Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
As much as you may love homeownership in Onalaska, there's always that worry about whether your systems and appliances are going to hold up during the next few years. A home warranty is a way to protect your budget from unexpected home repairs and expenses. With a home warranty in place, your repair costs can be significantly lower and give you some peace of mind.
The home warranty market is filled with a lot of providers — all with different price points — so our team at Today's Homeowner has compiled this guide to help you choose the best home warranty companies in Onalaska.
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 Onalaska, Choice Home Warranty is the best overall home warranty. If you’re looking for very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts, this is the plan for you. Plus, 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 quick and easy.
The 2 plans from Choice Home Warranty are Basic Plan and Total Plan. The coverage caps from Choice are around $3,000. The service fees are an affordable $85, which is less than other providers in the Onalaska area.
Read our review of Choice Home Warranty to learn more. To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, you can 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 Onalaska, American Home Shield is the most customizable home warranty. 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. AHS has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy.
The 3 plans from American Home Shield are ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. The coverage caps from AHS are around $2,500. The service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125, which is less than other providers in the Onalaska area.
Read our review of American Home Shield to learn more. To get a free quote from American Home Shield, you can 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 Onalaska, Cinch Home Services is the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee. 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. Cinch has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy.
The 3 plans from Cinch Home Services are Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, and Complete Home Plan. The coverage caps from Cinch are around $1,000-$2,000. The service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150, which is less than other providers in the Onalaska area.
Read our review of Cinch Home Services to learn more. To get a free quote from Cinch Home Services, you can 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 Onalaska, The Home Service Club is the best home warranty with the quickest service. 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. HSC has 2 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy.
The 2 plans from The Home Service Club are Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan. The coverage caps from HSC are around $2,000. The service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90, which is less than other providers in the Onalaska area.
Read our review of The Home Service Club to learn more. To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, you can 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 | $5,956 |
| Heating | $3,971 |
| Electrical | $596 |
| Toilets | $496 |
| Washer/Dryer | $794 |
| Plumbing | $596 |
| Oven | $1,588 |
| Fridge | $596 |
A home warranty is a protection policy that helps lower expenses for Onalaska homeowners needing appliance and system repairs. These plans provide coverage to repair or swap out appliances and systems that break due to normal wear and tear.
Homeowners submit a claim and pay a service fee when something breaks. The home warranty company then arranges a contractor to make the fix 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 gives peace of mind for homeowners by helping them avoid expensive emergency repairs. They're particularly useful for those who own older homes or ones with outdated systems. More modern builds with functional fixtures probably don’t require a home warranty.
Home warranties cover your household systems and appliances. Warranties usually cover appliances such as dishwashers, microwaves, dryers, refrigerators, washers, garbage disposals, and others. Covered systems include electrical, heating, air conditioning, and plumbing. Many home warranty companies also offer additional coverage for septic systems, roof leaks, central vacuums, and locksmiths. Onalaska homeowners should know that most home warranty plans impose a 30-day waiting period before repairs are covered. Additionally, most policies only help pay for repairs and replacements due to normal wear and tear. Home warranties don't include pre-existing conditions, cosmetic issues, natural disasters, or misuse of a system or appliance. Make sure to keep up with preventative maintenance to help make sure your next repair or replacement is covered.
Home warranties use several terms that you'll want to know before signing a contract, such as:
When choosing a home warranty provider, there are several important factors to consider:
Home warranty coverage can have major differences in what's included. Most plans provide coverage for plumbing, AC, electrical, heating, and appliances. More comprehensive plans also cover other items such as roof leaks, well pumps, pools, and spas. Focus on companies with broad coverage options including upgraded plans. Flexibility like this will help you customize your plan to meet your 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, some homeowners prefer to choose a company with lower service fees to maximize savings on every claim. Some companies also remove deductibles for homeowners who don't file claims in a certain period.
A home warranty provider's rating provides insight into things such as contractor quality, claim approval rates, timeliness of repairs, and overall customer satisfaction. Look at third-party review sites such as Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or TrustPilot to research providers. Complimentary ratings and reviews indicate a company known for stellar service.
Home warranty companies keep networks of local technicians to handle repairs in your area. Reach out to potential providers to find out how many repair contractors they have in Onalaska and get an idea for how fast your repairs could take place in an emergency situation. Wider networks improve the probability of getting qualified contractors to promptly service your home.
Certain home warranty companies offer extras such as discounts on maintenance, protection for smart home devices, and energy-efficient upgrades. These can provide extra value beyond repair coverage. Added perks can enhance your home and help maximize your home warranty.
Onalaska’s frigid winters can put a strain on a home’s HVAC system. Whether it’s summer or winter, a home warranty is designed to cover your home’s appliances and systems if they need to be repaired or replaced. For example, if your air conditioner fails in the middle of July, a home warranty can cover the needed repairs, preventing you from spending unexpected money out of pocket.
A home warranty also can also save you time and energy. Instead of spending hours researching and choosing a technician to fix your appliance or system, home warranty providers do the hard work for you and send a trusted professional to your door whenever you need them. Another added benefit of having a home warranty plan is that it can raise your home’s real estate 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 company you purchased your home warranty through.
Home warranties also have some drawbacks. While it can be convenient that the home warranty sends out a repair person who carries out the repair for you, some people may not like this, and they would rather select a contractor themselves. If that’s the case for you, some home warranty plans let you select a contractor.
Another thing to bear in mind is that some companies don’t cover pre-existing issues 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 a problem for you.
A home warranty costs, on average, about $300 to $600 a year in Onalaska. Our high-rated home warranty providers' most comprehensive coverage options vary from $546 to $840 per year. You can lower your monthly bill with some companies by choosing a higher service fee. Additionally, it's usually cheaper 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 protects against normal wear and tear to systems and appliances in a home. A homeowners insurance plan protects the entire home in a situation such as a natural disaster or fire. Under a homeowners insurance plan, you won't be able to file a claim if you need a new refrigerator or oven, unless the damage is a result of a natural disaster, which is somewhat common in Onalaska.
First-time homebuyers, landlords, home sellers, homeowners, and real estate agents can all get home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your house more attractive to prospective buyers and save you money in the long run.
The different types of home warranties in Onalaska include plans that cover either appliances or systems as well as combination plans. A combination plan covers many of your home systems and appliances, such as your washing machine, drier, and plumbing. A plan that only covers appliances or systems will cover only the specific items listed in the plan.
Generally, a home warranty plan offers coverage for a year and can be renewed yearly. Some companies may offer month-to-month plans.
Generally, the homeowner is the one who is responsible for paying the premium and service fees. However, when buying a new home, sometimes the seller is the one who paid for the policy. This can then be transferred to the new homeowner, who has to pay the service fees when using the policy. In Onalaska, where the median value of a home is $320,868, having the seller pay for the home warranty can save you some money on your new home.
