Best Home Warranty Companies in California (2023)

Although California may be home to some beautiful beaches from the Bay Area to San Diego and beyond, the cost of living and homeownership can get expensive. The breakdown of essential home systems and appliances, like your air conditioning, can be detrimental to your budget and health.

Our experts reviewed and ranked the best home warranty companies in California, each offering a generous mix of coverage levels paired with competitively low pricing to offer you peace of mind.

The 6 Best Home Warranty Companies in California

1. Choice Home Warranty: Best overall
2. Select Home Warranty: Most cost-effective plans
3. American Home Shield: Best customizable plans
4. The Home Service Club: Quickest service
5. Liberty Home Guard: Most trustworthy
6. First American Home Warranty: Best Appliance Coverage

Compare the Best Home Warranty Companies in California

What to Look for in a California Home Warranty

California Homeowners should compare several quotes from home warranty companies to determine which is the best for their home. There are some essential features and plan benefits to consider when making your final pick:

• Monthly and Annual Premium Cost: A California home warranty pricing can range from around $38 to over $80 a month. Make a list of the items you need coverage for and choose a plan that most closely matches those coverages for the best price.
• Reputation and Customer Reviews: BBB ratings, customer reviews, and word of mouth are great ways to check in on a company’s reputation. The more time in the industry, the easier it is to see the value.
• Coverage Cap: Coverage limits or coverage caps will be issued for each plan item. For some plans, the coverage caps are $500, and for others, they are $3500. If you have newer or high-end appliances and systems, pay attention to these coverage caps.

Choice Home Warranty – Best Overall

Why We Chose Choice Home Warranty

Out of all six companies featured in this review, Choice Home Warranty (CHW) is our top choice for California homeowners. CHW earned its first-place rank and score of 4.9 out of five stars for its prominent industry presence, proactive claim response times, and a strong reputation for only working with top-of-the-line service technicians.

Since 2008, Choice Home Warranty has covered more than 1.65 million homes across the U.S.  Though founded in Edison, New Jersey, CHW remains one of the most popular home warranty companies in California* for its best-in-class plan options and lower-than-average pricing.

*All CHW service contracts issued in California, though branded by Choice Home Warranty, are actually administered and underwritten by Home Service Club of California, Inc. (HSCCA).

Plans and Pricing

The two standard policy options, the Basic Plan and the Total Plan, cost around $51 per month, which sits in flush with the industry average monthly cost of $51.61. Along with their premium, Choice customers will also be responsible for a service call fee of $85 each time a technician is sent out to address a new service request. California homeowners will be covered for up to $3,000 in maintenance costs per item, per year. Customers who opt to purchase a plan with a single annual payment rather than monthly payments will receive a free 13th month of coverage.

Homes over 5,000 square feet may be charged an additional fee. Contract cancellations outside of the first 30 days of coverage will also warrant a $50 administrative fee. Choice doesn’t charge anything for policy transfers.

Here’s a detailed look at Choice Home Warranty’s coverage:

• Basic Plan ($45 per month): The Basic Plan is a simple and affordable option for California homeowners. This plan covers 13 items, including plumbing systems, ceiling fans, garbage disposal, heating systems, cooktop exhaust fans, built-in microwaves, dishwashers, ductwork, electrical systems, garage door openers, ovens, toilets, and hot water heaters.
• Total Plan ($53.33 per month): The Total Plan covers all 13 items in the Basic Plan plus four more items — clothes washers, clothes dryers, refrigerators, and A/C systems.

For more personalized coverage, Choice also offers nine à la carte coverage riders for $40-$180 annually:

• Pools and spas
• Well pumps
• Sump pumps
• Septic systems
• Septic tank pumping
• Sprinkler systems
• Central vacuum
• Limited roof leak
• Second refrigerators
• Stand-alone freezers and ice-makers
• Trash compactors

Plan	Cost Per Month	Annual Cost	Service Fee
Basic Plan	$45	$560	$85
Total Plan	$53.33	$660	$85

To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164.

