$460 (or $870 for two years)	$590 (or $1,130 for two years)
New construction (years 2-6)	$700	$875	$1,075
Duplex	$725 (or $1,400 for two years)	$995 (or $1,400 for two years)	$1,195 (or $2,340 for two years)
Triplex	$995 (or $1,400 for two years)	$1,310 (or $2,570 for two years)	$1,510 (or $2,970 for two years)
Fourplex	$1,270 (or $2,490 for two years)	$1,570 (or $3,090 for two years)	$1,770 (or $3,490 for two years)

The service call fee for these plans is $90; however, you can select the reduced trade fee add-on to lower it to $55.

HomeGuard HomeWarranty Reviews

HomeGuard HomeWarranty has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2008, and it holds an A+ rating for its transparent business practice and the care with which it handles customer complaints. Despite this, the company has a mix of positive and negative reviews.

Here’s a sampling of those reviews.

“Don’t get a warranty from this company. They look for any reason to deny your claim. The contractors they use are horrible.” — Daniel I. via BBB

“So I got a call from Wendy (manager) [and] she stated that she was going to get a heater tech to our home. I had to call to follow up but a tech came out…there was something wrong and HomeGuard OK’ed the fix and my heater is now running normal. So they stood by their word.” — Scott S. via BBB

“We had a heater go out just after Christmas and although I did have to call back at 24 hours to make sure the tech was dispatched, we had a perfectly repaired heater in less than 48 hours as promised.” — Deryn M. via BBB

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Our Final HomeGuard Review

Though HomeGuard provides extensive plans at affordable prices, it’s only available in four states, leaving other U.S. residents without protection. We recommend using a nationwide home warranty provider like American Home Shield.

You can also check our reviews of top providers in HomeGuard’s coverage area:

• Best Home Warranty Companies in Arizona
• Best Home Warranty Companies in California
• Best Home Warranty Companies in Georgia
• Best Home Warranty Companies in Nevada
• Best Home Warranty Companies in Tennessee

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Our Rating Methodology

We used a comprehensive rating methodology to evaluate home warranty companies. Our process involved speaking with company representatives, gathering quotes, reviewing sample contracts, and surveying homeowners through focus groups. We also tested the sign-up and claims processes for 11 leading providers and conducted secret shopping to assess the customer experience firsthand.

Using this data, we scored each provider across six key categories, assigning a total of 100 points that we converted into a 5-star rating.

Here’s how we weighted each factor:

• Coverage: We analyzed the scope of each provider’s coverage, including unique items and annual limits. Companies offering broader coverage and higher payout limits earned more points, while those with long waiting periods or depreciation-based payouts lost points.
• Cost: We compared average monthly pricing and service call fees, awarding the highest scores to providers with competitive pricing and no hidden surcharges.
• Trustworthiness: We examined customer ratings on platforms like the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot, along with National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA) membership and legal history. Companies with strong ratings, long workmanship guarantees, and no major legal issues received more points.
• Plan transparency: We assessed how clearly providers disclose their terms, policies, and exclusions in contracts and on their websites. Those with accessible and well-explained contract details earned higher scores.
• Customer support: We tested the responsiveness and accessibility of customer service, considering claims filing options and response times. Providers with fast, reliable, and helpful support received higher ratings.
• Flexibility: We awarded more points to companies offering diverse plan options, a broad selection of add-ons, the ability to choose your own technician, and customer-friendly cancellation policies.