Updated Jan 10, 2023
Updated Jan 10, 2023
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Whether you’re living in a condo along the Chicago skyline or in a house out in the backcountry of the Prairie State, a home warranty can help all types of Illinois homeowners defray the costs of unexpected appliance and system failures around their homes.
No homeowner wants to be dealt a broken hot water heater in the dead of winter, or a stalling A/C unit during the hottest months of the year. And because Illinois tends to experience erratic shifts in extreme temperatures year-round, it’s important to ensure that you have all major appliances and systems in check ahead of time so that you aren’t blindsided by a breakdown. Finding the best home warranty in Illinois for your home can guarantee that you’ll always have access to immediate and affordable repair services when inevitable maintenance issues arise.
Why Trust House Method
House Method’s Experts collected and analyzed 2000+ critical data points to identify what makes a great home warranty company in the eye of the consumer. Our reviews team used this data to assess over 60 home warranty providers for coverage extent, annual cost, and national availability to provide unbiased reviews so homeowners can confidently navigate key decisions about their homes.
Choice Home Warranty (CHW) is the best overall home warranty in Illinois. With just over 14 years of industry experience and a B rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), CHW is one of the most established providers on the market. Choice Home Warranty keeps the terms of its service contract simple, making it an excellent home warranty option for first-time homeowners. This company also supports round-the-clock customer service, with live agents available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Pros
Cons
Choice Home Warranty offers two plans to Illinois homeowners: the Basic Plan and the Total Plan. Both policy options have a mix of system and appliance coverage, so no matter which level you choose, you’ll still have access to comprehensive home protection. Choice Home Warranty’s plan also include some of the most generous coverage caps you’ll find industry-wide, with a $3,000 annual limit per covered item. These higher limits also don’t displace the cost of the policy as CHW’s pricing is still lower than average. Choice Home Warranty always charges a service fee of $85 for each new claim opened.
Here’s a detailed look at Choice Home Warranty’s coverage:
For extra protection, Choice has nine other add-on coverage options available to its customers, including:
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 (SHW) is the most cost-effective home warranty option for Illinois homeowners. SHW has been a top contender in the home warranty market for over a decade and its well known for its long list of promotional discounts available to new joiners. First-time customers in Illinois who opt to pay annually rather than monthly will receive $150 off of their premium plus two months of free bonus coverage and complimentary roof leak coverage. Select also allows its policyholders to submit an unlimited number of claims per year.
Pros
Cons
Select Home Warranty has three plans for Illinois homeowners to choose from: Bronze Care, Gold Care, and Platinum Care. While the Bronze Care plan only offers coverage for appliances and the Gold Care plan exclusively covers systems, Platinum Care combines the inclusions of both basic policies for just $5 more per month. Each item covered per policy is capped at coverage limits ranging from $500- $2,000.
Here’s a detailed look at Select Home Warranty’s coverage:
Select also has several add-on options available for customers looking for more personalized coverage:
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 (AHS) offers the most customizable home warranty plans on the market. Founded in 1971, AHS has spent over five decades helping homeowners build a home warranty policy that aligns with the unique coverage needs of their homes. American Home Shield allows homeowners to select their preferred service fee of either $75, $100, or $125. This customizable fee gives customers more control over the price of their policy as choosing a higher service fee will translate into a lower monthly premium and vice versa.
Pros
Cons
American Home Shield splits its coverage into one systems-only plan (ShieldSilver) and two combined appliance and system plans (ShieldGold and Shield Platinum). ShieldSilver is a good option for homeowners looking for very bare-boned coverage, however, those who are interested in a more comprehensive policy should opt for ShieldPlatinum. The coverage caps for ShieldSilver and ShieldGold sit around $3,000 per item, but with ShieldPlatinum that annual per-item limit is boosted to $6,000 for $20 more per month.
Here’s a detailed look at American Home Shield’s coverage (based on a $100 service fee):
American Home Shield also has six optional coverage riders for policyholders to choose from, including:
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 Warranty Review.
The Home Service Club (HSC) offers the quickest home warranty services in Illinois. With 14 years of experience under its belt, HSC stands out for its commitment to fast-moving coverage. Most competing providers require new customers to wait 30 days after sign-up before activating their coverage. With the Home Service Club, however, Illinois homeowners are covered just ten days after signing their contract. HSC also guarantees a response to your claims within 24 hours, whereas other leading providers tend to respond within a 48-hour timeframe.
