Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Homeownership in Harlem comes with quite a few positives, but it also comes with worries and concerns. Your home’s appliances and systems will inevitably need repairs, and this could mean a huge expense. A home warranty can help protect homeowners by cutting the costs of major repairs and replacements on your home’s most important appliances and systems.
The home warranty market is saturated with many providers — all with different price points — so the Today's Homeowner team has done the research to help you choose the best home warranty companies in Harlem.
Very highly rated among customer service reviews
Covers repairs with a 60-day workmanship guarantee
Extensive list of 20+ add-on coverages
Easy claims process
Won’t cover known or unknown pre-existing conditions
Liberty Home Guard is the most trustworthy home warranty for Harlem residents. Liberty has been in the home warranty industry for over 6 years. Liberty has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. If you’re looking for a seamless complaint process and guaranteed service professionalism upon every repair visit, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has a 60-day workmanship guarantee and some of the best customer service in the industry.
The 3 plans from Liberty Home Guard are Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. The coverage caps from Liberty are about $3,000. The service fees are an affordable $75, which is lower than other providers in the Harlem area.
To get a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or call 866-451-2281. For more information on this provider, read our comprehensive review of Liberty Home Guard.
Appliance Guard
Systems Guard
Total Home Guard
Over 10 years of experience
24/7 customer service team
Home inspections aren’t required
90-day repair guarantee
Plans aren’t customizable
Customers can’t choose their own contractor
Not available in washington
Choice Home Warranty is the best overall home warranty for Harlem residents. Choice has been in the home warranty industry for over 15 years. Choice has 2 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. If you’re looking for very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties.
The 2 plans from Choice Home Warranty are Basic Plan and Total Plan. The coverage caps from Choice are about $3,000. The service fees are an affordable $85, which is lower than other providers in the Harlem area.
To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164. For more information on this provider, read our comprehensive review of Choice Home Warranty.
Basic Plan
Total Plan
Low service fees compared to other home warranty providers
Two months of free coverage
Has an appliance-only, systems-only, and combo plan option
90-day repair guarantee
Has a $75 cancellation fee
Low coverage caps
Select Home Warranty is the most cost-effective home warranty for Harlem residents. Select has been in the home warranty industry for over 11 years. Select has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. If you’re looking for a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance.
The 3 plans from Select Home Warranty are Bronze Care Plan, Gold Care Plan, and Platinum Care Plan. The coverage caps from Select are about $2,000. The service fees are a reasonable $60, which is lower than other providers in the Harlem area.
To get a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 888-370-3953. For more information on this provider, read our comprehensive review of Select Home Warranty.
Bronze Care Plan
Gold Care Plan
Platinum Care Plan
The oldest and most trusted company in the industry
Allows customers to build their own plans
Ability to choose the service fee you want to pay
Broad coverage on up to 33 appliances and systems
Doesn’t let customers choose their own technician
Doesn’t provide coverage in alaska
American Home Shield is the most customizable home warranty for Harlem residents. AHS has been in the home warranty industry for over 26 years. AHS has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. If you’re looking for the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies.
The 3 plans from American Home Shield are ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. The coverage caps from AHS are about $2,500. The service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125, which is lower than other providers in the Harlem area.
To get a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839. For more information on this provider, read our comprehensive review of American Home Shield.
ShieldSilver
ShieldGold
ShieldPlatinum
Offers home insurance deductible of $500
Extra long 180-day workmanship guarantee
Offers free cancellation in the first 30 days
Charges high service fees of $75-$150
Doesn’t allow customers to choose their own technician
Isn’t available in hawaii or alaska
Cinch Home Services is the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee for Harlem residents. Cinch has been in the home warranty industry for over 44 years. Cinch has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. If you’re looking for a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind.
The 3 plans from Cinch Home Services are Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, and Complete Home Plan. The coverage caps from Cinch are about $1,000-$2,000. The service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150, which is lower than other providers in the Harlem area.
To get a free quote from Cinch Home Services, fill out this online form or call 877-589-0505. For more information on this provider, read our comprehensive review of Cinch Home Services.
Appliances Plan
Built-in Systems Plan
Complete Home Plan
Policy starts in ten days
24/7 customer service support
Generous coverage caps on important systems and appliances
30-labor guarantee and 90-day parts guarantee
Offers utility and home service outside line coverage
Higher service fee of $95
Not accredited by the better business bureau (bbb)
Only 2 plan options
The Home Service Club is the best home warranty with the quickest service for Harlem residents. HSC has been in the home warranty industry for over 15 years. HSC has 2 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. If you’re looking for quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days, you’ll want to have this plan on your side. Plus, it has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee.
The 2 plans from The Home Service Club are Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan. The coverage caps from HSC are about $2,000. The service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90, which is lower than other providers in the Harlem area.
To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or call 800-750-9443. For more information on this provider, read our comprehensive review of The Home Service Club.
Standard Coverage Plan
Comprehensive Coverage Plan
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on home warranty companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
Home Appliance | Repair Cost |
---|---|
Air Conditioner | $6,035 |
Heating | $4,024 |
Electrical | $604 |
Toilets | $503 |
Washer/Dryer | $805 |
Plumbing | $604 |
Oven | $1,609 |
Fridge | $604 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that helps Harlem homeowners reduce the costs of appliance and system repairs. The plans offer coverage to repair or replace appliances and systems that malfunction due to normal wear and tear.
