Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
The cost of maintaining a home in College Place can be costly, particularly as your home ages and your appliances and systems need to be updated. A home warranty can help protect homeowners by covering major repairs and replacements on your home’s most important appliances and systems.
The home warranty market is saturated with many providers — all with different coverage — so the Today's Homeowner team has compiled this guide to help you find the best home warranty companies in College Place.
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 College Place residents. The home warranty company offers 3 plans to policyholders with various options for appliance and system coverage. If you’re looking for the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home, this is the plan for you. Plus, it 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 has coverage caps of around $2,500 for most appliances and systems, but some plans may have different coverage caps, so be sure to check with the company. Service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125.
To receive a free quote from American Home Shield, you can fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839. To read more, visit our American Home Shield Review.
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 offers the best home warranty for appliance coverage for College Place residents. The home warranty company offers 2 plans to policyholders with various options for appliance and system coverage. If you’re looking for very affordable and comprehensive appliance coverage, this is the plan for you. Plus, it 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.
There are 2 home warranty plans from First American Home Warranty: Basic Plan and Premier Plan. First American has coverage caps of around $1,500 for most appliances and systems, but some plans may have different coverage caps, so be sure to check with the company. Service fees are a reasonable $85.
To receive a free quote from First American Home Warranty, you can fill out this online form or call 833-204-7164. To read more, visit our First American Home Warranty Review.
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 offers the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee for College Place residents. The home warranty company offers 3 plans to policyholders with various options for appliance and system coverage. If you’re looking for a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done, this is the plan for you. Plus, it 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 has coverage caps of around $1,000-$2,000 for most appliances and systems, but some plans may have different coverage caps, so be sure to check with the company. Service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150.
To receive a free quote from Cinch Home Services, you can 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
The Home Service Club offers the best home warranty with the quickest service for College Place residents. The home warranty company offers 2 plans to policyholders with various options for appliance and system coverage. 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, this is the plan 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.
There are 2 home warranty plans from The Home Service Club: Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan. HSC has coverage caps of around $2,000 for most appliances and systems, but some plans may have different coverage caps, so be sure to check with the company. Service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90.
To receive a free quote from The Home Service Club, you can 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 | $6,035 |
| Heating | $4,024 |
| Electrical | $604 |
| Toilets | $503 |
| Washer/Dryer | $805 |
| Plumbing | $604 |
| Oven | $1,609 |
| Fridge | $604 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that assists College Place homeowners in reducing the expenses of appliance and system repairs. The plans offer financial 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 repair or replacement costs go over the item's coverage limit. A home warranty policy gives homeowners peace of mind because 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 household systems and appliances. Typical covered appliances include microwaves, washers, refrigerators, garbage disposals, dryers, dishwashers, and others. Protected systems include electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, and heating. Many home warranty plans offer add-on coverage for septic systems, central vacuums, roof leaks, and even locksmiths. Most home warranty plans require College Place homeowners to wait 30 days before they can use the policy to pay for repairs. Additionally, policies usually only cover repairs and replacements resulting from normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't cover cosmetic issues, pre-existing conditions, natural disasters, or misusing a system or appliance. To make sure your next repair or replacement is covered, keep up with preventative maintenance.
Home warranties use several terms that you'll want to understand before signing a contract, such as:
There are several important considerations when selecting a home warranty provider:
Home warranties vary widely in terms of included coverage. Basic policies typically include plumbing, electrical, heating, AC, and appliances, while more comprehensive options may also cover pools, well pumps, spas, and roof leaks. Look for providers with an array of coverage options, such as upgraded plans. Flexibility helps you tailor your protection for your 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 gives you insight into things such as claim approval rates, contractor quality, timeliness of repairs, and overall customer satisfaction. Look at third-party review sites such as TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or Google Reviews to research companies. Complimentary reviews and ratings indicate a provider known for stellar service.
Home warranty providers have networks of technicians to handle covered repairs. Larger networks raise the likelihood of getting qualified technicians to promptly service your home. Contact potential providers to find out how many contractors they have in College Place to get a sense of how soon your repairs could happen in an emergency.
Certain home warranty companies include perks such as energy-efficient upgrades, discounts on maintenance, and protection for smart home devices. These offer extra value beyond repair coverage. Extra perks help improve your home and maximize your home warranty.
Temperatures in College Place can vary greatly throughout the year, which means your air conditioner and heating systems are likely to get a lot of use. As a homeowner in College Place, one of the benefits of having a home warranty is that these home systems and major appliances can be covered if they need to be repaired or replaced.
Plus, having a home warranty can save you some time by getting rid of the need to research service technicians — most companies will send a trusted professional right to your door to do the repair or replacement. Another added benefit of having home warranty coverage is that it can increase your home’s property value. If you ever decide to sell your house, you may be able to transfer your home warranty plan to the new homebuyer depending on the provider you purchased your home warranty through.
There are also some drawbacks to getting a home warranty policy, such as the coverage exclusions. For instance, home warranties may not cover home systems or appliances that already have a manufacturer's warranty.
In addition, if you don’t maintain your home systems or appliances properly, or if they need repairs or replacements due to a natural disaster or animal infestation — anything other than normal wear and tear — the home warranty may not cover it.
A home warranty policy costs, on average, around $300 to $600 a year in College Place. Our high-rated home warranty companies' most comprehensive coverage options vary from $546 to $840 per year. You can reduce your monthly bill with some companies by opting for a higher service fee. Additionally, it's typically less expensive to pay annually rather than monthly.
The difference between a home warranty and homeowner's insurance lies in what types of damage each covers. A home warranty covers normal wear and tear to home systems and appliances. A homeowners insurance plan protects your entire home in case of something such as a fire or natural disaster. Under homeowners insurance, you won't be able to file a claim if you need a new dryer or dishwasher, unless the damage is a result of a natural disaster, which isn't that common in College Place.
Homebuyers, homeowners, landlords, home sellers, and real estate agents are all eligible for home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your house more appealing to prospective buyers and save you money in the long run.
A home warranty will cover your home’s systems, appliances, or both. Combination plans are beneficial if you need more coverage for your home, but a system- or appliance-only plan can be helpful if you're concerned about one more than the other.
Home warranty plans usually offer coverage for a year. Many companies let you renew your plan annually, and some offer month-to-month plans as well.
Generally, 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 given to the new homeowner, who will pay the service fees when using the policy. In College Place, where the median value of a home is $398,131, having the seller pay for the home warranty can be a good asset for your new home.
