Septic Warranty Coverage and Costs

A septic warranty can provide peace of mind and financial protection for your septic system and its components if they fail due to normal wear and tear. The This Old House Reviews Team reviewed the best home warranty companies in the nation and determined the top providers that offer septic system coverage. We considered coverage limits, plan costs, and additional perks before making our recommendations.

Septic System Warranty Coverage

If you have trouble with your septic system, a home warranty can help cover the cost. Septic warranties will cover issues related to components and parts that malfunction due to normal wear and tear and electrical and mechanical breakdowns.

Different home warranty companies will provide various septic protection plans.

In most plans, septic warranty coverage includes the following parts:

• Sewage ejector pump
• Jet pump
• Aerobic pump
• Septic tank
• Sewer lines

Is a Septic Warranty Necessary?

With the proper attention and maintenance, your septic system should last 15–20 years, with extremely well-maintained systems lasting 40 years.

However, this doesn’t mean that your septic tank will be immune to the occasional breakdown or malfunction. If the septic sewage ejector pump in your system fails or another component stops working, professional service may be required, and a septic system repair or replacement may be necessary.

While a septic warranty can provide coverage for your system, it may only last for a limited time and will only protect your septic system.

A home warranty, on the other hand, provides coverage for all major home systems and appliances, including septic systems. Home warranties will cover expensive septic system repairs and replacements and can send a trusted technician to your home to make the necessary fixes in a timely manner.

How Much Does Septic Coverage Cost?

On average, a home warranty costs $25–$50 per month and comes with service call fees that range between $75–$125. Because the cost of septic system add-ons will vary among home warranty providers, we recommend getting quotes from a few companies to find coverage that fits your budget.

How to Find the Best Septic Warranty

To find the best septic system coverage, consider the following factors:

• Choose the right type of plan—Most home warranty companies will provide a variety of plans to choose from. Common home warranty plans include a systems plan, appliances plan, and combo plan. For septic system coverage, go with a systems or combo plan—by choosing one of these coverage options, you can ensure that your septic system will be covered.
• Compare costs—Septic warranty coverage is usually listed as an add-on with home warranty companies. Compare the add-on price between at least three companies before making a final decision.
• Check for coverage exclusions—Most home warranty companies don’t provide coverage for drain field pipe replacement, regular maintenance pumping, or disposal of septic tank waste.

The Best Home Warranty Companies for Septic Coverage

Here are our top providers for septic coverage:

• American Home Shield: Best Coverage Caps
• Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Ratings
• Select Home Warranty: Best Value
• First American Home Warranty: Best Appliance Coverage

American Home Shield: Best Coverage Caps

American Home Shield (AHS) is a solid choice for septic coverage. It covers septic pumping and septic sewage ejector pump malfunctions as an add-on. AHS provides peace of mind by offering generous coverage caps on covered items, including those with preexisting conditions. It also offers homeowners plan flexibility via three plans and three service call fees. AHS’ septic system coverage has a $500 coverage cap. 

Here are some key details about AHS’ septic coverage:

• Offers $3,000 coverage cap for plumbing coverage in the ShieldSilver and ShieldGold plans and $6,000 with the ShieldPlatinum plan
• Charges $5 extra per month for septic system add-on coverage
• Covers mainline stoppages that are accessible via an existing cleanout
• Includes coverage for septic sewage ejector pumps and septic pumping, up to $500

Plans and Pricing

American Home Shield provides three coverage plans: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold and ShieldPlatinum. The ShieldSilver plan is AHS’ base plan. It covers major systems. The ShieldGold plan includes systems and major appliance coverage. The ShieldPlatinum plan covers appliances and systems, and includes roof-leak repair. 

Here are AHS’ pricing options with a $125 service call fee:

• ShieldSilver: $34.99
• ShieldGold: $44.99
• ShieldPlatinum: $74.99

Fill out American Home Shield’s quote form or call 844-529-9298 for your free quote.

Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Ratings

Liberty Home Guard (LHG) provides generous coverage for your septic system. It covers mainline stoppages and clogs, given there is an accessible clear-out. LHG also includes an annual pumping service for your septic system. Note that LHG excludes coverage for all other septic system components. 

LHG also includes comprehensive coverage for your home’s systems and appliances, with a generous $2,000 coverage cap and a 60-day workmanship guarantee for each completed repair. LHG is worth considering due to the benefits mentioned above, plus its inclusion of more than 30 unique add-on options.

Here are some key highlights about LHG’s septic coverage:

• Offers a $2,000 coverage cap for septic mainline stoppage repairs
• Charges an additional $12.99 per month for septic coverage
• Includes an annual pumping of your septic system
• Excludes coverage for all other septic system components, such as septic tanks and septic sewage ejector pumps

Plans and Pricing

Liberty Home Guard offers homeowners three coverage plans. The Appliance Guard covers home appliances, while its Systems Guard covers major systems. Its comprehensive plan is the Total Home Guard, which bundles systems and appliance coverage. LHG’s service call fee is assigned to your policy based on your home’s size and type, your location, and your plan selection and add-on coverage options. You can expect to pay between $65 and $125 per filed claim. 

LHG’s pricing options are as follows:

• Appliance Guard: $49.99
• Systems Guard: $54.99
• Total Home Guard: $59.99

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

Select Home Warranty: Best Value

Select Home Warranty provides the best value for your septic system and home protection needs. Select covers multiple septic system components, such as jet pumps and septic tanks. It is worth noting that Select’s coverage cap is limited to $400 for septic coverage and add-on options. It includes roof-leak protection in each plan as a free add-on, plus it offers generous coverage caps for HVAC systems, which make Select a suitable choice overall.

Here are some key details about Select’s septic coverage:

• Offers a $400 coverage cap for septic system components such as aerobic pumps, sewage ejector pumps, jet pumps, and septic tanks
• Charges $5.83 per month for septic add-on coverage
• Excludes septic pumping coverage, which every other provider in this list covers

Plans and Pricing

Select Home Warranty provides the Bronze Care, Gold Care, and Platinum Care plans for your home protection needs. The Bronze Care includes systems coverage and the Gold Care includes appliance coverage. The Platinum Care plan bundles the Bronze Care and Gold Care plans into one comprehensive package. All Select’s plans include its standard $75 service call fee.

Select’s plan costs consist of the following:

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

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

First American Home Warranty: Best Appliance Coverage

First American Home Warranty is our final recommendation for septic system coverage. It offers both septic system pumping and component coverage as an add-on, whereas the providers mentioned above cover either septic pumping or components only. However, its total coverage cap for septic systems is limited to $500, which is lower than American Home Shield and Liberty Home Guard.

Here are some key highlights about First American’s septic coverage:

• Extends a $500 coverage cap for septic system components such as jet pumps, aerobic pumps, sewage ejector pumps, and septic tank lines
• Offers septic system add-on coverage for $9 extra per month
• Includes a septic tank pumping service once per contract term

Plans and Pricing

First American provides three plans: the Starter Plan, Essential Plan, and Premium Plan. It offers a $75, $100, and $125 service call fee, which you pay each time you file a new claim. The Starter and Essential plans cover a mix of major systems and appliances, and the Premium Plan increases coverage caps for appliances and select systems. The provider also include its First American Advantage upgrade within the Essential and Premium Plans. This upgrade covers miscellaneous repair fees that a standard home warranty does not. 

First American’s coverage prices are listed below:

• Starter Plan: $47.00–$62.00
• Essential Plan: $57.00–$72.00
• Premier Plan: $72.00–$87.00

Fill out First American Home Warranty’s quote form or call 800-891-9778 for your free quote.

Our Conclusion

If you have a septic system, consider investing in a home warranty with septic coverage. Not only will this protect your system if it breaks down, but it will also help you get the necessary repairs or replacements in a timely manner. Any of the home warranty companies mentioned provide septic warranty coverage.

We recommend getting quotes from multiple providers so you can compare pricing and select a plan that best fits your budget.

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.