Home warranties, also called home service contracts, cover systems and appliances in your home against damage from normal wear and tear. If a covered item breaks in the course of regular use, the warranty provider will supply a contractor who will repair or replace the item for a small service fee. Your monthly premium ensures that you won’t have to pay a large, unexpected sum of money for covered damage.
The This Old House Reviews Team has taken a look at the major home warranty providers in the United States and identified our top recommendations. Below, we’ve compared the best home warranty companies in Ohio based on the plans offered, prices, customer satisfaction, and more.
Ohio’s Top 6 Home Warranty Companies
The highest rated home warranty companies in Ohio include:
- Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Ratings
- American Home Shield: Best Coverage Caps
- Select Home Warranty: Best Value
- First American Home Warranty: Best Appliance Coverage
- America’s 1st Choice Home Club: Best for Customization
- Priority Home Warranty: Best for Choosing Your Own Contractor
Liberty Home Guard
Although Liberty Home Guard is a newer name in the home warranty industry, it’s already earned a good reputation among customers. LHG is highly rated on third-party customer review sites, such as Trustpilot and Google Reviews. It also offers comprehensive and customizable coverage with its three plan options and more than 30 add-ons.
Pros and Cons
✔ Unique add-ons, such as rekeying and pest control
✔ 60-day workmanship guarantee
✔ 24/7 customer service
✘ Must purchase add-ons for comprehensive coverage
✘ Must get authorization to use your own contractor
Plans and Pricing
Liberty Home Guard has Appliance Guard, System Guard, and Total Home Guard plans. As the names suggest, Appliance Guard protects major appliances, System Guard major systems, and Total Home Guard both appliances and systems.
Liberty Home Guard assigns a service call fee to your account based on your plan, add-ons, and location. Along with a service fee between $65 and $125, here’s a look at each plan’s monthly cost:
- Appliance Guard: $49.99 per month
- System Guard: $54.99 per month
- Total Home Guard: $59.99 per month
Learn more: Liberty Home Guard Review
American Home Shield
American Home Shield (AHS) offers comprehensive home warranty coverage to Ohio homeowners. AHS has more than 45 years of experience in the industry, offers flexible service fees, and has paid out $2 billion in home warranty claims in the last five years. Additionally, AHS is the only provider on this list that covers rust, sediment, and corrosion damage.
Pros and Cons
✔ Offers generous coverage caps
✔ Provides additional benefits, such as discounts on appliances and electronic extended warranties
✔ Covers items with undetectable pre-existing conditions
✘ No coverage for roofs or standalone freezers
✘ Relatively high premiums compared to other home warranty companies
Plans and Pricing
American Home Shield offers three coverage plans: the ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum plans. The ShieldSilver covers home systems only, and the ShieldGold adds appliances to cover 23 items in total. The ShieldPlatinum covers the entirety of the ShieldGold plan and increases coverage limits. ShieldPlatinum policyholders also receive roof leak coverage and one free HVAC tune-up during the warranty term.
American Home Shield customers are also eligible for discounts on purchasing new appliances, optional coverage for pools, spas, well pumps, septic pumps, and guest houses, and extended warranties for certain electronic devices.
Here’s a pricing breakdown of American Home Shield plans with a $100 service fee:
- ShieldSilver: $24.99 per month
- ShieldGold: $44.99 per month
- ShieldPlatinum: $79.99 per month
Note: Choosing a lower service fee will increase your monthly premium, and choosing a higher service fee will decrease your monthly premium.
Learn more: American Home Shield Review
Select Home Warranty
If budget is your primary concern when choosing a home service contract, consider investing in a Select Home Warranty plan.
Pros and Cons
✔ Provides free roof coverage
✔ Offers discounts to customers who sign up for multi-year plans
✔ Covers rental properties, mobile homes, manufactured home, single-family homes, and condos
✘ Only Platinum Care covers plumbing stoppages
✘ Has low coverage caps on systems and appliances
✘ Fewer years in business than other home warranty providers
Plans and Pricing
Select Home Warranty offers three plans: Bronze Care for appliances, Gold Care for systems, and Platinum Care for both. Note: Select offers free limited roof leak coverage for all plans. While the Bronze and Gold Care plans are reasonably priced, the Platinum Care plan stands out—it’s by far the least expensive option for covering both home systems and appliances.
In addition to a $75 service call fee, here’s the monthly plan pricing:
- Bronze Care: $44.42 per month
- Gold Care: $44.42 per month
- Platinum Care: $47.75 per month
Learn more: Select Home Warranty Review
America’s First Choice Home Club
America’s First Choice Home Club earns its spot as one of the best home warranty companies for Ohio homeowners due to its variety of plan options and flexible pricing model. Customers can also select optional coverage for up to 12 additional items, such as tankless water heaters, in-ground pools, and double ovens.
Pros and Cons
✔ Includes additional security perks, such as identity theft protection and discounts on home security systems
✔ Allows customers to choose their own contractor
✔ Offers a flexible service call fee model
✘ May take up to 48 hours to respond to a claim
✘ Requires customers to file a claim within 24 hours of noticing an issue
Plans and Pricing
AFC Home Club offers four plan options, which is more than the typical two or three plans offered by other providers. The Silver Plan covers appliances exclusively, such as your dishwasher and laundry machines. The Systems Plan covers home systems, such as your air conditioning, heating, and electrical. The Gold Plan combines the coverage of the two earlier plans, and the Platinum Plan builds on the combo plan by covering faucets, ice makers, built-in microwaves, and built-in fans.
