Best Home Warranty for HVAC (2024)
Imagine it’s the middle of a heatwave or a cold snap, and your HVAC system gives out right when you need it most. It’s every homeowner’s nightmare, but with the right home warranty plan, you’ll have quick access to licensed technicians and reduced repair costs that won’t break your budget.
We evaluated 13 providers and selected the best home warranty companies for HVAC coverage. Our top pick is American Home Shield, which offers some of the highest coverage amounts available (also known as coverage caps), extended HVAC protection, and coverage for preexisting conditions.
Top Home Warranty Companies for HVAC Systems
After reviewing 13 home warranty providers, we chose these five companies as the best for your HVAC system:
- American Home Shield: Best for Comprehensive Coverage
- First American Home Warranty: Best for High-End Items
- Elite Home Warranty: Best for Customized Coverage
- Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Support
- Choice Home Warranty: Best Basic Coverage
Comparing Top Home Warranty Companies on Cost and HVAC Coverage
We requested quotes from 13 companies for a single-family home of less than 3,000 square feet. The following table compares our top five picks using key scoring factors, including monthly cost, coverage caps, and service call fees.
| Provider | HVAC Coverage Score* | HVAC Coverage Caps | Monthly Cost for HVAC | Service Fee | Get a Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | AC: $5,000, Heating: $5,000 | $47–$106 | $100–$125 | VISIT SITE | |
| Excellent | AC: Unlimited, Heating: Unlimited | $47–$87 | $100–$125 | VISIT SITE | |
| Good | AC: $3,000, Heating: $3,000, HVAC System: $5,000 | $44–$58 | $70 | VISIT SITE | |
| Good | AC: $2,000, Heating: $2,000 | $49–$59 | $65–$125 | VISIT SITE | |
| Fair | AC: $3,000, Heating: $3,000 | $46–$55 | $100 | VISIT SITE |
*Scoring is based on key HVAC coverage, including coverage caps, item inclusion, and additional HVAC services offered.
Best HVAC Home Warranty Providers Reviewed
Below is a detailed overview of our top home warranty providers for HVAC coverage.
American Home Shield
First American Home Warranty
Elite Home Warranty
Liberty Home Guard
Choice Home Warranty
Our Experience Filing an HVAC-Related Claim
In addition to requesting a quote from each company, a member of our team purchased a plan from Choice Home Warranty for their home. She documented her experience to share with homeowners.
The team member filed a claim through Choice’s online portal when her air conditioner stopped working. She logged on to the online portal and completed her claim within five minutes.
Choice Home Warranty arranged for a technician to come to her home and diagnose the issue two weeks later. The technician determined that a disconnected reader was the cause of the problem and completed repairs the same day. The problem was resolved in just one visit, making for a mostly satisfying experience.
What HVAC Parts Are Covered by a Home Warranty?
Home warranties are great for protecting your HVAC system, but they don’t cover every breakdown. They’re designed to handle the normal wear and tear of using your system over the years. In addition, the extent of coverage can vary between providers. For example, many home warranty companies include ductwork in their plans but may not cover issues such as breaks, leaks, or collapsed sections.
The table below compares the coverage provided by the top home warranty providers for their most comprehensive plans for common HVAC parts and services.
Key HVAC Coverage By Provider
| HVAC Coverage | American Home Shield | First American Home Warranty | Elite Home Warranty | Liberty Home Guard | Choice Home Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent AC Units (Central, wall, mini-split) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Window or Portable AC Units | 𝗫 | ✔ | 𝗫 | ✔ | 𝗫 |
| Furnaces | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Heat pumps | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ductwork | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Thermostats | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Refrigerant recharging | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 𝗫 | 𝗫 |
| Registers and grills | ✔ | ✔ | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | 𝗫 |
| Multiple cooling or heating units | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | 𝗫 | ✔ | 𝗫 |
| HVAC annual maintenance | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | 𝗫 | 𝗫 |
How Much Does HVAC Coverage Cost?
A home warranty with HVAC coverage usually costs between $528 and $700 per year, depending on the provider and the specific coverage. Opting for one of these plans can be very beneficial, as HVAC repairs or replacements can be pricey, often costing thousands of dollars. With a warranty, you’ll only need to pay a fixed service fee, which can protect you from unexpected expenses associated with emergency repairs and costly contractors. Keep in mind that you may also need to pay some out-of-pocket costs if repair prices exceed your coverage limit.
The below chart shows what you could expect to pay to repair or replace parts of your HVAC system without a home warranty plan:
| HVAC Issue | Average Cost* for Repair or Replacement |
|---|---|
| Drain line clogging | $75–$200 |
| Capacitor | $100–$250 |
| Refrigerant recharge | $100–$500 |
| Heat exchanger | $100–$1,500 |
| Blower or motor issues | $200–$700 |
| Refrigerant leaks | $250–$1,500 |
| Ductwork repair | $500–$2,000 |
| Coil replacement | $600–$2,400 |
| Compressor failure | $800–$3,000 |
| New furnace | $2,600–$6,200 |
| New AC | $3,800–$7,500 |
Reading the Fine Print of Your HVAC Coverage Plan
Most HVAC plans come with specific exclusions and limitations that can affect the coverage for your system. Below are common exclusions found in HVAC home warranties:
- Damage caused by natural disasters: Systems damaged by severe weather events, such as storms or tornadoes, won’t receive coverage under a home warranty plan. You would need homeowner’s insurance for this type of coverage.
