Choice Home Warranty and First American Home Warranty provide comprehensive coverage plans for major home systems and appliances such as a water heater and refrigerator. While Choice Home Warranty covers more items in its plans and offers more optional add-ons, First American offers a unique First Class Upgrade.
Continue reading to learn more about Choice Home Warranty and First American plans, pricing, and customer reviews, and determine which is the best home warranty company for you and your home.
Our Take
Choice Home Warranty has cheaper service fees, covers more items, and is available in more states. However, First American Home Warranty has a better BBB rating, more experience, and cheaper monthly plans. Both Choice Home Warranty and First American Home Warranty are highly reputable companies in the home warranty industry.
Side-by-Side Comparison: Choice Home Warranty vs First American Home Warranty
Comparison |
Choice Home Warranty |
First American Home Warranty |
|---|---|---|
This Old House rating |
9.1/10 |
8.4/10 |
Get a free quote |
Visit site |
|
Promotional offer |
$50 off plus one month free |
N/A |
Coverage options |
Basic Plan, Total Plan, and optional add-ons |
Basic Plan, Premier Plan, and optional add-ons |
Monthly premiums |
$36.17–$43.85 per month |
$28.00–$42.50 per month |
Service fee deductible |
$60–$85 |
$75–$100 |
State availability |
48 states (excludes CA and WA) |
35 states (excludes AK, ND, MN, WI, IL, NY, VT, NH, ME, MA, CT, RI, DE, HI, and LA) |
BBB rating |
B |
B |
Years in business |
12 |
36 |
Pros and Cons of Choice Home Warranty
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has a 90-day repair guarantee | Doesn’t offer coverage in California or Washington |
| Provides 24/7 customer service | Not accredited by the BBB |
| Offers a two-day repair timeframe after a customer submits a claim |
Known for its affordable cost and 24/7 customer service, Choice Home Warranty will send a service contractor out to a customer’s home within two business days of receiving a claim. Because of these positive traits, we recognized Choice as the home warranty company with the best service.
Note: Choice Home Warranty is currently facing a lawsuit that alleges misleading language and advertising related to claims. To read more about this lawsuit, click here.
Pros and Cons of First American Home Warranty
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Has 36 years of experience in the home warranty industry | Doesn’t offer a promotion for new customers |
| Offers a First Class Upgrade that protects items if they were improperly installed or maintained | Offers only five optional add-ons |
| Doesn’t have a coverage cap on heating, cooling, or ductwork |
First American Home Warranty is one of the most popular home warranty companies in the industry. We named First American as the home warranty company with the best value because of its affordable plans and coverage for improperly installed or maintained appliances and systems.
Choice Home Warranty vs. First American Home Warranty Coverage
Choice Home Warranty covers more items in its plans than First American Home Warranty, and it offers more optional add-ons for purchase. However, First American offers a unique optional add-on with its First Class Upgrade that provides coverage for cosmetic damage on home systems or appliances.
Choice Home Warranty Coverage
Choice Home Warranty offers two plans: a Basic Plan and Total Plan. The Basic Plan covers 14 essential appliances and systems in the home, while the Total Plan covers 18 items, including coverage for an air conditioner, refrigerator, washer, and dryer.
Compare Choice Home Warranty coverage below:
CHW Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Basic Plan | Total Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioner | ✓ | |
| Refrigerator | ✓ | |
| Clothes Washer | ✓ | |
| Clothes Dryer | ✓ | |
| Heating System | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electrical System | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plumbing System | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plumbing Stoppages | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water Heater | ✓ | ✓ |
| Whirlpool Bathtub | ✓ | ✓ |
| Oven, Range, and Stove | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cooktop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in Microwave | ✓ | ✓ |
| Garbage Disposal | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ductwork | ✓ | ✓ |
| Garage Door Opener | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ceiling Fans and Exhaust Fans | ✓ | ✓ |
Choice Home Warranty also offers these nine optional add-ons:
- Stand alone freezer
- Second refrigerator
- Sump pump
- Septic system
- Limited roof leaks
- Pool and spa
- Well pump
- Septic tank pumping
- Central vacuum
First American Home Warranty Coverage
Like Choice Home Warranty, First American Home Warranty offers two coverage plans: a Basic Plan and Premier Plan. The Basic Plan covers eight home appliances, while the Premier Plan covers 16 systems and appliances, including coverage for heating, electrical, and plumbing systems.