For more information, read our Choice Home Warranty review.

Select Home Warranty – Most Cost Effective

Why We Chose Select Home Warranty

Select Home Warranty (SHW) earned 4.8/5 stars and was awarded the “most cost-effective” home warranty option available in California. Select Home Warranty’s premiums land below $48 per month and it offers a generous spread of new joiner discounts to guarantee substantial savings. The service fee of only $60 is also $16 under the industry average according to our research.

For a limited time only, new joiners can receive $150 off of their premium plus two months of complimentary coverage and free roof leak protection. SHW also offers free cancellation within your first 30 days of coverage, just in case.

Plans and Pricing

Select Home Warranty has three plans for customers in California to choose from: Bronze Care, Gold Care, or Platinum Care. Bronze Care is an appliance-only plan, Gold Care is a system-only plan, and Platinum Care is SHW’s most comprehensive coverage option which rolls the Bronze and Gold Care plans into one catch-all policy. These plans cost an average of $46.50 dollars per month or $495 annually. On top of your premium, you’ll also be responsible for $60 each time a new claim is filed.

Each covered item is limited to a repair allowance of $500-$2,000 per year — a good bit less than the average annual maximum of $3,072 across competing providers. Though Select does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, cancellations that occur after that first month will call for a $75 administrative fee and a pro-rated refund at the non-discounted plan cost.

Here’s a detailed look at Select Home Warranty’s coverage:

• Bronze Care ($44.42 per month): The Bronze Care plan covers seven major appliances, including refrigerators, built-in microwaves, clothes washers and dryers, ovens, garbage disposals, and cooktops. Many first-time homebuyers in California start with this plan and then upgrade to Platinum Care once they have a solid understanding of their coverage needs.
• Gold Care ($44.42 per month): The Gold Care plan covers six built-in systems, including plumbing, air conditioning, heating, hot water heaters, electrical, and ductwork.
• Platinum Care ($47.75 per month): The Platinum Care plan combines all systems and appliances offered in the Bronze and Gold care plans for just $5 more per month. This robust plan level offers the best cost-to-coverage ratio out of Select’s policy options.

Californians with a Select policy can maximize their protection with the following optional coverage riders for $3.33-$8.33 per month:

• Pools and spas (for in-ground set-ups only)
• Limited roof leak (though automatically include, you must manually add this to your cart at sign-up in order to redeem the $0 coverage)
• Well pumps
• Sump pumps
• Septic systems
• Lawn sprinkler systems
• Central vacuum
• Plumbing and light fixtures
• Second refrigerators and stand-alone freezers
• Built-in ice-makers

Plan	Cost Per Month	Annual Cost	Service Fee
Bronze Care	$44.42	$479.99	$60
Gold Care	$44.42	$479.99	$60
Platinum Care	$47.75	$524.99	$60

To get a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 888-370-3953.

For more information, read our Select Home Warranty Review.

American Home Shield – Most Customizable

Why We Chose American Home Shield

Our experts rated American Home Shield (AHS) 4.7/5 stars as the “most customizable” home warranty company in California. AHS allows its policyholders to choose the service fee of $75-$125, which, in turn, provides extensive flexibility in monthly and annual premium costs.

Founded in 1971, AHS is the oldest standing home warranty company among leading providers and is often hailed as a founding father of the industry itself. American Home Shield maintains a B rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) specifically for its flexible coverage options, around-the-clock customer service, and fair pricing. With an AHS policy, California homeowners can shape a home warranty policy to best fit the unique needs of their homes.

Plans and Pricing

American Home Shield advertises three different standard home warranty plans:  ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. Whereas ShieldSilver is a systems-only option, ShieldGold and ShieldPlatinum offer combined coverage for appliances and systems, just to different degrees. These plans cost an average of $43 per month or $569 per year.

AHS has generously high coverage limits of up to $6,000 per item with the ShieldPlatinum plan. The service fee required by AHS is also customizable as customers can choose between payments of $75, $100, or $125. The higher the service fee you select, the lower your main premium will be and vice versa.