Pros
Cons
The Home Service Club divides its home warranty coverage into two easy-to-understand plan options: Standard Coverage and Comprehensive Coverage. Although the Standard Coverage plan is HSC’s most basic policy level, it still covers an impressive mix of 18 appliances and systems. For just $12 more per month, however, the Comprehensive Coverage plan enhances its inclusions to a total of 33 items. The coverage caps for both HSC plans vary between $500 to $2,000, depending on the item that requires servicing. Like American Home Shield, HSC also has a customizable service fee of $60, $75, or $95.
Here’s a detailed look at The Home Service Club’s coverage (based on a $75 service fee):
The Home Service Club has a list of 11 additional coverage items available to policyholders who’d like to maximize their policy:
To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form.
For more information, read our The Home Service Club Review
Liberty Home Guard (LHG) is the most trustworthy home warranty company in Illinois. Though much newer to the home warranty marketplace than other leading providers, Liberty Home Guard has made momentous strides since it opened its doors in 2019. LHG is the only leading home warranty company to have ever earned itself an A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Such a high company reputation is a result of LHG’s commitment to high-quality customer service paired with home warranty plans that start as low as $1 per day.
Pros
Cons
Liberty Home Guard offers three standard home warranty plans: Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. As their names suggest, Appliance Guard is an appliance-only policy option whereas Systems Guard covers built-in home systems. Total Home Guard is LHG’s only comprehensive plan level, which rolls Appliance Guard and Systems Guard into one policy package for just $5 more per month. LHG instates coverage caps of $2,000 for most items, with the exception of HVAC units which are covered for up to $2,500 in repairs costs per year. The required service fee is $75 for every approved claim.
Here’s a detailed look at Liberty Home Guard’s coverage:
One hallmark of Liberty Home Guard’s coverage is that it offers the longest list of optional plan add-ons industry-wide. LHG has 41+ additional home protection items available for purchase, including:
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.
On average, a home warranty in Illinois costs between $45 and $65 per month or $480 to $780 per year. Homeowners in Illinois find that it takes one or two repairs to justify the costs of their home warranty plan for the entire year. All home warranty providers also charge a service — often between $60 and $125 — each time a technician is sent out to your home for a new service request. This deductible is used to compensate the contractor for labor costs and any expenses they may have incurred while traveling to your property (i.e. gas mileage, wear and tear on company vehicles, etc.)
So long as the cost to repair or replace an item in your home remains within the coverage limit disclosed in your service agreement, the service fee is the only out-of-pocket payment you’ll have to worry about. In the event that a necessary repair does exceed your provider’s coverage caps, you’ll be responsible for covering any remaining balance.
Overall | $727.13 |
Single Family | $593.32 |
Multi Family | $1,107.47 |
Townhome | $498.24 |
Condo | $617.50 |
Duplex | $913.84 |
Home Over 5,000 sq ft | $1,294.73 |
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 | Best overall | Most cost-effective plans | Best customizable plans | 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 |
Hopefully, you now feel a bit more equipped to make a great home warranty decision for your Illinois home. It takes some time to compare home warranty companies and find something that fits your needs and wants. However, Choice Home Warranty will still stand out among the best. With Choice, you will get a very simple and straightforward plan with a solid reputation. There is no question that one of these choices from the list of the top five best home warranties in Illinois is going to help you have peace of mind about your home and your budget.
Now that you have the top five home warranty choices for Illinois residents, it is time to narrow them down to just one choice. Depending on the style of your home and your budget, there will be a few different factors that you will need to focus on when choosing your home warranty. Whether you live in the metropolitan hub of Chicago or in Springfield or Peoria, finding a home warranty is necessary to worry-free living. Three options that we recommend considering are coverage options, service fee, and customer reviews.
A home warranty is a renewable service contract that provides financial protection against the cost to repair or replace major household appliances and systems as they breakdown due to normal wear and tear. By making routine payments ahead of time on a monthly or annual basis, a home warranty ensures you’ll have access to prompt, professional maintenance at no extra cost to you.
Most home warranty service agreements follow a 12-month contract term, which can then be renewed year after year. Some providers also offer multi-year policies for homeowners interested in a longer-term commitment, however, the coverage caps featured in these plan types still follow annual limits.
