AFC Home Warranty offers flexibility by allowing homeowners to hire their own contractors instead of relying solely on its network. A standout feature is its workmanship guarantee, which extends for the entire term of your home warranty plan, surpassing the industry standard of 30 days. This extended guarantee protects homeowners from recurring issues without additional service fees, providing long-term peace of mind. Combined with its contractor choice policy, AFC Home Warranty gives homeowners greater control over repairs while guaranteeing that covered work remains reliable for the plan’s duration.
Keep reading to learn how AFC Home Warranty stacks up against other top home warranty companies.
Key Takeaways
- AFC Home Warranty stands out with its flexibility to choose your own contractor for repairs and an industry-leading workmanship guarantee that extends for the entire duration of your active plan, rather than the typical 30 day standard.
- Monthly plan costs range from $44–$82 with service call fees of $75 or $125, making AFC Home Warranty competitively priced among home warranty providers.
- The company has a $10,000 annual coverage limit and applies depreciation policies to items over five years old, which can significantly reduce payouts for older appliances and systems.
Our Take on AFC Home Warranty
AFC Home Warranty is a strong option for homeowners who value flexibility and more control over repairs. The company lets you choose your own contractor and offers a workmanship guarantee for the length of your plan, compared with the 30 to 60 days offered by many providers. This means you won’t pay another service fee if a covered item needs a follow-up repair during your plan term.
However, AFC’s depreciation policy can reduce payouts for systems and appliances that are five years or older, making it less appealing for homeowners with aging items. The company also has a $10,000 annual aggregate coverage limit, which could increase your out-of-pocket costs if you need several expensive repairs in one year.
Customer reviews we analyzed frequently praised AFC’s claims process and ability to choose your own technician. Negative reviews cited lower-than-expected payouts, repair delays, and communication issues.
We recommend AFC Home Warranty if you:
- Prefer choosing your own technician for repairs
- Want a longer workmanship guarantee to protect your repairs
- Need coverage for both systems and appliances
We don’t recommend AFC Home Warranty if you:
- Have high-value systems and appliances, such as an air conditioner or refrigerator, that are five years or older
- Anticipate high repair needs, as the $10,000 annual limit may be restrictive
- Require higher coverage for systems beyond heating, cooling, and water heaters
What Does AFC Home Warranty Cover?
AFC Home Warranty offers four plans covering appliances, home systems, or both. Its coverage stands out for its appliance-only option, coverage for multiple heating and cooling units, and no coverage caps on heating, cooling, and water heaters.
Core Plans
The Silver Plan is an appliance-only plan covering nine major appliances, including cooktops, kitchen refrigerators, and garage door openers. Coverage limits range from $150 to $3,000 per appliance, with laundry appliances capped at $3,000 and garage door openers at $500. This plan is best suited for homeowners who want appliance protection without paying for system coverage.
The Gold Plan covers 15 appliances and home systems, including plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. The company covers multiple heating and cooling units and has no coverage caps on heating, cooling, or water heaters. However, other systems have limits between $150 and $500, including a $500 plumbing coverage limit.
The Platinum Plan expands coverage to 20 appliances and systems. It adds plumbing stoppages, faucets, refrigerator ice makers, built-in microwaves, and fans while maintaining the same coverage limits as the Gold Plan.
The Diamond Plan offers AFC Home Warranty’s broadest coverage. It includes everything in the Platinum Plan plus electronics, exterior sewer lines, and exterior water lines.
Coverage Details
Coverage limits vary considerably by item. Appliances can receive up to $3,000 in coverage, while heating, cooling, and water heaters have no coverage caps. Some other systems have lower limits, including $500 for plumbing.
AFC Home Warranty also offers a workmanship guarantee that lasts for the entire term of an active plan. Many home warranty providers limit their workmanship guarantees to 30 to 60 days. With AFC Home Warranty, you won’t pay another service fee if a covered item needs a follow-up repair during your plan term, which can reduce costs for recurring issues.
