It’s not uncommon for homeowners to experience costly and unexpected repairs to the major systems and appliances in their homes. However, not every homeowner thinks about purchasing a home warranty plan that protects them when these essential components break.
That’s why it’s important to do your research and compare multiple home warranty companies before making your purchase. You should also read all of the fine print to know exactly what will be covered and what will not. But as always, our research team has been behind the scenes doing most of the work for you.
Our Preferred Home Warranty Alternatives
Today’s Homeowner recommends a few home warranty companies to our readers. Below, you’ll see our latest suggestions and their money-saving deals. You can also read our review of the companies with similar home warranty plans to learn more about these top picks.
In This Article:
- Overview of HSA Home Warranty
- Plans & Coverage
- HSA Home Warranty Cost
- Claims and Service
- Our Verdict On HSA Home Warranty
- Our Recommended Provider: American Home Shield
- Why A Home Warranty?
- Frequently Asked Questions
In our review, we’ll look at what plans HSA Home Warranty offers, as well as the cost for each. We will then explain our recommendation of American Home Shield over HSA. We hope that by the end of reading our review, you’ll be able to make the most informed decision possible about your home warranty provider. If you’d like to get a customized quote from our top provider, then just give them a call at 844-529-9298 or fill out this easy form.
Our Research
Our research team strives to provide in-depth, unbiased research to reference when finding a home warranty plan.
We consider all aspects of a home warranty product or service before compiling our reviews, which we hold to high standards regarding their transparency and validity of the information.
We strive to write comprehensive reviews that are valuable and informative for consumers.
Overview of HSA Home Warranty
Based in Memphis, TN, HSA is a home warranty provider that also offers home buying and selling services, as well as other real estate services for both real estate agents and homeowners. With over 40 years in business since 1979, HSA has been BBB-accredited since 1990 and has a B rating.
Although known for their industry-forward policies, some aspects of HSA Home Warranty’s business practices raise concerns, such as an unusually low appliance coverage limit. This is true despite HSA’s generous term limits. That being said, if high term limits are appealing to you, as well as mid-range service fees and a large network of professional contractors, HSA home warranty may be one of the home warranty companies that can meet your needs.
Home Warranty Resources
- Best Home Warranties in 2023
HSA Home Warranty Plans & Coverage
HSA exclusively offers combo, or hybrid policies, that cover the standard array of major appliances and systems, with limited specialty coverage options and a weak appliance cap despite an unusually high term cap.
| Covered Systems | Covered Appliances |
| Heating | Refrigerators |
| Electrical | Dishwashers |
| Plumbing | Clothes dryers |
| Water heaters | Clothes washers |
| Instant hot/cold water | Ranges |
| Dispensers | Ovens |
| Central vacuums | Cooktops |
| Doorbells | Trash compactor |
| Ceiling fans | Stand-alone freezer |
| Sump pumps |
Specialty Items: Pool/Spa
Optional Coverage and Additional Perks:
- Rekey Service: Covers rekeying of up to 6 keyholes for exterior doors and provides you with 4 keys for a trade call fee.
- Pre-Season Tune-ups: Available in spring for the cooling system and fall for heating.
- Electronics Plan: Extended protection for new or existing items, such as laptops, desktops, smart home products and more.
- Trickle-Down Discounts: Discounts received by HSA on name brand appliances passed down to customers via a discounts program worksheet.
HSA Home Warranty Cost
HSA Home Warranty plan costs start at $425 with the $75 service fee option, or $405 per year with a $100 service fee. Once you get your own personalized quote online, we always recommend that you fully read any home warranty contract before purchasing. With HSA, once you’ve activated your contract, it’s irreversible. Meaning, HSA doesn’t allow you to cancel your contract for any reason, even if you paid a cancellation fee.
HSA Home Warranty Claims and Service
As stated on the company website, HSA strives to provide the fastest and most efficient service with its incredibly large network of repair service providers. Their service fees are mid-range, and there is no waiting period or request for maintenance records before service is provided. In addition, HSA Home Warranty also offers a 30-day recall period and may approve an out-of-network service provider under rare circumstances.
Our Verdict on HSA Home Warranty
HSA Home Warranty offers generous term limits and charges mid-range to high service fees. The company caters to real estate professionals and those who are wanting home protection while a home they are buying or selling is under contract.
