Best Home Warranty Companies in Illinois

If your air conditioning system, water heater, or refrigerator broke down today, would you be able to cover the cost of a repair or replacement? For many home buyers in Illinois, the answer to this question is “no.” A home warranty can help with that.

A home warranty plan covers the cost of repairing or replacing systems and appliances around your home if they break down due to normal wear and tear. You pay the provider a monthly or annual premium, and if a covered component stops working, your provider will cover the repair costs in exchange for a small service fee. To learn more about home warranties and the best home warranty companies in Illinois, read our review below.

Illinois’ top 5 home warranty companies

Top home maintenance problems in Illinois

Below, you can find information on some of the most common breakdowns homeowners in Illinois face and how a home warranty can help you take care of them quickly.

• Heating and ductwork damage: Cold fall and winter months can put strain on your home’s ductwork and heating systems because you’re constantly using them. A home warranty plan that covers systems can help you repair your system if it breaks down during these seasons.
• Septic system breakdowns: If you live in a rural part of Illinois, you likely have a septic system instead of a plumbing system that connects to the city or town line. Though not every home warranty provides standard coverage for septic systems, most home warranty companies offer this as an optional coverage.
• Electrical system damage: Thanks to Illinois’ position next to the Great Lakes, winter weather can take a serious toll on even the most well-maintained property. Heavy snowstorms and precipitation don’t only cause your heating and ductwork to suffer; it can also cause erosion in your home’s electrical system, which can be expensive to repair. 

1. Select Home Warranty

With all of the plans available for less than $40 a month and an industry average service fee of $75 per call, Select Home Warranty offers some of the most competitive pricing in Illinois. You can even claim two months of free coverage as a new policyholder.

Select Home Warranty offers the following plans:

• Bronze Care: The Bronze Care plan includes coverage for eight of your home’s appliances, like your cooktop and dishwasher.  
• Gold Care: The Gold Care plan includes coverage for six home systems, including your ductwork and electrical systems.
• Platinum Care: The Platinum Care plan combines all covered items in both the Gold Care and Bronze Care plans.

You can also customize your plan with up to nine optional add-ons for items like a pool, lawn sprinkler system, or septic system.

Here’s what you can expect to pay for your plan each month when you choose Select Home Warranty:

You’ll also pay $75 each time you request service.

Get a free quote from Select Home Warranty now by filling out this online form or calling 888-370-3953.

2. Amazon Home Warranty

Amazon Home Warranty has over 20 add-on options. This allows policyholders to extend their coverage to items that aren’t normally covered under a base plan, like a water softener or whole-house humidifier.

Amazon Home Warranty currently offers the following three plan options:

• Appliances Plan: The Appliances Plan offers coverage for eight appliances, including your clothes washer and built-in freezer.
• Systems Plan: The Systems Plan includes coverage for eight major home systems, like your central air conditioning system and plumbing system.
• Combo Plan: The Combo Plan includes all coverages in the Appliances and Systems Plans plus a few more.

Customize your Amazon Home Warranty plan with up to 23 optional add-ons.

Take a look at how much Amazon Home Warranty costs per year:

You’ll also pay a $75 fee each time you make a service call.

Get a free quote from Amazon Home Warranty now by filling out this online form or calling 866-605-8194. 

3. Choice Home Warranty

Choice Home Warranty offers two plans, both of which have coverage for systems and appliances. These two combo plans means that you can get coverage for all of the major components in your home regardless of which policy you choose.

Let’s take a closer look at Choice Home Warranty’s two plans:

• Basic Plan: Choice Home Warranty’s Basic Plan covers a mix of 14 appliances and systems, including your ceiling and exhaust fans, heating system, electrical system, and water heater. 
• Total Plan: The Total Plan covers everything in the Basic Plan plus your air conditioner, refrigerator, washer, and dryer.

You can also customize your coverage with nine optional add-ons, including coverage for a stand-alone freezer, septic system, and sump pump.

Here’s what you can expect to pay for your Choice Home Warranty plan:

You’ll also pay an $85 service fee each time you use your coverage.