AFC Home Warranty Plan Comparison
Here’s a breakdown of AFC Home Warranty’s coverage plans:
| Coverage | Silver Plan | Gold Plan | Platinum Plan | Diamond Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clothes washer | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Clothes dryer | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Kitchen refrigerator | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Oven/range | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Cooktop | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Stove | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dishwasher | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garbage disposal | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garage door opener | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Water heater | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Air conditioning | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Heating systems | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Electrical system | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Plumbing system | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Ductwork | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Plumbing stoppages | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Ice maker | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Faucets | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Built-in microwave | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Fans (attic, exhaust, ceiling) | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Smartphone and electronics | ✔ | |||
| Exterior sewer lines | ✔ | |||
| Exterior water lines | ✔ |
Add-Ons
AFC Home Warranty offers eight add-ons, which is standard for a home warranty provider. You can include these optional coverages in any plan for an additional fee, allowing you to tailor your home warranty protection. Coverage limits for add-ons range from $150–$500, aligning with industry averages. Available add-ons include:
- Central vacuum
- Electronics
- In-ground pool and spa
- Roof-leak coverage
- Septic system
- Standalone freezer
- Sump pump
- Well pump
The Fine Print
AFC Home Warranty excludes damage caused by poor maintenance and cosmetic issues that don’t affect an item’s function. It also excludes structural problems, manufacturer recalls, natural disasters, and preexisting conditions. Review your sample contract for the full list of exclusions and plan-specific terms.
Claim Requirements
AFC Home Warranty requires you to submit a claim within one day of noticing an issue. You must also provide the make, model, and serial number of the affected item before the company can process the repair. For covered items with limits below $250, the company may provide a cash payout instead of arranging a repair or replacement.
Choosing Your Own Technician
AFC Home Warranty lets you choose your own technician, but you must receive approval before repairs begin. The technician must meet the company’s licensing and insurance requirements. AFC Home Warranty may deny reimbursement for unauthorized repairs or additional damage caused during the repair process.
How Much Does AFC Home Warranty Cost?
AFC Home Warranty costs between $44 and $82 per month for plans with pricing available online, based on averages we calculated from more than 300 sample quotes nationwide. Your final cost depends on your plan, optional add-ons, service call fee, home size, and location. The company does not publish Silver Plan pricing online, and our secret shopping found that you must call for a quote.
| Plan | Average Monthly Cost | Service Call Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Silver | Call for a quote | $75 or $125 |
| Gold | $44 | $75 or $125 |
| Platinum | $51 | $75 or $125 |
| Diamond | $82 | $75 or $125 |
What Affects Your Cost?
Your plan, service call fee, and optional add-ons are the main factors that affect your AFC Home Warranty cost. The company offers $75 and $125 service call fees, which are the amounts you pay when a technician services a covered item. Choosing the higher $125 fee lowers your monthly premium, while the $75 option results in a higher monthly cost.
AFC Home Warranty also offers monthly, annual, and three-year payment options. Paying annually can provide savings compared with monthly payments, while the three-year option locks in your rate for a longer period.
Add-on Costs
Most add-ons are billed annually, except for Electronics coverage, which is priced monthly. For example, central vacuum coverage costs $25 per year, adding about $2 to the monthly plan cost. Add-on prices range from $25–$150 per year and remain consistent across all plan tiers. Additionally, roof leak coverage is included at no extra cost with all plans, a valuable perk since most providers charge for this service.
We’ve outlined the available add-ons and pricing below:
AFC Home Warranty Add-On Fees
| Add-On Coverage | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Roof-leak coverage | $0 |
| Electronics | $25 |
| Standalone freezer | $25 |
| Sump pump | $35 |
| Septic system | $50 |
| Well pump | $50 |
| In-ground pool and spa | $150 |
Discounts
AFC Home Warranty provides several discounts to help reduce plan costs:
Signing up through AFC Home Warranty’s website qualifies for a $100 discount, applied upfront to reduce the first year’s cost. This discount can be combined with other promotional offers.
AFC Home Warranty runs sales throughout the year. For example, during a Fall Sale in October, the company offered $250 off plus free roof leak protection.
