Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated April 2024
Fort Atkinson offers homeowners some great housing options. However, unplanned repair and replacement costs on your home’s systems and appliances can get quite expensive. A home warranty is a way to protect your budget from unexpected expenses. With a home warranty in place, your repair costs can be considerably lower and give you some peace of mind.
The home warranty market is saturated with a lot of providers — all with different offerings — so our team at Today's Homeowner has compiled this guide to help you find the best home warranty companies in Fort Atkinson.
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 Fort Atkinson, Choice Home Warranty offers the best overall home warranty. Choice is a home warranty provider with 15 years of experience in the industry, and it has established itself as one of the best providers in the business. With a home warranty from Choice, you can benefit from very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts. Not to mention, 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 offers 2 plans for Fort Atkinson homeowners. The Basic Plan and Total Plan are the options they have, which contain a mix of system and appliance coverage. Choice has coverage caps of around $3,000 for most appliances and systems, but with some plans, the coverage caps can be higher, so make sure to check with the provider. Service fees are an affordable $85.
To read more, visit our Choice Home Warranty Review. To receive a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164.
Basic Plan
Total 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 Fort Atkinson, American Home Shield offers the most customizable home warranty. AHS is a home warranty provider with 26 years of experience in the industry, and it has established itself as one of the best providers in the business. With a home warranty from AHS, you can benefit from the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home. Not to mention, 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 offers 3 plans for Fort Atkinson homeowners. The ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum are the options they have, which contain a mix of system and appliance coverage. AHS has coverage caps of around $2,500 for most appliances and systems, but with some plans, the coverage caps can be higher, so make sure to check with the provider. Service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125.
To read more, visit our American Home Shield Review. To receive a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 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
In Fort Atkinson, Cinch Home Services offers the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee. Cinch is a home warranty provider with 44 years of experience in the industry, and it has established itself as one of the best providers in the business. With a home warranty from Cinch, you can benefit from a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done. Not to mention, 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 offers 3 plans for Fort Atkinson homeowners. The Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, and Complete Home Plan are the options they have, which contain a mix of system and appliance coverage. Cinch has coverage caps of around $1,000-$2,000 for most appliances and systems, but with some plans, the coverage caps can be higher, so make sure to check with the provider. Service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150.
To read more, visit our Cinch Home Services Review. To receive 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
In Fort Atkinson, The Home Service Club offers the best home warranty with the quickest service. HSC is a home warranty provider with 15 years of experience in the industry, and it has established itself as one of the best providers in the business. With a home warranty from HSC, you can benefit from quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days. Not to mention, 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 offers 2 plans for Fort Atkinson homeowners. The Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan are the options they have, which contain a mix of system and appliance coverage. HSC has coverage caps of around $2,000 for most appliances and systems, but with some plans, the coverage caps can be higher, so make sure to check with the provider. Service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90.
To read more, visit our The Home Service Club Review. To receive 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 | $5,932 |
| Heating | $3,955 |
| Electrical | $593 |
| Toilets | $494 |
| Washer/Dryer | $791 |
| Plumbing | $593 |
| Oven | $1,582 |
| Fridge | $593 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that helps Fort Atkinson homeowners cut the high costs of household repairs. These plans offer financial coverage to repair or swap out appliances and systems that stop working from normal wear and tear.
Homeowners file a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty company then arranges a contractor to make the repair or replacement. The only time you may pay out-of-pocket is if the repair or replacement costs go over the item's coverage limit. A home warranty plan gives homeowners a sense of security and can help avoid costly 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 modern appliances and fixtures may not need a home warranty.
Home warranties safeguard both your home systems and appliances. Common appliances covered under a home warranty include microwaves, garbage disposals, refrigerators, dryers, dishwashers, washers, and others. Covered systems include heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical. Many home warranty plans also offer add-on coverage options for locksmiths, central vacuums, septic systems, and even roof leaks. Fort Atkinson homeowners should know that most home warranty policies have a 30-day waiting period before they can be used to cover repairs. Additionally, most policies only cover repairs and replacements needed due to normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't cover things like natural disasters, pre-existing conditions, cosmetic issues, or improper use of a system or appliance. It's important to keep up with preventative maintenance to help ensure that your next repair or replacement is covered by the policy.
Here are some essential home warranty terms to learn before signing a contract:
There are several important considerations when choosing a home warranty provider:
Home warranty coverage differs significantly when it comes to what's covered. Most plans include protection for plumbing, heating, electrical, AC, and appliances. More inclusive options also cover other items such as roof leaks, spas, pools, and well pumps. Look for companies with varied coverage options, including upgraded plans. This allows you to customize your plan to your needs.
Homeowners should anticipate paying a $60–100 service fee when filing home warranty claims. These per-claim costs can add up, so some homeowners prefer using companies with lower service fees to maximize savings. Some providers also offer disappearing deductibles after periods where a customer files no claims.
A home warranty provider's reputation provides insights into factors such as claim approval rates, contractor expertise, repair speed, and customer satisfaction. Read through review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, or TrustPilot to learn more about providers. Positive reviews and ratings suggest a company known for providing quality service.
Home warranty providers keep networks of technicians to handle covered repairs. Bigger networks raise the likelihood of getting qualified technicians to service your home ASAP. Contact potential providers to find out how many contractors they have in Fort Atkinson to get a sense of how soon your repairs could happen in an emergency.
Some home warranty providers include extras such as smart home device protection, energy efficiency upgrades, and maintenance discounts. These perks add value beyond just repair coverage. Extra bonuses can maximize the usefulness of the home warranty.
Temperatures in Fort Atkinson 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 Fort Atkinson, one of the benefits of having a home warranty is that these home systems and major appliances can be covered in the event they need to be repaired or replaced.
As well as saving you money on out-of-pocket expenses, a home warranty can provide you peace of mind and save you the pain of trying to find a qualified contractor to visit your home. Home warranties usually come with a network of pre-vetted technicians who can handle any repair issues you may come across. A home warranty can also have value in other ways. For instance, some policies can be transferred between owners when you sell your home.
As for the disadvantages of home warranties, system and appliance coverage varies by company, so it’s important to review what each policy covers and excludes in the contract.
Additionally, if you don’t maintain your home systems or appliances properly, or if they were damaged 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 plan costs, on average, around $300 to $600 a year in Fort Atkinson. Our high-rated home warranty providers' most comprehensive coverage options vary from $546 to $840 per year. You can decrease your monthly bill with some companies by choosing a higher service fee. Additionally, it's often cheaper to pay annually rather than monthly.
Home warranties and home insurance differ in what types of damage they cover. Home warranty plans cover issues with home systems and appliances that need to be repaired or replaced due to normal wear and tear. A home insurance policy is a larger plan that protects an entire home from natural disasters, which can sometimes be a concern in Fort Atkinson. It doesn't cover a typical appliance or system damage.
A home warranty plan can help homeowners, real estate agents, investors, homebuyers, and home sellers. It can offer peace of mind to anyone involved with homeownership.
A home warranty plan will 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 useful if you're concerned about one more than the other.
Generally, a home warranty plan offers coverage for a year and can be renewed annually. Some companies may offer month-to-month plans.
Typically, the homeowner is responsible for paying for the home warranty. In some cases, though, the person who is selling the home may buy a home warranty plan and transfer the policy to the buyer. The new homeowner will then be responsible for the service fees when using the policy. Since the average home value in Fort Atkinson is $261,429, a home warranty can be an added asset when buying a home.