- Personal heating, cooling, humidity, and air regulators: Most home warranty plans do not cover personal heating and cooling devices. Other exclusions include humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and electronic air cleaners.
- Poor maintenance: If you don’t keep your HVAC system in good shape, you might find that your warranty doesn’t cover repairs. Some companies may even ask for past maintenance records, and if they see neglect, they could deny your claim.
- Preexisting conditions: Preexisting conditions and damage include any issues that existed before your home warranty coverage began. In our 2024 survey of 1,000 home warranty users, 50% of homeowners whose claims were denied cited preexisting conditions as the reason. Only certain home warranty companies, including American Home Shield and First American Home Warranty, offer these protections, so it’s important to review your plan in detail.
How To Choose the Right Home Warranty
When reviewing HVAC coverage in a home warranty plan, check the coverage caps closely. These limits hover around $2,000 on average, but they can vary quite a bit between providers. Opt for a plan that meets or exceeds this limit to ensure your heating and cooling systems are adequately protected.
Keep an eye on SEER rating requirements, too. Some home warranty companies won’t cover systems with a SEER rating below 13, which can be an issue for older units that aren’t as energy-efficient. Make sure the plan you choose fits your specific HVAC system—most plans cover central AC and heating, but some might limit coverage for different types, like window units or ductless systems.
Lastly, check whether the warranty has ongoing maintenance requirements. Many companies expect you to maintain your system regularly to keep it running smoothly and lower the risk of breakdowns. Even if you don’t have a home warranty, it’s a good idea to stay on top of HVAC maintenance to avoid surprises down the line.
Advice From Real Homeowners
No homeowner wants to deal with HVAC issues, but having a plan for when your system breaks down can save time and money. We spoke with two homeowners, Sonia C. and Callie M., who encountered recent issues with their systems.
Sonia, who did not own a home warranty, opted to replace the 15-year-old system in her Raleigh, North Carolina, home after being quoted more than $8,000 for repairs. She made the decision less than a year after paying to replace a blower motor.
“I wish I’d had a home warranty because it would have covered the cost,” Sonia said. “It was a very sudden, unexpected expense that I wasn’t prepared for at all because I had just repaired it the year before. [Your air conditioner] is something you need, especially in North Carolina. If your house is 90 degrees, you can’t function.”
Callie, whose Wilmington, Delaware, home was built in 1953, said she would be reluctant to purchase a home warranty due to common coverage exclusions for older homes. But she does advise scheduling regular inspections and maintenance so you can avoid waiting a long time for repairs.
“Always have your HVAC inspected at the end of the season because that’s when it’s going to be the easiest to schedule maintenance,” Callie said. “We scheduled our heater maintenance in April, and the company we hired completed it in the last week of September.”
Methodology: How We Evaluated Providers on HVAC Coverage
To gain a complete view of the home warranty space, we consulted industry experts, researched providers and compared coverage, spoke with company representatives, and tested 11 home warranty companies firsthand. We also surveyed 2,000 home warranty plan holders and spoke with homeowners to understand their coverage needs and purchase habits.
Using this research, our team developed a detailed methodology to score each company on six categories: coverage (35%), cost (20%), trustworthiness (15%), plan transparency (10%), customer support (10%), and flexibility (10%).
When evaluating home warranty companies based on their HVAC coverages, we focused on the following factors:
- HVAC coverage caps: When choosing a home warranty, it’s important to select coverage with adequate limits to reduce or eliminate expected repair and replacement costs. We selected home warranty providers that offered a minimum of $2,300 in coverage for heating and cooling systems, which we found to be the median coverage offered by many providers. Companies that met or exceeded this limit received higher points. We did not consider home warranty providers that offered caps below $2,000.
- Item inclusions: The best HVAC coverage protects the most important parts of your system. We checked for key items, including AC units, ductwork, furnaces, heat pumps, and other key system components and services. We left out companies that offered limited protection or excluded essential items.
- Additional HVAC-related services or benefits: Companies received higher scores if they provided additional HVAC-related services or add-ons. Some examples include add-ons for annual HVAC maintenance or discounts on air filters. These added benefits help extend your HVAC coverage and cost savings.
- First-hand experience submitting claims: Our team gained firsthand experience by submitting home warranty claims for HVAC repairs and replacements. This experience helped us learn more about the claim process and evaluate the responsiveness of different providers.
- Expert opinions: To gain a better perspective on home warranty coverage for HVAC systems, we consulted two experts for insights for this article. We spoke with Angel Conlin, Chief Insurance and Compliance Officer at Kin Insurance. We also consulted Tim David, CEO of Airlucent.com and owner of David HVAC Services, based in Alabama.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
