How Much Does a Home Warranty Cost?

Based on our national average, the cost of a home warranty ranges from $644–$737 annually for a one-year plan. The standard service call fee is between $65 and $125. We pulled 120 quotes from our top providers using 2,000-square-foot homes located in over 20 states to obtain our national average. However, your pricing may vary on the type of coverage you choose, your location, home type and size.

A home warranty contract can prevent you from paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair a broken refrigerator or clothes dryer. It provides peace of mind that your important home items will be covered when they break down. We looked at the best home warranty companies and broke down their plans and pricing options for easy comparison.

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Home Warranty Cost Breakdown

A plan with a low monthly cost is ideal if you don’t anticipate filing many claims. If you own older systems and appliances, selecting a plan with a lower service fee may work best since you might file claims frequently.

Here is what you need to know about the two main costs associated with home warranties:

• The monthly cost is the amount you pay every month (or year) for the length of the policy, whether you use it or not.
• The service fee is like a deductible. Whenever you need to submit a claim and call a technician to diagnose a problem, you pay this fee directly to the technician.

It’s important to consider the total cost of owning a home warranty. Choose a provider that fits your budget based on how much you’ll pay per month, plus its service call fee. Companies such as American Home Shield and America’s First Choice Home Club allow you to customize your premium and service fee payments. For example, if you choose to pay a higher service call fee, your premium will be lower, and vice versa. You can make this decision based on the number of claims you estimate submitting over the length of the policy.

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Most companies offer multiple plans with varying monthly costs depending on how comprehensive the coverage is. The graph above highlights estimated provider pricing based on a quote we pulled for a 2,138-square-foot, single-family home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Your monthly premium may vary based on your coverage and your home size, type, and location.

Note: We used the same home in Raleigh, North Carolina, to pull pricing information for each recommended provider in this article. Your costs may vary.

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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.

Note: The annual cost figure generated by our home warranty calculator is not an indication of a company’s actual plan cost, as annual costs and service fees vary based on your plan selections and your home’s size, type, and location.

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For an in-depth look at home warranty pricing, the sections below highlight each company’s policies, how much they cost, and what they cover.

American Home Shield

American Home Shield (AHS) offers comprehensive and flexible home protection. It offers unique coverage, including rust, corrosion, and sediment damage, making it a solid choice for older homes. In addition, American Home Shield offers three plans and two service call fees to customize your coverage and monthly premium. Our team pulled a quote using American Home Shield’s quote form and noticed the company puts a disclaimer stating it covers up to $50,000 per coverage term. In addition, AHS offers coverage in all states except for Alaska and Hawaii.

Pros and Cons of American Home Shield

✔ Provides generous coverage limits for home systems and appliances
✔ Includes guest unit protection as an add-on
✔ Covers items with preexisting conditions and rust, corrosion, or sediment damage

✘ Offers a limited amount of additional coverage
✘ Charges more for its comprehensive plan compared to other providers

The table below highlights American Home Shield’s coverage options:

Plans and Pricing

American Home Shield provides three home warranty coverage options. The ShieldSilver plan covers major systems, while the ShieldGold plan offers coverage for home appliances. ShieldPlatinum covers systems and appliances and includes a discount for HVAC tuning, roof leaks, and code violations coverage. 

In addition, American Home Shield allows you to choose from $100 and $125 service call fees. The higher the service call fee, the lower your monthly payment.  

After reading its sample contract, we discovered American Home Shield pairs a $5,000 coverage cap for major systems. It covers up to $2,000 in the ShieldGold for major appliances. It doubles appliance coverage limits to $4,000 for the ShieldPlatinum plan. 

Here is a pricing overview of American Home Shield’s coverage plans:

Alongside standard plan options, American Home Shield offers add-on coverage. Due to its comprehensive coverage in standard plans, American Home Shield offers limited add-ons. 

• Electronics protection
• Guest unit 
• Pool and spa
• Septic pump
• Well pump

Fill out the American Home Shield quote form or call 844-529-9298 for your customized quote.

Learn more: American Home Shield Review

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Liberty Home Guard

Liberty Home Guard (LHG) offers solid home protection at competitive prices. Liberty Home Guard provides an extensive list of add-on coverage options for those who want coverage for unique items. We read the company’s sample contract and found that Liberty Home Guard includes a 60-day workmanship guarantee per completed repair, double the industry standard of 30 days. LHG offers coverage in all 50 states.