Homeowners purchasing coverage for multiple properties receive reduced rates. Customers must contact support for specific details.
Opting for a three-year plan instead of a one-year plan provides additional savings, with discount amounts varying based on the selected plan and service call fee.
How Does AFC Home Warranty Compare to Other Top Providers?
AFC Home Warranty offers competitive pricing compared with other top home warranty providers, particularly with its $75 service call fee option. The table below compares monthly costs and service call fees across providers.
| Company | Star Rating | BBB Rating | Monthly Cost | Service Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
B | $44–$82 | $75–$125 | ||
NR | $57–$68 | $65–$125 | ||
B | $36–$100 | $100–$125 | ||
B | $60–$68 | $100 | ||
A- | $77–$130 | $100–$125 |
Note: Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings are accurate as of the time of publishing. NR, or “No Rating,” indicates that the BBB has not issued a rating due to an ongoing review or update to a company’s profile
What Do Customers Say About AFC Home Warranty?
We reviewed hundreds of third-party AFC Home Warranty reviews on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Reddit, and Trustpilot to understand the typical customer experience. From there, we identified common themes within reviews.
Positive reviews of AFC Home Warranty highlighted the company’s quick claim processing and fast response times. Customers appreciated being able to choose their own technician, which added convenience to the repair process. Many reviewers also noted the personalized customer service—some customers were assigned a dedicated agent to assist with their claims, which made the experience smoother and more efficient.
Some reviewers were disappointed with claims payouts, noting they were lower than expected. In fact, some homeowners said they were unaware of the depreciation policy that resulted in minimal payouts for their older items.
Communication issues and delays during the repair process are also common complaints. Some customers report that technicians arrived late or were unprepared for the job, leading to rescheduled appointments. Our tester also had an issue with miscommunication between AFC Home Warranty and her contractor during her repair appointment.
Our Experience With AFC Home Warranty
To learn more about the customer experience with AFC Home Warranty, we signed up for service and submitted claims. Below is a breakdown of our experiences.
Signing Up
You can start the sign-up process through AFC Home Warranty’s website or over the phone. Our tester signed up using the online quote tool. You can compare plan options and adjust your payment frequency, plan length, and service call fees. Switching between any of these options will immediately adjust your estimated costs. Any promotion discounts will also be applied immediately to the costs.
When requesting an online quote for a home in Atlanta, we found that the Silver plan wasn’t listed among the available options. Instead, we were only presented with quotes for the Gold, Platinum, and Diamond plans. We reached out to customer support and were informed that if the Diamond Plan is available in your state, AFC Home Warranty will replace the Silver Plan in the online tool. To receive a quote for the Silver Plan, you must contact customer service directly.
Once you choose your plan, you can select any optional add-ons. Since AFC Home Warranty lists its add-on options with annual pricing, you won’t see the monthly cost breakdown until you add the coverage. For example, when our tester added standalone freezer coverage for $25 per year, her adjusted monthly pricing updated from $53–$55 per month, reflecting the additional $2.08 monthly charge for that protection.
After confirming your home address, you can finish the signup process by paying for your services. AFC Home Warranty only allows debit or credit card payment for its plans. Once completed, you will receive an email confirmation for the transaction, including your effective service date.
We should note that our tester’s listed effective date was the same as her signup date, which was a bit confusing. However, AFC Home Warranty has a 30-day waiting period from that date before coverage officially begins, which is typical for a home warranty company.
Keep this waiting period in mind when you receive your signup confirmation and effective date.
Filing Claims
Similar to the signup process, you can file a claim through the online portal or the 24/7 claims phone line. Here’s an overview of our tester’s claims process experience:
Step 1: Open a Claim
Our team member started her claim using the online portal. AFC Home Warranty provides full details on your selected plan and coverage details on the main screen. From there, she selected “Service Requests” and then “New Request” to start the process.
