American Home Shield (AHS), Choice Home Warranty (CHW), and First American Home Warranty (FAHW) are our top-rated companies for home appliance insurance, also known as appliance home warranties. Home appliance insurance covers routine repair and replacement of major kitchen items such as dishwashers, built-in microwaves, and garbage disposals. In this article, we detail each company’s appliance coverage and cost, highlight some exclusions to be aware of, and explore some pros and cons.
Key Takeaways
- Our top-ranked home appliance insurance company is American Home Shield.
- If price is a concern, consider Choice Home Warranty’s comprehensive plan—it’s less than $60 per month and covers 10 major appliances and systems, such as HVAC and plumbing.
- Over 40% of the respondents to our 2024 home warranty survey filed their most recent claim for an appliance repair or replacement.
Top Home Appliance Insurance Providers
We chose the following providers as our top picks for home appliance warranties:
- American Home Shield: Best Comprehensive Coverage
- Choice Home Warranty: Best Basic Plan Coverage
- First American Home Warranty: Best for High-End Items
- Elite Home Warranty: Best for Flexible Coverage
- AFC Home Warranty: Best Technician Flexibility
Compare Home Appliance Insurance Companies
Below, we compare key components of our top-rated providers. We sourced pricing for homes under 4,000 square feet across the U.S. to provide a cost range for each company. Pricing will depend on your state, your home’s specifics, and the plan you choose. Note that each company’s service fees can vary widely, affecting your total out-of-pocket cost.
| Provider | Logo | Our Score (Out of 5) | Service Fee* | State Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
American Home ShieldGet Quote |  | $100–$125 | 49 states (ex. AK) | |
Choice Home WarrantyGet Quote |  | $100 | 48 states (ex WA & CA) | |
First American Home WarrantyGet Quote |  | $100–$125 | 35 states | |
Elite Home WarrantyGet Quote |  | $70 ($150 for after hours and weekends) | 47 states (ex. CA, TX, & WI) | |
AFC Home WarrantyGet Quote |  | $75–$125 | 48 states (ex. CA & HI) |
*Pricing may vary depending on your home’s location, size, type, and your plan choices.
Our Review of the Best Home Appliance Insurance Companies
We evaluated the nation’s largest home warranty companies to determine our rankings. We have spent 4,800 hours researching providers, surveyed 1,000 homeowners, and read over 57,000 customer reviews. We used our rating methodology—based on key factors such as cost, coverage, and trustworthiness—to determine the top five home appliance insurance companies.
Monthly Cost: $30–$130
Service Fee: $100–$125
Appliance-Only Plan: No
Appliance Highlights
American Home Shield covers more appliances than any company on this list, including basics such as built-in microwaves, ranges/ovens, kitchen refrigerators, washers, dryers, and dishwashers, as well as installed hot or cold water dispensers, ceiling fans, and attic fans. We also like that AHS doesn’t exclude baskets, trays, rollers, doors, and other cosmetic parts of appliances from its coverage.
American Home Shield Overview
American Home Shield is our top pick for its comprehensive major appliance coverage and high coverage limits of up to $4,000 for appliances and $5,000 for most systems. Unlike several competitors, AHS doesn’t exclude older appliances, physically damaged appliances, or preexisting conditions as long as they can’t be detected during a visual inspection or a test, such as turning an appliance on and off.
You’ll pay for AHS’ full coverage, though, as the provider has some of the highest middle- and top-tier premiums on this list. And AHS doesn’t offer appliance-only coverage, so you’ll have to purchase full comprehensive coverage that protects your home systems, too.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Provides high appliance coverage caps of up to $4,000
- Covers old or damaged items
- Covers many appliance parts and components
Cons
- Has higher monthly premiums and service fees than other providers
- Doesn’t have an appliance-only plan
Plan Details and Cost
While American Home Shield offers three possible plans, the lowest plan only includes systems coverage. The AHS sample contract details the plan differences. AHS covers all parts for appliances included in each plan, offering some of the best appliance coverage of our top providers. Some companies, such as Elite Home Warranty, don’t cover dishwasher racks or rollers, but AHS covers the entire appliance. AHS offers a standard 30-day workmanship guarantee, meaning that if your item experiences further issues, AHS will arrange to repair it for free.
Below are details for the two plans with appliance coverage. Prices depend on your location.
- ShieldGold ($50–$100 per month): The ShieldGold tier covers major systems and appliances, including kitchen refrigerators, built-in microwaves, ranges and ovens, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and garbage disposals, plus major systems, such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.
- ShieldPlatinum ($80–$130 per month): AHS’ top plan includes all of the ShieldGold coverage plus additional benefits such as roof-leak repairs and annual HVAC tuneups.
