5 Best Home Warranty Companies for Luxury Homes

Repairing or replacing appliances and home systems is normally expensive, but for luxury homes, this applies double. Specialty, upscale appliances can cost thousands, and upgrading larger home systems can reach the tens of thousands. Even something as simple as multiple refrigerators can be very pricey to replace. You’ve worked hard to get your luxury home, so it only makes sense to protect your items if anything happens to them. However, not all home warranty plans are equally beneficial, so I’ve rounded up the best home warranty companies for luxury homes to help you get covered.

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Best for Customization

Liberty Home Guard

4.6

$200 Off + 2 Months free

Best Coverage Limits

American Home Shield

4.3

$150 Off Any Plan

Best Claims Acceptance

Choice Home Warranty

4.3

$50 Off + 1 month free!

Best for Additional Benefits

AFC Home Warranty

4.3

Fall Sale: $250 Off + Free Roof Leak Coverage

I’ve researched the best home warranty companies for luxury homes and used Today’s Homeowner’s specific review criteria to rank these providers. While secret shopping, I’ve gotten warranty quotes from companies for a two-bedroom home in Nashville, thoroughly reviewed sample contracts, and scoured the internet to find the most accurate customer reviews. Read on to see what these companies have to offer luxury homeowners and how they stack up against the competition.

Are you curious to learn more about what a home warranty is and how it works? If so, watch the video below from one of the best home warranties for luxury homes.

5 Home Warranty Companies for Luxury Homes

What’s Most Important in a Home Warranty for Luxury Homes?

Luxury homes aren’t one-size fits all, and neither are your home warranty options, but one factor that’s important for all luxury homes is your policy’s coverage limits. Luxury appliances and home systems cost significantly more than any run-of-the-mill version, so you should make sure your home warranty company has decent payouts to cover more expensive repairs and replacements. On average, most home warranty companies pay out up to $2,000 for appliances and $3,000 to $4,000 for home systems. These aren’t hard-and-fast rules, but if you own a luxury home with top-of-the-line appliances and systems, you should aim to get a policy with higher coverage limits. Ideally, you’d want a plan that covers the entire value of your covered items in the event of a replacement.

Similarly, luxury homes may have more uncommon features, so you may have to dig into add-on coverage for items like pools (indoor and outdoor), sprinkler systems, multiple refrigerators, hot tubs, saunas, wine coolers, and more. If you own anything that’s really unique, there’s a good chance that your home warranty provider doesn’t include it in their plan options, but they may offer it as an add-on. Your company’s add-on options will allow you to customize your coverage and protect all your items (even the more unusual ones), while your company’s coverage limits will guarantee that if something breaks, you’ll receive the full amount needed to repair or replace it. Liberty Home Guard has the best customizable coverage in the industry with 42 available add-ons, but their coverage limits are only average. On the other hand, First American Home Warranty has some of the best coverage limits, and they even offer specific coverage for luxury appliances, but they only offer 12 add-ons. Use your discretion to sort out which factor is more important to you to choose the best home warranty for your luxury home.

Home Warranty Companies for Luxury Homes I Don’t Recommend

I recommend all readers steer clear of Like New Home Warranty because of their F rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the BBB press release highlighting their poor service. The BBB issued a warning for Like New Home Warranty, claiming they have “a pattern of consumer complaints alleging misleading sales tactics, misleading sales presentations, failure to cancel contracts after a consumer has requested cancellation, failure to provide refunds and poor customer service.” Additionally, Like New Home Warranty’s website doesn’t allow for online quotes and has limited information, so there’s not much of a benefit to choosing a company like this either. Instead, choose a company that has ‌important information (like plan options, coverage limits, monthly rates, sample contracts, and more) readily available online, and always be sure to read plenty of customer reviews before buying.

Compare The Highest-Rated Home Warranties for Luxury Homes

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Company	Rating	Monthly Cost	Service Fee	Response Time	BBB Rating	Link
Liberty Home Guard Get Quote	4.6	$50-$60	$75	12-48 hrs.	NR	Get Quote
American Home Shield Get Quote	4.3	$35–$75	$100–$125	24-72 hrs	B	Get Quote
Elite Home Warranty	4.3	$44.99-$58.99	$70	48 hours	A+
Choice Home Warranty Get Quote	4.3	$46–$55	$85	24-48 hrs.	B	Get Quote
Select Home Warranty Get Quote	4.2	$52–$58	$75-$85	24-48 hrs.	B	Get Quote
AFC Home Warranty Get Quote	4.3	$38–$62	$75–$125	48 hours	B	Get Quote
First American Home Warranty Get Quote	4.3	$72–$87	$75–$125	48 hours	B	Get Quote
2-10 Home Warranty Our Review	4.3	$17–$60+	$65–$100	24 hrs	A-	Our Review
Cinch Home Services Get Quote	4.1	$28–$68	$100–$150	2–24 hrs	B	Get Quote

Quote and cost data gathered January 2024. Cost data are updated and monitored continuously.

Our Reviews of the Best Home Warranties for Luxury Homes

Best Appliance Coverage

First American Home Warranty

4.3

Our Rating

Limited Time:

$100 Off with Code PROTECT

Get Quote

First American Home Warranty (FAHW) has some of the best coverage limits in the industry — $3,500 per appliance and no predetermined limits for home systems. Most competitors only offer $2,000 limits on appliances, making First American Home Warranty one of the best home appliance insurance companies in the industry. Their coverage also comes with a protection guarantee (shown in the image below) that if they can’t repair your system, they’ll replace it for free, regardless of how much it costs.

However, there are a few downsides to First American Home Warranty. First, they don’t offer policies in certain states, so you may not be able to get a policy with them, depending on where you live. Second, First American doesn’t offer as many discounts as the competition, and they rarely advertise sales, so keep that in mind when getting a quote. Still, their high coverage limits and specific coverage for luxury appliances on their Premium Plan make them my top choice as the best home warranty for luxury homes.

What I Like What I Don’t Like

My favorite thing about First American Home Warranty is that they don’t have preset coverage caps for built-in systems. This means that if they can’t repair your item, they’ll replace it for free, no matter what the total cost is. Most competitors have coverage limits between $4,000 and $5,000 for home systems, so First American’s protection guarantee is a huge plus if you have expensive systems. Their appliance coverage is great as well, with payouts as high as $3,500 per appliance. Most importantly, First American is the only provider on our list with specific coverage for luxury appliances included in their plans (only available on the Premium Plan, as seen in the image below), so if you have expensive or specialty appliances in your luxury home and don’t want to pay for an add-on, I highly recommend First American.

My biggest qualm with First American Home Warranty is their state availability. First American doesn’t have nationwide availability, so you won’t be able to get coverage if you live in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island or Vermont. Also, First American has had some customer complaints about claim denials, which makes me less confident in their ability to handle payouts and replacements without any legal loopholes or tricky exclusions. There are still plenty of perks to be excited about with First American, but I’d keep a close eye on your contract to make sure you’re aware of all the exclusions.