When something breaks down, you file a claim and pay a service fee. The home warranty company then arranges a contractor to handle the repair or replacement. Homeowners may have out-of-pocket costs only if the cost of repair or replacement exceeds the item's coverage limit. A home warranty gives homeowners reassurance, as it helps avoid expensive emergency repairs. The coverage is especially helpful for buyers of older houses or houses with systems near the end of their life span. However, people with newer homes and modern appliances may not require a home warranty.
Home warranties cover many home systems and appliances. Warranties usually cover appliances such as microwaves, garbage disposals, dishwashers, refrigerators, washers, dryers, and more. Covered systems include air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and heating. Many home warranty companies also offer add-on coverage for locksmiths, roof leaks, central vacuums, and septic systems. It's important for Harlem homeowners to understand most home warranty plans have a 30-day waiting period before repair claims will be approved. The majority of policies also only cover repairs and replacements due to normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't include cosmetic issues, natural disasters, pre-existing conditions, or misusing a system or appliance. Stay current with preventative maintenance to help guarantee your next repair or replacement is covered.
Before agreeing to a home warranty contract, you should learn key terms like:
There are several key considerations when choosing a home warranty provider:
Home warranty policies can have major differences in covered items. Most plans provide protection for heating, plumbing, electrical, AC, and appliances. More comprehensive options also offer protection for other items such as well pumps, roof leaks, spas, and pools. Focus on companies with an expansive array of coverage choices including upgraded plans. Flexibility like this will help you customize protection for your home's needs.
You'll pay a service fee, typically $60–100, for each claim filed with your home warranty provider. This fee is charged per request and can quickly add up, so you may seek out providers advertising lower service fees to optimize savings on each repair claim. Certain companies may eliminate deductibles after a customer goes a period of time with no claims filed.
A home warranty provider's reputation can offer insight into things such as contractor quality, approval rates for claims, speed of repairs, and customer satisfaction. Use third-party review sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, or Google Reviews to research companies. Positive ratings and reviews indicate that a provider is known for quality service.
Home warranty providers have networks of technicians that they use to tackle covered repairs. More extensive networks improve the chance of getting skilled contractors to your home promptly. Reach out to possible providers to find out how many technicians they have in Harlem to understand how long repairs might take in an urgent situation.
Certain home warranty providers include extras such as discounts on maintenance, energy-efficient upgrades, and protection for smart home devices. These bonuses offer extra value beyond repair coverage. Added perks enhance your home and help maximize your home warranty.
Since temperatures in Harlem can be quite cold in the winter, the weather can put a lot of strain on your HVAC system. Having a home warranty can help homeowners save money if one of these systems or appliances stops working suddenly.
Not only can a home warranty save you money on repairs and replacements, it saves you time as well. Instead of having to vet contractors yourself, home warranty providers do the work for you and send pre-screened technicians right to your door when you need them. Another added benefit of having home warranty coverage is that it can raise your home’s real estate value. If you ever decide to sell your home, you may be able to transfer your home warranty plan to the new homebuyer depending on the company you purchased your home warranty through.
One drawback of signing up for a home warranty is that there are usually exclusions. For example, if one of your appliances already has a manufacturer's warranty, it may not be covered under the home warranty, so it’s important to read through the contracts you’re considering thoroughly to understand what is included and what isn’t.
Another drawback is that home warranties may not include some repairs, like those due to natural disasters. For example, if a tree falls onto your house and damages the roof, the affected systems and appliances probably won’t be covered by the home warranty.
A home warranty plan costs, on average, around $300 to $600 a year in Harlem. Our top-rated home warranty companies' most comprehensive coverage options vary from $546 to $840 per year. You can get a lower monthly payment with some companies by opting for a higher service fee. Additionally, it's often less expensive to pay annually rather than monthly.
The difference between a home warranty and homeowner's insurance lies in what kinds of damage each covers. A home warranty helps protect against normal wear and tear to home systems and appliances. Homeowners insurance protects the entire home in case of a situation such as a natural disaster or fire. With homeowners insurance, you won't be able to file a claim should you need a new washing machine or stove, unless the damage is due to a natural disaster, which is somewhat common in Harlem.
A home warranty plan can help homeowners, homebuyers, investors, real estate agents, and home sellers. It can offer peace of mind to anyone involved in homeownership.
The different types of home warranties in Harlem include plans that cover either appliances or systems as well as combination plans. A combination plan will cover almost all your home systems and appliances, such as your dishwasher, washing machine, and heating and cooling systems. An appliance or system plan will cover only the items mentioned in the contract.
Home warranty plans typically offer coverage for a year. Many providers let you renew your plan yearly, and some offer month-to-month options as well.
In general, the homeowner is the one who pays the premium and service fees. However, if you have just bought a new home, sometimes the seller will pay for the policy. This can then be transferred to the new homeowner, who has to pay the service fees when using the policy. In Harlem, where the median home value is $252,421, having the seller pay for the home warranty can save you some money on your new home.