AFC Home Club allows customers to choose a $75, $100, or $125 service call fee. When you select a higher service call fee, your monthly fees will be lower. The reverse is also true. You can compare prices below:
- Silver Plan: $32.08–$36.67 per month
- Systems Plan: $39–$43.58 per month
- Gold Plan: $45.83–$50.42 per month
- Platinum Plan: $50.42–$55 per month
To get a free quote, fill out AFC Home Club’s easy form or call 877-755-1115.
Learn more: AFC Home Club Review
First American Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty is another home warranty provider for Ohio homeowners that has been around for 35 years. While the company only offers two plans, those plans still protect the major systems and appliances in your home.
Pros and Cons
✔ Coverage for items that were improperly installed or maintained
✔ Premiums under $40 per month
✔ 35 years of experience
✘ Can’t get A/C coverage without an add-on
✘ No roof coverage
Plans and Pricing
First American has two plans: the Basic Plan and the Premier Plan. The Basic Plan covers kitchen appliances, such as the refrigerator and dishwasher, along with your washer and dryer. The Premier Plan covers those appliances plus major systems, such as electrical and plumbing.
Along with an $85 service call fee, here’s how much each plan costs monthly:
- Basic Plan: $36 per month
- Premier Plan: $46.50 per month
Learn more: First American Home Warranty Review
Priority Home Warranty
Priority Home Warranty is a quickly growing home warranty company that provides service across 45 U.S. states, including Ohio. Homeowners in Ohio will be attracted to Priority’s contractor flexibility, affordability, and extensive coverage options.
Pros and Cons
✔ You can choose your own contractor and Priority will reimburse you if contractor is licensed and insured
✔ Systems plan covers whirlpool bathtubs, which is an uncommon inclusion for basic plans.
✔ All plans are available for under $50 per month
✘ Does not cover luxury and high-end appliances
✘ $50 cancellation fee
✘ Not rated by BBB
Plans and Pricing
Priority’s plan options are in line with the industry standard. It offers a systems-only plan, an appliance-only plan, and a combo plan that covers both in one comprehensive package.
Priority’s additional coverage options include the following items: Ice maker, second refrigerator, stand-alone freezer, second clothes washer and dryer, second dishwasher, septic system, septic pumping, water softener, second tankless water heater, saltwater pool system, pool, spa, second air conditioner, well pump, limited roof leak, tankless water heater, second oven/range/stove, sump pump, central vacuum
Priority Home Warranty charges a $70 service call fee each time you file a claim for a covered item. The cost per month is outlined below. As you can see, Priority offers affordable plans under $50 a month.
Here’s a breakdown of how much each plan costs each month:
- Systems Home Care: $33 per month
- Appliance Home Care: $33 per month
- Total Home Care: $47 per month
To get a free quote from Priority Home Warranty, call 954-228-2343 or fill out its online form.
Learn more: Priority Home Warranty Review
Our Conclusion
If you still need help choosing a home warranty provider, take a look at this master list of coverage options between all six companies. If one of the companies doesn’t offer the coverage you need, consider ruling it out.
Regardless of the type of coverage you need, we recommend getting quotes from all six home warranty companies so you can compare plan pricing and try to get your favorite company to price match the lowest offer.
Compare Home Warranty Coverage
Coverage | American Home Shield | Liberty Home Guard | Select Home Warranty | Priority Home Warranty | First American Home Warranty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Built-in microwave | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Washer/dryer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Dishwasher | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ductwork | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Electrical system | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Heating system | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Plumbing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Range/cooktop | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Optional |
Ceiling fans | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - |
Garage door opener | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
Primary refrigerator | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Optional | ✓ |
Plumbing stoppages | ✓ | - | ✓ | Optional | ✓ |
Water dispenser | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - |
Freestanding ice maker | ✓ | - | - | Optional | - |
Septic pump | ✓ | - | - | Optional | - |
Smoke detectors | ✓ | - | - | Optional | - |
Central vacuums | ✓ | Optional | - | Optional | ✓ |
Built-in food center | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
Doorbell | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
Trash compactor | ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ |
Water heater | ✓ | Optional | ✓ | Optional | ✓ |
Garbage disposal | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Oven/stove | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exhaust fan | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
Whirlpool bathtub | - | - | - | - | - |
Re-key | - | Optional | - | ✓ | - |
Ejector Pump | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Fixtures | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Floor/carpet cleaning | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Grinder pump | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Gutter cleaning | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Lawn sprinkler system | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Pest control | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Swamp cooler | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Water softener | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Standalone freezer | - | Optional | - | Optional | - |
Additional refrigerators | - | Optional | - | Optional | Optional |
Roof | - | Optional | ✓ | - | - |
Septic tank pumping | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Sump pump | - | Optional | - | - | - |
Septic system | - | - | - | Optional | - |
Well pump | Optional | - | - | ✓ | Optional |
Pool/spa | Optional | Optional | - | - | Optional |
Electronic devices | Optional | Optional | - | - | - |
Guest house | Optional | - | - | - | - |
Frequently Asked Questions
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.