Plans and Coverage: 9.0/10

First American Home Warranty offers three plans, but they all cover a mixture of home systems and appliances, so there’s no way to just cover one or the other. The Essential Plan is my top pick since it covers all major home systems and appliances for $57, which is less than Liberty Home Guard’s Total Home Guard plan. Both the Starter Plan and the Premium Plan are less of a bargain, in my opinion, since the Starter Plan doesn’t cover as many items, and the Premium Plan covers items that not every homeowner would need coverage for. Also, First American offers 12 different add-ons, which is more than a lot of competitors do. Given all their perks, we gave First American a 9.0 for their plans and coverage.

Plan	Monthly Cost	Service Fee*	Available Discounts
Starter Plan	$42.00	$125	None offered
Essential Plan	$57.00	$125	None offered
Premium Plan	$77.00	$125	None offered

*First American Home Warranty offers two service fee choices: $100 and $125. The monthly costs shown in the table above are for a $125 service fee. Choosing the $100 option will raise your monthly rate.

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Nashville, TN. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

The following add-ons are available with all First American Home Warranty plans (prices are monthly):

• Additional refrigeration: $4.17
• Additional refrigeration 2: $4.17
• Additional refrigeration 3: $4.17
• Central air conditioning (electric): $8.33 (free with Essential and Premium plans)
• First American Advantage: $0 (comes only with Essential and Premium plans)
• HVAC tune-up: $2.08
• Limited roof leak: $8.33
• Pool/spa equipment: $20.83
• Pool/spa equipment 2: $20.83
• Septic tank pumping/system: $7.08
• Water softener: $7.08
• Well pump: $7.08

The add-on I find most useful is the HVAC tune-up coverage. It’s very affordable at $2.08 a month — a small price to pay to keep your expensive heating and cooling systems running well throughout the entire year.

Cost & Affordability: 8.3/10

First American Home Warranty has the highest affordability score on our list, not because they offer big discounts to new customers, but because they have reasonable everyday prices and offer great value for their service. First American offers two service fee choices: $125 and $100. These service fee rates are average, but they give customers the ability to choose the price that works best for their budget. The Essential Plan is an exceptionally good bargain at $57 per month for comprehensive coverage, giving other affordable industry leaders like Liberty Home Guard and American Home Shield a run for their money. The Premium Plan may seem pricey, but on the whole, First American’s plans are well worth the money, which is why we scored them an 8.3 for cost and affordability.

Customer Experience: 7.8/10

First American Home Warranty ranks in the middle of our list when it comes to their customer experience score, mainly because of their spotty customer service and long wait times.

As one customer put it:

“We are in the midst of waiting on our HVAC to be fixed. It’s now been out for 7-10 days. It took 2-3 days to get a call back from anyone.”

Another said:

“​​[We] waited 48 hours for a contractor to respond, which the contractor did not. [I] was told they would need another 48 hours to try to locate another, spent hours on the phone, and was told it would be escalated in hopes of promptly addressing the matter. Still, no one returned my call, not even the supervisors I spoke with. I spent hours on the phone, and still the issue is not resolved. This company is not a good-faith company. I would not recommend.”

Because of these shortcomings, we brought First American’s score down to 7.8.

Company Reputation: 8.7/10

First American Home Warranty has the second-best score for company reputation on our list, and their Trustpilot scores are particularly respectable at an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Most customers praised First American for ‌their claims process. One customer said:

“First American was quick to resolve my issue. I got a comparable washer and dryer replacement, all within a week of each other… I can give this a 5-star [review] based on my experience.”

Another customer spoke about how far the company went to get them full replacements for their appliances:

“I had 3 appliances (2 separate claims) die within one month. When it was determined that they were too old to get parts for, all 3 were replaced. I have been a customer for many years, but [I] doubted they would allow 3 appliances to be replaced at once. Well, they did! I am most grateful. Thank you, First American!”

However, there are some complaints about the company’s exclusions. One customer said:

“Honestly, [it’s] the worst home warranty that you could possibly have. Everything that they say is a scam.  We have their most covered plan and [were] not able to use it even once during the last year. They charge you every time around $90 just to come and check the issue, and after each visit they say that it’s not covered under your warranty.”

Exclusions can always come back to bite you, so be sure to read your contract carefully before agreeing to anything. Considering customers’ reviews about their claims getting denied, we brought First American’s score down to 8.7.

Rating Site	Rating	Number of Reviews
BBB	B / 1.76 out of 5 stars	1,845
Trustpilot	4.2 out of 5 stars	14,095
Google	2.9 out of 5 stars	2,683
Yelp	1.1 out of 5 stars	1,909

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

Claims Process: 8.0/10

First American Home Warranty’s coverage limits give them higher payouts than the competition, making their claims process perfect for luxury homeowners. FAHW offers $3,500 coverage limits for appliances and no predetermined limits for home systems, which means they’ll repair or replace your entire home system no matter what the cost is. Unlike a lot of other companies on our list, they also cover rust, corrosion, sediment, and problems resulting from lack of maintenance, which gives you fewer exclusions to worry about when making a claim. They do have one downside, though, which is that their typical response time is around 48 hours. Because of their slower wait times, we scored First American Home Warranty an 8.0 for their claims process.

Transparency & Ease of Use: 9.8/10

First American has the highest transparency score of all the providers on our list, and FAHW’s sample contract is only four pages long, so it’s concise and easy to get through. However, I found mulitple FAHW sample contracts online, which can be confusing to customers, so we brought them down from a perfect score, and gave them a 9.8.

Exclusions

First American Home Warranty has the following notable exclusions: 

• Chimneys
• Collapsed or broken lines
• Cosmetic defects
• Damage from pests
• Damage from weather, theft, or smoke 
• Glass doors
• Knobs
• Low-voltage electrical systems
• Plumbing stoppages caused by foreign objects
• Roots
• Rotisseries
• Solar systems
• Space heaters
• Water heater storage tanks

However, First American covers some of these exclusions (like knobs and dials) in their Essential and Premium plans.

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it’s imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

Flexibility in Service Providers: 2.0/10

First American has the lowest score on our list for their flexibility in service providers (tied with Cinch Home Services) because they don’t allow customers to choose their own service technicians. Instead, they assign technicians based on location and availability. This could lead to problems if all the technicians are booked or if the ones that are available have bad reviews. Companies like Choice Home Warranty and Liberty Home Guard let customers pick their own technicians, so if you want more control over who does your repairs, you may want to consider a different company.

Best for Customization

Liberty Home Guard

4.6

Our Rating

Limited Time:

$200 Off + 2 Months free

Get Quote

Liberty Home Guard may not have the best coverage limits for expensive appliances, but their add-on options and amazing customer service make them an excellent choice for luxury homeowners. Liberty offers 42 add-ons — more than any other company in the industry, so they’re great for homes with exclusive-brand appliances that other companies may not cover. On top of that, Liberty has some of the best customer service in the industry, with many online reviews mentioning specific agents by name and thanking them for their helpfulness in dealing with their claims. Liberty has better customer reviews than any other company I’ve researched.

On the negative side of things, Liberty’s main drawbacks are their coverage limits and monthly rates. They offer $2,000 per item, which is very low for home systems. Two thousand dollars can cover most appliances, but it won’t get you very far with an HVAC replacement. Additionally, Liberty’s most basic plan costs $49.99, which is expensive for being the cheapest plan they offer. Liberty’s best assets are their add-on options, their customer service, and their positive online reviews, so if you’re looking for high coverage limits or discounted prices, I’d look elsewhere. For a brief outline of Liberty’s plan options, check out the image below.

