Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Park Ridge gives homeowners some great living options and the opportunity to enjoy all four seasons. However, temperatures can put quite a strain on your home’s systems, such as your HVAC. A home warranty is a way to protect your bank account from unexpected home repairs and expenses. With a home warranty in place, your repair costs can be significantly lower and allow you to live in your home with more peace of mind.
Finding the right warranty for your home can be difficult, so our team at Today's Homeowner has done the research to help you find the top home warranty companies in Park Ridge. Read on for our recommendations.
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 in Park Ridge. Liberty has established itself as a company with a seamless complaint process and guaranteed service professionalism upon every repair visit. It also has a 60-day workmanship guarantee and some of the best customer service in the industry. The 3 plans from Liberty are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage.
The 3 plans from Liberty Home Guard are Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. Liberty’s service fees are an affordable $75, and the coverage limits come out to about $3,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Liberty Home Guard. To receive a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, you can fill out this online form or call 866-451-2281.
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 in Park Ridge. Choice has established itself as a company with very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts. It also has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties. The 2 plans from Choice are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage.
The 2 plans from Choice Home Warranty are Basic Plan and Total Plan. Choice’s service fees are an affordable $85, and the coverage limits come out to about $3,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Choice Home Warranty. To receive a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, you can fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164.
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 in Park Ridge. Select has established itself as a company with a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan. It also has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance. The 3 plans from Select are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage.
The 3 plans from Select Home Warranty are Bronze Care Plan, Gold Care Plan, and Platinum Care Plan. Select’s service fees are a reasonable $60, and the coverage limits come out to about $2,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Select Home Warranty. To receive a free quote from Select Home Warranty, you can fill out this online form or call 888-370-3953.
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 in Park Ridge. AHS has established itself as a company with the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home. It also has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies. The 3 plans from AHS are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage.
The 3 plans from American Home Shield are ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. AHS’s service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125, and the coverage limits come out to about $2,500 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of American Home Shield. To receive a free quote from American Home Shield, you can fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839.
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 in Park Ridge. Cinch has established itself as a company with a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done. It also has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind. The 3 plans from Cinch are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage.
The 3 plans from Cinch Home Services are Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, and Complete Home Plan. Cinch’s service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150, and the coverage limits come out to about $1,000-$2,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Cinch Home Services. To receive a free quote from Cinch Home Services, you can fill out this online form or call 877-589-0505.
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 in Park Ridge. HSC has established itself as a company with quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days. It also 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 HSC are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage.
The 2 plans from The Home Service Club are Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan. HSC’s service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90, and the coverage limits come out to about $2,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of The Home Service Club. To receive a free quote from The Home Service Club, you can fill out this online form or call 800-750-9443.
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 | $6,544 |
Heating | $4,363 |
Electrical | $654 |
Toilets | $545 |
Washer/Dryer | $873 |
Plumbing | $654 |
Oven | $1,745 |
Fridge | $654 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that helps lower expenses for Park Ridge homeowners needing appliance and system repairs. These plans provide coverage to fix or swap out appliances and systems that stop working due to normal wear and tear.
Homeowners submit a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty provider then arranges a contractor to make the repair or replacement. The only time you may pay out-of-pocket is if the cost of the repair or replacement exceeds the item's coverage limit. A home warranty policy gives homeowners peace of mind because it can help avoid costly emergency repairs. They can be especially helpful for people purchasing older homes or homes with appliances near the end of their life span. However, newer homes with appliances and fixtures in good condition may not require a home warranty.
Home warranties cover your home's systems and appliances. Typical covered appliances are dishwashers, garbage disposals, washers, refrigerators, dryers, microwaves, and others. Protected systems include heating, air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing. Various home warranty plans offer additional coverage for roof leaks, septic systems, central vacuums, and even locksmiths. Park Ridge homeowners should know that most home warranty policies have a 30-day period you must wait before they can be used to cover repairs. Additionally, policies typically only cover repairs and replacements due to normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't cover problems such as natural disasters, pre-existing conditions, cosmetic issues, or damage caused by improperly using a system or appliance. You need to keep up with preventative maintenance to ensure that your next repair or replacement will be covered by your policy.
Before agreeing to a home warranty contract, you should know key terms like:
There are several key considerations when choosing a home warranty provider:
Home warranty coverage varies, although most plans cover electrical, heating, plumbing, AC, and appliances. More extensive plans may also include other things such as well pumps, pools, roof leaks, and spas. Focus on providers with an expansive array of coverage choices including upgraded plans. Flexibility like this will help you customize your plan to meet your needs.
You'll pay a standard service fee of around $60 to $100 for each claim filed with your home warranty provider. These fees to accumulate quickly with each claim, so you may look for companies advertising more affordable fees to optimize savings on each repair claim. Certain providers may eliminate deductibles after a customer goes a period of time with no claims filed.
A home warranty company's reputation can provide insight into things such as repair timeliness, contractor quality, approval rates, and customer service. Browse review platforms such as Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or TrustPilot to research providers. Good ratings and feedback indicate a provider known for exceptional service.
Home warranty providers keep networks of local technicians to handle repairs in your area. Reach out to potential providers to find out how many repair contractors they have in Park Ridge and get an idea for how fast your repairs might happen in an emergency situation. Larger networks increase the likelihood of getting qualified contractors to promptly service your home.
Certain home warranty providers offer perks 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 Park Ridge 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 breaks down suddenly.
A home warranty also saves you time and energy. Instead of spending hours researching and choosing a contractor to fix your appliance or system, home warranty providers do the hard work for you and send a trusted professional to your door whenever you need them. A home warranty can also give value in other ways. For instance, some policies can be transferred between owners when you sell your home.
One disadvantage of purchasing a home warranty is that there are often exclusions. For example, if one of your appliances already has a manufacturer's warranty, it may not be included in the home warranty, so it’s important to read through the contracts you’re considering carefully to understand what is included and what isn’t.
Another pain point of home warranties is that they don’t cover systems or appliances that have been improperly maintained. This can lead to your claims being rejected, so it’s important to make sure you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance of your home systems and appliances.
A home warranty plan costs, on average, about $300 to $600 a year in Park Ridge. Our high-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 choosing a higher service fee. In addition, it's often cheaper 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 covers normal wear and tear to systems and appliances in a home. Homeowners insurance protects a home in a situation such as a fire or natural disaster. With a homeowners insurance plan, you won't be able to file a claim if you need a new refrigerator or dishwasher, unless the damage is a result of a natural disaster, which can be a threat in Park Ridge.
A home warranty can help home sellers, homeowners, real estate agents, investors, and homebuyers. It can offer peace of mind and savings to anyone involved with homeownership.
The different types of home warranties in Park Ridge include plans with coverage for either appliances or systems as well as combination plans. A combination plan will cover many of your systems and appliances, including your dishwasher, washing machine, and plumbing. A plan that only covers appliances or systems will cover only the specific items listed in the policy.
Generally, a home warranty policy offers coverage for a year and can be renewed yearly. Some companies may offer month-to-month options.
Typically, the one who owns the home is responsible for paying for the home warranty. In some cases, though, the person who is selling the home may buy a home warranty and transfer the policy to the buyer. The new homeowner will then have to pay the service fees when using the policy. Since the average home value in Park Ridge is $494,448, a home warranty can be an added asset when buying a home.