Here’s a detailed look at American Home Shield’s coverage:

• ShieldSilver ($34.27 per month): This plan covers 14 home systems, including air conditioning, electrical systems, smoke alarms, water heaters, doorbells, garage door openers, heating, plumbing, and ductwork. ShieldSilver is the best option for CA homeowners on a budget.
• ShieldGold ($44.27 per month): ShieldGold is the most basic combo plan offered by AHS, covering both systems and appliances. There are 23 home systems and appliances included in this plan, starting with all systems featured in ShieldSilver plus dishwashers, clothes washers/dryers, built-in microwaves, ovens, refrigerators, roof leak protection, and trash compactors.
• ShieldPlatinum ($64.27 per month): ShieldPlatinum is the most comprehensive combo home warranty plan available through AHS. This plan includes a mix of 27 built-in systems and appliances. Shield Platinum customers will also benefit from per-item coverage limits of $6,000 as well as one free annual HVAC tune-up, unlimited A/C refrigerant, and $1,500 per year for code violations and permit coverage.

In addition to their standard inclusions, AHS policyholders can also opt to add the following coverage add-ons to their plan:

• Roof leak repairs (automatically included in ShieldPlatinum)
• Electronics protection
• Pools and spas (for in-ground set-ups only)
• Septic pumps
• Well pumps
• Guest units (up to 750 square feet)

Plan	Cost Per Month($75 service fee)	Cost Per Month($100 service fee)	Cost Per Month($125 service fee)
ShieldSilver	$44.27	$34.27	$29.27
ShieldGold	$54.27	$44.27	$39.27
ShieldPlatinum	$74.27	$64.27	$59.27

To get a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839.

For more information, read our American Home Shield review.

The Home Service Club – Quickest Coverage

Why Choose The Home Service Club

Our experts rated The Home Service Club (HSC) 4.6/5 stars as the home warranty with the “quickest coverage” in California. When you sign up for a policy through HSC, your home warranty benefits will be activated just ten days after your plan’s purchase date. Competing providers usually instate a 30-day waiting period for new joiners, but HSC cuts that wait time by more than two weeks.

HSC also offers specialty real estate protection plans created specifically for California residents in the process of buying or selling a home.

Plans and Pricing

The Home Service Club keeps things simple with just two policies for California homeowners to choose from that average $57 per month or $725 per year. The Standard Coverage Plan covers a total of 18 appliances and systems. For just $13 more per month, the Comprehensive Coverage plan boosts that number of inclusions to 31 and also features unique items like pest control, plumbing stoppages, home security systems, and more.

The Home Service Club also offers a customizable service fee of either $60, $75, or $95. Optional coverage add-ons cost between $3.33 and $16.66 per month, depending on the item. Along with most of its competitors, HSC offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. All cancellations with your first month of coverage will be reimbursed in full. After that initial time frame, any attempt to terminate your contract with result in a $45 administrative fee and a pro-rated refund.

Here’s a detailed look at The Home Service Club’s coverage:

• Standard Coverage ($50 per month): The Standard Coverage plan includes 18 covered appliances and systems such as air conditioning, ceiling fans, water leaks, water heaters, electrical, central vacuum, dishwashers, refrigerators, trash compactors, ovens, and more.
• Comprehensive Coverage ($62.90 per month): The Comprehensive Coverage Plan covers 31 household items including the 18 in the Standard Coverage Plan plus another 15. These additional items include gas leaks, ductwork, sump pumps, pest control, doorbells, plumbing stoppages, attic fans, whole house exhaust, etc.

HSC customers can also add the following coverage riders to their main policy:

• Pools and spas
• Lawn sprinkler systems
• Roof leak repairs (includes coverage for attached garages)
• Sewage ejector pumps
• Well pumps
• Water softener (for single and twin softener units)
• Jetted bathtubs
• Stand-alone freezers
• Refrigerator built-in units with dual compressors (includes top freezers, bottom freezers, side-by-side fridges, french door units, etc.)

