We chose American Home Shield (AHS) as the best home warranty company for Illinois residents based largely on its generous $5,000 limit for HVAC coverage. This is key for Prairie State homeowners who don’t want to be stuck with an expensive repair cost for a broken-down heating system in the heart of winter.
We also recommend Choice Home Warranty for cost-conscious Illinois homeowners who want reliable coverage at a reasonable price. Our review of the best home warranty companies in Illinois provides detailed information to help you choose the provider that best meets your needs and fits your budget.
Top Home Warranty Companies in Illinois
In our review of 13 home warranty companies, these five providers scored best for Illinois homeowners:
- American Home Shield: Best Comprehensive Coverage
- Choice Home Warranty: Best Basic Plan Coverage
- Elite Home Warranty: Best for Flexible Coverage
- First American Home Warranty: Best for High-End Items
- Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Support
Comparing Top Providers
We requested sample quotes for each company using a 2,106-square-foot home in Springfield, Illinois. The following table compares these costs and other key factors.
| Provider | Our Score | Monthly Plan Cost* | Service Call Fee | Response Time | BBB Rating** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$36–$100 | $100–$125 | Up to 48 hours | B | ||
$60–$68 | $100 | 24–48 hours | B | ||
$45–$60 | $70 ($150 for after hours and weekends) | Up to 48 hours | B | ||
$77–$130 | $100–$125 | 4–48 hours | B | ||
$57–$68 | $65–$125 | Up to 48 hours | NR |
*Pricing may vary depending on your home’s location, size, and type and your plan choices.
**The BBB is an independent organization that evaluates businesses’ credibility and responsiveness to customers. Ratings are accurate as of January 2025.
**NR, or “No Rating,” means that the BBB has not issued a rating due to an ongoing review or update to a company’s profile.
Our Reviews of Top Providers in Illinois
Below, you’ll find detailed information about the top five home warranty providers we reviewed for Illinois. Our research focused heavily on HVAC coverage and affordability due to the state’s cold winters.
American Home Shield
Workmanship Guarantee : 30 days
Coverage Overview
- Provides $5,000 of HVAC coverage, twice the industry average
- Allows you to customize your plan cost with multiple service call fee options
- Covers items with preexisting damage, which is good for older homes
Keep in Mind
- Has limited add-ons, restricting plan customization and coverage
- Is the most expensive company on this list
Our Review
We chose American Home Shield (AHS) as the best home warranty company for homeowners in Illinois. Unlike most home warranty providers, it covers preexisting conditions, which means any form of damage or wear present before you start your policy. This is a big plus if you have an older home or aging appliances and systems.
We also like AHS’s high HVAC coverage cap of $5,000. A coverage cap is the maximum amount your provider will pay for repairs during your plan term, and most companies only offer $2,500 of HVAC coverage. For Illinois homeowners, this generous limit is invaluable because it decreases the likelihood you’ll have to pay out of pocket if your heating system breaks down. AHS has no coverage limits on most of its other systems, so you won’t have to pay for other high-end replacements, such as electrical wiring. AHS also offers free roof-leak coverage, which can help protect against damaging leaks in Illinois’s flood-prone climate.
AHS does have some downsides. It doesn’t offer an appliance-only plan, so if you only want coverage for your appliances, we recommend another provider like Liberty Home Guard. AHS is the most expensive provider on this list, and it has steep service call fees of $100–$125. A service call fee is the amount you pay when a repair person visits your home. Many providers offer lower fees of $65–$90.
Choice Home Warranty
Workmanship Guarantee : 90 days
Coverage Overview
- Offers basic coverage at a reasonable price
- Will schedule free follow-up repairs if your issue reoccurs within 90 days
- Has coverage caps of $3,000, which is $500 more than most companies
Keep in Mind
- Doesn’t cover essential items in its base plan
- Is named in an ongoing lawsuit with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office
Our Review
We like Choice Home Warranty for a few reasons. For one, it offers a lot of value for the money. Its most expensive plan is only $55 per month, almost half the price of other providers’ higher-tier plans. For this price, Choice offers surprisingly comprehensive coverage with caps of $3,000 for most items, such as heating systems and ductwork. This is $500 more than most companies despite its plan being cheaper than other home warranties.
Choice backs up its plans with an impressive 90-day guarantee for parts and a 60-day guarantee for labor. Workmanship guarantees mean that if an issue reoccurs within a certain time frame of the initial repair, your provider will schedule follow-up repairs for no additional cost.
One thing we don’t like about Choice is that its basic plan doesn’t cover several essential items, including air conditioning, laundry appliances, and refrigerators. You’ll need to upgrade to its higher-tier plan for this coverage, which is an additional $9 per month.