Pros and Cons of Liberty Home Guard

✔ Offers a $2,000 coverage cap per covered item
✔ Provides up to 38 unique add-on coverage options
✔ Includes a 24/7 live chat feature on its website to connect you with a representative quickly

✘ Lacks transparency with service call fee pricing when pulling a quote
✘ Doesn’t provide the monthly premium flexibility other providers offer

The table below highlights Liberty Home Guard’s coverage options in each plan:

Plans and Pricing

Liberty Home Guard offers the following coverage plans: Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. The Appliance Guard plan covers major appliances, and the Systems Guard plan covers major systems. The Total Home Guard is Liberty Home Guard’s most comprehensive plan because it covers systems and appliances. All covered items are subject to Liberty Home Guard’s $2,000 coverage limit, except for electrical and plumbing systems. 

We spoke with a representative, who mentioned Liberty Home Guard assigns its service call fee, which falls between $65 and $125, based on your home’s size, type, location, and plan selections.

Here’s a pricing overview of Liberty Home Guard’s coverage plans:

Fill out the Liberty Home Guard quote form or call 866-452-9107 for your free quote.

Learn more: Liberty Home Guard Review

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Select Home Warranty

Select Home Warranty has an affordable home warranty that provides solid value for your dollar. It provides monthly plans for less than $50 and a low $75 service call fee. Its three plans include roof-leak repair coverage. Other providers offer roof protection as an optional add-on. We spoke with a Select representative, who noted the company allows you to choose your own provider. You must contact Select for approval first, however. We also found Select offers coverage in all states except for Nevada, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Pros and Cons of Select Home Warranty

✔ Includes $400 roof-leak protection in each plan
✔ Provides solid air conditioner and heating system coverage
✔ Allows you to file a claim within three days of discovering an issue

✘ Charges multiple service call fees if you request back-to-back service
✘ Limits coverage caps for all appliances, add-ons, and select systems

The table below highlights Select’s coverage options in each plan:

Plans and Pricing

Select Home Warranty provides three coverage plans: Bronze Care, Gold Care, and Platinum Care. The Bronze Care plan covers home appliances, while the Gold Care protects home systems. The Platinum Care plan combines both systems and appliance coverage.

Select Home Warranty provides a $3,000 coverage limit for cooling and heating systems, making it a solid choice for HVAC coverage. However, we found it limits appliances and certain systems, such as water heaters, to a low $500 coverage limit after reviewing its fine print. Select lowers coverage limits even more for add-ons. That said, it offers cost-effective plans and a low $75 service call fee. It’s worth considering if you are on a tight budget or only need HVAC protection.

Here is a pricing overview of Select Home Warranty’s coverage plans:

Select Home Warranty offers a solid list of additional coverage options. Like its coverage plans, Select’s add-ons are affordable. However, Select provides up to $400 per covered add-on, which is much lower than other provider coverage limits.

• Central vacuum
• Lawn sprinkler system
• Pool
• Septic system
• Spa
• Stand-alone freezer
• Sump pump
• Well pump

Fill out the Select Home Warranty quote form or call 888-370-3956 for your free quote.

Learn more: Select Home Warranty Review

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AFC Home Club

AFC Home Club has four comprehensive coverage plans that you can customize to fit your needs. It offers three service call fees for additional plan flexibility. AFC Home Club provides an unlimited workmanship guarantee that lasts the life of your plan for extra peace of mind. AFC Home Club is available in all states except Hawaii.

Pros and Cons of AFC Home Club

✔ Allows you to choose your own service provider
✔ Provides an in-house customer service team that handles sales, claims, and more
✔ Offers membership benefits such as free credit monitoring

✘ Pays claims for older covered items based on depreciated value rather than actual cost
✘ Includes plumbing stoppage coverage only in the Platinum plan

The table below highlights AFC Home Club’s coverage options in each plan:

Plans and Pricing

AFC Home Club offers Silver, Systems, Gold, and Platinum coverage plans. The Silver plan covers appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, while the Systems plan covers systems. The Gold plan combines systems and appliance coverage, and the Platinum plan adds coverage for built-in microwaves, plumbing stoppages, and more. 

AFC Home Club allows you to choose from a $75, $100, and $125 service call fee. Choosing a higher service call fee lowers your monthly premium and vice versa.

