Home Warranty of America (HWA) offers home warranty coverage at affordable prices and provides 24/7 customer service. Not to mention, this provider offers nationwide coverage—a rarity among most companies.
House Method is committed to providing quality information about the home warranty industry, only recommending the best home warranty companies. We looked into Home Warranty of America’s coverage, pricing, policy features, and customer reviews to give a comprehensive look into the home warranty provider.
Read our Home Warranty of America review to learn more about the company and how it stacks up against other top home warranty providers in the industry.
Today’s Homeowner works with an independent reviews team to create evidence-based research that helps our readers make informed decisions. The reviews are always independent. For transparency, we may be compensated if you purchase through a link.
Overview of Home Warranty of America (HWA)
Home Warranty of America (HWA) has been providing home protection plans for decades and offers advanced coverage at a higher rate than many other top providers. HWA offers their Energy Star upgrade coverage, which is a factor that really sets this home warranty provider apart. On the downside, it often takes up to 48 hours to schedule a trade service call.
Pros
- Energy Star upgrades
- Generous coverage limits
- Nationwide coverage
Cons
- Delayed service requests
Home Warranty Resources
- What is a Home Warranty?
- How Much Do Home Warranties Cost?
- Is a Home Warranty Worth It for You?
- Best Home Warranties in 2023
- Do Your Appliances Need Extended Warranties?
HWA Home Warranty Coverage and Cost
HWA covers up to 30 major appliances and systems, both new and old. There is no home inspection required to purchase a home warranty with HWA, and there are no age restrictions for home systems or appliances.
You can choose HWA Home Warranty’s lowest service fee of $75 and pay a few more dollars a month for your premium, or choose a $100 service fee and pay less monthly. The average cost of the premium for an HWA Plan is between $41 and $53 per month, though this will vary based on your home, location, and plan details.
HWA Home Warranty offers home protection plans in 49 states, excluding only California, and has a trusted network of repair service providers.
The HWA Premier Plan is the most affordable of the 2 plans offered and covers the major appliances and home systems. The Premier Plus Plan covers all that’s in the Premier Plan, plus a few extra items:
Premier Plan | Premier Plus Plan | |
Built-in microwaves | ✔ | ✔ |
Burglar alarm systems | ✔ | ✔ |
Ceiling and exhaust fans | ✔ | ✔ |
Central vacuums | ✔ | ✔ |
Dishwashers | ✔ | ✔ |
Doorbells | ✔ | ✔ |
Ductwork | ✔ | ✔ |
Electrical systems | ✔ | ✔ |
Exhaust fans | ✔ | ✔ |
Garbage disposals | ✔ | ✔ |
Garage door systems | ✔ | ✔ |
Heating system | ✔ | ✔ |
Ice maker | ✔ | ✔ |
Instant hot water dispensers | ✔ | ✔ |
Kitchen refrigerator | ✔ | ✔ |
Plumbing | ✔ | ✔ |
Ranges/ovens/cooktops | ✔ | ✔ |
Sump pumps (permanent) | ✔ | ✔ |
Trash compactors | ✔ | ✔ |
Toilets | ✔ | ✔ |
Washers/dryers | ✔ | ✔ |
Water heaters | ✔ | ✔ |
Whirlpool bathtubs | ✔ | ✔ |
Cooling system (including window units) | ✔ | |
Comprehensive dishwasher coverage | ✔ | |
Comprehensive garage door system coverage | ✔ | |
Plumbing fixtures, faucets and showerheads | ✔ |
In addition to HWA’s standard and premium coverage across two primary plans, you can further customize your home warranty contract to service the following items for an additional monthly charge:
Item | Cost Per Month |
Saltwater pools | $11.54 |
Roof leak repair | $3.85 |
Second refrigerator | $2.69 |
SEER/R-410A modifications | $5.77 |
Septic system | $3.85 |
Well pump | $6.54 |
Pool/spa combo | $11.54 |
Stand-alone freezer | $2.69 |
Septic tank pumping | $3.85 |
Premium Coverage gives protection to heating, cooling, plumbing, and kitchen appliance components that are ordinarily excluded, such as appliance rollers, door seals, handles, and knobs. For complete coverage details, view the Home Warranty of America sample coverage.
GreenPlus coverage guarantees that if your dishwasher, refrigerator, clothes washer, heating system, or water heater breaks down and cannot be repaired, Home Warranty of America will:
- Replace the dishwasher, refrigerator, and clothes washer with an ENERGY STAR product.
- Replace the heating system with a 90% efficiency model
- Replace the water heater with a tankless water heater.
OrangePlus coverage adds certain coverage to items that are otherwise excluded, such as coverage on building code violations and building permits.
Note: Home Warranty of America gives customers the option to choose between a $75 or $100 service fee, with a higher deductible lowering the monthly premium.
