Select Home Warranty Review (March 2023)

Founded in 2012, Select Home Warranty is known for its unique offerings and low premiums. The This Old House Reviews Team completed a comprehensive Select Home Warranty review, evaluating the provider’s plans, claims process, cost, customer ratings, and more. Keep reading to determine if Select is the best home warranty company for you.

Best Home Warranty Companies of 2023

The home warranty companies with the best ratings include the following:

• Select Home Warranty: Best Value
• American Home Shield: Best Coverage Caps
• Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Ratings
• America’s First Choice Home Club: Best for Customization
• First American Home Warranty: Best Appliance Coverage
• Cinch Home Services: Best Additional Perks
• 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty: Cheapest Appliance Plan
• ARW Home: Affordable Service Call Fees

Summary of the Best Home Warranty Companies

Here are some of the pros and cons of Select Home Warranty:

Select Home Warranty offers three plans for home warranty coverage:

• Bronze: Best for Appliances
• Gold: Best for Major Systems
• Platinum Care: Best for Comprehensive Coverage

Optional Add-Ons

You can also opt into getting additional coverage with an added monthly fee. Here are the add-on options you can choose from:

• Appliances: Second refrigerator, stand-alone freezer, refrigerator ice maker
• Systems: Septic system, lawn sprinkler system, central vacuum
• Pump: Well pump, sump pump
• Pool: Pool/spa equipment
• Additional: Plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, switches, outlets

Getting coverage on your extra items can add significant value to your home warranty plan. Since standard plans don’t cover items like stand-alone freezers, getting additional coverage can provide extra protection for your home.

Coverage Exclusions

Select requires your major systems and appliances to be in working order before granting coverage. It won’t cover preexisting conditions. Below are a few common coverage exclusions:

• Solar or tankless water heaters
• Water softeners
• Solar heating systems
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Improperly installed ductwork
• Window air conditioners
• Humidifiers

Select Home Warranty plans have specific limits to repairs and replacements for different types of equipment. For example, heating and cooling systems have an allowance or coverage limit of up to $3,000. Select limits appliances, plumbing, and electrical systems to $500 per claim. It limits additional coverage to $400 per claim.

Based on a sample quote* we received on a 1,800 square-foot single-family house in Charlotte, North Carolina, Select Home Warranty offers the following monthly rates with service fees between $60–$75. A representative explained that the lower service call fee is an over-the-phone promotion.

• Gold Care: $44.42
• Bronze Care: $44.42
• Platinum Care: $47.75

*Your plan’s price and coverage may vary depending on your state and the size of your home.

State Availability

Select Home Warranty is available in 47 states (not available in Nevada, Washington, and Wisconsin).

Select Home Warranty holds a B- rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) as of February 2023. Select has mixed reviews from consumers. Some appreciate Select’s easy sign-up process. However, several consumers note that Select is difficult to reach when filing a claim. Others were dissatisfied with low reimbursement amounts.

Our team gathered a mix of positive and negative customer reviews from third-party review sites, including Trustpilot, Best Company, Consumer Affairs, and the BBB. 

Here are a few Trustpilot reviews:

“Very thorough in explaining packages and coverages, made aware of possible discounts. [E]ven sent info to make sure we had everything before committing. No sales pressure at all also, which we appreciated. We are glad about our choice.” — Holly R., July 29, 2022 

“My house is in Arizona. During summer, when the weather is 120 degrees, my AC had a problem during the weekend. Select Home Warranty’s representative I spoke to was not nice at all. She kept repeating that they would not do anything about my issue based on their policy. They had to take their sweet 24-48 hours since it was outside normal business hours. That was something that I could not believe. No sympathy, no understanding of urgency and emergency. What’s the point of 24/7 service if I do not get service in my emergency and have to wait for 24-48 hours for them to review.” — Niyaz P., July 27, 2022

“We put in a claim, and they told us they would send out a technician. The next day he came out and said the machine would not be able to be fixed. We called and sent the paperwork to the technician. Then we got a decline because we did not use their technician. But we did. We told them that they declined after three weeks because we bought another washer and did not get authorization. Not reputable at all. They also would never return our calls.” — Arlene Ancker,  November 21, 2022

