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Sunday, September 15th
American Residential Warranty earns our highest ranking year after year. It's the only provider in our evaluation with an "A+” from the BBB and thousands of five-star reviews from happy clients. You'll get better coverage: fewer exclusions, more protected items, and service that is on-time and doesn't make you haggle over price. For the best home warranty plans in the industry, our highest rating goes to American Residential Warranty.
Choice Home Warranty has handled over three million service requests during their 15 years in business. You've got two warranty plans to choose from, along with extra coverage you can add as desired. Both plans have an $85 trade service call fee per claim - lower than average. Customer feedback here is inconsistent at best: some say they're 100% satisfied with how their claims are handled, while others say it's like pulling teeth to get covered items repaired or replaced. You may want to look at other options before committing to Choice Home Warranty.
Maybe you're a landlord trying to mitigate your operating expenses. Or you're trying to sell your home in a tough market and want to set prospective buyers' minds at ease. Then again, you could be like the average homeowner who wants some protection against those unexpected expenses like a failing air conditioner or a leaky bathtub.
In all of these situations, a good home warranty is a wise choice that can make the difference between a quick, inexpensive fix and a huge repair bill. How do home warranty plans work? Most providers give you several plans to choose from, ranging from basic coverage of appliances or systems, to premium packages that cover just about every component of your home. There are usually add-on services for an extra fee, like coverage of your electronics, sump pumps, septic systems, pools/spas, and so on.
All home warranties have limits, exclusions, and caps on the amount your policy will pay over the life of the contract: this is one of those times where it's essential to read the fine print and understand what's covered and what's not.
You should also expect a 30-day waiting period before your coverage takes effect. In other words, don't think you can hurriedly throw a warranty plan on your broken fridge and expect it to get fixed - unless you want to wait a whole month. Many home warranty companies use this time as a money-back guarantee period, in case you change your mind or discover something in your policy that you weren't aware of when you signed up. One such "surprise” is often the trade call service fee: what you'll pay per service call, similar to a copay you'd have on a medical insurance plan or a deductible with your car insurance. Be aware that you could have multiple fees for a single repair, if the fix requires different tradespeople to get it taken care of (both a plumber and an electrician).
You've got a lot of companies to consider for your home warranty, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. How can you tell which ones will deliver what they promise? Here are the most useful criteria to guide your decision:
To help protect your home (and your savings), TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked today's most popular home warranty providers. We're sure this information will help you choose the right plan for your property!
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