Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
There are lots of advantages of owning a home, but as your Baton Rouge home gets older, you may find yourself needing to update or repair your systems and appliances. A home warranty is a way to protect your savings account from unexpected expenses. With a home warranty in place, your repair costs can be significantly lower and give you some peace of mind.
Finding the best warranty for your home can be difficult, so our team at Today's Homeowner has compiled this guide to help you find the best home warranty companies in Baton Rouge. Keep reading 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 offers the most trustworthy home warranty for Baton Rouge residents. Liberty has been operating for about 6 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Liberty has 3 plans for homeowners to choose from. With a home warranty from Liberty, you can enjoy a seamless complaint process and guaranteed service professionalism upon every repair visit. Not to mention, it has a 60-day workmanship guarantee and some of the best customer service in the industry.
Liberty Home Guard has 3 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. Liberty’s service fees are an affordable $75, and the coverage limits come out to around $3,000 per covered appliance or system.
For more information on this provider, read our review of Liberty Home Guard. To get 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 offers the best overall home warranty for Baton Rouge residents. Choice has been operating for about 15 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Choice has 2 plans for homeowners to choose from. With a home warranty from Choice, you can enjoy very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts. Not to mention, it has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties.
Choice Home Warranty has 2 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. Choice’s service fees are an affordable $85, and the coverage limits come out to around $3,000 per covered appliance or system.
For more information on this provider, read our review of Choice Home Warranty. To get 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 offers the most cost-effective home warranty for Baton Rouge residents. Select has been operating for about 11 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Select has 3 plans for homeowners to choose from. With a home warranty from Select, you can enjoy a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan. Not to mention, it has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance.
Select Home Warranty has 3 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. Select’s service fees are a reasonable $60, and the coverage limits come out to around $2,000 per covered appliance or system.
For more information on this provider, read our review of Select Home Warranty. To get 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 offers the most customizable home warranty for Baton Rouge residents. AHS has been operating for about 26 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. AHS has 3 plans for homeowners to choose from. With a home warranty from AHS, you can enjoy the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home. Not to mention, it has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies.
American Home Shield has 3 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. AHS’s service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125, and the coverage limits come out to around $2,500 per covered appliance or system.
For more information on this provider, read our review of American Home Shield. To get 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 offers the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee for Baton Rouge residents. Cinch has been operating for about 44 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Cinch has 3 plans for homeowners to choose from. With a home warranty from Cinch, you can enjoy a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done. Not to mention, it has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind.
Cinch Home Services has 3 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. Cinch’s service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150, and the coverage limits come out to around $1,000-$2,000 per covered appliance or system.
For more information on this provider, read our review of Cinch Home Services. To get 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 offers the best home warranty with the quickest service for Baton Rouge residents. HSC has been operating for about 15 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. HSC has 2 plans for homeowners to choose from. With a home warranty from HSC, you can enjoy quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days. Not to mention, it has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee.
The Home Service Club has 2 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. HSC’s service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90, and the coverage limits come out to around $2,000 per covered appliance or system.
For more information on this provider, read our review of The Home Service Club. To get 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 | $6,031 |
| Heating | $4,020 |
| Electrical | $603 |
| Toilets | $503 |
| Washer/Dryer | $804 |
| Plumbing | $603 |
| Oven | $1,608 |
| Fridge | $603 |
A home warranty is a protection plan that helps reduce the high costs for Baton Rouge 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 file a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty provider then finds 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 gives peace of mind to homeowners because it helps prevent expensive emergency repairs. Home warranties are the most useful for older houses or those with aging systems. New homes with up-to-date appliances may not require a home warranty.
Home warranties protect many household systems and appliances. Common covered appliances include garbage disposals, dishwashers, dryers, microwaves, washers, refrigerators, and more. Protected systems include electrical, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning. Many home warranty plans offer extra coverage for septic systems, central vacuums, roof leaks, and even locksmiths. Baton Rouge homeowners should know that most home warranty plans begin with a 30-day waiting period before repairs are covered. What's more, most policies only cover the cost of repairs and replacements resulting from normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't include cosmetic issues, pre-existing conditions, natural disasters, or misuse of a system or appliance. You must keep up with preventative maintenance to help ensure your next repair or replacement is covered.
Before agreeing to a home warranty contract, you should understand key terms like:
When you're deciding on a home warranty provider, there are several key things to take into account:
Home warranty policies can have major differences in covered items. Most plans provide protection for AC, electrical, heating, plumbing, and appliances. More robust plans also offer protection for other items such as pools, well pumps, roof leaks, and spas. Look for providers with flexible coverage choices, including upgraded plans. This allows you to tailor protection to your needs.
Expect to pay a per-service fee of $60-100 for each home warranty claim. As this charge applies to every separate claim, you may want to choose a company with more affordable fees to maximize savings. Some companies also eliminate deductibles for homeowners who don't file claims in a certain period.
A home warranty company's reputation gives insight into things such as timeliness of repairs, claim approval rates, contractor quality, and overall customer satisfaction. Use third-party review sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, or TrustPilot to research providers. Complimentary ratings and reviews indicate a company known for stellar service.
Home warranty providers have networks of contractors that they use to tackle covered repairs. More extensive networks increase the probability of getting qualified contractors to your home quickly. Contact possible providers to find out how many contractors they have in Baton Rouge. This helps you understand how long repairs might take in an urgent situation.
Some home warranty providers may include perks such as energy efficiency upgrades, reduced maintenance fees, and smart home device coverage. These can provide extra value beyond just repair coverage. Added bonuses let you enhance your home and get the most from your home warranty.
Baton Rouge’s hot summers can put a strain on a home’s HVAC system. Whether it’s summer or winter, a home warranty can help cover your home’s appliances and systems if they need to be repaired or replaced. For example, if your air conditioner fails in the middle of July, a home warranty can cover the needed repairs, preventing you from spending a lot of money out of pocket.
Not only can a home warranty save you some money on repairs and replacements, it saves you time too. Instead of having to vet service technicians yourself, home warranty providers do the work for you and send a contractor from their network right to your door when you need them. A home warranty can also yield value in other ways. For instance, some policies can be transferred to another owner during a home sale.
Home warranties also have some cons. Although it can give you less to worry about since the home warranty sends out a repair technician who does the repair for you, some people may not like this, and they would prefer to choose their own contractor. If that’s the case for you, some home warranty companies let you choose a contractor.
Another pain point of home warranties is that they don’t cover items 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 policy costs, on average, around $300 to $600 a year in Baton Rouge. 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 opting for a higher service fee. In addition, it's typically cheaper to pay annually rather than monthly.
Home warranties and home insurance differ in what kinds of damage they cover. Home warranty plans cover problems with home systems and appliances that need repairs or replacements due to normal wear and tear. A home insurance policy is a different kind of insurance that protects your entire home from natural disasters, which can sometimes be a concern in Baton Rouge. It doesn't cover a normal appliance or system repairs.
A home warranty can help homeowners, real estate agents, investors, home sellers, and homebuyers. It can offer peace of mind and savings to anyone involved with homeownership.
The different types of home warranties in Baton Rouge include plans with coverage for either appliances or systems as well as comprehensive plans. A comprehensive plan covers many of your home systems and appliances, such as your refrigerator, washing machine, and HVAC. A plan that only covers appliances or systems will cover only the specific items mentioned in the policy.
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.
Typically, the person who owns the home is responsible for paying for the home warranty. In some cases, however, the home seller may purchase a home warranty plan and transfer the policy to the buyer. The new homeowner will then need to pay the service fees when using the policy. Considering that the average home value in Baton Rouge is $215,816, a home warranty can save you some money when buying a home.