Step 2: Detail the Item Issue
Next, select the item with the issue and include the issue start date, problem, and any previous issues you may have experienced. AFC Home Warranty requires certain item details, including make, model, serial number, and manufacturer date. These details must be provided before a technician can be assigned or before the claim can be approved. Our tester needed servicing for a toilet that wouldn’t stop running.
Step 3: Choose Your Technician Option, Service Date, and Submit
Next, you will have the option to choose your own technician or have one assigned for your repair. You must also select the days you are available for servicing. You can choose multiple days for your appointment; however, you can’t select a time. Appointment times can be set any time between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Once completed, you can submit your claim.
Our tester shared that the entire process took about five minutes, and she found the portal very intuitive and easy to use. However, there was some confusion after she submitted her claim. She received an email to confirm the submission and a text message that said she needed to call in to complete the process. When she did, the customer service representative stated that the claim process was completed successfully online and that she didn’t need to call in.
Our tester scheduled her appointment about a week after returning from a short vacation. The technician completed the repairs, but the problem returned after several days. She started the claims process again and was assigned a second technician to resolve the issue. Although she paid the service call fee for the first appointment, she didn’t pay a second fee for the follow-up visit.
Despite needing two technicians to resolve the toilet issue, she was satisfied with the service.
Advice From a Homeowner
One recurring theme in negative AFC Home Warranty reviews is miscommunication between the company and contractors, which can cause repair delays. Our tester experienced this firsthand when she scheduled her contractor for repairs. AFC Home Warranty didn’t inform her about a critical step that needed to happen once the technician arrived.
She said, “When I booked the first contractor, the warranty provider did not inform me that the contractor needed to contact the warranty provider once he was at the house to confirm that the fix would be covered. Apparently, the contractor did not know this either.” This confusion caused a delay in getting the repair completed, as both the contractor and our tester were unaware of this key requirement.
To avoid similar delays, we advise that you communicate clearly with both AFC Home Warranty and your contractor before they arrive. Double-check that they know to contact AFC Home Warranty from the job site to confirm coverage.
As our tester noted from her second experience, “When the second contractor had to come out, I made sure he called the provider before he proceeded, and that went smoothly.” This proactive approach can help guarantee a more efficient repair process.
Is AFC Home Warranty Worth It?
AFC Home Warranty is a solid choice for homeowners seeking affordable mid-tier coverage and who value the ability to choose their own technician. Although the company offers competitive coverage limits for some of its appliances, its systems coverage is less impressive, with several limits capped at $500, which is lower than many of its competitors. Additionally, a strict depreciation policy for items older than five years and a $10,000 annual coverage cap can limit value for homeowners with frequent repairs needed on older systems.
We recommend assessing your items’ age and condition before committing to any home warranty provider. We also encourage homeowners to get quotes from three or more providers to find competitive pricing.
How We Evaluated Home Warranty Providers
We use a comprehensive rating methodology to objectively evaluate each home warranty provider. Our research process included speaking with company representatives, obtaining quotes, analyzing sample contracts, and conducting homeowner surveys and focus groups. We also learned about the claims process firsthand by signing up for plans with 11 top home warranty providers.
Each provider is assessed across six key categories, each weighted based on its importance. This contributes to a total score of 100 points, which we then converted into a 5-star rating.
Here’s how our scoring system breaks down:
- Coverage: We assessed how comprehensive a provider’s coverage is, including unique item protection and high annual limits. Companies lost points for having long waiting periods or depreciation policies that reduce payouts for aging items.
- Cost: Providers with competitive pricing and reasonable service call fees received higher scores. We deducted points for excessive surcharges or hidden fees.
- Trustworthiness: We evaluated customer reviews on sites such as the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot, considered responses to complaints, and checked for National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA) membership. Legal issues and short workmanship guarantees resulted in lower scores.
- Plan transparency: Companies with clear policies, well-defined contract terms, and upfront disclosures earned more points.
- Customer support: Providers with multiple claims filing options, fast response times, and accessible support teams ranked higher.
- Flexibility: We awarded points for providers offering a variety of plans, extensive add-on options, the ability to choose your own technician, and flexible cancellation policies.
