Be Smart When Choosing the Perfect Home Warranty Company

Once you have purchased a home, you will want to protect the home’s inner contents. The systems and appliances in every home are expensive to replace and maintain. This is especially true in the absence of a reliable home warranty. For these reasons, you may be inclined to search for a detailed information on home warranty companies from sources like ReviewHomeWarranties.com that covers you if these appliances go on the blink, need repair or replacement. Believe it or not, many homes have old appliances. It’s not uncommon for refrigerators, washing machines, microwaves and dishwashers to be 10 years old +. The costs of replacing these systems can add tens of thousands of dollars to your bills. However, there are ways to guard against such expenses by taking precautionary steps such as the right home warranty coverage.

Home insurance policies cover the actual home – the roof, the exterior, damage from fire etc. They don’t cover the individual systems and appliances that simply stop working for any number of reasons. Home warranties serve as contracts between you and the home warranty company that they will repair or replace the AC units, plumbing systems, appliances, heating systems, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers etc. that fall under the home warranty coverage plan. That added piece of mind you get from home warranty coverage can help you sleep easy at night, especially if your house or apartment has old appliances and systems.

Over the years, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has received a myriad of reports about shady home warranty companies not providing repair or replacement service on systems and appliances. There are several ways that you can guard against the inevitable malfunctioning of systems and appliances, such as dedicated savings account for these systems and appliances. However, you will need to sock away substantial funds, given the high costs of items like refrigerators, stoves/ovens, dishwashers, AC units etc. In the absence of a home warranty plan, you could be putting away $1,000 or more every year in a savings account. Over time, this amounts to tens of thousands of dollars which you could invariably save by having the right home warranty coverage.

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How Do You Evaluate the Services Provided by Home Warranty Companies?

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Home warranty companies are fabulous at self-promotion. Many of the on-site reviews you will read are provided by in-house content writers. Customers are not advised to pick a home warranty company by reading on-site reviews. The best way to go about selecting coverage is through comparative analysis. Home warranty aggregator sites that evaluate the quality of home warranty providers are better than the self-aggrandizement on individual company websites. The top home warranty companies include the following 5 companies:

• Advanced Home Warranty – your first month is free and they have 24/7 customer support and comprehensive coverage
• American Home Guard – full coverage, user-friendly website and positive client reviews
• Select Home Warranty – thousands of positive client reviews, near-universal coverage, and affordable plans
• Total Home Protection – customer service around the clock, A- BBB rating, and comprehensive coverage
• Choice Home Warranty – experienced provider of home warranty coverage with super service and cost-effective basic plans

It is important to evaluate home warranty providers based on client experience, not marketing gobbledygook. Trusted websites such as TrustPilot can prove to be an invaluable source of information for homeowners seeking home warranty coverage. Word-of-mouth is also an important criterion to consider when you are shopping around for a home warranty plan. Trust and credibility is paramount in this regard. Of course, pricing is a big consideration and one that should never be disregarded. The average price for home warranty coverage ranges from $300-$500, and this gets you covered for a wide range of plans. As always, it’s important that you read the terms and conditions associated with home warranty plans to ensure that you are covered for what you need, and not simply offered coverage that you don’t need.

Home sellers and home buyers need home warranty coverage. In fact, the trend in the US now is that buyers will receive 1 years’ worth of home warranty coverage from the seller as a gesture of appreciation for the sale. When you are hunting for home warranties, always use an objective information source to gather your intel and make an informed decision. Some states offer home warranty coverage from providers, while other states do not offer coverage from that provider. State-specific home warranty companies are experts at dealing with the weather phenomena, climatic conditions, and other details that are specific to that state. For example, the Northeast be subject to freezing cold conditions in winter where AC units and systems often go on the blink during extreme conditions. You will want to work with a home warranty provider that understands local conditions and will cover you accordingly.

Read more: Appliance extended warranty pros and cons

A few tips to make the right decisions:

• Read up as much as possible about the home warranty companies you’re interested in. Compare plans, prices, coverage and user reviews
• Use aggregator sites to make the job easier for you. It’s tough to compare multiple home warranty companies on your own – let the professionals provide the info you need.
• If you have brand-new appliances – you don’t need home warranty coverage for at least the first couple of years. After that, you will need to shop around for home warranty coverage. If your appliances are brand-new, they are generally covered by the warranty for the first year.
• Check to see if you have extended warranty coverage on your appliances – if so, that will protect you further.
• Ask around – chances are your friends, family and co-workers will point you in the right direction when it comes to the perfect home warranty plans.

Read more: How much do home warranty plans cost

Written by Jack Rose. March 18, 2018

Jack Rose has almost 12 years of experience and expertise in the insurance industry. He writes about topics and issues that helps people to get the most out of their insurance coverage.