Price of HWA vs. Competitors
This graph represents the monthly premium customers would pay under Home Warranty of America’s most basic plan against what they would pay for competitor plans. Note: these prices do not include the service fee amount.
Coverage Details for Top Systems and Appliances
Our team at House Method wanted to find out the home warranty coverage that customers valued the most, so we surveyed 1,000 homeowners to see which appliances and systems were most important to them.
The results showed that the most important items were the oven/range/stovetop, electrical system, air conditioning, plumbing system, refrigerator, and clothes washer and dryer.
Refrigerator
Home Warranty of America will cover the majority of parts and components of one refrigerator, including refrigerators with ice makers. Coverage doesn’t include cosmetic items like racks and shelves.
Oven/range/stovetop
Home Warranty of America covers one range/oven/cooktop and all components and parts.
Clothes Washer and Dryer
Coverage for the washer and dryer includes protection on parts and components, except plastic mini-tubs, soap dispensers, filter screens, and door seals.
Electrical
Home Warranty of America covers parts and components of the electrical system, except items like fixtures, carbon monoxide alarms, and damaged items due to power failures.
Plumbing
Coverage for the plumbing system includes leaks and breaks in water lines, toilet tanks, instant hot water dispensers, and valves for showers and tubs. Coverage doesn’t include most stoppages and clogs, saunas or steam rooms, and sewage ejector pumps.
Air Conditioning
All components and parts of ducted electric central air conditioning and ducted electric wall air conditioning are covered under Home Warranty of America. Coverage doesn’t protect items like wall units, water towers, and cooling and pump pads.
Coverage Length
Homeowners will receive a contract length of 12 months, whereas real estate agents, home buyers, and home sellers will get 13 months of coverage.
Coverage Limits
Although coverage from Home Warranty of America covers most appliances and systems, it doesn’t cover everything. HWA may deny claims for the following reasons:
- Rust or corrosion caused the item to break down.
- The broken item failed due to improper installation or maintenance.
- The item was broken prior to the start of the contract.
Despite Home Warranty of America not covering appliances or systems due to these reasons, the provider does cover older systems and appliances and doesn’t require an inspection prior to coverage.
HWA Customer Reviews
As a consumer, you probably don’t have the time to sit around and sift through the hundreds of reviews left by HWA customers. That’s where we come in. At House Method, we go through user complaints, reviews, and ratings of each home warranty company and compile that information in a chart that’s easy for you to read.
Below, we’ve included Cinch Home Services’ ratings compared to the industry average.
Summary of Customer Feedback
REVIEWER | HOME WARRANTY OF AMERICA | INDUSTRY AVERAGE RATINGS |
YELP | 1.0 / 5 (out of 563 reviews) | 1.2 / 5 (out of 375 reviews) |
BBB | 1.2 / 5 (out of 856 reviews) | 2.0 / 5 (out of 956 reviews) |
HWA Home Warranty Quote Process
When we requested a quote online for HWA Home Warranty, it worked the first time. However, when we attempted the process again in order to choose add-on features, we could only receive a quote if we entered our phone number for a call back from a representative “during regular business hours.”
This was the first strike against HWA. We believe that consumers wanting to request a quote online, should be able to do this without the pressure of a representative, if they so choose.
Our Verdict on HWA Home Warranty
Home Warranty of America provides customers with two plan options that cover most major home appliances and systems at an affordable price. Coverage starts at a little over $40 per month with a $100 deductible, which is a little less than the industry average.
HWA offers excellent customer service, allowing policyholders to file claims at any time. This provider also offers emergency services if an appliance or system repair needs to be expedited.
Though Home Warranty of America provides extensive coverage, it doesn’t allow customers to cancel their contract for free within the first 30 days. Additionally, the company isn’t very transparent with its offerings, as it doesn’t supply a sample contract for just homeowners or go into detail about coverage options and limits.
Is A Home Warranty Cost-Effective?
Although it may seem that a home warranty can cost a substantial amount of money, the costs pale in comparison to the costs of common home repairs or replacements.
- Installing a new furnace: $3,880 – $8,000
- Repairing a furnace: $288
- Installing a hot water heater: $1,000
- Hiring an electrician: $325
- Replacing a garbage disposal: $80 – $720
- Installing new plumbing pipes: $559 – $2,443
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HWA?
HWA stands for Home Warranty of America, which provides home warranty plans for real estate agents, home buyers, sellers, and homeowners.
How does service from Home Warranty of America work?
If a covered item breaks, simply file a claim online or over the phone with a customer service representative. Once the claim is processed, a service technician will come out to your house to assess the item in question. At this time, home repairs will be made or a replacement will be scheduled. Before the service technician leaves, you’ll owe the agreed upon service fee.
Reviews of Other Home Warranties