Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated June 2024
The cost of maintaining a home in Madison can be costly, especially as your home ages and your systems and appliances have to be repaired or replaced. A home warranty can give you the peace of mind you need and safeguard your savings account from large expenses by covering your home’s major appliances and systems.
Finding the right protection for your home can be time-consuming, so our team at Today's Homeowner has compiled this guide to help you find the top home warranty companies in Madison. Keep reading for our home warranty recommendations.
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 Madison residents. 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. The 2 plans from Choice are easy to understand and have a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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 Home Warranty has 2 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. The coverage caps associated with Choice’s plans are around the $3,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are an affordable $85.
To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, you can fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164. Read our Choice Home Warranty Review to learn more.
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
American Home Shield offers the most customizable home warranty for Madison residents. 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. The 3 plans from AHS are easy to understand and have a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
American Home Shield has 3 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. The coverage caps associated with AHS’s plans are around the $2,500 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125.
To get a free quote from American Home Shield, you can fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839. Read our American Home Shield Review to learn more.
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 Madison residents. 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. The 3 plans from Cinch are easy to understand and have a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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 Home Services has 3 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. The coverage caps associated with Cinch’s plans are around the $1,000-$2,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150.
To get a free quote from Cinch Home Services, you can fill out this online form or call 877-589-0505. Read our Cinch Home Services Review to learn more.
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 Madison residents. 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. The 2 plans from HSC are easy to understand and have a mix of both system and appliance coverage. 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.
The Home Service Club has 2 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. The coverage caps associated with HSC’s plans are around the $2,000 mark for many major systems and appliances, and service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90.
To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, you can fill out this online form or call 800-750-9443. Read our The Home Service Club Review to learn more.
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 | $6,391 |
| Heating | $4,261 |
| Electrical | $639 |
| Toilets | $533 |
| Washer/Dryer | $852 |
| Plumbing | $639 |
| Oven | $1,704 |
| Fridge | $639 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that helps Madison homeowners in lowering the costs of appliance and system repairs. The plans provide financial coverage to swap out or repair appliances and systems that break down due to normal wear and tear.
When something breaks down, you file a claim and pay a service fee. The home warranty company 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 delivers peace of mind for homeowners by helping them prevent expensive emergency fixes. They're particularly useful for those who own older homes or ones with outdated systems. Newer homes with modern fixtures probably don’t require a home warranty.
Home warranties protect your home's systems and appliances. Typical covered appliances include garbage disposals, dishwashers, refrigerators, microwaves, dryers, washers, and more. Covered systems include electrical, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning. Various home warranty plans offer additional coverage for central vacuums, septic systems, roof leaks, and even locksmiths. Madison should understand that most home warranty plans have a waiting period of 30 days before repair claims will be approved. Most policies also only cover repairs and replacements due to 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.
Here are some essential home warranty words to understand before signing a contract:
There are several important considerations when selecting a home warranty provider:
Home warranty coverage varies, although most plans include protection for electrical, plumbing, AC, heating, and appliances. More comprehensive options may also provide protection for extra things such as spas, roof leaks, well pumps, and pools. Focus on companies with wide-ranging coverage selections including upgraded plans. This flexibility enables you to customize your plan to meet your home's needs.
You'll pay a service fee, typically $60–100, for each claim filed with your home warranty provider. These per-claim charges can quickly add up, so you may look for providers advertising lower service fees to optimize savings on each repair claim. Certain companies may waive deductibles when a homeowner submits no claims in a defined period.
A home warranty provider's reputation provides insights into factors such as claim approval rates, repair speed, contractor expertise, and customer satisfaction. Look at review sites like Google Reviews, TrustPilot, or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to learn more about providers. Favorable reviews and ratings suggest a company known for quality service.
Home warranty providers have networks of contractors to handle covered repairs. More extensive networks improve the probability of getting qualified technicians to service your home ASAP. Reach out to potential providers and ask how many contractors they have in Madison to get a sense of how soon your repairs could be handled in an emergency.
Some home warranty providers include perks such as smart home device coverage, energy efficiency upgrades, and reduced maintenance fees. These extras can offer extra value beyond just repair coverage. Added bonuses help you enhance your home and get the most from your warranty policy.
Madison’s cold winters can put a strain on a home’s HVAC system. Whether it’s summer or winter, a home warranty can cover your home’s appliances and systems if they need to be repaired or replaced. For example, if your air conditioner breaks down in the middle of July, a home warranty can cover the necessary repairs, saving you from spending unexpected money out of pocket.
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 repair person to visit your home. Home warranties usually have a network of pre-vetted technicians who can handle any repair problems you may come across. A home warranty can also have value in other ways. For example, some policies can be transferred between owners when you sell your home.
As for the disadvantages of home warranties, home system and appliance coverage varies by provider, so it’s important to understand what each policy covers and doesn’t include in the contract.
Another downside is that home warranties may exclude some repairs, like those due to natural disasters. For example, if your house floods, the affected systems and appliances most likely won’t be covered by the home warranty.
A home warranty costs, on average, around $300 to $600 a year in Madison. Our high-rated home warranty providers' 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. In addition, it's typically cheaper to pay annually rather than monthly.
Home warranties and home insurance differ in what types of damage they cover. Home warranties cover problems 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 insurance that protects an entire home from natural disasters, which can sometimes be a concern in Madison. It doesn't cover a typical appliance or system repairs.
A home warranty can help home sellers, investors, homebuyers, homeowners, and real estate agents. It can offer peace of mind and savings to anyone involved in homeownership.
A home warranty plan can cover your home’s appliances, systems, 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 provide coverage for a year. Many companies let you renew your plan annually, and some offer month-to-month options as well.
Usually the one who owns the home pays for the home warranty. In some cases, though, the home seller may purchase a home warranty and transfer the policy to the buyer. The new homeowner will then need to pay the service fees when using the policy. Considering that the average home value in Madison is $374,206, a home warranty can save you some money when buying a home.
