Cinch Home Services Review (May 2023)

Cinch Home Services, previously known as Cross Country Home Services, has been in business for more than 40 years and is one of the biggest names in the home warranty industry. Cinch offers three plans with a handful of additional coverage options and a 180-day service guarantee that’s among the strongest in the industry. It’s a popular choice for homeowners due to its willingness to cover items with preexisting conditions and rust and corrosion damage. 

It can be difficult to determine which home warranty is best for you, so the This Old House Reviews Team wrote an in-depth Cinch Home Services review. We analyzed plans, coverage, pricing, and customer reviews to help you determine if Cinch is the best home warranty provider for you.

Annual Home Warranty Cost Calculator

Our team created a calculator to break down the estimated annual cost of owning a home warranty. Enter your monthly premium, service call fee, and estimated number of claims to see your projected annual cost. It’s best to request a quote directly from one of our recommended providers, as annual costs and service fees vary between them.

Lifespan and repair cost data sourced from InterNACHI and Home Depot

Our team rated Cinch Home Services 88 out of 100 for its comprehensive and unique coverage. Cinch covers items other providers don’t, such as built-in food centers and free-standing ice makers. Cinch also provides plan and service fee flexibility via three protection plans and adjustable service call fees. Additionally, it includes a $25 air conditioner and refrigerator filter credit in each plan, making it our choice for the best additional perks. Cinch’s downsides include its costly service call fee range and lack of roof-leak coverage.

Note: The pricing above and throughout the article reflects a sample quote our team pulled for a 1,800-square-foot, single-family home in Boca Raton, Florida. Your pricing may vary based on your location, your home’s size and type, and your plan and add-on selections.

Here are some of the pros and cons of Cinch Home Services:

Cinch Home Services offers an Appliances plan, Built-in Systems plan, and Complete Home plan. The Appliances plan covers major appliances, including clothes washers and cooktops. The Built-in Systems plan covers major systems, such as air conditioners and plumbing systems. The Complete Home plan bundles appliance and system coverage and adds home insurance deductible reimbursement.

Cinch provides a $10,000 annual coverage cap. This means Cinch will take care of repair and replacement costs for any covered item up to $10,000 throughout the plan year. Once you’ve reached the coverage limit, you are responsible for paying additional repair or replacement fees.

Unlike most home warranty companies, Cinch provides coverage for the following:

• Items with unknown preexisting conditions
• Rust and corrosion damage

Cinch offers additional coverage options to supplement your protection plan. Although the options it offers are limited, Cinch adds value by providing extra coverage for items within standard plans. 

It also offers the Premier Upgrade Package, which covers miscellaneous fees, such as code upgrades. Most providers don’t offer an upgrade add-on.

Here are the additional coverage options Cinch provides:

• Pool ($22 per month)
• Pool with spa ($22 per month)
• Premier Upgrade Package ($13 per month)
• Spa ($22 per month)
• Septic tank pumping ($5 per month)
• Well pump ($13 per month)

To get a better understanding of what is and isn’t covered under your Cinch home warranty, review a sample contract to understand the terms and conditions of coverage.

Cinch plan pricing will depend on where you live and the type of coverage you choose. Cinch offers service fees of $100, $125, or $150. If you choose a lower service fee, your monthly premium will be higher; if you choose a higher service fee, your premium will be lower.

Customers can pay for their home warranty plan in monthly installments or make a single annual payment. If you choose to pay in monthly installments, Cinch offers two months of free coverage with the purchase of any plan. This offer excludes optional coverage and add-ons and cannot be combined with any other offers.

Our team requested pricing and plan information using Cinch’s online quote form. It’s straightforward to use; we pulled a quote in under two minutes. Purchasing add-ons is also quick and easy. You simply check the box next to the add-on you’d like, and Cinch automatically adjusts your monthly premium.

The table below indicates the cost of each Cinch Home Services plan:

Cinch Home Services is available in 48 states. The company does not serve Alaska or Hawaii.

If you live in Alaska or Hawaii, here are alternatives:

• Home Warranty Companies in Alaska
• Home Warranty Companies in Hawaii

Cinch Home Services is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has a B rating. Like other top-rated home warranty companies, Cinch Home Services’ reviews consist of feedback from both happy and unhappy customers. Some positive reviews praise the staff for being knowledgeable, while some negative reviews and This Old House readers have noted slow response times.

Here’s a sampling of third-party customer reviews:

“I got a quick response and the service was performed within a weeks time. The service technician called me before coming and was reliable. He needed a new part but instead of making us wait, he drove across town to pick it up came back and fixed our problem. I was impressed overall was good experience.” — Linda H. via Trustpilot on March 15, 2023

“I liked the discounts and free months. I was able to receive with my account what I did not like was well talking to customer service about an issue of an email. The agent hung up on me. I didn’t like that at all. I had to call sales sales in con tact, and they with another person and she was able to take care of my problem swiftly.” — Óscar F. via Trustpilot on February 3, 2023

Here is some feedback a customer shared with our team:

“We bought a house last year that came with a home warranty. The electric hot water heater started leaking. We have now gone five days without water and expect another week before they can get a heater…A new heater and installation from Lowes is $1800-$2200. If we take the Cinch buyout [and cancellation of the applicable section of our warranty], we can get about $1,065 from Cinch. We paid $150 to file the service request. So if we accept the buyout we will end up spending [close to $1,000]! It seems pretty Cinch is slow-walking this process in hopes we will surrender and settle for the payout.” —Jeff B. on May 28, 2021

Our Cinch Home Services review yielded an 8.8 out of 10 score for the company. Not only does Cinch provide extensive coverage on important home items, but it also offers coverage for components and parts such as knobs, doors, and drawers. Further, Cinch provides a $25 credit to use toward filters for your AC or fridge and has an easy-to-use digital dashboard.

Overall, Cinch Home Services may be a good option if you want comprehensive coverage for systems and appliances. Its coverage for items with preexisting conditions, 180-day workmanship guarantee, and extensive network of service providers make it worth considering. However, Cinch may not be a good choice if you need roof-leak coverage or cheaper deductibles.

If you’re still on the fence about Cinch Home Services, see how the company stacks up against other top-rated competitors in the industry. For the best home warranty coverage, we recommend getting a quote from a few different providers so you can compare pricing. By doing this, you’ll also be able to price match with your preferred home warranty company and get the lowest price possible for coverage.

Compare Home Warranty Companies

To learn about other home warranty companies we recommend, read our in-depth company reviews:

• Liberty Home Guard Review
• Select Home Warranty Review
• First American Home Warranty Review

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.