What I Like What I Don’t Like

Liberty Home Guard’s greatest strengths are their online customer reviews and customization options. Home warranty companies are notorious for having mediocre (at best) review scores, but Liberty scored nearly perfectly on sites like the BBB, Google, and Trustpilot. Even though their scores aren’t quite as high as Elite Home Warranty, they’re still one of the highest-rated companies on our list. Liberty also offers 42 add-ons, more than any other company in the industry, which is perfect for covering luxury homes with unique items. In terms of customization, no other company comes anywhere close to Liberty Home Guard.

Liberty Home Guard doesn’t have any deal-breaker cons, but my main complaints are about their coverage limits and plan pricing. Liberty limits the coverage of all items to $2,000, which means that even expensive items like HVAC systems only have a $2,000 payout. The industry average coverage limit for appliances is about $1,500 to $2,000, so Liberty is right on par, but that amount is very low for home systems. Many competitors on this list offer coverage limits of $4,000 or more for home systems, so Liberty’s coverage limits are definitely not one of their selling points. On top of that, Liberty’s cheapest plan is $49.99 a month, which could be a high barrier for homeowners who want affordable coverage. Liberty has lots of features to love, but these two criticisms are important to consider when picking a policy.

Plans and Coverage: 10/10

Liberty Home Guard offers more add-ons than any other company on our list, which is why we gave them a perfect score for their plans and coverage. Liberty offers 42 add-on options, and while that may seem like overkill for some, it’s perfect for homeowners with luxury homes and appliances since they may have rare items that no other company will cover. If you have luxurious items like a spa, guest unit, pro-series appliances, reverse osmosis water filter, or multiple refrigerators, Liberty is your best bet for add-on coverage by far. The Total Home Guard plan is my top pick, and it’s a steal at only $59.99 (just $5 to $10 more than Liberty’s other plans), so I recommend readers spend a little bit more to get their comprehensive coverage. If you’re a budget-conscious buyer, be sure to check out Liberty’s coupons and promotions before purchasing.

Plan	Monthly Cost	Service Fee*	Available Discounts
Appliance Guard	$49.99	$65 – $125	$200 off when you subscribe to emails (online)2 free bonus months (with annual billing)Free limited roof leak protection
Systems Guard	$54.99	$65 – $125	$200 off when you subscribe to emails (online)2 free bonus months (with annual billing)Free limited roof leak protection
Total Home Guard	$59.99	$65 – $125	$200 off when you subscribe to emails (online)2 free bonus months (with annual billing)Free limited roof leak protection

*Liberty Home Guard service fees range from $65 to $125 depending on where you live, the service plan you choose, and the promotional deal you get.

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Nashville, TN. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

The following add-ons are available for all plans:

• Additional spa: $9.99
• Carpet cleaning: $19.99
• Casita guest unit: $35.99
• Central vacuum: $8.99
• Ejector pump: $14.99
• Electronics protection: $19.99
• Freestanding ice maker: $14.99
• Generator: $19.99
• Grinder pump: $14.99
• Gutter cleaning: $14.99
• Ice maker (in-fridge): $3.99
• Instant hot water dispenser: $9.99
• Lawn sprinkler system: $9.99
• Lighting fixtures: $7.99
• Limited roof leak: $11.99
• Pest control: $14.99
• Plumbing fixtures: $7.99
• Pool and spa: $19.99
• Power washing (exterior flooring): $19.99
• Pro-series clothes dryer: $4.99
• Pro-series dishwasher: $7.99
• Pro-series microwave: $4.99
• Pro-series range/oven/cooktop: $12.99
• Pro-series refrigerator: $14.99
• Pro-series stand-alone freezer: $14.99
• Pro-series washing machine: $4.99
• Re-key: $9.99
• Reverse osmosis water filter system: $14.99
• Saltwater pool: $23.99
• Second refrigerator: $7.99
• Septic system pumping: $12.99
• Stand-alone freezer: $5.99
• Sump pump: $8.99
• Swamp cooler: $14.99
• Trash compactor: $7.49
• TV mounting (up to 65-inch TVs): $14.99
• TV mounting (up to 85-inch TVs): $19.99
• Water dispenser water line: $4.99
• Water softener: $13.99
• Well pump: $12.99
• Window washing/cleaning: $19.99
• Wine cooler/fridge: $11.99

While all these add-ons are useful, more unique options like saltwater pool, wine cooler, lighting fixtures, and casita guest unit coverage may be especially useful to homeowners with luxury homes. Be sure to consider your home’s most valuable assets before purchasing add-on coverage.

Cost & Affordability: 7.8/10

Liberty Home Guard’s rates start higher than a lot of other companies on our list, but they have consistent prices throughout the country, which is a big perk. Liberty’s prices range from $49.99 to $59.99 a month, which means there’s only a difference of $10 between their cheapest appliance-only plan and their most expensive comprehensive coverage plan. $50 is pretty pricey for an appliance-only plan, but $60 is very reasonable for full home coverage, so I recommend readers start by checking out the Total Home Guard plan and work their way down to the more affordable options. Because their rates start high and may be more of a barrier for homeowners who want a cheaper option, we gave Liberty a 7.8 for their cost and affordability.

Customer Experience: 7.5/10

Liberty’s customer experience score isn’t particularly impressive, and it’s mainly because of the long waiting period in their contract. Liberty has a waiting period of 30 to 60 days for your coverage to begin after you sign a contract, but every other company on this list has a waiting period of just 30 days. Waiting a full two months for your coverage to start could be a deal-breaker, so consider this before buying a policy. Liberty is also fairly difficult to reach on the phone, and I’ve had trouble contacting them in the past. Because of their long waiting period and phone wait times, we gave Liberty a 7.5 out of 10.

Company Reputation: 9.0/10

Liberty Home Guard has the best company reputation score on our list, mainly because they have a near-perfect score on their BBB, Trustpilot, and Google reviews. Customer reviews hold more weight than anything the company could write up because they’re not just marketing claims — they’re real experiences from customers just like you. More than anything, these reviews praise Liberty for their helpful customer service and their straightforward claims process. One customer on Trustpilot said:

“My 2nd house AC stopped working, but Luis [Perez] gave the OK for faster service to call my own tech. Once the repair was done, Luis called me to follow up and make sure I got the repair taken care of. He also reminded me to send in the paid invoice for reimbursement. [I’m] very happy with this agent’s excellent service and with Liberty Home Guard’s willingness to let me use my own contractor.”

Other reviews focused on Liberty’s timeliness. Another Trustpilot customer said:

“The technician arrived on time with the right tools and materials to make the repairs. He had the experience and knowledge to make the repair quickly and efficiently. It took more time for the home office to approve the cost than for him to make the repair. Overall, I was very happy with the whole operation.”

Liberty’s reviews aren’t all five stars, but most of them are, so their bad reviews are more the exception than the rule. Because of their impressive customer reviews and overall satisfaction rate, we gave Liberty a 9.0 for their company reputation score.