Plan	Cost Per Month	Annual Cost	Service Fee
Standard Coverage Plan	$50	$650	$60-$95
Comprehensive Coverage Plan	$62.90	$800	$60-$95

To get a free quote from The Home Service Club fill out this online form or call 800-842-9334.

For more information, read our Home Service Club Review. 

Liberty Home Guard – Most Trustworthy

Why We Chose Liberty Home Guard

Liberty Home Guard (LHG) is the “most trustworthy” home warranty in California and earned 4.5/5 stars according to our methodology. Since its establishment four years ago, LHG has continued to impress real customers and other home warranty industry professionals. This is the only home warranty company with an A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and tons of positive customer reviews to back it up.

The company has a strong commitment to customer service and following through on its service contracts, offering a 60-day workmanship guarantee.  Overall, Liberty Home Guard does a great job covering issues in your home and allowing for a much better experience with your home warranty company.

Plans and Pricing

Liberty Home Guard splits its coverage in three ways: Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. Appliance Guard is a standalone appliance-only plan whereas Systems Guard solely covers select built-in home systems. Total Home Guard, LHG’s most comprehensive plan level, is a combined variation of both Appliance and Systems Guard. On average, coverage through Liberty Home Guard costs $75 per month or $750 per year.

Liberty Home Guard is known for its extensive list of add-on coverage and more notable options than other companies on the market. On top of your premium, you’ll also pay a $75 service fee per each new service request. Liberty Home Guard’s coverage caps are fair, with most being around the $1,500 mark.

Here’s a detailed look at Liberty Home Guard’s coverage:

• Appliance Guard ($64.99 per month): Appliance Guard plan covers 11 major appliances, including garage door opener, ceiling fans, cooktop exhaust fans, ovens, refrigerators, garbage disposals, dishwashers, built-in microwaves, clothes washers, clothes dryers, and built-in ice-makers. This appliance-only option is a great option for homeowners who are looking to feel out a home warranty policy before going all in.
• Systems Guard ($69.99 per month): Systems Guard offers coverage for nine essential home systems including air conditioning, bath exhaust fans, ductwork, electrical, heating, plumbing and plumbing stoppages, toilets, and hot water heaters.
• Total Home Guard ($74.99 per month): Total Home Guard is the only comprehensive plan offered by Liberty Home Guard, covering a mix of 20 home systems and appliances. The Total Home Guard plan provides airtight home protection, and for just a few dollars more per month is the best option for California homeowners.

Liberty Home Guard has the most exhaustive list of optional add-ons compared to any other leading service provider which is $49.99 to $299.99 per year. LHG offers protection on:

• Carpet and gutter cleaning
• Central vacuum
• Electronic protection
• Grinder pumps
• Guest unit coverage (up to 750 square feet)
• Gutter cleaning
• Instant hot water dispensers
• Light fixtures
• Limited roof leak repairs (only applies to patching over occupied areas of single-family homes)
• Pest control
• Plumbing fixtures
• Pools and spas (includes chlorine and saltwater set-ups)
• Power washing for exterior flooring (includes driveways, walkways, decks, patios, etc.)
• Pro-series kitchen and laundry appliances (exclusively for professional-grade appliances with luxury features)
• Re-keying (cover re-keys for two lock cylinders per contract term)
• Reverse osmosis filter systems
• Septic system pumping
• Sewage ejector pumps
• Sprinkler systems
• Stand-alone freezers, ice-makers, second refrigerators, and wine coolers
• Sump pumps
• TV mounting (for up to 65-inch or 85-inch TVs)
• Water softener
• Well pumps
• Window washing (does not include interior cleaning)

Plan	Cost Per Month	Annual Cost	Service Fee
Appliance Guard	$64.99	$700	$75
Systems Guard	$69.99	$750	$75
Total Home Guard	$74.99	$800	$75

To get a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or call 866-451-2281.

Read our Liberty Home Guard review for more information.