Choice Home Warranty
Monthly Cost: $47–$55
Service Fee: $100
Appliance-Only Plan: No
Appliance Highlights
Choice Home Warranty offers a Total Plan, which covers almost as many appliances as AHS, excluding installed hot and cold water dispensers. It covers almost all parts and components of built-in microwaves, refrigerators, ranges and ovens, exhaust fans, washers and dryers, dishwashers, garbage disposals, and ceiling and attic fans. However, CHW’s Basic Plan doesn’t cover refrigerators, clothes washers and dryers, or air conditioners. You can get the Total Plan’s full coverage for less than $10 extra per month. While CHW’s coverage limits of $3,000 per appliance aren’t as high as AHS’, neither are its premiums.
Choice Home Warranty Overview
Choice Home Warranty offers comprehensive coverage for appliances and major home systems at a more affordable price than competitors. CHW provides limits of up to $3,000 per year for each appliance it covers, with few exclusions—appliance parts such as trays, switches, sensors, and gaskets. However, the company has faced multiple lawsuits and legal issues in the last several years, including an ongoing lawsuit with the state of Arizona over alleged consumer fraud.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Costs less than $60 per month for its Total Plan with appliance and systems coverage
- Offers a $3,000 coverage cap for all standard appliances
- Provides transparent online quotes with clearly displayed add-on costs
Cons
- Is involved in an ongoing lawsuit in Arizona
- May be difficult to resolve more than one claim, according to our in-house tester
Plan Details and Cost
Choice Home Warranty offers two comprehensive plans, the Basic and the Total Plan. Its sample agreement outlines its $3,000 coverage limit for all standard appliances. Add-on coverage (except for pools, sump pumps, and second refrigerators) has a $500 coverage limit. CHW offers a 60-day workmanship guarantee for parts and 90 days for labor.
Here’s an overview of CHW’s service plans:
- Basic Plan ($47 per month): This plan covers some appliances and systems, excluding air conditioners, washers, dryers, and refrigerators. We recommend skipping this plan given its exclusion of three major appliances.
- Total Plan ($55 per month): This top-tier plan adds coverage for ACs, washers, dryers, and kitchen refrigerators.
First American Home Warranty
Monthly Cost: $42–$82
Service Fee: $100–$125
Appliance-Only Plan: No
Appliance Highlights
First American Home Warranty offers decent appliance coverage with its middle Essential Plan or top Premium Plan. Its lowest-tier Starter Plan provides limited appliance coverage, excluding basic appliances such as clothes washers and dryers, and excluding parts. FAHW is one of our top picks for appliances because of its generous $7,000 coverage limit per appliance with its Premium Plan—a higher limit than any competitor—plus parts coverage. It’s also the only company on our list to cover trash compactors.
First American Home Warranty Overview
We recommend First American Home Warranty if you need substantial coverage for your high-end appliances. Its Premium Plan offers up to $7,000 for most appliances and unlimited coverage for washers and dryers. It also provides robust coverage for your HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems. The Premium Plan includes additional coverage, such as roof-leak protection and haul-away costs. However, we find that its Starter plan is not worth the price, as this limited appliance coverage excludes parts.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Provides a $7,000 coverage limit for appliances with its Premium Plan
- Includes unlimited coverage for washers and dryers in the Premium Plan
- Appliance age doesn’t affect coverage
Cons
- Won’t cover appliances with preexisting conditions unless you pay for an upgrade
- Doesn’t cover many appliance parts such as lights, knobs, dials, and clocks in the Starter Plan
Plan Details and Cost
First American Home Warranty offers three plans—the Starter, Essential, and Premium plans. The sample contract details coverage caps for each tier: Appliances have a $3,500 coverage limit or cap, or a $7,000 coverage cap with the Premium Plan (excluding washers and dryers, which have unlimited coverage caps). It extends a 30-day workmanship guarantee.
Here’s an overview of FAHW’s service plans. Prices will change based on your service fee. The $100 service fee yields monthly premiums that are $5 more than with the $125 service fee.
- Starter Plan ($42–$47 per month): This plan covers some systems and appliances, including heaters, but it excludes refrigerators, water heaters, washers, and dryers.
- Essential Plan ($57–$62 per month): This plan adds coverage for additional appliances (kitchen refrigerators, washers, and dryers) and electrical systems, including garage door openers and HVAC.
- Premium Plan ($77–$82 per month): This highest-tier plan also provides roof-leak coverage, higher spending limits for appliances, and out-of-pocket expenses for code upgrades and haul-aways.