Rating Site	Rating	Number of Reviews
BBB	NR* (4.46 out of 5 stars)	2,507
Trustpilot	4.7 out of 5 stars	2,836
Google	4.7 out of 5 stars	11,472
Yelp	1.3 out of 5 stars	70

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

*Note (as of 6/20/24): Recently, the Better Business Bureau shifted LHG’s A+ rating to “NR” (Not Rated). We reached out to a representative from LHG for comment, and they shared this statement: “Despite the BBB’s alert, our customer satisfaction levels remain by far the highest relative to our scale. Last month, we had the lowest percentage of customer cancellation requests in our entire history. On the BBB’s own platform, Liberty Home Guard has achieved a star rating of 4.5 out of 5 from nearly 2,500 reviews. For added context, the approximately 480 resolved complaints on Liberty Home Guard’s BBB profile equate to an extremely low fraction of a percentage relative to the size and scale of our total customer base. As we navigate this situation, which we believe will be resolved in time, we want to assure you that we remain committed to our customers and their satisfaction; they are the key stakeholders we orient all our efforts around.”

Claims Process: 10/10

Liberty Home Guard has the highest claims process score on our list, mostly because they have an average response time of 12 hours, which is a full 12 hours faster than the next-fastest competitor (Cinch Home Services). Response time isn’t the most important factor in the claims process, but slow responses can be a major inconvenience if you’re waiting for AC repairs in the middle of the blazing summer heat. Liberty also offers emergency services, which are a huge help when waiting for repairs can be hazardous, either to your home or to your health.  They also have lots of positive customer reviews that outline how simple their claims process is, which gives me plenty of confidence in Liberty and led us to score them a 10 out of 10 for their claims process.

Transparency & Ease of Use: 9.3/10

Liberty ranks in the middle of our list for their transparency and ease of use, but that doesn’t mean they have a bad score, especially when compared to the majority of companies in the industry. Liberty has a set of standard exclusions, which you can find under the limitations and exclusions section of their contract. Liberty’s sample contract is easy to follow, and it’s only nine pages long, so it’s a quicker read than a lot of competitors’ contracts. However, their exclusions are a bit troublesome because they don’t cover known/unknown preexisting conditions, which brought their score down to 9.3.

Exclusions

The following exclusions apply to all of Liberty’s plans:

• Any type of valve or leak
• Chimneys and exhausts
• Damage caused by improper installation
• Damage caused by natural disasters
• Damage caused by pests or mold
• Damage caused by rust or corrosion
• Disposal of old systems or appliances
• Glass parts
• Installation of systems or parts
• Known or unknown preexisting conditions
• Lighting
• Luxury, commercial-grade, or similar appliances
• Poorly maintained systems or appliances
• Routine maintenance
• Solar systems
• “Smart” components and parts

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it is imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

The exclusions for luxury appliances could be a deal-breaker if you have a whole house full of them. Customers may have different ideas of what a “luxury” appliance is, but Liberty describes its exclusion in detail, specifying the following items are excluded:

“Professional series, professional grade, luxury, high-end, premium, or like appliances, including but not limited to brand names such as Gaggenau, La Cornue, Lacanche, THG Paris, Bertazzoni, Officine Gullo, Molteni, True, Dacor, Aga, KitchenAid, Electrolux, Asko, Fisher & Paykel, Five Star, GE Monogram, GE Café, Marvel, Scotsman, U-line, Alfresco, Miele, American Range, Best, Blomberg, BlueStar, Sub-Zero, Viking, Capital, Faber, Fulgor Milano, Jenn-Air, Heartland, Hestan, Liebherr, Wolf, Lynx, Smeg, Zephyr, Thermador, Ilve, Thor Kitchen, Bosch, Verona, ZLine, Chambers, Abbaka, and Franke.”

They also add:

“If you would like to add coverage on these types of appliances, please inquire with a sales representative.”

While these exclusions may be a major con, Liberty still gives customers the option to add coverage for luxury or pro-series appliances with their add-ons listed below (priced monthly):

• Pro-series clothes dryer: $4.99
• Pro-series dishwasher: $7.99
• Pro-series microwave: $4.99
• Pro-series range/oven/cooktop: $12.99
• Pro-series refrigerator: $14.99
• Pro-series stand-alone freezer: $14.99
• Pro-series washing machine: $4.99

If you only have one or two luxury or pro-series appliances, adding them onto your coverage is relatively affordable. However, if you have three or more luxury items in your home, these add-ons can get expensive, so you may be better off choosing a company that doesn’t exclude coverage for these luxury appliances.

Flexibility in Service Providers: 10/10

Liberty allows customers to choose their own service technicians, giving them a perfect score when it comes to their flexibility in service providers. You’ll still have to get Liberty’s approval before choosing the contractor you want, but it’s still better than getting stuck with the only technician that’s available (and better than most other providers in the industry), so we gave them a 10 out of 10.

Read our full Liberty Home Guard review

Best Coverage Limits

American Home Shield

4.3

Our Rating

Limited Time:

$150 Off Any Plan

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American Home Shield (AHS) is one of my top choices as the best home warranty for luxury homes because of their high coverage limits. American Home Shield offers $5,000 HVAC limits on all of their plans and $4,000 appliance coverage limits on the ShieldPlatinum plan, which is double what most competitors offer. American Home Shield also covers damages that most other companies don’t, like undetectable preexisting conditions, rust, and corrosion, which can come in handy since these are common damages, especially to outdoor items like AC units, pool equipment, and sprinkler systems.

On the other hand, AHS has extremely mixed reviews, which makes it hard to get a clear picture of how satisfied their customers are. AHS has 78% 1-star reviews on Trustpilot and the worst Trustpilot score of any company on our list (2.1 out of 5 stars). Not all their reviews are bad, and their Google reviews are actually quite good (4.5 out of 5 stars), but there are enough complaints to produce reasonable doubt about their service. Still, their coverage limits are good enough to justify the risk. If you want the best coverage limits for your expensive luxury items, American Home Shield is a great choice, especially for the price.

What I Like What I Don’t Like

My favorite thing about American Home Shield is their price-to-coverage-limit ratio. AHS’ rates can get under $10 per month, depending on where you are in the country, but they still offer $5,000 coverage caps for HVAC systems on every plan — even the most affordable ones. These coverage limits are even better than those of industry leaders like Liberty Home Guard, so that’s a big perk. Additionally, AHS has a policy that if they can’t repair an item, they’ll replace it, as seen in the image below, which essentially means there are no predetermined coverage caps for replacements. This isn’t ironclad, as it depends on your claim being accepted and AHS actually replacing your item instead of offering a cash payout (which is usually a fraction of the total price), but it’s another feature that distinguishes AHS from other companies.

I only have two big complaints with American Home Shield: their mixed reviews and their price variance based on location. Negative reviews don’t always tell the whole truth, but when there are a lot of them, you should pay attention. AHS has more complaints than the competition and the lowest customer reputation score on our list, so it’s worth considering whether you may be better off with a company that’s more reliable with their claim acceptance and customer service. Also, AHS’ prices fluctuate a lot depending on where you live, sometimes by $40 or more for the same plan. That variance makes me think twice about their pricing model and whether you’re really getting the best rate in their higher-priced areas.

