The Home Service Club Review (With 2024 Testing Insights)
The Home Service Club offers quick coverage and does not require a home inspection to get your home covered. However, it gets quite a few complaints about denying claims and poor customer service on customer review sites.
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Founded in 2009, The Home Service Club (HSC) is one of the newest players in the home warranty industry. While it doesn’t make our list of the best home warranty companies, it may still work for some homeowners with specific needs. Notably, its plans cover niche items, such as ice makers, trash compactors, and pest control, which aren’t typically covered by other providers. HSC also has a solid catalog of 10 add-ons that you can tack onto your base plan for more coverage, including other nonstandard items like sewage ejector pumps.
However, The Home Service Club does have some problems. It has low customer review scores online, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has flagged several concerning issues with claim payouts and poor customer service. To get an accurate and well-rounded understanding of HSC, we analyzed its sample contract and website, signed up for service to test its claims process ourselves, and read hundreds of customer reviews. In this review, we’ll weigh the good versus the bad to help you decide whether The Home Service Club is right for you.
Our Take on The Home Service Club
The Home Service Club is a middle-of-the-road choice when it comes to home warranty providers. Its coverage caps are below the industry standard of $2,500, and its monthly prices are moderate to high. Lower coverage caps mean you may have to pay out of pocket if your repairs or replacements exceed the limit within your plan term, so if you have items that require expensive repairs, a company with higher coverage caps may be a better choice. However, HSC offers protection for many nonstandard items not commonly included in other home warranty plans, such as roofs and sprinkler systems. Because of this, The Home Service Club can be a good option for homeowners looking for coverage on these specific items.
Another major benefit to The Home Service Club is its coverage of older, worn items. While HSC has a depreciation policy, most home warranty companies won’t cover aged or damaged items at all. For reference, a depreciation policy limits the amount of money a company will pay for an item based on its age and general condition. While these policies can limit payouts, you’ll at least get some money back from The Home Service Club versus none at all.
We Recommend The Home Service Club If You:
- Need coverage for certain niche items not included in other plans
- Have systems and appliances that are old or worn
- Need protection for outdoor utility and septic lines
We Don’t Recommend The Home Service Club If You:
- Want a cheaper home warranty plan
- Have expensive appliances or systems
- Need an appliance- or system-only plan
The Home Service Club Coverage
The Home Service Club offers two home warranty plans: Standard and Comprehensive. The Standard Plan covers major home systems and appliances, such as HVAC, plumbing, refrigerators, and clothes washers and dryers. Its Comprehensive Plan includes all items in the Standard Plan alongside nonstandard inclusions, such as ductwork, hot water pump, sump pump, and plumbing stoppages.
Core Plans
Here is a more detailed look at The Home Service Club’s coverage options.
Standard Plan
HSC’s Standard Plan covers 18 essential home systems and appliances, including air conditioners, heating, dishwashers, central vacuums, and cooktops. This plan’s coverage caps vary by item and range from $300–$2,000. Overall, each item’s cap is lower than what other providers offer. For example, The Home Service Club only covers $2,000 for HVAC repairs while most other companies cover $2,500.
Comprehensive Plan
HSC’s Comprehensive Plan offers everything within the Standard plan and an additional 12 items for a total of 30. This plan includes more nonstandard items, such as ductwork, whole house exhaust and attic fans, and plumbing stoppages. The coverage caps for this plan are the same as the Standard Plan. However, the additional items in the Comprehensive Plan have lower coverage caps of $300–$600.