Another issue is that Choice is facing a lawsuit from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. The lawsuit claims that Choice has provided lower-than-expected claim payouts and denied claims its contract should cover. We contacted Choice about the lawsuit, and a representative said that while they couldn’t comment on pending litigation, the company “is committed to providing best-in-class service to every customer.”
Elite Home Warranty
Workmanship Guarantee : 90 days
Coverage Overview
- Allows you to fully customize what coverage you want in your plan
- Has a 90-day workmanship guarantee, three times the industry average
- Has an impressive 27-item catalog for add-ons
Keep in Mind
- Doesn’t cover technicians outside of its network under its workmanship guarantee
- Caps coverage for repairs at $15,000 per year
Our Review
Elite Home Warranty stands out for its customizable plans. Most home warranty companies allow you to choose from a few pre-built plans, whereas Elite allows you to pick and choose the appliances and systems you want covered from a pool of items, ensuring you don’t pay for things you don’t want to be covered. Elite also has 30 add-on options you can tack on to your base plan to cover specialty items such as swamp coolers, sump pumps, and water filtration systems.
Similar to Choice, we like Elite’s workmanship guarantee. However, this guarantee only extends to technicians within Elite’s approved network. If you hire your own contractor, you won’t be protected in the event of a faulty repair.
Another potential drawback is Elite’s $15,000 annual claim limit, which means it will only pay up to $15,000 per year. If you hit this cap, you’ll have to pay for repairs out of pocket for the rest of the year. Because of this policy, we don’t recommend Elite if you own expensive appliances or home systems.
First American Home Warranty
Workmanship Guarantee : 30 days
Coverage Overview
- Includes a $7,000 appliance coverage cap in its highest-tier plan, more than double the industry standard
- Offers unlimited coverage caps for HVAC systems, something especially helpful for Illinois’ cold winters
- Covers damaged or improperly installed items as a free add-on, which most providers don’t offer
Keep in Mind
- Doesn’t have appliance- or system-only plans
- Lacks roof-leak coverage in basic plans
Our Review
First American Home Warranty (FAHW) is recommended if you own items that may need expensive repairs or replacement. It offers a $7,000 coverage cap for appliances and unlimited coverage for most systems, so you won’t have to worry about paying out of pocket. Its unlimited HVAC protection is especially helpful for Illinois homeowners due to the state’s harsh winters.
Another unique perk is the company’s First American Advantage upgrade, which covers items even if they’ve already been damaged from poor upkeep or faulty installation. This is rare in the home warranty industry, as most companies exclude preexisting damage.
The main downside of FAHW is that it doesn’t offer system- or appliance-only plans. If you only want system or appliance coverage, we recommend another provider like Liberty Home Guard. FAHW also lacks roof-leak coverage, which is an important inclusion for states like Illinois that experience flooding.
Liberty Home Guard
Workmanship Guarantee : 60 days
Coverage Overview
- Offers one of the largest add-on catalogs in the industry
- Provides 24/7 live chat, which can be helpful for emergency winter repairs
- Includes a 60-day workmanship guarantee
Keep in Mind
- Doesn’t disclose service call fee rates until after registration
- Has relatively low plumbing and electrical system coverage caps of $500
Our Review
Liberty Home Guard (LHG) has the most add-ons of any company in this article, with a catalog of 42 items. This includes coverage options for plumbing systems and gutter cleaning, both of which are helpful for locations like Illinois with nasty winters; extreme cold can cause broken pipes and other plumbing problems, and clogged gutters can lead to ice dams. We also like LHG’s 24/7 live chat. Not only is this convenient, but it can be especially helpful if you have an emergency repair or question about your policy before filing a claim.
We’re not fans of Liberty Home Guard’s service call fee policy. The company doesn’t disclose its service call fee until after you purchase a plan, unlike providers such as American Home Shield. This practice can feel like a “gotcha” for some homeowners since they won’t know what they’re paying until they’ve signed up.
Our Experience Filing Claims
To research this article, our team members signed up for home warranty plans and tested the claims process directly. One of the companies we signed up for was American Home Shield, our top pick for Illinois.
After starting an AHS plan, our team member filed a claim for a leak in their bathroom. They used the online portal and found the process to be quick and easy.
They were assigned a technician within five minutes. The assigned technicians then reached out to set up a next-day appointment. The technician arrived ahead of schedule, repaired the leak in less than two hours, and advised on how to address a mold issue caused by the leak.
Home Warranty Costs in Illinois
Based on the quotes our team gathered, Illinois homeowners can expect to pay $45–$74 per month for a home warranty plan, or $540–$888 per year. This price closely aligns with the national average of $516–$864 per year. Remember that the actual cost of a home warranty will depend on the provider, type of plan, location, home size, add-on choices, and other factors.