Plans and Coverage: 9.0/10

American Home Shield offers three plans, but their options are a bit different than the standard home warranty formula (one plan for appliances, one for systems, one for both). The ShieldSilver plan covers 14 of your home’s major systems and starts at only $7.49 in Nashville, which is so low that it’s basically unheard of. The ShieldGold and Shield Platinum plans cover a mix of home systems and appliances. The ShieldPlatinum plan is their most expensive option, but at $57.49 a month, it’s still comparable to other comprehensive plans, so the price isn’t bad at all. If you’re a budget-conscious buyer, I’d recommend you stick to the ShieldGold or ShieldSilver plans since both are a good value, but you can’t go wrong with any of these plans. However, American Home Shield only offers six add-ons, so we lowered their score to a 9.0 for their plans and coverage.

Plan	Monthly Cost*	Service Fee**	Available Discounts
ShieldSilver	$7.49	$125	N/A
ShieldGold	$27.49	$125	N/A
ShieldPlatinum	$57.49	$125	N/A

*Monthly cost figures provided include the discounted rate offered at the time of writing. 

**AHS offers two service fee choices: $100 or $125. The monthly costs shown in the table above are for a $125 service fee. Choosing the $100 option will raise your monthly rate.

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Nashville, TN. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

The add-ons below are shown at monthly prices and are available with all plans except as noted:

• Electronics protection plan: $14
• Guest unit: $6.99
• Pool and built-in spa equipment: $18
• Roof leak repair limit (included in the ShieldPlatinum plan but available as an add-on for others): $10
• Septic pump: $5.00
• Well pump: $8.00

American Home Shield only offers a few add-ons, and the pool and built-in spa equipment coverage may be the most beneficial for luxury homes. Many luxury homes have pools, and they’re not normally covered in the usual plan options, so it makes sense to pay for an add-on to cover these expensive items.

Cost & Affordability: 7.5/10

American Home Shield has some of the lowest monthly rates in the industry, making them the cheapest home warranty provider on our list. However, their monthly prices vary depending on where you live. The ShieldSilver plan can get as low as $7.49 a month in some areas and as high as $67.49 a month in others, so despite their remarkably low rates, they may not always be the cheapest option. AHS  rates also depend on promotional deals and seasonal discounts, so their prices fluctuate more than any other provider on our list.

American Home Shield has rates as low as $14 a month in Birmingham, Alabama. However, in East Boston, that same plan jumps up to $56 a month. I got these quotes on the same day.

Here’s my quote for Birmingham, Alabama:

And here’s my quote for East Boston, Massachusetts:

Your rates will vary greatly depending on where you live, so it’s hard to determine whether they’ll be the best deal out of all the home warranty providers or the worst. But, with all the pros and cons considered, we scored American Home Shield a 7.5.

Customer Experience: 8.1/10

American Home Shield has a lot of negative reviews, which can make it hard to discern an overall customer experience since there are plenty of good reviews, too. One reviewer took note of this, saying:

“I was skeptical after reading a lot of negative reviews, but my experience was far from negative. [The] communication and scheduling was quick via email, the contractor that they sent out was outstanding, and communication was very transparent.”

AHS does a good job of responding to negative reviews and offering to help. Here’s one of their responses to a negative review on Google:

“Thank you for the feedback. We’d like to apologize for not meeting your expectations. Do you still need assistance with an open claim? If so, please email us at socialmedia@ahs.com with your name, full property address, and the claim number. We’ll be happy to investigate this further.”

On Trustpilot, their response is similar. These messages may not actually reflect the level of care they put into each claim, but they still show that the company pays diligent attention to negative feedback. Because of their efforts, we awarded AHS an 8.1.

Company Reputation: 7.3/10

American Home Shield has the lowest company reputation score on our list, and it’s because of their mixed reviews. AHS has more complaints than the competition, including 78% 1-star reviews on Trustpilot, which is especially bad. Because of their high ratio of negative reviews, it doesn’t bode well for their overall reputation.

One Trustpilot reviewer expressed their frustrations with the claims process, saying:

“For six weeks, [we] have been tossed between AHS and their contractor. [We had] two compressors replaced [and] went two solid weeks in the deep south with no AC. My husband and I both have high-risk health issues and take medicine that prevents us from tolerating heat. We informed both parties of this. The contractor “fixed” the problem, and not 24 hours later, the unit is out again. AHS has been unable to fulfill their end of the contract, in our opinion.”

Another said:

“Absolutely a terrible company! I have been trying to get a cash offer settlement for replacing my water heater for 2 weeks now and each time that I call, they say that it will be within 24 – 48 hours. Well, this is now 2 weeks. I want my settlement NOW! The customer service department will do nothing but frustrate you. Buyer Beware!”

On the other hand, AHS commonly receives praise for its high payouts and quick responses. One customer said:

“My experience has been awesome. Requests for service are processed immediately and you hear from the servicing provider within 24 hours.”

Another mentioned the replacement process, saying:

“American Home Shield has always done good by me and provided professional, good service, prompt and courteous … AHS always had my issues assigned within 24 [hours]. This is the best money spent for a single mother…Rest assured, they will take care of you.”

As you can see, the reviews are all over the map and can seem conflicting in many circumstances. While AHS has 2.1 stars on Trustpilot, they still have plenty of good reviews (especially on Google) and a B rating on BBB, so we gave them a 7.3.

Rating Site	Rating	Number of Reviews
BBB	B / 2.1 out of 5 stars	11,052
Trustpilot	2.1 out of 5 stars	5,359
Google	4.5 out of 5 stars	33,298
Yelp	1.1 out of 5 stars	1,297

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

Claims Process: 8.0/10

American Home Shield ranks in the middle of our list when it comes to their claims process, mainly because of their mixed reviews. AHS has impressive coverage limits and covers damage from unknown preexisting conditions, rust, and corrosion, but they also have more customer complaints than the competition. 

One Google reviewer complained about the company’s attempts to get out of paying for claims:

“American Home Shield takes your money easily, but when it comes time to pay, they weasel themselves out of it by pointing to various parts of the contract.”

Another customer on Google commented on the company’s communication, saying:

“Every time I tried to get in touch with American Home Shield, I was met with confusion and lack of information. They kept telling me they were waiting on parts and couldn’t provide any additional details. When I asked to speak to a manager, I was told no one was available, and they promised to have an escalation manager call me back, but that never happened.”

Still, there are plenty of positive reviews about their claims process as well. One reviewer said:

“I have been an American Home Shield Customer for less than one year. I have used their services 3 times and it saved me a significant amount of money. I have been sent competent, professional providers to do repairs in a timely manner.”

AHS has high coverage limits ($5,000 for HVAC and $4,000 for appliances), so their payouts are great when claims are accepted. Also, they cover damage from unknown preexisting conditions, rust, and corrosion, which is a huge plus since many competitors don’t cover these damages. Still, their negative reviews make it hard to gauge their reliability for covering claims, so we scored American Home Shield an 8.0 for their claims process.

Transparency & Ease of Use: 9.4/10

At 14 pages, AHS’sample contract is one of the longer ones on our list, but it’s still easy to follow because of how clearly they display the information, especially in the coverage charts on pages three to seven. AHS also covers damage such as unknown preexisting conditions, rust, and corrosion, which you can find under the “What are Covered Breakdowns?” heading in the sample contract. Most home warranty companies won’t cover these types of issues, which makes AHS easier to use when it comes to their claims process, so we gave them a 9.4. 

