Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
With hot summers and cool winters, keeping your home appliances and systems — particularly your HVAC — in working order is very important for homeowners in Smithfield. 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 considerably lower and allow you to live in your home with more peace of mind.
Finding the best warranty for your home can be challenging, so our team at Today's Homeowner has done the research to help you find the top home warranty companies in Smithfield. 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 is the most trustworthy home warranty in Smithfield. When you purchase a home warranty from Liberty, you will get a seamless complaint process and guaranteed service professionalism upon every repair visit. Liberty Home Guard also has a 60-day workmanship guarantee and some of the best customer service in the industry. Liberty has 3 plans for you to decide between.
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 caps come out to around $3,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Liberty Home Guard. To get a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, 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 Smithfield. When you purchase a home warranty from Choice, you will get very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts. Choice Home Warranty also has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties. Choice has 2 plans for you to decide between.
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 caps come out to around $3,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Choice Home Warranty. To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, 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 Smithfield. When you purchase a home warranty from Select, you will get a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan. Select Home Warranty also has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance. Select has 3 plans for you to decide between.
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 caps come out to around $2,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Select Home Warranty. To get a free quote from Select Home Warranty, 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 Smithfield. When you purchase a home warranty from AHS, you will get the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home. American Home Shield also has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies. AHS has 3 plans for you to decide between.
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 caps come out to around $2,500 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of American Home Shield. To get a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839.
ShieldSilver
ShieldGold
ShieldPlatinum
Established company with a bbb accreditation
Doesn’t have a coverage cap on heating, cooling, or ductwork
24/7 service calls available
Offers replacement of some covered items that are too damaged to repair
Doesn’t let customers choose their own contractor
According to some customer reviews, the technical jargon in contracts is confusing
First American Home Warranty is the best home warranty for appliance coverage in Smithfield. When you purchase a home warranty from First American, you will get very affordable and comprehensive appliance coverage. First American Home Warranty also has a unique add-on alongside common ones called the First Class Upgrade, which covers fees associated with the use of lifting equipment, up to $250 per local building permits, haul away services, and appliances and systems that have been insufficiently installed or modified. First American has 2 plans for you to decide between.
There are 2 home warranty plans from First American Home Warranty: Basic Plan and Premier Plan. First American’s service fees are a reasonable $85, and the coverage caps come out to around $1,500 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of First American Home Warranty. To get a free quote from First American Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 833-204-7164.
Basic Plan
Premier Plan
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 Smithfield. When you purchase a home warranty from Cinch, you will get a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done. Cinch Home Services also has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind. Cinch has 3 plans for you to decide between.
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 caps come out to around $1,000-$2,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Cinch Home Services. To get a free quote from Cinch Home Services, 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 Smithfield. When you purchase a home warranty from HSC, you will get quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days. The Home Service Club also has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee. HSC has 2 plans for you to decide between.
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 caps come out to around $2,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of The Home Service Club. To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, 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 | $6,162 |
| Heating | $4,108 |
| Electrical | $616 |
| Toilets | $514 |
| Washer/Dryer | $822 |
| Plumbing | $616 |
| Oven | $1,643 |
| Fridge | $616 |
A home warranty is a protection plan that assists Smithfield homeowners reduce the high costs of household repairs. These plans offer financial coverage to repair or swap out appliances and systems that break down from normal wear and tear.
Homeowners file a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty company 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 plan gives homeowners a sense of security since it can help avoid expensive emergency repairs. They can be especially helpful for people purchasing older homes or homes with systems 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 many household systems and appliances. Warranties usually cover appliances such as dryers, microwaves, washers, garbage disposals, refrigerators, dishwashers, and others. Covered systems include plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical. Many home warranty companies also provide add-on coverage for central vacuums, locksmiths, roof leaks, and septic systems. It's important for Smithfield homeowners to understand most home warranty plans have a 30-day waiting period before repair claims will be approved. Most policies also only cover repairs and replacements resulting from normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't include cosmetic issues, natural disasters, pre-existing conditions, or improperly using a system or appliance. Stay current with preventative maintenance to help guarantee your next repair or replacement is covered.
There are a number of home warranty terms to learn before signing an agreement, including:
There are several important considerations when selecting a home warranty provider:
Home warranties have significant variation in what they include. Basic plans typically cover plumbing, electrical, AC, heating, and appliances, while more comprehensive plans may also cover spas, roof leaks, well pumps, and pools. Focus on providers with broad coverage options including upgraded plans. This flexibility enables you to customize your plan to meet your needs.
You'll pay a repair fee, normally ranging from $60–100 for each claim filed with your home warranty provider. These per-claim charges can quickly add up, so you may seek out providers advertising lower service fees to optimize savings on each repair claim. Certain providers may eliminate deductibles if homeowners don't submit any claims within a set period of time.
A home warranty company's reputation gives insight into things such as timeliness of repairs, contractor quality, claim approval rates, and overall customer satisfaction. Look at third-party review sites such as TrustPilot, Google Reviews, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to research companies. Favorable ratings and reviews indicate a company known for stellar service.
Home warranty providers have networks of contractors that they use to tackle covered repairs. Bigger networks increase the probability of getting skilled contractors to your home promptly. Reach out to possible providers to find out how many repair professionals they have in Smithfield to understand how long repairs might take in an urgent situation.
Some home warranty companies include bonuses such as energy efficiency upgrades, smart home device protection, and maintenance discounts. These add value beyond repair coverage. Added bonuses maximize the usefulness of the home warranty.
Home warranties are a great way to guard your home systems and appliances from normal wear and tear. With temperatures in Smithfield hitting an average high of 55℃F, you may find that certain appliances, like your air conditioning system, get a lot of use. A home warranty can considerably lower out-of-pocket costs should your HVAC system break down.
On top of saving you money on out-of-pocket expenses, a home warranty can offer you peace of mind and save you the hassle of trying to find a qualified contractor to visit your home. Home warranties usually come with a network of pre-vetted contractors who can handle any repair issues you may have. Additionally, though home warranty companies vary, some providers will let you transfer your warranty in the event that you sell your home. This can make your house 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 contractor who does the repair for you, some people may not like this, and they would prefer to select a contractor themselves. If that’s the case for you, some home warranty providers allow you to choose a contractor.
Another thing to consider is that some companies don’t cover pre-existing problems and may require an inspection before your coverage can start. Ask the home warranty company for clarification about these things if you aren’t sure or if this is an issue for you.
A home warranty in Smithfield can cost anywhere from $30 to $60 a month. Higher-priced plans tend to have broader coverage, higher coverage limits, and a lower service fee. You can often lower this cost by paying annually instead of monthly. Some companies will also reduce your up-front costs when you opt for 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 protects against normal wear and tear to systems and appliances in a home. Homeowners insurance protects a home in case of a situation such as a natural disaster or fire. With homeowners insurance, you won't be able to file a claim should you need a new washing machine or dishwasher, unless the damage is a result of a natural disaster, which isn't that common in Smithfield.
A home warranty can help investors, home sellers, homeowners, real estate agents, and homebuyers. It can provide peace of mind and savings to anyone involved with homeownership.
A home warranty plan can cover your appliances, systems, or both. Combination plans are great if you need more coverage for your home, but a system- or appliance-only plan can be helpful if you want to save some money.
Generally, a home warranty plan lasts for a year and can be renewed yearly. Some providers may offer month-to-month plans.
In general, the homeowner is responsible for paying 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 will pay the service fees when using the policy. In Smithfield, where the median home value is $164,042, having the seller pay for the home warranty can save you some money on your new home.