| Coverage | Standard Plan | Comprehensive Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioning | ✔ | ✔ |
| Alarm wiring | X | ✔ |
| Ceiling fans | ✔ | ✔ |
| Central vacuum | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dishwasher | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dryer | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ductwork | X | ✔ |
| Electrical system | ✔ | ✔ |
| Food center | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garage door opener | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garbage disposal | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garbage-trash compactor | ✔ | ✔ |
| Gas leak | X | ✔ |
| Heating system | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hot water pump | X | ✔ |
| Refrigerator icemaker | ✔ | ✔ |
| Microwave | ✔ | ✔ |
| Oven stove cooktop | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pest control | X | ✔ |
| Plumbing stoppage | X | ✔ |
| Plumbing system | ✔ | ✔ |
| Refrigerator | ✔ | ✔ |
| Smoke detector | X | ✔ |
| Sump pump | X | ✔ |
| Telephone wiring | X | ✔ |
Add-Ons
The Home Service Club has 10 add-ons you can tack on to either the Standard or Comprehensive Plan, as well as a utility line coverage package that covers 6 items. Add-on coverage caps range from $500–$2,000. HSC’s add-on options include the following:
- Freestanding freezer
- Jetted bathtub
- Pool coverage
- Refrigerators with dual compressors
- Roof coverage
- Spa
- Sewage ejector pump
- Sprinkler system
- Utility line coverage package
- Grinder pump
- Outside electric line
- Outside gas line
- Outside sewer line
- Outside water line
- Sprinkler system
- Water softener
- Well pump
The Fine Print
After reading The Home Service Club’s sample contract, we found that its policies are mostly in line with those of other home warranty companies. For example, it doesn’t cover general upkeep, preexisting conditions, and nonessential components such as knobs, doors, or finishes. It also has a helpful early cancellation policy, which allows homeowners to cancel within 30 days with no penalty if they don’t like their service or change their minds.
When digging deeper into its contract, we found several major policies that are not customer-friendly. The first and most considerable is its use of aggregated coverage caps. This policy, which is not common in the home warranty industry, limits the amount of money a customer can claim across all covered items—once you hit this limit, you’ll have to pay out of pocket for repairs. When companies include these aggregated limits, the total value is usually between $10,000 and $15,000. The Home Service Club’s aggregate limit for its Standard Plan is only $6,000, and its Comprehensive Plan has an aggregate limit of $9,000. This means that once you hit these amounts, you’ll have to pay for any repairs during the rest of your plan term yourself. One HVAC repair can cost as much as $3,000, so you could reach the limit quickly if you need multiple home repairs within a year.
The Home Service Club has other policies we aren’t a fan of, including the following:
- Transfer fee: This policy requires you to pay to transfer your policy to the new homeowner if you sell your home. While the cost to transfer can’t exceed $55, most companies don’t charge for this at all.
- Depreciation policy: This policy states that if an item is damaged, old, or worn, The Home Service Club will reduce how much it pays out for claims. This policy is more common among home warranty companies but can lead to surprisingly low payouts if you’re not aware of it.
- Technician assignment policy: HSC doesn’t allow customers to choose their own technicians. This means that you’re limited to only HSC-approved repair people. If you want to choose a technician you’re familiar with, you’ll have to pay out of pocket. These policies, while frustrating, are common. If you want the ability to choose your own technician, we recommend AFC Home Warranty.
The Home Service Club Cost
HSC’s cost varies depending on your plan, location, and chosen add-ons. Here’s what we discovered when secret-shopping at The Home Service Club.
Plan Cost
The Home Service Club’s prices are slightly higher than other providers. We used a 2,187-square-foot home in Tempe, Arizona, to get a sample quote and were given a monthly price of $51.25 for the Standard Plan, or $584.96 annually. The Comprehensive Plan costs $62.50 per month, or $719.96 annually. For comparison, the industry standard is $43–$72 per month.*
The cost of The Home Service Club’s service fee is similarly high at $65–$125 per visit, compared to an industry standard of $70–$100. Service fees are the amount you pay each time a technician visits your home. Unlike other home warranty companies that let you choose your own service fee, HSC assigns you a pre-selected rate. Unfortunately, it only discloses the cost of your service fee after you’ve signed up. What’s more, its add-on prices aren’t clearly listed on its website or in quotes. By comparing price differences at the checkout page, we discovered that its add-ons range in price from $8 to $18 per item monthly.
*We compiled national pricing based on sample quotes we pulled for each state in the United States for a single-family home of less than 3,000 square feet.