Exclusions

• Acts beyond our control (such as earthquakes, storms, mud, and fire)
• Flues, chimneys, fireplaces, and exhaust lines
• Hazardous materials 
• Improper capacity
• Items covered by other insurance or warranty
• Known preexisting breakdown 
• Manufacturer or government recalls
• Misuse or accidental acts
• Multimedia centers
• Outdoor kitchens
• Power and fuel sources
• Routine maintenance
• Smart home systems
• Special systems (radon mitigation systems, gas detection systems, etc.)

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it’s imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

Flexibility in Service Providers: 5.0/10

American Home ShieldAmerican Home Shield doesn’t let policyholders select their own technicians, but they do let them pick from a pre-approved list of technicians. Even though you can’t pick whatever contractor you want, it’s still better than getting stuck with whoever they assign you, so we gave American Home Shield a 5.0 out of 10.is available in 49 states — Alaska being the only state it does not cover. So, homeowners nationwide can rely on AHS’s wide network of experienced contractors to swiftly repair issues in their homes. 

Read our full American Home Shield review

Best Customer Ratings

Elite Home Warranty

4.3

Our Rating

Elite Home Warranty’s high customer ratings and premium coverage for appliances and home systems make them a great choice as the best home warranty for luxury homes. Elite has the highest customer ratings out of every company on our list, giving them a distinct advantage when it comes to customer satisfaction. Elite scored a 4.7 and above with the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, Google, and Yelp, which is an impressive accomplishment in its own right. They also offer add-on coverage for premium home appliances and systems, making it easy to get your luxury items covered. This coverage is expensive, starting at $250 a year for the premium appliance add-on and topping off at $500 a year for the premium systems plus add-on, but if you have the cash to spare, this coverage is invaluable.

Still, Elite Home Warranty (EHW) has their fair share of flaws. For starters, their quote process is frustrating because you have to call a representative to get a quote. As someone who values the convenience of submitting my information online and getting a quote back in a matter of seconds, this is a big letdown. Also, Elite’s standard coverage limits in their plans aren’t very impressive, maxing out at $3,000 a year for refrigerator coverage and dipping down to $1,000 a year for washer and dryer coverage. Despite their claims of high coverage limits in their premium add-ons, their standard limits are pretty disappointing. Lastly, Elite has amazing customer reviews, but they have many fewer reviews than the competition. While other companies have tens of thousands of reviews, Elite only has a few hundred. This isn’t inherently bad, but it does make it harder to gauge how truly successful the company is and how happy their customers are when there’s a smaller pool of data contributing to the overall picture.

What I Like What I Don’t Like

My favorite thing about Elite Home Warranty is their nearly flawless online reviews. Elite scored 4.7 and above with the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, Google, and Yelp — an almost-impossible feat. They may not have many reviews, but the ones they do have are very good. Another thing I love about Elite Home Warranty is that they offer specific add-ons for premium appliances and premium systems. This add-on coverage increases the coverage limits of the appliances or systems you have. For example, the premium appliances add-on “increases the maximum coverage limit for refrigerators to $6,000 per year, ovens to $4,000 per year, dishwashers to $3,000 per year, and microwave to $1,000 per year” (per Elite’s sample contract). Likewise, the premium systems add-on “increases the maximum coverage limit for air conditioning and heating systems to $5,000 each, and HVAC to $7,000 per year” (also per the sample contract). If you’re a homeowner with a lot of luxury appliances or home systems, this premium coverage is a must-have.

I have a few complaints about Elite Home Warranty, but my biggest one is about their quote process. Other companies have a simple, streamlined process for getting quotes online in a matter of seconds, but with Elite, you have to call a representative to get a quote. On top of that, their website is a bit cluttered and confusing, sitting in stark contrast to companies like American Home Shield, which has a very modern and intuitive site design. Also, Elite’s standard appliance coverage limits aren’t great (washer and dryer limits are $1,000 per year, oven limits are $2,000 per year, etc.for example). You can raise the coverage limits by purchasing the premium appliances add-on, but it’s an extra $250 a year, which is quite expensive.

My last complaint is about Elite’s limitations in the first 90 days of your contract. If you have any repairs or replacements in your first three months, the maximum payout you’ll get is $300. Most companies have waiting periods, but 90 days is a very long time to wait before you can make any real claims. You can read the full section from their sample contract on their limitations below:

Plans and Coverage: 10/10

When getting coverage with Elite Home Warranty, you can submit your information online, but to get a full quote, you have to call them. This is very inconvenient, especially in today’s world of online transactions and instant gratification, but it does make for some good discounts. Elite emailed me with an offer (shown in the image below) for $150 off my bill, one month free, a $70 copay (service call fee), and a 30-day free trial.

However, Elite lets customers choose their own service call fees of $70, $100, $130, or even $0 per service call (as shown in the image below), which is a big benefit. Even though their claim of being the only home warranty company to allow you to choose your own service call fee is false (many companies offer this), they do offer more options than competitors.

Elite offers three standard plans: one appliance-only plan, one systems-only plan, and one comprehensive coverage plan, as shown in the images below. 

The Elite Complete plan is my top choice for coverage from Elite Home Warranty because it’s a fully comprehensive plan that covers 16 appliances and systems for around the same price as Liberty Home Guard’s Total Home Guard plan. If you want to cover all your essentials, I recommend you start your search there.

Plan	Monthly Cost	Service Fee*	Available Discounts (all offered via email)
Elite Appliance	$44.99	$70	$150 offOne month free$70 service fee30-day free trial
Elite Systems	$49.99	$70	$150 offOne month free$70 service fee30-day free trial
Elite Complete	$59.99	$70	$150 offOne month free$70 service fee30-day free trial

*As mentioned above, Elite offers a choice of four service fees. Each service fee pairs with a monthly cost — lower services fees pair with higher monthly costs. The monthly cost-service fee pairing shown in the table reflects the service fee discount offered at the time of writing.

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Nashville, TN. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

EHW offers the following add-ons (priced annually):

• Attic exhaust fan: $69.99
• Central vacuum: $49.00
• Effluent pump: $99.99
• Ejector pump: $99.99
• Freestanding freezer: $59.99
• Freestanding ice maker: $59.99
• Freestanding spa equipment: $119.99
• Generator: $99.99
• Geothermal heating and cooling System: $299.99
• Grinder pump: $99.99
• Guest house: $299.99
• HVAC annual maintenance: $299.99
• Jetted/hot Tub: $99.99
• Lawn sprinkler system: $99.99
• Lift pump: $99.99
• Limited roof leak repair: $99.99
• Pool & spa equipment: $199.99
• Pool equipment: $149.99
• Premium appliances: $249.99
• Premium benefits: $199.99
• Premium systems: $299.99
• Premium systems plus: $499.99
• Septic system: $129.99
• Service lines: $349.99
• Sump pump: $99.99
• Swamp cooler: $149.99
• Water filtration system: $99.99
• Water softener: $99.99
• Well pump: $99.99
• Wine cooler: $69.99

Affordability: 7.5/10

In general, Elite Home Warranty’s monthly rates range from $45 to $60 a month, putting them right on par with other industry leaders like Liberty Home Guard and First American Home Warranty. Their service call fees can vary, but I was offered a $70 service fee, which is fairly low. Elite’s average service call fee is $100, which is fairly standard for the industry. However, most of Elite’s add-ons are at least $15 to $20 per month, which can add up to several hundred dollars over the course of a year. Specifically for luxury homeowners, adding premium appliance protection will add $250 to your yearly cost, which is very pricey. Adding premium systems will tack on another $300. If you care a lot about covering your top-of-the-line items, this could be worth it. But, for most homeowners, it’s a very steep price to pay for coverage. Because of these expensive add-on prices, we lowered Elite’s affordability score to 8.7.