Here’s what each First American plan covers:
FAHW Coverage Breakdown
| Plan | Basic Plan | Premier Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Washing Machine | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clothes Dryer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Refrigerator | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ | ✓ |
| Oven, Range, and Cooktop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microwave | ✓ | ✓ |
| Garbage Disposal | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trash Compactor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plumbing | ✓ | |
| Plumbing Stoppages | ✓ | |
| Heating System | ✓ | |
| Water Heaters | ✓ | |
| Electrical Systems | ✓ | |
| Garage Door Opener | ✓ | |
| Ductwork | ✓ | |
| Central Vacuum System | ✓ |
Additionally, First American Home Warranty offers these five optional add-ons:
- Central air conditioning system
- Well pump
- Pool and spa equipment
- Secondary refrigeration
- First Class Upgrade*
*In addition to covering systems and appliances if they were improperly installed, modified, or maintained, the First American First Class Upgrade comes with these benefits:
- Covers expenses from using cranes during installation
- Covers expenses related to the hauling away or removal of an appliance
- Pays up to $250 where local building permits are required for replacing appliances
Choice Home Warranty vs. First American Home Warranty Cost
Choice Home Warranty and First American Home Warranty offer affordable monthly premiums, but First American offers a lower premium cost than Choice Home Warranty. Regarding service fees, both providers allow you to select your own service fee within a given range, with Choice Home Warranty offering cheaper service call fees.
Note: The cost of a home warranty is affected by factors like the square footage of your home and where you live, so the best way to determine how much a home warranty plan will cost is by requesting a free quote from a few different home warranty companies.
Home Warranty Cost Comparison
| Company | Choice Home Warranty | First American Home Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Premium Cost | $36.17–$43.85 per month | $28.00–$42.50 per month |
| Service Fee | $60–$85 | $75–$100 |
Choice Home Warranty vs. First American Home Warranty Reviews
First American Home Warranty is accredited by the BBB and received a slightly more positive rating from the organization than Choice Home Warranty did. Regarding customer reviews, First American Home Warranty reviews are slightly more positive, on average, than Choice Home Warranty reviews.
Home Warranty Reviews Comparison
| Company | Choice Home Warranty | First American Home Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| BBB rating | B | B |
| BBB accreditation | No | Yes |
| Number of customer reviews on BBB webpage | 1,429 reviews | 1,824 reviews |
| Average Trustpilot customer review rating (out of 5 stars) | 3.9 stars | 4.0 stars |
| Number of customer reviews on Trustpilot webpage | 10,788 reviews | 4,958 reviews |
Our Conclusion
Choice Home Warranty and First American Home Warranty both offer reputable home warranty plans at affordable prices. If you’re looking for basic coverage, consider Choice Home Warranty, but if you want protection for items that have been improperly installed or maintained, First American may be a better option.
Before you buy a home warranty, we recommend getting free quotes using the panel below to help you decide which provider is the best fit for your home warranty needs.
Compare Top-Rated Home Warranty Providers
If you’re still not sure whether Choice Home Warranty or First American Home Warranty are right for you, take a look at other top-rated home warranty providers below.
Home Warranty Comparison Chart
American Home Shield |
Select Home Warranty |
|
|---|---|---|
Get a free quote |
||
This Old House rating |
9.5/10 |
8.9/10 |
Best for |
Overall |
Lowest deductibles |
Monthly cost |
$39.99–$57.99 |
$36–$38 |
Service fee |
$75–$125 |
$60–$75 |
BBB rating |
B |
B- |
Years in business |
49 |
8 |
States covered |
49 states (excludes Alaska) |
46 states (excludes Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Wisconsin) |
To learn more about these home warranty companies, read our in-depth reviews:
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each provider. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts from each company, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys. We then score each provider against our review standards for coverage, value, trustworthiness and transparency, availability, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.