Discounts
The Home Service Club offers a first-time buyer promotional discount of 10%. This promotion equated to $80 off of our sample quote’s yearly rate.
Comparing The Home Service Club to Other Top Providers
We awarded The Home Service Club a score of 3.3 on our 5-point rating scale. While its service fees are cheaper on average than our No. 1 pick, American Home Shield (AHS), its monthly premiums are higher. Additionally, its coverage caps are much less impressive compared to AHS, making AHS an overall better option value-wise. If cost is your primary concern, Liberty Home Guard and First American Home Warranty offer lower premiums.
*BBB ratings are accurate as of November 2024.
**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
Customer Reviews: Reddit, BBB, Trustpilot, and More
To get an understanding of what homeowners think of The Home Service Club, we analyzed numerous third-party sources, including the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Reddit, and Trustpilot. Happy customers praised The Home Service Club’s professional technicians and prompt response times. Customers noted that HSC typically responded to service requests within 24 hours. We found several comments that said the service contractor arrived the next day and made quick repairs.
After reading more than 100 available reviews, it’s clear that disgruntled customers feel blindsided by The Home Service Club’s lower-than-expected payouts and denied claims. However, upon reading its service contract, HSC clearly states its coverage limits, exclusions, and depreciation policy. We recommend familiarizing yourself with its plan policies before submitting a claim so you aren’t taken by surprise if it isn’t covered.
Overall, recent online reviews on The Home Service Club lean negative. Keep in mind that its pool of responses is a fraction of other home warranty providers. For example, HSC has 390 reviews on Trustpilot and 1.9 out of 5 stars as of writing this review, while American Home Shield has 7,090 Trustpilot reviews. The response count is similar across all third-party review sites. We don’t think the online reviews for HSC accurately reflect the customer experience, as the sample size is too small.
Below are sample reviews from The Home Service Club’s customers:
“Supervisor, Ki Perez of HSC was compassionate and attentive to my difficult problem … The electrical company who did a service call neglected to communicate the findings of our problems. [which] angered me. I then selected another company, had our problems resolved and submitted the invoice to HSC. Ki was able to assist in [partial] payment of cost. He graciously advised me he would help in our future claims. I am thankful to HSC for the commitment of Ki Perez to help us with future claims.” —Nani Robertson, 2022 on Google Reviews
“If it were possible to give less than one star, I would have done that. The Home Service Club is both inefficient and deceptive. I called to know if my bathroom exhaust fan was covered under my warranty contract. I was informed that it was covered, and they went further to create a claim for me. The claim/service was assigned to a company for [a] technician to come access and repair. As a result, I paid $75 for “service fee” when the assigned technician reported at my property. The technician just did visual inspection and promised to come back after obtaining approval from The Home Service Club. However, to my utmost surprise and disappointment, I received an email from The Home Service Club in which they shamelessly stated, “After careful review, we regret to inform you that your claim is not covered”. —Kevin, August 2024 on Trustpilot
Our Experience With The Home Service Club
As part of our review, one of our team members signed up for a home warranty plan from The Home Service Club and filed a claim. Below is a detailed rundown of that process.
Signing Up
Like most other home warranty companies, the signup process with The Home Service Club is quick and easy. Our team member used the online portal and free quote tool. Once you enter your information, you can choose between HSC’s two plans, pick your add-ons, and adjust your payment frequency. You can enter a promotion code for a discount. Any other currently active discounts will also be applied to your total.
HSC doesn’t list the costs for plans or add-ons on the plan selection screen and only shows itemized prices once you click continue. However, once you’re at the checkout page, HSC shows you how much each individual add-on costs and provides a breakdown of each covered item inside your final plan, which is a nice touch.
Once you’ve reviewed your final price, you can enter your payment information. The Home Service Club only allows credit card payments. Once completed, you’ll receive an email confirmation for the transaction, including your effective service date.
