Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Buying a home is a big step for many people, but maintaining it can be expensive over time, especially if your home in Raritan is on the older side. A home warranty can help protect homebuyers and current homeowners by lowering the costs of major repairs and replacements on your home’s most important systems and appliances.
The home warranty market is filled with many providers — all with different plans — so the Today's Homeowner team has compiled this guide to help you find the best home warranty companies in Raritan.
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
In Raritan, Liberty Home Guard offers the most trustworthy home warranty. The 3 plans from Liberty are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Liberty Home Guard: Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. Liberty’s service fees are an affordable $75, and the coverage limits come out to around $3,000 per covered appliance or system.
To get a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or call 866-451-2281. To read more, visit our Liberty Home Guard Review.
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
In Raritan, Choice Home Warranty offers the best overall home warranty. The 2 plans from Choice are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
There are 2 home warranty plans from Choice Home Warranty: Basic Plan and Total Plan. Choice’s service fees are an affordable $85, and the coverage limits come out to around $3,000 per covered appliance or system.
To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164. To read more, visit our Choice Home Warranty Review.
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
In Raritan, Select Home Warranty offers the most cost-effective home warranty. The 3 plans from Select are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Select Home Warranty: 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 around $2,000 per covered appliance or system.
To get a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 888-370-3953. To read more, visit our Select Home Warranty Review.
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
In Raritan, American Home Shield offers the most customizable home warranty. The 3 plans from AHS are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
There are 3 home warranty plans from American Home Shield: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. 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.
To get a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839. To read more, visit our American Home Shield Review.
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
In Raritan, Cinch Home Services offers the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee. The 3 plans from Cinch are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Cinch Home Services: 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 around $1,000-$2,000 per covered appliance or system.
To get a free quote from Cinch Home Services, fill out this online form or call 877-589-0505. To read more, visit our Cinch Home Services Review.
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
In Raritan, The Home Service Club offers the best home warranty with the quickest service. The 2 plans from HSC are comprehensive and offer a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
There are 2 home warranty plans from The Home Service Club: 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 around $2,000 per covered appliance or system.
To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or call 800-750-9443. To read more, visit our The Home Service Club Review.
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 | $6,794 |
| Heating | $4,529 |
| Electrical | $679 |
| Toilets | $566 |
| Washer/Dryer | $906 |
| Plumbing | $679 |
| Oven | $1,812 |
| Fridge | $679 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that assists Raritan homeowners in reducing the expenses of appliance and system repairs. The plans offer coverage to replace or fix appliances and systems that malfunction due to normal wear and tear.
When something stops working, you submit a claim and pay a service fee. The home warranty provider then arranges a contractor to handle the replacement or fix. Homeowners may have out-of-pocket costs only if the cost of the repair or replacement goes over the item's coverage limit. A home warranty provides peace of mind for homeowners by helping them prevent expensive emergency fixes. They're particularly valuable for those who own older homes or ones with aging systems. More modern builds with modern fixtures probably don’t require a home warranty.
Home warranties help protect your home systems and appliances. Common appliances covered under a home warranty include refrigerators, garbage disposals, dryers, washers, microwaves, dishwashers, and others. Covered systems include air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and heating. Many home warranty plans offer additional add-on coverage options for septic systems, locksmiths, central vacuums, and even roof leaks. It's important for Raritan homeowners to know that most home warranty policies have a 30-day waiting period 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 things like pre-existing conditions, natural disasters, 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 the policy.
Before agreeing to a home warranty contract, you should learn key terms like:
There are several important considerations when choosing a home warranty provider:
Home warranty policies can have major differences in covered items. Most plans cover plumbing, heating, electrical, AC, and appliances. More comprehensive options also offer protection for other items such as pools, spas, well pumps, and roof leaks. Focus on providers with broad coverage options including upgraded plans. Flexibility like this will help you customize your plan to meet your needs.
Expect to pay a per-service fee of $60-100 for each home warranty claim. With these per-request costs adding up over time as you file claims, some homeowners prefer to choose a company with lower service fees to maximize savings on every claim. Some providers also do away with deductibles for homeowners who don't file claims in a certain period.
A home warranty company's track record provides insight into things such as contractor quality, timeliness of repairs, claim approval rates, and overall customer satisfaction. Look at third-party review sites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, or TrustPilot to research providers. Positive reviews and ratings indicate a company known for stellar service.
Home warranty providers have networks of local contractors to handle repairs in your area. Reach out to potential providers to ask how many repair technicians they have in Raritan and get an idea for how fast your repairs might happen in an emergency situation. More extensive networks raise the likelihood of getting qualified contractors to quickly service your home.
Some home warranty companies include perks such as reduced maintenance fees, energy efficiency upgrades, and smart home device coverage. These extras can offer extra value beyond just repair coverage. Added bonuses let you enhance your home and get the most from your home warranty.
Temperatures in Raritan can vary greatly throughout the year, which means your air conditioner and heating systems are likely to get a good bit of use. As a homeowner in Raritan, one benefit of having a home warranty is knowing that these home systems and major appliances can be covered in the event they need to be repaired or replaced.
A home warranty also can also save 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. In addition, though home warranty companies vary, some providers will allow you to transfer your warranty if you sell your home. This can make your home more attractive to potential homebuyers and help your home sell faster.
As for the drawbacks of home warranties, system and appliance coverage varies by provider, so it’s important to read what each policy covers and excludes in the contract.
Another pain point of home warranties is that they don’t cover systems or appliances that haven’t been properly maintained. This can lead to your repair requests being rejected, so it’s important to be sure you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance of your home systems and appliances.
A home warranty in Raritan can cost anywhere from $30 to $60 a month. Higher-priced plans tend to have a lower service fee, higher coverage limits, and broader coverage. You can often lower this cost by paying annually instead of monthly. Some providers will also lower 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 plan covers normal wear and tear to systems and appliances in a home. A homeowners insurance plan protects a home in a situation such as a natural disaster or fire. With homeowners insurance, you will not be able to file a claim should you need a new dryer or stove, unless the damage is a result of a natural disaster, which isn't that common in Raritan.
Homebuyers, homeowners, real estate agents, landlords, and home sellers are all eligible for home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your home more appealing to prospective buyers and save you money in the long run.
The different home warranties in Raritan include plans with coverage for either appliances or systems as well as combination plans. A combination plan covers many of your home systems and appliances, including your washing machine, drier, and HVAC. An appliance or system plan will cover only the items listed in the plan.
Generally, a home warranty offers coverage for a year and can be renewed annually. Some companies may offer month-to-month plans.
Typically, the homeowner is the one who is responsible for paying the premium and service fees. However, if you have just bought a new home, sometimes the seller is the one who paid for the policy. This can then be transferred to the new homeowner, who has to pay the service fees. In Raritan, where the median value of a home is $475,190, having the seller pay for the home warranty can save you some money on your new home.