First American Home Warranty – Best Appliance Coverage

Why We Chose First American Home Warranty

First American Home Warranty (FAHW) was rated 4.2/5 stars and awarded “best appliance coverage” according to our methodology due to the high coverage maximums on major home appliances. Not only is its appliance-only plan more affordable than any other appliance plan on the market, but all covered appliances are protected by an annual allowance of $3,500 per year — one of the highest coverage maximums available industry-wide.

Be wary that coverage for A/C systems, typically a priority among California homeowners, is only available with an additional fee as an optional coverage add-on.

Plans and Pricing

First American Home Warranty offers two plans, both of which offer coverage on appliances and systems, just at different levels. Unfortunately, where most other home warranty companies consider air conditioning standard coverage, FAHW offers it as an optional add-on.

Home protection through First American Home Warranty costs an average of $43 per month or $483 per year. FAHW requires all policyholders, no matter what plan level they select, to pay a $75 service fee per claim — which is still slightly below the industry average. Though there is a 30-day money-back guarantee,  all cancellations following your first month of coverage will be met with a $50 termination fee. As far as add-ons go, expect to pay between $84 and $204 per year for extra coverage.

Here’s a detailed look at First American Home Warranty’s coverage:

• Basic Plan ($38 per month): FAHW’s Basic Plan is an appliance-only plan that includes a total of 12 household appliances, specifically dishwashers, garbage disposals, built-in microwaves, ovens/stoves/cooktops, refrigerators, trash compactors, cold/hot water dispensers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, attic fans, ceiling fans, and cooktop exhaust fans.
• Premier Plan ($48.50 per month): This more comprehensive plan level wraps all appliances included in the Basic Plan with robust systems coverage for heating, ductwork, plumbing, plumbing stoppages, hot water heaters, electrical, central vacuum, and garage door openers.

First American Home Warranty also has five additional coverage riders for California policyholders to choose from:

• Central air conditioning
• Additional refrigeration
• Pool/spa equipment
• Well pumps
• Septic system/septic tank pumping

Plan	Cost Per Month	Annual Cost	Service Fee
Basic Plan	$38	$420	$85
Total Plan	$48.50	$546	$85

To get a free quote from First American Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 833-204-7164.

For more information, read our First American Home Warranty review.

Find a Local California Home Warranty

California is the third-largest state by area and the most populated state in the U.S., with more than 39 million people. For that reason, we’ve taken a closer look at the availability of the above providers in popular cities across California and curated more granular reviews of each below.

Find the Best Home Warranty in Your Area

Quick Comparison of the Best Home Warranty Companies in California

Home Warranty Company	Choice Home Warranty	Select Home Warranty	American Home Shield	The Home Service Club	Liberty Home Guard
Our Rating	9.7	9.5	9.6	9.4	9.3
Best For	Our Top Choice	Most Affordable	Most Customizable	Quickest Service	Most Trustworthy
Average Cost	$45 – $53	$56 – $62	$34 – $64	$50 – $62	$70 – $80
Service Fee	$85	$60	$75, $100, or $125	$60, $75, or $95	$75
Annual Limit	$3,000 per standard item$250-$500 for add-ons	$500-$3,000 per standard item$400 for add-ons	Up to $6,000 per standard item$1,500+ for add-ons	$500-$2,500 per standard item$500-$2,000+ for add-ons	$2,000-$2,500 per standard item$250-$500 for add-ons
Average Response Time	Up to 48 hours	Up to 48 hours	Up to 48 hours	Within 24 hours	Within 24 hours
State Availability	Not available in WA	Not available in WA, NV, WY, or NM	Not available in Alaska	Available in all 50 states	Not available in WA or WI
Online Chat / Mobile App	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote

What is a California Home Warranty and How Does it Work?

A home warranty is a home protection plan that can help homeowners save money on system and appliance repairs and replacements. Home warranties are designed to help you schedule and finance both routine and emergency repairs and replacements of your major home systems and appliances. Home warranty coverage will often start without a complete home inspection and typically goes into place about thirty days after making your first payment.