However, their overall service for homeowners who plan on being in their home for a while is certainly not above average enough to meet most homeowners’ needs, when other companies offer better coverage, especially for specialty items in your home.
Although HSA offers standard coverage for appliances and home systems, their prices can’t compare to other companies, such as American Home Shield. Upon completing our research, we have chosen American Home Shield as the home warranty of choice for those who really want the best coverage with 24/7 customer support.
Our Recommended Provider: American Home Shield
Our research team recommends American Home Shield over HSA Home Warranty for several reasons. First, we were impressed by the company’s long-standing and trusted reputation. This provider has been in business since 1971—one of the oldest we’ve seen in the industry. Furthermore, the company provides customers with three different plan options with a unique level of personalization and a range of optional add-ons.
Below are a few stand-out perks:
- Choose your own service fee
- No home inspection necessary
- 24/7 service requests and customer service
- Coverage available in 49 states
Your home is a vital asset and should always be protected, just as you would protect your health. Manufacturer’s warranties can only do so much for so long, but a home warranty can protect you for many years to come. From your refrigerator breaking down shortly after the manufacturer’s warranty expires to protecting a stand-alone freezer or pool, you want your home warranty provider to offer the most home protection possible at the most affordable price. It’s a small price to pay for your peace of mind.
For overall coverage and price, American Home Shield’s three plans beat HSA Home Warranty by a landslide.
Why A Home Warranty?
A home warranty plan is typically a one-year contract that protects you against unexpected costs for repair of essential components of your home, including multiple major systems and appliances that break down or malfunction due to normal wear and tear. Home warranty contracts eliminate the hassle of finding an affordable repair service provider, as your home warranty provider does that for you with their network of providers.
The best home warranty companies will provide you with the following benefits:
- Peace of Mind: A home warranty plan provides a sense of comfort that your emergency fund is safe from unexpected repairs to your home.
- 24/7 Convenience: In the case of breakdowns at the most undesirable times, a home warranty allows you to call your provider to arrange for repairs.
- Service Guarantee: The best home warranty companies provide guarantees for repair services, and will connect you with an out-of-network provider if one isn’t available within their network for your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I have homeowners insurance, why do I need a home warranty?
A home warranty differs from homeowner’s insurance in that it provides coverage for repairs for home systems and appliances due to normal wear and tear.
Will I need a home inspection before finalizing a home warranty contract?
Whether you are required to get a home inspection or not will depend on each company’s policies.
What is covered under a home warranty plan?
A home warranty protects your home’s major appliances and systems when they break or malfunction. Many home warranty companies also offer additional coverage for an extra charge.
How does a home warranty differ from a manufacturer’s warranty?
Typically, a manufacturer’s warranty expires around one year after you purchase an appliance or system components, while home warranties can be purchased at any time and can be renewed for as many years as you need one.
What if I want to sell my house while the home warranty is in effect?
Any coverage you have remaining can transfer to the buyer of your home as of the closing date at no additional cost. For example, if you have 8 months of coverage left on your home warranty, the buyer will be covered for 8 months before having to renew a home warranty contract.
Home Warranty Rating Methodology
To help you find the best home warranty, our reviews team researched numerous home warranty companies, analyzing their coverage plans, pricing and customer service, among other factors:
- Coverage: Home warranty companies that provide extensive coverage and protect important systems and appliances, including your air conditioning, refrigerator and heating, scored higher than companies with minimal coverage.
- Plan variety: A provider with more coverage plans allows for more flexibility among customers. In general, most home warranty companies provide an appliances-only plan, systems-only plan and combination plan.
- Pricing: We scored providers based on their monthly plan prices and service call fees compared to the industry average pricing. Companies with more affordable coverage received more points than companies with more expensive plans.
- State availability: Where you live will determine what companies are available in your area. Home warranty companies that covered more states received more points than companies with a limited state availability.
- Trustworthiness: There are some home warranty companies that are scams and don’t follow through on their service agreements. We rated companies based on their years of experience, ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and customer reviews.
To keep our data current, our team regularly updates the data points for each company to ensure their coverage offerings, pricing and availability are accurate.
Reviews of Other Home Warranties