Customer Experience: 7.5/10

Elite Home Warranty’s customer experience is a bit of a mixed bag for me because while I was thrilled with their online reviews and coverage options, I was unimpressed with a lot of their other features. For example, Elite Home Warranty’s website is a bit cluttered and lacks the sleek, intuitive layout that many competitors boast. In my opinion, it even looks a bit dated. Also, potential customers have to call to get a quote, which is extremely inconvenient for most people since we live in a digital age and expect to have access to quotes online in a matter of seconds. 

Along with the lack of an online quote process, Elite makes it difficult for customers to find their prices. They list the starting prices for their plans but not much else. Even add-on prices are extremely hard to find, so their lack of transparency around their prices is something that could hurt the overall customer experience. Additionally, I found their sales reps to be more “sales-y” than those of the competition — they asked for my payment method only after we were on the phone for about four to five minutes, which rubbed me the wrong way. Elite’s quote process isn’t as streamlined as the competition, so we have them a 7.6 for their customer experience score.

Company Reputation: 8.3/10

Based on our research, Elite Home Warranty has the best scores of any home warranty provider on the market, even Liberty Home Guard, which holds the highest company reputation score on our list. Elite has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, giving them the highest BBB score on our list. They also have unusually high ratings on sites like Trustpilot, Google, and Yelp, scoring an average of 4.7 out of 5, and above. Although these scores are extremely high, Elite has far fewer reviews than the competition, giving them a smaller pool of data. While other companies have thousands (and sometimes tens of thousands) of reviews, Elite only has a few hundred, which negatively affects their score. Given their exceptionally low amount of reviews, we lowered their score to 8.3.

Rating Site	Rating	Number of Reviews
BBB	A+ / 4.97 out of 5 stars	446
Trustpilot	4.7 out of 5 stars	88
Google	4.7 out of 5 stars	188
Yelp	4.8 out of 5 stars	5

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

Claims Process: 6.0/10

Elite Home Warranty has one of the lowest claims process scores on our list, and it’s mainly because their emergency services come with extra fees. Elite allows customers to file a claim online or over the phone at any hour of the day, 365 days a year, but if you need repairs quickly, you’ll have to pay an extra $150 for their emergency services. If you don’t want to pay extra, you’ll have to wait 24 to 48 hours for service, as this is Elite’s average response time. Because they charge extra for emergency services, we lowered Elite’s claims process score to 6.8.

Transparency & Ease of Use: 9.2/10

Elite Home Warranty’s sample contract is one of the few sample contracts with a table of contents, making it easy to scan the document for any section you’re looking for. The sections are laid out very simply, and individual coverage limits are listed under each appliance or home system, so it’s easy to keep track of all the details. However, the document is very long, and some sections, particularly the exclusions, are quite wordy. Because some of these sections are wordy, it’s easy for some information to get buried in the text, bringing their score down to 9.2.

Exclusions

EHW has the following exclusions on all their plans: 

• Acts of God
• A lack of maintenance
• Commercial-grade appliances
• Consequential or secondary damage
• Cosmetic damage
• Damages or malfunctions arising from pests, rodents, animals, roots, etc.
• Electronic, computerized, or home management systems
• Flues, venting, chimneys, and exhaust lines
• Natural disaster-related damages
• Radon monitoring systems, fire sprinkler systems, and solar systems and components
• Units in a rental property

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it’s imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

Flexibility in Service Providers: 10/10

Elite Home Warranty allows their customers to choose their own technicians, although you have to first verify that your technician is licensed and certified before authorizing a repair. This gives Elite a perfect score for their flexibility in service providers. However, it’s worth noting that customers will lose Elite’s workmanship guarantee if they choose to use their own technician instead of choosing one from Elite’s contractor network. While this doesn’t negatively affect their score (since they’re still flexible with service providers), it’s still a big inconvenience, so it’s worth considering before choosing your own technician.

Best for Preventative Maintenance

Cinch Home Services

4.1

Our Rating

Limited Time:

2 Months Free On All Plans

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Cinch Home Services has some of the most unique features out of all the companies on our list, including preventative maintenance benefits and annual coverage limits, which give them an edge over the competition. For example, Cinch offers preventative maintenance benefits where they’ll provide one free air conditioning and/or heating system maintenance visit for up to $100 if you don’t make any claims during your first year. In a way, these benefits defeat the purpose of having a home warranty since you won’t be using your policy at all, but it’s nice to actually get rewarded for not making any claims.

Another unique feature Cinch offers is their annual coverage limits. Cinch uses $10,000 annual coverage limits instead of individual item limits, which is something no other provider on our list offers. These annual coverage caps could work in your favor if you only have a few claims in a year since it’ll leave you more money to use per claim. Cinch offers these limits on all of their plans, which is beneficial since you won’t be getting less of a coverage limit if you choose a more affordable plan. Cinch’s expensive service fees (up to $150) and their hit-or-miss customer service are major inconveniences you may have to work through, but overall, the company still has a lot to offer luxury homeowners.

What I Like What I Don’t Like

My favorite thing about Cinch Home Services is their replacement policy. Cinch is one of the few companies in the industry that has a policy where if they can’t repair an item, they’ll replace it (as seen in the image below). Along with this policy, Cinch also covers systems and appliances no matter how old they are, which can give you peace of mind if you have an older luxury home. Many companies will just offer you a disappointing (and sometimes insultingly low) check for its depreciated value, but Cinch will replace the item instead. While this policy isn’t ironclad, and there’s still plenty of room for legal loopholes, it’s nice to know that Cinch has you covered in the event that an older appliance malfunctions and can’t be repaired.

My main critiques of Cinch Home Services are their high service fees and limited add-on options. Cinch’s service fees range from $100 to $150, which gives them the most expensive fees on our list. These fees aren’t a total deal-breaker, but they can add up quickly, so be sure to take that into account before purchasing a policy. Additionally, Cinch only offers six add-ons, which is disappointing. Many homeowners won’t need the add-on coverage, but if you own a luxury home, you may find yourself needing coverage for specialty items, so the add-on coverage is important. If you need more than what the standard plans can provide, I’d recommend First American Home Warranty or Liberty Home Guard instead.

Plans and Coverage: 6.7/10

Cinch Home Services has the lowest plans and coverage score on our list because they have fewer add-on options than every other competitor. Cinch only offers six add-ons, and while they’re all practical options, they pale in comparison to Liberty Home Guard’s 42 add-ons. Still, Cinch’s plans are very straightforward — there’s one for appliances, one for home systems, and one for both. My top pick is the Complete Home plan since it offers comprehensive coverage for $54.99 a month, which is less than Liberty Home Guard’s Total Home Guard plan. If we were only considering their plans, we’d give them a higher score, but their lack of add-on options brought their plans and coverage score down to 6.7.