Filing Claims
Similar to the signup process, you can file a claim through the online portal or the claims phone line. Here’s an overview of our team member’s claims process experience:
Step 1: Open a Claim
Our team member used HSC’s online portal to file her claim for a sink faucet with low water pressure. She began the process by clicking the “Start a New Claim” button after logging in to HSC’s website.
Step 2: Detail the Item Issue
Next, our team member entered which system was damaged, the issue she was facing, the time of the damage, a phone number to contact her, and a brief description of the problem. She then submitted the claim. She didn’t need to enter any detailed product information, such as part or serial numbers, which is unusual compared to other home warranty claim forms we’ve tested.
Step 3: Choose Your Technician Option and Service Date and Submit
Next, your claim is reviewed, and a technician is assigned and contacts you to set up an appointment. However, our team member’s claim was denied due to an error. She had to then reach out to customer support to contest the denial and correct any errors. During this time, the problem with the faucet was resolved. Overall, our team member said that the experience using the online claim submission system was easy. She did note that the contract information and billing section lacked any form of payment history.
Advice From a Homeowner
We spoke to a homeowner named Neil F. to learn how he maintains and protects his home’s systems and appliances. While Neil is not an HSC customer, he does have a plan with Select Home Warranty.
Neil shared that he’s had an overall positive experience with his home warranty. He explained that finding value in a home warranty plan comes down to understanding exactly what is and isn’t covered. He also expressed a sense of comfort in knowing that some items in his home are guaranteed to be protected, despite not being covered by other policies, like his home insurance.
“It all depends on what breaks, what’s covered, and what will be replaced or repaired, but it is sort of that peace of mind that there is coverage of stuff that’s not covered [elsewhere],” Neil said.
Based on our learnings from Neil’s experience, we recommend reviewing your service contract during the signup process so you have a clear understanding of what it covers and any exclusions that may come into play.
Is The Home Service Club Worth It?
The Home Service Club is worth it if you’re looking for a warranty plan that covers specific, nonstandard items, such as pest control, hot water pumps, and sewage blockages. HSC can also be valuable for homeowners with older, worn-down items. Though it may provide lower payouts for these-worn down items due to its depreciation policy, many home warranty companies won’t cover these items at all.
Some customers have complained that The Home Service Club denies claims and provides lower-than-expected payouts, but we found their sample contract to be clear and concise regarding coverage caps, item depreciation, and exclusions. We suspect that a majority of homeowners who complained weren’t aware of The Home Service Club’s exclusions or how much a depreciation policy can affect a claim payout.
How We Evaluated Home Warranty Providers
We use a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each home warranty company we review. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts, and running focus groups and homeowner surveys.
We use this information to score each provider in six comparison categories that we think are most important when choosing a home warranty. We rate each provider across 23 factors within those categories. Each factor is assigned a point value based on its importance to a homeowner, totaling 100 points. We convert the final scores to a 5-star rating.
Here’s a breakdown of our weighted factors:
- Coverage (35%): This category looked at how comprehensive each provider’s coverage was, including whether they covered unique items. Companies that covered the most items and had higher annual limits received the highest scores. We docked points from providers that impose long waiting periods or had depreciation policies that decrease your payouts for aging items.
- Cost (20%): We looked at average monthly prices and service call fees. We gave the most points to companies that offer pricing at or below the industry average and don’t impose any surcharges or extra fees.
- Trustworthiness (15%): To gauge reputation and reliability, we reviewed customer ratings across sites like the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot as well as companies’ responses to complaints. We also checked for National Home Serice Contract Assocation (NHSCA) membership. Providers with the highest ratings and longest workmanship guarantees received higher scores. We deduced points for any ongoing legal issues.
- Plan transparency (10%): We read terms, policies, and disclosures in provided contracts and on each company’s website. Providers with transparent contract details and policies received more points.
- Customer support (10%): Companies with multiple claims filing options, fast response times, and accessible customer support scored well in this category.
Flexibility (10%): We awarded more points for providers offering more plan options, larger add-on catalogs, the ability to choose your own technician, and customer-friendly cancellation policies.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