Regarding the total cost of a home warranty, remember to factor in the service call fee and the coverage caps offered by the provider. More expensive replacement costs might exceed the provider’s coverage limit, meaning an out-of-pocket expense for you.
- Illinois average for home warranty costs: $45–$74 monthly, $540–$888 annually
- National average for home warranty costs: $43–$72 monthly, $516–$864 annually
| Provider | Monthly Cost | Service Fee |
|---|---|---|
| American Home Shield | $49–$109 | $100–$125 |
| Choice Home Warranty | $46–$55 | $100 |
| Elite Home Warranty | $44–$59 | $70 |
| First American Home Warranty | $47–$87 | $75–$125 |
| Liberty Home Guard | $49–$59 | $65–$125 |
We compiled the pricing information in this section using sample quotes for five 2,000-square-foot homes located in major cities across Illinois. National pricing is based on sample quotes we pulled for each state in the United States for a single-family home less than 3,000 square feet.
Advice From Homeowners
Illinois experiences intensely cold winters, so having your HVAC system break down can make your home miserable and even dangerous to live in. We spoke to a homeowner named Allison R., who emphasized the importance of regular HVAC upkeep.
“Don’t forget to change your HVAC filter regularly,” she said. “The HVAC techs recommended replacing it once every quarter, which I didn’t realize as a new homeowner, but I’ve since put a calendar reminder in my phone. This would’ve saved me the trouble of no heat in the winter.”
FAQ About Home Warranties in Illinois
What does a home warranty cover in Illinois?
A home warranty in Illinois typically covers the following items:
- HVAC systems
- Clothes washers and dryers
- Plumbing stoppages
- Garage door openers
- Water heaters
- Garbage disposal systems
- Ductwork
- Well pump and sump pump
- Kitchen home appliances
- Built-in microwave
- Refrigerators
- Cooktops
- Microwaves
- Dishwashers
- Ovens
- Exhaust fans
What does a home warranty not cover?
A home warranty typically doesn’t cover two types of damage, defined as general and specific exclusions. General exclusions are types of damage that no home warranty plan covers; this includes damage caused by accidents, theft, vandalism, and natural disasters. Keep in mind that homeowners’ insurance often covers these types of damage. Specific exclusions are items or parts of items not covered by your specific contract. These exclusions vary by company and contract but typically include item components that are nonessential to its function, such as knobs, windows, doors, surfaces, and handles.
Do home warranties actually pay?
Yes, home warranty companies are legally required to pay out so long as the damages and items in the claim are properly covered as outlined in your contract. Most home warranty plans don’t cover standard maintenance, such as replacing air filters in HVAC systems.
What are the drawbacks of a home warranty in Illinois?
The biggest potential drawback of a home warranty in Illinois is denied claims. A company can deny a claim for a number of reasons, but one of the most common is a misunderstanding of home warranty coverage.
Some home warranty companies use confusing language, unclear terminology, or hidden exclusions to make understanding claims and coverage more difficult. Because of this, carefully and thoroughly read your home warranty contract before filing a claim.
It’s also a good idea to read each provider’s sample contract carefully before signing up—these contracts are located on a provider’s website and provide information on plan options, sample monthly premiums, exclusions, and other policies.
How We Evaluated Home Warranty Providers
Below is a summary of our research methodology and scoring criteria that we used to choose Illinois’ top home warranty providers.
To gain an accurate and well-rounded understanding of Illinois home warranty plans, we researched the top companies in the state, spoke with industry experts, combed through service contracts, secret-shopped providers, surveyed thousands of customers, and interviewed real home warranty owners.
Using this research, our team developed a detailed methodology to score each company on six categories: coverage (35%), cost (20%), trustworthiness (15%), plan transparency (10%), customer support (10%), and flexibility (10%).
When analyzing home warranty plans for Illinois homeowners, we considered these key factors:
- Heating system coverage: Since Illinois has cold, harsh winters, we prioritized home warranty plans that offer good coverage for heating systems.
- Price and trustworthiness: Home warranties are a big investment, so two of the most important rating criteria we use when looking at home warranty companies are cost and reliability. If a company has monthly premiums of $90 or more or fails to pay out claims reliably, we won’t recommend it.
- First-hand experience submitting claims: Our team submitted claims to multiple home warranty companies, including our top pick for Illinois, American Home Shield. We did this to get a better understanding of how the claims process works and general processing times.
- Opinions from real homeowners: Research, reading online reviews, and secret shopping help us understand home warranty companies, but nothing substitutes real, firsthand experience. Because of this, we spoke with real homeowners about their home warranty experiences. We asked how they felt about their providers and what advice they wished they had before going in. We also surveyed thousands of homeowners to get a larger-scale understanding of the home warranty user experience.