Get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty now by filling out this online form or calling 929-400-6164. 

4. American Home Shield 

With nearly 50 years of experience offering policies, American Home Shield is one of the country’s top names in the industry. Because of the company’s long-standing reputation, you can trust that you’re getting quality coverage.

American Home Shield offers the three plans:

• Systems Plan: The Systems Plan covers 12 home systems, like your central vacuum and ductwork.
• Appliances Plan: The Appliances Plan covers 10 home appliances, including your washer and dryer set and trash disposal.
• Combo Plan: The Combo Plan includes everything in the Appliances and Systems Plans for one lower price. 

Customize your plan from American Home Shield with up to five unique optional add-ons. 

Take a look at the pricing for American Home Shield:

When signing up for your plan, you get to choose between a service fee of $75, $100, or $125 that you’ll pay each time you use your policy. However, keep in mind that a lower service fee will increase your premium.

Get a  free quote from American Home Shield now by filling out this online form or calling 888-365-2839. 

5. America’s First Choice Home Club

America’s First Choice (AFC) Home Club is best known for its claims process. The company gives you the option to choose the service fee you want to pay each time you file a claim and the technician who will repair your broken item. The company also has a workmanship guarantee that lasts for as long as you have an AFC policy.

AFC Home Club offers four plan options:

• Systems Plan: The Systems Plan covers six home systems, including heating and cooling.
• Silver Plan: The Silver Plan covers nine major home appliances, like your oven and refrigerator.
• Gold Plan: The Gold Plan combines all coverages in both the Silver and Systems Plans.
• Platinum Plan: The Platinum Plan covers everything included in the Gold Plan plus a few additional coverages. 

AFC Home Club also offers coverage for nine optional add-ons, ranging from your septic system to your well pump.

Here’s what you can expect to pay for your AFC Home Club coverage:

Like American Home Shield, AFC Home Club has a choose-your-own service fee.

Get a free quote from AFC Home Club now by filling out this online form or calling 877-755-1115. 

Illinois home warranty buying guide

Make sure you’re getting a policy that will fit your unique needs by considering these characteristics.

• Service contractor: Most home warranty policies don’t allow you to choose the repair technician that fixes your home’s systems and appliances. When you file a claim, they automatically send one of the technicians that have been pre-screened by them. If you want the ability to choose your own technician, consider purchasing a policy from a company that gives you that option like AFC Home Club.
• Pre-existing conditions: Illinois has one of the country’s highest concentrations of older properties. If you live in an older home, your systems and appliances might have pre-existing conditions that won’t be covered by a home warranty. Consider getting a thorough home inspection before choosing a policy so that you know what condition your components are in.
• Workmanship guarantees: Concerned about the quality of work you’ll receive from your service technicians? If so, look for a company that provides a workmanship guarantee. For example, Choice Home Warranty guarantees parts and labor for 90 days after your repair, which means that if the repaired item breaks down again during that time, you don’t have to pay another service fee. 

Our conclusion

A home warranty gives you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you won’t need to take out a loan if one of your home’s systems breaks down. To help you find this type of protection, we reviewed five home warranty companies in Illinois that are rated highly in terms of coverage, customer service, cost, and reputation. We recommend getting quotes from at least three of these companies so that you can find the right policy for you.

Frequently asked questions about Illinois home warranties

What’s the difference between a home warranty and homeowners insurance?

Homeowners insurance covers damage to your home caused by accidents, like fire, theft, and falling objects. Home warranty plans cover the systems and appliances of your home from normal wear and tear.

Am I required to have a home warranty?

Unlike homeowners insurance, you aren’t required to maintain a home warranty policy as a condition of a mortgage loan. However, a home warranty policy can ensure that you don’t go over your monthly budget by covering expensive repairs.

Does the seller or the buyer pay for home warranty coverage?

Some home sellers and realtors will offer a home warranty policy as a closing gift when you buy a home. However, this is completely up to the individual seller or agent, so don’t assume that your home purchase will include a warranty. If your new home doesn’t include home warranty coverage, you can always purchase your own.