AFC Home Club provides varied coverage caps depending on the covered item. For example, it pairs all appliances with a $3,000 coverage cap. However, it pairs certain systems, such as ductwork, with a $500 limit. After speaking with a representative, however, we believe AFC Home Club offers generous coverage limits for home appliances and HVAC systems overall. If you’re considering coverage for other home systems, we recommend reading AFC Home Club’s sample contract to see if it’s the right provider for your needs.

Here is a pricing overview of AFC Home Club’s plans:

Fill out AFC Home Club’s quote form or call 877-755-1115 for your free quote.

Learn more: AFC Home Club Review

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First American Home Warranty

First American Home Warranty offers some of the most comprehensive coverage compared to other providers, although it leaves out air conditioning in its most basic plan. Each First American plan comes with three service call fee options. It also includes the First American Advantage Upgrade in its mid-tier and comprehensive plans. We discovered the upgrade covers miscellaneous fees, such as appliance removal by crane, by reading its service contract. The company is available in 33 states except Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin. 

Pros and Cons of First American Home Warranty

✔ Provides generous appliance and systems coverage limits
✔ Displays an easy-to-read sample contract on its website
✔ Covers working systems and appliances regardless of age

✘ Offers coverage only in 33 states
✘ Charges higher monthly premiums compared to other providers

The table below highlights First American’s coverage options in each plan:

Plans and Pricing

First American offers three coverage plans: the Starter Plan, the Essential Plan, and the Premium Plan. The Starter and Essential plans cover a variety of essential systems and appliances. A First American representative we spoke with stated the company offers a $3,500 coverage limit per covered appliance. The Premium Plan covers additional items such as luxury appliances and more. Additionally, this plan doubles the appliance limit to $7,000 per covered appliance.

Regarding system coverage caps, First American provides unlimited caps on electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems. Other systems, such as water heaters, have a dollar limit per claim. 

First American allows you to customize your monthly premium by choosing from a $75, $100, or $125 service call fee. Choosing a lower service call fee raises your monthly premium and vice versa.

Here’s a pricing overview of First American’s coverage plans:

First American offers a list of add-on coverage options to supplement your standard coverage. Coverage limits vary based on the item. For instance, First American provides $2,500 for pools. It limits additional refrigeration to $500 per claim. Here is the full list of First American coverage options:

• Additional refrigeration 
• Central air conditioning (Starter Plan only)
• HVAC tune-up
• Limited roof-leak
• Pool/spa equipment
• Septic tank pumping/system
• Water softener
• Well pump

Fill out the First American Home Warranty quote form or call 800-891-9778 for your personalized quote. 

Learn more: First American Home Warranty Review

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Our Conclusion

According to our 2022 survey, more than 63% of all participating homeowners purchased a home warranty to avoid unexpected repair costs. A home warranty can cover your most important systems and appliances for a minimal monthly cost and service fee. We recommend Liberty Home Guard due to its unique add-ons. We also recommend American Home Shield for homeowners who want comprehensive coverage. Finally, Select Home Warranty is worth considering if you are on a budget. Before signing up, we recommend pulling quotes from three providers to compare costs and coverage options.

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What Is a Home Warranty?

A home warranty, also called a home service contract, is a one-year contract that covers repairs or replacements to major appliances or systems in your home that malfunction due to normal wear and tear. It’s separate from home insurance, which covers unexpected damage to a house from natural disasters, fire, or theft. Another type of protection is a manufacturer’s warranty, which covers defects in a particular product.

Essentially, a home warranty covers the damage you expect to happen when you use your heating system or refrigerator for its expected lifespan. Parts wear down over time and eventually break from wear and tear. A home warranty provider could cover the cost of the part and the labor to fix it. If the damage to your appliance or system is major or the parts are no longer available, the home warranty will typically cover the cost of a replacement.

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How To Get a Quote for Home Warranties

Consider several factors when obtaining a home warranty quote. First, think about your coverage needs. Next, consider your budget. Finally, contact a minimum of three providers to compare coverage options and costs. Most companies generate a custom quote via an online tool or by calling a representative.

Based on our experience pulling hundreds of quotes from providers, most home warranty companies require you to enter basic personal information such as your name and phone number. Most providers also require you to enter your ZIP code and your home address. The table below highlights the top home warranty providers we vetted through our in-depth review standards. Contact them to get an accurate price for the cost of coverage for your home.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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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 on a 5-point rating scale. 

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.