Filing a claim with your home warranty company is quite simple. There will either be an online portal system or a direct phone number to call to file your claim with your home warranty company. The repair technician will typically come to your home within a 24 to 48-hour period to inspect and complete the repair, at which point you will pay the designated service fee. Most home warranty repairs are covered by the coverage cap associated with the policy, and you will be responsible for the cost beyond the limit.

Though exact coverage details will vary between providers, most home warranty companies will cover:

Appliances	Systems	Add-ons
·       Ovens/Stoves/Cooktops ·       Built-in microwaves ·      Refrigerators ·       Dishwashers ·       Clothes Washers ·       Clothes Dryers	·       Air conditioning ·       Heating ·       Ductwork ·       Electrical ·       Plumbing ·       Hot water heaters	·       Pools and spas ·       Limited roof leaks ·       Septic systems ·       Septic tank pumping ·       Well pumps ·       Sump pumps ·       Second refrigerators ·       Stand-alone freezers

Biggest Complaints about Home Warranty Companies in California

Across a number of verified customer review forums, frustrations around claim denials were the top complaint from home warranty customers in California. Most of these denials seem to involve a misunderstanding of coverage details and filed claims for items not included in the contract.

When signing up for a home warranty, peace of mind is only guaranteed by thoroughly understanding the full scope of the coverage your home warranty offers. While each of the five providers featured in this guide offer easy-to-understand, no-loophole coverage options, we still urge our readers to carefully review their sample policies before signing up. It’s also in your best interest to invest in the most comprehensive plan available under your provider to ensure you’re equipped with the most robust policy possible.

Final Verdict: Is a Home Warranty in California Worth it?

A home warranty in California can provide you peace of mind that you won’t have to pay expensive out-of-pocket fees for home appliance and system repairs. As a policyholder, you also won’t have to go through the hassle of finding and booking an appointment with a local contractor, as the home warranty company will have one sent to your home in as little as a few hours.

With our top pick, Choice Home Warranty, you can get comprehensive coverage on all the essential systems for Californians, such as heating and air conditioning systems, for the low cost of $53.33 per month. We recommend getting quotes from 3-4 different companies and comparing coverage and annual limits before choosing one for your home.

House Method Home Warranty Ranking Methodology

At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. 

To create this rating system, our team spent hours researching over 60 companies, analyzing 2500+ key data points, getting the thoughts and opinions of 1000+ homeowners, and speaking to home warranty company representatives directly. We also dug into the fine print on each company’s service agreement to ensure no detail was left out.

We developed an objective home warranty review and rating methodology to score each home warranty company based on several criteria. We used a five-point scale with a point index ranging from 0.00 to 1.00. The minimum awardable value is 0.0, whereas 1.00 is the maximum. These numeric points are translated into star ratings, using whole star increments between one and five. 

Here is a quick breakdown of our five core scoring categories: 

• Coverage (0.4): This category evaluates the scope of protection offered by a home warranty provider. We clearly distinguished between limited or broad coverage to help homeowners identify their own home protection needs. We also factor in claim turnaround times, average waiting period lengths, plan types, annual coverage limits, policy exclusions, etc.
• Cost (0.3): This category considers what home warranty companies charge homeowners monthly, annual, and out-of-pocket. We urge homeowners also to consider the cost-to-value ratio of a home warranty plan.
• Transparency and Trustworthiness (0.15): This category evaluates home warranty providers based on pending or past legal action, hidden fees, lack of information readily available on the website, exclusions, and more. We consider how upfront a company is to its potential policyholders, which says a lot about its products and services.
• Customer Support and Satisfaction (.09): This category evaluates the efficacy of a home warranty company’s effort to provide supportive guidance to inquiring customers and how policyholders are satisfied with the assistance they receive. 
• Customization (.06): This category evaluates the ability of homeowners to adjust and choose their policy details, such as pricing variation, optional add-ons, and the number of plans available.

Additional California Home Warranty Resources