Elite Home Warranty
Monthly Cost: $50–$60
Service Fee: $70
Appliance-Only Plan: Yes
Appliance Highlights
Elite Home Warranty is one of two companies on our list with an appliance-only plan. While this plan covers most major appliances, including built-in microwaves, ranges and ovens, refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and garbage disposals, it excludes exhaust fans—and it only covers parts and components that affect the appliance’s functionality. Elite has the largest exclusion list of any company in this review and will not cover repair or replacement for doors, hinges, trays, rollers, switches, sensors, controllers, gears, latches, knobs, dials, alarms, timers, cosmetic damage, or leaks of any kind.
Elite Home Warranty Overview
Elite Home Warranty is a good choice if you need a flexible coverage plan. While its appliance-only and full coverage plans feature a lot of exclusions, it offers the most add-on options (30) of any company we review in this article, and it allows you to combine coverage into a unique warranty that fits your home’s needs. While Elite’s coverage limits vary widely, you can purchase “Premium Appliances” coverage that increases coverage limits on several appliances. Elite also has the lowest service fee on the list, at just $70.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has a low $70 service fee
- Provides coverage for high-end appliances
- Extends 90-day workmanship guarantee
Cons
- Charges a $150 service fee for high-end or after-hours appliance repairs
- Doesn’t cover exhaust fans in either plan
Plan Details and Cost
Elite Home Warranty offers an appliance-only plan, a systems-only plan, and a plan combining both. You can also choose the Customize Your Own policy option and choose the exact item coverage you need, with up to 30 separate options. The company’s sample contract details each item’s coverage limits, which vary widely, unlike competitors on this list. In addition to individual coverage limits, Elite has maximum limits: The company will pay out a maximum of $7,000 per year for all appliances. Elite’s workmanship guarantee is a full 90 days long, three times as long as most competitors.
We detail coverage for Elite’s appliance-only and full coverage plans below.
- Elite Appliances ($50 per month): Elite’s lowest-tier plan is an appliance-only plan that covers eight home appliances, such as stovetops, washing machines, and dishwashers.
- Elite Complete ($60 per month): The highest-tier plan combines Elite Appliances and Elite Systems plans for more comprehensive protection.
AFC Home Warranty
Monthly Cost: $32–$95
Service Fee: $75–$125
Appliance-Only Plan: Yes
Appliance Highlights
While AFC Home Warranty offers an appliance-only Silver Plan, its coverage is somewhat limited. This basic plan doesn’t cover built-in microwaves, exhaust fans, hot and cold water dispensers, or ceiling fans. However, AFC’s Platinum Plan covers exhaust fans and built-in microwaves. Like Elite Home Warranty, AFC’s coverage limits differ, from $150 to a maximum of $3,000 for appliances.
AFC Home Warranty Overview
We recommend AFC Home Warranty if you have a new home. It offers solid coverage options, but coverage limits decrease for appliances over 5 years old. The company offers four distinct plan tiers plus 13 add-on options and a workmanship guarantee for the life of your plan, the best guarantee of any competitor. Plus, you can choose your own contractor to complete repairs. While some systems’ coverage limits are capped at a low $1,000, most HVAC repairs are unlimited.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Assigns customers a dedicated account manager
- Has an unlimited workmanship guarantee
- Allows you to choose your own technician
Cons
- Requires immediate claims submission
- Doesn’t cover items with unknown preexisting conditions
Plan Details and Cost
AFC Home Warranty offers four plans: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. The AFC sample contract includes specific coverage details for each plan. The bottom-tier Silver Plan only offers appliance coverage. Systems coverage begins with the Gold Plan. The Platinum Plan offers additional appliance coverage, and the Diamond Plan offers smart home electronics coverage for your phone, watch, or even gaming device, as well as exterior sewer and water lines.
Below are details for each of AFC’s four plans. Your monthly plan cost is based on your service fee; you’ll pay $7.25 more per month for a $75 service fee than for a $125 fee.
- Silver Plan: The basic plan covers your main appliances, including the kitchen refrigerator, range, washer, and dryer.
- Gold Plan: The next tier adds coverage for major systems, including electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, and heating.
- Platinum Plan: This tier adds coverage for garage door openers, built-in microwaves, plumbing stoppages, faucet repairs or replacement, and icemakers.
- Diamond Plan: The highest tier adds coverage for any electronics in your home that connect to Wi-Fi, exterior sewer lines, and exterior water lines.
What Is Home Appliance Insurance?
Home appliance insurance, also known as a home warranty with appliance coverage, is a supplemental plan you can purchase to cover your major appliances’ expected wear and tear. Typically, home appliance insurance covers major kitchen appliances such as dishwashers, stoves, and built-in microwaves. Good plans also cover refrigerators, washers, and dryers and allow you to add additional appliance coverage, such as for a garage refrigerator.
