Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
Owning a home in Riverhead has many great advantages, but there are some downsides. The weather throughout the four seasons can cause problems in a home and lead to wear and tear on systems like your HVAC. A home warranty policy can help protect homeowners by covering major repairs and replacements on your home’s most important appliances and systems.
Finding the right warranty for your home can be time-consuming, so our team at Today's Homeowner has done the research to help you find the top home warranty companies in Riverhead. Keep reading for our home warranty 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 Riverhead residents. Liberty has been operating for about 6 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Liberty has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. 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 about $3,000 per covered appliance or system.
Read more by visiting our review of Liberty Home Guard. To receive a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or give them a call at 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 Riverhead residents. Choice has been operating for about 15 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Choice has 2 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. 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 about $3,000 per covered appliance or system.
Read more by visiting our review of Choice Home Warranty. To receive a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or give them a call at 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 Riverhead residents. Select has been operating for about 11 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Select has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. 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 about $2,000 per covered appliance or system.
Read more by visiting our review of Select Home Warranty. To receive a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or give them a call at 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 Riverhead residents. AHS has been operating for about 26 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. AHS has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. 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 about $2,500 per covered appliance or system.
Read more by visiting our review of American Home Shield. To receive a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or give them a call at 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 Riverhead residents. Cinch has been operating for about 44 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. Cinch has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. 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 about $1,000-$2,000 per covered appliance or system.
Read more by visiting our review of Cinch Home Services. To receive a free quote from Cinch Home Services, fill out this online form or give them a call at 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 Riverhead residents. HSC has been operating for about 15 years, making it a well-regarded company in the industry. HSC has 2 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily comprehensible. 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 about $2,000 per covered appliance or system.
Read more by visiting our review of The Home Service Club. To receive a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or give them a call at 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 | $7,197 |
| Heating | $4,798 |
| Electrical | $720 |
| Toilets | $600 |
| Washer/Dryer | $960 |
| Plumbing | $720 |
| Oven | $1,919 |
| Fridge | $720 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that assists Riverhead homeowners reduce the expenses of appliance and system repairs. The plans provide financial coverage to repair or swap out appliances and systems that break down due to normal wear and tear.
When something breaks down, you submit 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 goes over the item's coverage limit. A home warranty gives peace of mind for homeowners by helping them avoid expensive emergency fixes. They're particularly valuable for those who own older homes or ones with aging systems. More modern homes with modern appliances probably don’t need a home warranty.
Home warranties cover many home systems and appliances. Covered appliances normally include dishwashers, microwaves, dryers, garbage disposals, refrigerators, washers, and others. Covered systems include heating, air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing. Many home warranty companies also provide add-on coverage for central vacuums, septic systems, roof leaks, and locksmiths. Riverhead should understand that most home warranty plans have a 30-day waiting period before repairs are covered. Most policies also only cover repairs and replacements due to normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't include natural disasters, cosmetic issues, pre-existing conditions, or misuse of a system or appliance. Be diligent about completing preventative maintenance to help guarantee your next repair or replacement is covered.
There are a number of home warranty terms to know before signing an agreement, including:
When selecting a home warranty provider, there are several key factors to consider:
Home warranty coverage varies widely in the items that are included. Most plans cover AC, plumbing, electrical, heating, and appliances. More inclusive options also cover other items such as spas, roof leaks, well pumps, and pools. Look for a provider that offers an extensive selection of coverage options, including upgraded plans. You want the flexibility to customize coverage to fit your home's specific systems and 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, you may want to choose a company with more affordable fees to maximize savings on every claim. Some companies also eliminate deductibles for homeowners who don't file claims in a certain period.
A home warranty company's reputation can offer insight into things such as speed of repairs, contractor quality, approval rates for claims, and customer satisfaction. Use third-party review sites such as TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or Google Reviews to research companies. Good ratings and reviews indicate that a provider is known for top-tier service.
Home warranty companies have networks of contractors that they use to tackle covered repairs. More extensive networks improve the likelihood of getting qualified contractors to your home quickly. Contact possible providers to learn how many contractors they have in Riverhead. This helps you understand how long repairs could take in an urgent situation.
Certain home warranty companies offer extras such as energy-efficient upgrades, discounts on maintenance, and protection for smart home devices. These bonuses can offer extra value beyond repair coverage. Extra perks can enhance your home and maximize your home warranty.
Home warranty plans are an inexpensive way to protect your home systems and appliances from normal wear and tear. With temperatures in Riverhead reaching an average high of 55℃F, you may find that some appliances, like your air conditioning system, get a lot of use. A home warranty can significantly lower out-of-pocket expenses should your HVAC system stop working.
Not only can a home warranty save you money on repairs and replacements, it saves you time as well. Instead of vetting service technicians on your own, home warranty providers do the work for you and send a contractor from their network right to your door when you need them. Another good thing about having a home warranty is while selling your home, some providers let you transfer your home warranty to the new owners. It can make your home more attractive to potential homebuyers and help your home sell faster.
As for the drawbacks of home warranties, coverage varies by provider, so it’s important to read what each policy covers and excludes in the contract.
Another thing to take into consideration is that some providers don’t cover pre-existing conditions and may require an inspection before your coverage can begin. Ask the home warranty company for clarification about this if you aren’t sure or if this is an issue for you.
A home warranty plan costs, on average, around $300 to $600 a year in Riverhead. 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. Additionally, it's typically less expensive to pay annually rather than monthly.
Home warranties and home insurance differ in what kinds of damage they cover. Home warranty plans cover issues 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 plan that protects the entire home from natural disasters, which might not be too much of a concern in Riverhead. It doesn't cover a normal appliance or system damage.
First-time homebuyers, home sellers, real estate agents, landlords, and homeowners are all eligible for home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your property more appealing to prospective buyers and save you money in the long run.
The different types of home warranties in Riverhead include plans that cover either appliances or systems as well as combination plans. A combination plan covers your systems and appliances, including your refrigerator, washing machine, and plumbing. A plan that only covers appliances or systems will cover only the specific items mentioned in the contract.
Generally, a home warranty policy lasts for a year and can be renewed annually. Some companies may offer month-to-month plans.
In general, the homeowner is the one who pays the premium and service fees. However, when buying 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. In Riverhead, where the median home value is $530,160, having the seller pay for the home warranty can be a good asset for your new home.
