Prospective and current Sears appliance owners have the option to cover their appliances using a Sears warranty plan or a plan from a third-party company. This guide will walk you through Sears appliance coverage plans, pricing, and customer reviews and help you determine if a Sears warranty is the best home warranty company for you and your home.
Pros and Cons of Sears Appliance Warranty
Here are some pros and cons of a Sears appliance warranty:
Sears Appliance Warranty Plans and Coverage
Sears Home Services, the division of Sears that provides home warranty plans and repair services, offers three plans in total: the Appliance Plan, System Plan, and Whole House Plan. Only the Appliance and Whole House Plans offer coverage for appliances. These plans provide protection for major appliances, including your refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer, clothes dryer, built-in microwave, range, oven, and cooktop.
The table below outlines the covered items under each Sears home warranty plan.
Coverage
Coverage | Appliance Plan | Systems Plan | Whole House Plan |
---|---|---|---|
Refrigerator with ice maker | ✓ | ✓ | |
Built-in dishwasher | ✓ | ✓ | |
Clothes washer | ✓ | ✓ | |
Clothes dryer | ✓ | ✓ | |
Range | ✓ | ✓ | |
Cooktop | ✓ | ✓ | |
Oven | ✓ | ✓ | |
Built-in microwave | ✓ | ✓ | |
Range exhaust fan | ✓ | ✓ | |
Built-in trash compactor | ✓ | ✓ | |
Central air conditioner | ✓ | ✓ | |
Central heating | ✓ | ✓ | |
Plumbing system | ✓ | ✓ | |
Water heater | ✓ | ✓ | |
Water softener | ✓ | ✓ | |
Faucets and toilets | ✓ | ✓ | |
Garbage disposal | ✓ | ✓ | |
Plumbing stoppages | ✓ | ✓ | |
Electrical system | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ceiling fans | ✓ | ✓ | |
Garage door opener | ✓ | ✓ | |
One heating and one cooling preventive maintenance check | ✓ | ||
Discounts on appliance, HVAC, and water heater repairs during 30-day waiting period | ✓ | ||
Discounts on oil changes at Sears Auto Centers | ✓ |
There is no age limit on products and unknown pre-existing conditions are covered.
Optional Add-ons
For any of the three plans, you can add on protection for the following items:
- Pool and spa with heater
- Septic tank with pumping
- Stand-alone freezer
- Sump pump
- Well pump
Note: Coverage may vary by state, so read your contract to understand the terms, conditions, and limitations for your area.
Coverage Exclusions
Sears appliance plans cover all major kitchen appliances, however, they don’t protect duplicate appliances. For example, if you have a second refrigerator, range, oven, or cooktop, the item won’t be covered with one of the Sears plans or add-on options. This is not unusual for home warranty providers.
Additionally, all three plans have limits of $10,000 per claim, which is higher than other home warranty companies that have coverage caps of $1,500 per appliance per term length.
Coverage Term Length
Sears appliance warranty coverage begins 30 days after purchasing coverage. It will last for 12 months and automatically renew at the end of the term. Customers will be notified of any rate or coverage changes 30 days before the term length is up.
Sears Appliance Warranty Pricing
Homeowners with Sears plans pay a monthly cost instead of an annual premium. Below are the prices for the three Sears home warranty plans.
- Appliance Plan: $49.99 per month
- Systems Plan: $59.99 per month
- Whole House Plan: $69.99 per month
Service Fees
The service fee, or deductible, increases with the plan that provides more coverage. For example, there’s a $75 service fee for the Appliance Plan and a $100 service fee for the Systems and Whole House Plans. The home warranty industry average for service fees is $75.
- Appliance Plan: $75
- Systems Plan: $100
- Whole House Plan: $100
How to File a Sears Appliance Warranty Claim
To file a claim and keep track of its status, use the Sears portal to log into your account.
Sears Appliance Warranty Reviews
Sears Home Services is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is currently not rated on the site. Here are a few BBB reviews from current Sears Home Services customers:
“I had an issue with my Kenmore refrigerator and contacted Sears Home Repair Services for onsite repair. The technician not only [corrected] the problem, it also clearly explained the root cause. I’m very pleased with this service.” — Melita J., March 19, 2020
“On 9/5/2019, my older dryer was repaired by a Sears Home Warranty repairman. He was timely, very professional, and knowledgeable. He completed the job in no time, and my old dryer is as good as new. Thank you so much!!!” — Judy F., February 7, 2020
Our Conclusion
A Sears appliance warranty plan comes with unique perks, such as free preventative checks for your heating and cooling systems and discounts on oil changes. It also provides coverage to all 50 states.
Compared to other top home warranty providers, Sears appliance warranties are average. The company offers a standard 30-day waiting period before coverage starts and its service fees range between $75–$100, which is in line with the industry standard.
The Sears service guarantee is also generous at 180 days, compared to other home warranty providers like American Home Shield that has a service guarantee of 30 days.
One downside to Sears appliance warranties is the cost, which falls on the higher end of home warranty pricing at $50 and $70 per month.
The Best Home Warranty Companies
While Sears has a good coverage history, its plans may not be worth the cost for those who are on more of a budget. Because of this, we recommend American Home Shield, Liberty Home Guard, and Select Home Warranty.
We recommend all three companies listed above, however, American Home Shield is ultimately our top pick. It has three extensive coverage plans at a slightly cheaper cost. In general, its plans cost between $40 and $58 per month.
Its ShieldPlatinum™ plan is the most comprehensive plan, covering 23 systems and appliances, such as your plumbing, refrigerator, and dishwasher. Its ShieldGold™ plan also covers 23 systems and appliances and includes rekey services and air filter discounts. Its ShieldSilver™ plan covers 14 essential home systems.
Additionally, American Home Shield allows homeowners to pick their own service fee—$75, $100, or $125. With AHS, a higher service fee correlates to a lower monthly premium, whereas the $100 service fee for the Sears Whole House Plan doesn’t correspond to a reduced monthly premium.
American Home Shield also has an efficient claims process. The company claims to approve and assign technicians to claims within 24 hours of the claim, 98% of the time. Sears doesn’t have that guarantee of quick service.
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.