Home appliance insurance is different from home insurance, which can help you cover unexpected, catastrophic problems such as a fire or flood. Appliance insurance is designed to help you pay for the inevitable appliance breakdowns and replacements that can happen when you own a home. Two main costs are involved: a monthly or annual premium and a service call fee, which you pay when you file a claim.
Video of How Home Appliance Insurance Works
The following video explains the basics of home warranty plans, including home appliance insurance plans.
How Much Does Home Appliance Insurance Cost?
To provide accurate pricing, we requested online quotes through each of our top provider picks for several sample states and verified information by phone when needed. We used a sample address in each state for a home of less than 4,000 square feet.
Some home warranty companies, such as American Home Shield and First American Home Warranty, charge a lower monthly premium if you choose a higher service fee. Others have a set service fee and only offer one monthly premium for each plan tier.
| Provider | Appliance Insurance Plan Monthly Cost* | Service Fee |
|---|---|---|
| American Home Shield | $30–$130 | $100 or $125 |
| Choice Home Warranty | $47–$55 | $100 |
| First American Home Warranty | $42–$82 | $100 or $125 |
| Elite Home Warranty | $50–$60 | $70 |
| AFC Home Warranty | $32–$95 | $75 or $125 |
*Pricing may vary depending on your home’s location, size, type, and your plan choices.
What Does Home Appliance Insurance Cover?
While the best plans cover ten or more common appliances, not every plan provides coverage for common appliances. It’s important to read sample contracts carefully to understand what will be covered.
All of the bottom-tier plans on this list cover the following appliances:
- Dishwashers
- Garbage disposals
- Ranges/ovens/cooktops
All of our providers also offer coverage for the following appliances, although some require you to purchase middle- or top-tier plans:
- Built-in microwaves
- Clothes washers and dryers
- Exhaust fans (over your oven)
- Kitchen refrigerators
What Does Home Appliance Insurance Not Cover?
You should read your home appliance insurance contract carefully, as your coverage has multiple limits. While each provider is different, here are some common exclusions:
- Cosmetic parts of an appliance, including trays, drawers, knobs, doors, and hinges
- Repairs or replacements that would otherwise be covered by a home insurance policy
- Specialty appliances such as garage refrigerators and wine fridges
- Utility bills or food spoilage occurring as a result of a broken appliance
Some plans will not cover preexisting conditions—issues or problems an appliance has before you purchase the plan.
FAQ About the Best Home Appliance Insurance Companies
How does home appliance insurance work?
Home appliance insurance, better known as home warranty coverage, helps you better manage the cost of expected breakdowns of common appliances and systems in your home, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, electrical outlets, and ducts. Home warranties have two main costs—monthly or yearly premiums, and service fees you pay when you make a claim. If a covered item needs repair, you can file a claim on the company’s online portal, and you’ll pay a service fee to the technician who comes out to evaluate the claim.
What does a home warranty cover?
Home warranties typically provide coverage for the repair or replacement of everyday household appliances and systems that sustain everyday wear and tear. Home warranties provide different coverage than home insurance, which covers home repairs due to unexpected accidents such as floods or fires.
Which appliances do home warranties cover?
Home warranties commonly cover appliances such as dishwashers, stoves and ovens, and garbage disposals. Many plans also cover kitchen refrigerators, washers, dryers, built-in microwaves, and exhaust fans.
Our Rating Methodology
To determine the top appliance home warranty companies, we spoke with industry professionals to identify common appliance repairs and replacements.
We back 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 to arrive at a final score on a 5-point rating scale:
- Coverage (35%): For appliance coverage, you want a provider with high coverage caps and full coverage, as many plans exclude certain appliance parts, such as trays, hinges, and doors. The best providers cover major appliances, and coverage begins in 30 days or fewer.
- Cost (20%): We rank providers on monthly (or annual) premiums, service fees, and extra fees. Our highest-ranked providers cost less than $60 per month on average and have an average service fee of $70 or less, with no extra fees charged.
- Trustworthiness (15%): It’s important to work with companies you can trust. Providers rank highest if they have high BBB rankings, no current government lawsuits, and are members of the National Home Service Contract Association.
- Plan Transparency (10%): A provider’s website should clearly state information about its home appliance insurance. Our highest-ranked companies offer transparent online pricing and sample contracts that outline coverage limits and specifics for appliances.
- Customer Support (10%): When filing a claim, you’ll want a fast, easy-to-use claims portal and helpful customer support options in case you have a problem. Our top-ranked companies offer coverage in all 50 states, as well as quick response times and multiple customer service contact options.
- Flexibility (10%): We rank providers highly in this category if they allow you to choose your own technician and add coverage for additional appliances.