Plan	Monthly Cost	Service Fee*	Available Discounts
Appliances	$38.99	$150	Choose monthly billing and get your first two months free (online)
Built-in Systems	$43.99	$150	Choose monthly billing and get your first two months free (online)
Complete Home	$54.99	$150	Choose monthly billing and get your first two months free (online)

*Cinch Home Services offers three service fee choices: $100, $125, or $150, which you get to choose between during your quote process. The prices shown in the table above are for a $150 service fee. Choosing the $125 or $100 options will increase your monthly rate.

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Nashville, TN. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

Cinch Home Services offers the following add-ons (priced monthly) for all its plans:

• Pool (heater included): $22.00
• Pool with spa (heater included): $22.00
• Premier upgrade package: $12.50
• Septic tank/pumping: $4.58
• Spa (heater included): $22.00
• Well pump: $12.50

Cinch’s add-ons are pricier than those of the competition, with most options adding a minimum of $12.50 a month to your rate, but some are unique to Cinch, making them a big selling point. Their premier upgrade package is a rare option that provides additional coverage for permits, code upgrades, and more. No other company on this list offers it, so it may be worth looking into if you’re worried about keeping your systems up to code.

Cost & Affordability: 7.5/10

Cinch Home Services is tied with American Home Shield and Elite Home Warranty for the worst affordability score on our list, mainly because of their high service fees. Cinch has the most expensive service fees on our list, ranging from $100 to $150. The lower option of $100 isn’t a bad price, but $150 is double what some other companies are charging. However, if you choose the $150 option, Cinch has very reasonable monthly rates, so considering all the pros and cons, we gave them a 7.5 for their cost and affordability.

Customer Experience: 7.5/10

Cinch Home Services has the lowest customer experience score on our list (tied with Liberty Home Guard and Elite Home Warranty), and part of that is because their customer service is a bit of a mixed bag. The best example of this I could find was the following review from a customer on Google that shared both the good and the bad about having a policy with Cinch:

“I’ve had this warranty company, originally through Sears, for nine years. I’ve been without a washer for two months with a household of seven. They have ordered parts that never came twice. They have had a tech at my home four times, but at the last appointment, they did not show. So, I have no washer. I have no appointment to fix my washer. I have no parts to fix my washer.  I called to file a complaint and still no contact from anyone. I think this is actually a scam, and I’m headed toward a lawsuit as I have paid over $7,000 to them to ensure that I didn’t have to go through this. I have held up my side of the contract, and they failed on their side.

Follow up: after this review customer service contacted and approved a replacement washer. Mary was very helpful, and the washer I received was excellent. Thank you!”

What started as a scathing critique of the company’s lax approach to fulfilling claims turned into a success story because Cinch’s customer service team fixed the issue. While Cinch’s general customer service and claims acceptance rates could use some serious improvement, I liked that Cinch’s customer service team actually does something about it when a customer is unhappy. Because their agents go above and beyond to fix their issues, we brought Cinch’s customer experience score up to 7.5.

Company Reputation: 8.0/10

Cinch ranks in the middle of our list when it comes to their company reputation, mainly because their reviews are mixed. Cinch has a B+ with the Better Business Bureau, which is very high, but it’s never good to judge a company based on one site’s opinion. The rest of Cinch’s reviews on Trustpilot, Google, and Yelp are fairly average, with mixed reviews overall. Most customers praised Cinch’s quick responses and simple process for repairs and replacements. One Google customer said:

“My AC stopped running, so I made a claim to Cinch home warranty. Within the next couple of days, a technician was sent to diagnose the problem. My compressor was out. Within three weeks, I had a new HVAC system installed.”

On the other hand, most of the complaints were about their customer service — mainly long wait times for calls and repairs. One particularly disappointed Google customer said:

“Calling Cinch is pointless, as I have spent literal hours trying to talk to a human that could help, passed off to multiple departments as either nobody wanted to or knew how to help. I called Cinch multiple times in a day, never able to actually talk to a human. [Four] different times I sat on hold for over 10 minutes, only to be hung up on. The one time I reached a human, they couldn’t hear me, and also hung up on me. It was actually comical how little they cared. I openly laughed on the calls because I couldn’t believe how little they were willing to help.”

There’s a stark contrast between the two reviews. However, it’s worth noting that some reviewers could get their issues resolved later by reaching out to the customer relations team (erelations@cinchhs.com). Because of Cinch’s mixed reviews and spotty customer service, we gave them an 8.0 for their company reputation.

Rating Site	Rating	Number of Reviews
BBB	B+ / 1.12 out of 5 stars	1,524
Trustpilot	3.9 out of 5 stars	3,268
Google	3.1 out of 5 stars	2,795
Yelp	1.0 out of 5 stars	6

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

Claims Process: 9.0/10

Cinch Home Services has the second-highest claims process score on our list, mainly because of their annual coverage limits. Cinch uses annual coverage limits instead of individual item limits (with limited exceptions for certain items) with a max annual limit of $10,000. This means that if you only have a few claims within a year, you could actually get more of a payout per claim, making it a better option for those who don’t anticipate having a lot of repairs. Additionally, Cinch has a fast 24-hour response time, 24/7 availability, and fee-free emergency services, all of which are handy features to have in case of a sudden malfunction. Still, Cinch has a longer list of exclusions than some other competitors, which negatively affects their score, so we gave them a 9.0 for their claims process.

Transparency & Ease of Use: 9.6/10

Cinch has the second-best transparency score on our list, mainly because Cinch Home Services’ sample contract has a table of contents. This might seem like it would be common, but it’s surprisingly rare, which makes Cinch’s contract much faster to skim through than the competition. Cinch has a relatively standard set of exclusions under the “General Exclusions and Limitations” section, but they do have a longer list than some competitors, so we brought their score down to 9.6.

Exclusions

Cinch Home Services has the following exclusions on all its plans:

• Abuse
• Accidents
• Acts of God
• Animal, pet, and/or pest damage
• Casualty
• Fire
• Flood, smoke, earthquake, or freeze damage
• Improper installation
• Insurrection and riots
• Lightning strikes
• Missing parts
• Misuse and/or neglect
• Mold, mildew, mycotoxins, fungus, bacteria, virus, condensation, and/or wet or dry rot
• Nuclear explosion, reaction, radiation, or radioactive contamination
• Power failure
• Power surge
• Structural and/or property damage
• Vandalism or intentional destruction of property
• War and acts of terrorism

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it’s imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

Cinch offers the following explanation on their website of what’s not covered by their policies:

Flexibility in Service Providers: 2.0/10

Cinch Home Services is tied with First American Home Warranty for the lowest flexibility in service providers score. Cinch doesn’t allow customers to choose their own service technicians or even pick from a list of pre-approved technicians. Simply put, you’re stuck with whoever they assign to you. This isn’t a deal-breaker since it’s common in the industry, but it can be extremely inconvenient to deal with an incompetent contractor that was assigned to your claim,  so we gave Cinch a 2.0 for their flexibility in service providers.

Read our AFC Home Warranty review

Calculate the Cost of Luxury Homes Home Warranty

Today’s Homeowner created a handy cost calculator to help you if you’re trying to figure out how much a home warranty will cost, . Enter your monthly cost, service call fee, and expected number of claims below to estimate your annual home warranty cost.

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