Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Thief River Falls gives homeowners some great living options and the opportunity to enjoy the snow in the winter. However, freezing temperatures can put quite a strain on your home’s systems, such as your HVAC. A home warranty can offer you the peace of mind you need and protect your savings account from unexpected expenses by covering your home’s major appliances and systems.
The home warranty market has a lot of providers — all with different coverage — so the Today's Homeowner team has done the research to help you choose the best home warranty companies in Thief River Falls.
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 Thief River Falls. If you’re looking for a seamless complaint process and guaranteed service professionalism upon every repair visit, Liberty is the perfect provider for you. Plus, it has a 60-day workmanship guarantee and some of the best customer service in the industry. Liberty has 3 simple plans, making the selection process easy.
Liberty Home Guard has 3 plans that offer 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 for each covered system or appliance.
To receive a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or give them a call at 866-451-2281. For more information on this provider, read our 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 in Thief River Falls. If you’re looking for very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts, Choice is the perfect provider for you. Plus, it has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties. Choice has 2 simple plans, making the selection process easy.
Choice Home Warranty has 2 plans that offer 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 for each covered system or appliance.
To receive a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or give them a call at 929-400-6164. For more information on this provider, read our 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 in Thief River Falls. If you’re looking for a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan, Select is the perfect provider for you. Plus, it has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance. Select has 3 simple plans, making the selection process easy.
Select Home Warranty has 3 plans that offer 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 for each covered system or appliance.
To receive a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or give them a call at 888-370-3953. For more information on this provider, read our 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 in Thief River Falls. If you’re looking for the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home, AHS is the perfect provider for you. Plus, it has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies. AHS has 3 simple plans, making the selection process easy.
American Home Shield has 3 plans that offer 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 for each covered system or appliance.
To receive a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or give them a call at 888-365-2839. For more information on this provider, read our 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 in Thief River Falls. If you’re looking for a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done, Cinch is the perfect provider for you. Plus, it has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind. Cinch has 3 simple plans, making the selection process easy.
Cinch Home Services has 3 plans that offer 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 for each covered system or appliance.
To receive a free quote from Cinch Home Services, fill out this online form or give them a call at 877-589-0505. For more information on this provider, read our 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 in Thief River Falls. 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, HSC is the perfect provider for you. Plus, it has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee. HSC has 2 simple plans, making the selection process easy.
The Home Service Club has 2 plans that offer 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 for each covered system or appliance.
To receive a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or give them a call at 800-750-9443. For more information on this provider, read our 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 | $5,706 |
| Heating | $3,804 |
| Electrical | $571 |
| Toilets | $476 |
| Washer/Dryer | $761 |
| Plumbing | $571 |
| Oven | $1,522 |
| Fridge | $571 |
A home warranty is a protection plan that helps Thief River Falls homeowners cut the high costs of household repairs. These plans provide financial coverage to fix or replace appliances and systems that stop working from normal wear and tear.
Homeowners submit a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty company then finds a contractor to make the fix 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 plan gives homeowners peace of mind since 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 modern appliances and fixtures may not need a home warranty.
Home warranties cover your home systems and appliances. Warranties usually cover appliances such as washers, microwaves, refrigerators, garbage disposals, dishwashers, dryers, and more. Covered systems include plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, and heating. Many home warranty providers also offer additional coverage for central vacuums, locksmiths, septic systems, and roof leaks. Thief River Falls homeowners should know that most home warranty policies have a 30-day period you must wait before they will cover the cost of any repairs. Additionally, policies typically only cover repairs and replacements that result from normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't cover problems such as natural disasters, cosmetic issues, pre-existing conditions, or improper use of 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.
There are a number of home warranty terms to learn before signing an agreement, including:
When choosing a home warranty provider, there are several key factors to consider:
Home warranty coverage varies, although most plans include protection for AC, electrical, plumbing, heating, and appliances. More inclusive plans may also provide protection for extra things such as well pumps, spas, roof leaks, and pools. Look for a company that offers comprehensive coverage choices, including upgraded plans. You want the flexibility to customize coverage to fit your home's specific needs.
Homeowners should anticipate paying a $60–100 service fee when filing home warranty claims. These per-repair charges can potentially accumulate over time, so some homeowners prefer using companies with more affordable per-claim fees to maximize savings. Some companies also offer disappearing deductibles after periods where a customer files no claims.
A home warranty company's reputation provides insights into factors such as claim approval rates, repair speed, contractor expertise, and customer satisfaction. Look at review sites like TrustPilot, Google Reviews, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to learn more about providers. Good reviews and ratings suggest a company known for providing quality service.
Home warranty providers use networks of local repair professionals to manage repairs in a given area. Reach out to potential companies to learn the number of repair technicians they have in Thief River Falls and get an idea of how quickly your repairs could be handled in an emergency. Bigger networks improve the probability of getting qualified contractors to swiftly service your home.
Some home warranty companies include perks such as reduced maintenance fees, smart home device coverage, and energy efficiency upgrades. These extras can provide extra value beyond repair coverage. Added bonuses allow you to enhance your home and get the most from your warranty policy.
Since temperatures in Thief River Falls can hit the negatives in the winter, the extreme weather can put a lot of strain on your heating system. Buying a home warranty policy can help homeowners save money if one of these systems or appliances stops working all of a sudden.
Not only can a home warranty save you money on repairs and replacements, it saves you time too. Instead of having to vet service technicians yourself, home warranty companies do the work for you and send pre-screened technicians right to your door when you need them. Plus, though home warranty companies vary, some providers will let you transfer your warranty if you sell your home. This can make your property more attractive to potential homebuyers and maybe even help your home sell faster.
Home warranties also have some downsides. Though it can be convenient that the home warranty sends out a repair technician who does the repair for you, some may not like this, and they would prefer to choose a contractor themselves. If that’s important to you, some home warranty providers allow you to select a contractor.
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 repair requests being rejected, so it’s important to carefully follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance of your home systems and appliances.
A home warranty in Thief River Falls can cost between $30 and $60 a month. The higher-priced plans usually have broader coverage, a lower service fee, and higher coverage limits. You can often lower this cost by paying annually instead of monthly. Some companies will also reduce your up-front costs when you agree to a higher service fee.
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 systems and appliances in a home. A homeowners insurance plan protects the entire home in case of a situation such as a fire or natural disaster. Under a homeowners insurance plan, you will not be able to file a claim if you need a new washing machine or oven, unless the damage is due to a natural disaster, which isn't that common in Thief River Falls.
First-time homebuyers, landlords, home sellers, real estate agents, and homeowners can all get home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your house more appealing to prospective buyers and save you money in the long run.
The different kinds of home warranties in Thief River Falls include plans that cover either appliances or systems as well as comprehensive plans. A comprehensive plan will cover almost all your systems and appliances, such as your washing machine, drier, and heating and cooling systems. A plan that only covers appliances or systems will cover only the specific items mentioned in the plan.
Home warranty plans generally provide coverage for a year. Many companies let you renew your plan yearly, and some offer month-to-month plans as well.
Typically, the person who owns the home pays for the home warranty. In some cases, though, the person who is selling the home may purchase a home warranty policy and transfer the policy to the buyer. The new homeowner will then have to pay the service fees when using the policy. Considering that the average home value in Thief River Falls is $194,992, a home warranty can save you some money when buying a home.