Here are a few Best Company reviews:

“Covered central HVAC repair after quick escalation. Highly advise reading the fine print in the agreement. Water heater leaks were not covered, so I paid out of pocket for that.” — Mobeen A., September 2022

“I was able to get a repair done on my dryer. It took some time, but the issue was resolved.” — Mariely J., April 2022

“I turned in a claim for a pool pump that they only paid $100. It was an $1,800 pump. They said because I had to wait 90 days for the trial period. I was never told by the salesman that there was a 90 days waiting period.” — Keith P., September 2022

Here are a few Consumer Affairs reviews:

“We are very pleased to have purchased the Platinum Care coverage plan with Select Home Warranty. The representative was very knowledgeable and helped get the best price. The coverage for the appliances, etc., is great. All my questions were answered immediately.” — Irene, January 5, 2023

“While it’s been about 3 – 4 weeks since I’ve submitted this claim, I feel like Select Home Warranty is trying to resolve the problem. My only problem now is getting a qualified contractor to show up to repair my heat pump. The two companies that were assigned both had problems either showing up or following through with their diagnosis of the problem, but I’m still hopeful it will be resolved.” — James, October 15, 2022

“Washer covered by policy starts acting up. I place a claim. Select Home Warranty sends out a technician who states the master control panel/circuit board is the issue and replaces it. I’m charged $65 for tech to come out, and another $25 as the warranty only covered $500, and the master control panel/circuit board was ~$525. The washer is still acting up after replacement, so I reached out to the technician, who states it could be the lid/control panel. Reach out to Select Home warranty, who say the lid is not covered. I asked them to take back the ~$525 circuit board out since that apparently wasn’t the issue. They refuse.” — Fabrizio, January 3, 2023 

Here are a few reviews from Select’s BBB page:

“Filed a claim three times to get my oven fixed, and they kept saying they are working on getting me a technician, but it never happened. They also said I could get my own technician, and they would reimburse me. That defeats the purpose of the home warranty. I’m paying you to get a technician to fix my appliances. I called to cancel the warranty and was charged a $75 cancellation fee even though I was a dissatisfied customer. Terrible home warranty company, stay away.” — Michael S, December 3, 2022

“I have Select Home Warranty, and they will not mail me my warranty policy. I do not have a computer or a printer, and I have made several phone requests. Nothing has come in the mail. My requests are ignored.” — Ellen L., November 21, 2022

“My A/C has been out for over a month, and I am still waiting to resolve the problem. It is impossible to speak with the management team.” — Janice S., October 18, 2022

We also received this feedback from two of our readers:

“My microwave stopped working Thanksgiving of 2022. I called to make a claim, and they said they would send a technician out. Then a day or so later, without any service assessment, they said it wasn’t cost-effective to fix; they wouldn’t replace it, but instead, they offered me $95. I asked for an explanation on how they determine the depreciated value on more than five calls and emails, and they just repeatedly said someone would call to explain. That never happened, and they ended up eventually being honest and stating no one would be calling, take it or leave it.” — Chris D.

“I signed on with [Select Home Warranty] in late 2021. About 8 months into the service, my HVAC had an issue, so I requested assistance. They had no contractors and requested me to find one. Then they denied me, stating I had the HVAC repaired without their authority, which I didn’t; I only got a quote. Then they denied me because I didn’t have 3 years of maintenance records, which I couldn’t provide because I only bought the house 8 months ago. It was a horrible experience.” — Jim M.

Based on our Select Home Warranty review, we scored the company an 84 out of 100. Some of the company’s best features include free roof-leak repair coverage, seasonal promotions, budget-friendly pricing, and solid HVAC protection. Before signing up, we recommend reading its sample contract thoroughly to be aware of coverage exclusions and limits.

If you are comparing the prices of multiple companies, we recommend getting a free quote from Liberty Home Guard or American Home Shield.

For information on other home warranty companies, read our in-depth company reviews:

• American Home Shield Review
• Liberty Home Guard Review
• First American Home Warranty Review

• Company name: Select Home Warranty
• CEO: Joseph Shrem, President
• Years in business: 9 years
• Address: 1 International Boulevard, Suite 400
• City/State: Mahwah, NJ
• Zip code: 07495

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.