Home warranties and homeowners insurance are both home protection products, but they offer different types of coverage. Homeowners insurance is designed to cover your property and other assets from more perilous damage like natural disasters, theft, vandalism, etc. So, if a tornado were to take out your home in Illinois, your home insurer would step in to cover the cost of related losses.
A home warranty, on the other hand, is meant to cover specific items within your home, primarily major systems and appliances, as they gradually fail due to natural age-related damage. For instance, if your 20-year-old HVAC system were to stop working because of old age, your home warranty company would cover that $7,000+ replacement cost.
A home warranty works the same way in Illinois as it does in any other state. Once the initial waiting period required by your home warranty company has expired, you’ll only need to follow a few simple steps to secure a repair or replacement:
When a covered system or appliance stops working in your home, it’s important that you notify your service provider as soon as possible because some home warranty companies have a strict window of time between when you initially discover the issue and when the claim was filed.
To open a claim, you can either call your home warranty company over the phone or submit a report online through your designated customer portal. Most providers will have a claim decision back to you within 24-48 regular business hours.
Before a final repair or replacement can be made, your service provider will want to have a professional come out to your home to inspect the issue in person. An in-network technician will be dispatched to assess the breakdown and draft up an estimate of how much the item will cost to fix.
At this initial service appointment, you’ll be responsible for paying the service fee amount disclosed in your contract. Some home warranty companies will have you make this payment out to the contractor onsite, while others might collect it beforehand.
After your service provider receives an official quote from the first technician, the necessary repair or replacement will then be scheduled. Because you’ve already paid a premium in advance and the required deductible, the actual fix will be handled at no cost to you.
While every home warranty provider has different coverage details, most companies generally cover the same framework of appliances and systems:
Appliances | Systems | Add-ons |
Refrigerators Built-in microwaves Ovens/stoves/cooktops Dishwashers Clothes washers Clothes dryers | Ductwork Heating Air conditioning ElectricalP plumbing Hot water heaters | Septic systems Septic tank pumping Pools and spas Limited roof leak Sump pumps Well pumps Stand-alone freezers Second refrigerator |
Because home warranties will only cover damage related to normal overuse of household appliances and systems as they age, there are several other exclusions to be aware of where your home warranty company won’t step in to help:
We’ve reviewed 60+ verified customer feedback from home warranty policyholders across the state of Illinois. From those insights, we highlighted the testimonials that we most accurately reflected both the positive and negative sides of the home warranty customer experience.
To offer a relevant overview of the most common complaints we saw across top home warranty companies, we’ve featured blurbs from customers covered by our top three provider picks: Choice Home Warranty, Select Home Warranty, and American Home Shield.
The number one complaint we saw time and time again from Illinois homeowners actively enrolled in policies with these home warranty providers had to do with the wait time between a claim decision and the final repair.
Whether or not a home warranty is worth it to you largely depends on your personal financial picture. The average homeowner spends around $1,640 per year on emergency household repairs, at approximately $1,400 per emergency. So, if you have the spare savings to cover unexpected breakdowns around your home out-of-pocket, a home warranty may not be a necessity for you. But for approximately 56% of Americans who don’t have enough earmarked in their emergency fund to cover an unexpected bill of $1,000, a home warranty could save them from incurring debilitating debt.
Home warranties in Illinois will range in price from $35 a month to over $80 a month. If you add in all the systems and appliances that you have in your home, expect the pricing to be quite a bit higher. In addition, pay attention to the service fees associated with the plan and how that will impact your overall costs.
A service call fee is similar to a deductible. This is the price that you pay when you need a repair on a home system or appliance. The service fee is paid out of pocket, and then all repair costs are then covered as part of the warranty plan in place.
The best home warranty company in Illinois is Choice Home Warranty. With simple and straightforward plan options, fair pricing, and impressive overall coverage, Choice Home Warranty is an option that all Illinois homeowners should consider.
A home warranty company will cover replacement costs as long as they fit within the policy limits. The replacement costs of a home warranty plan will also be determined based on the condition and age of the appliance that is being replaced.
Although this will not always mean you get full pricing for the cost of a new appliance or system, there is certainly some protection related to replacement costs.
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:
Additional Home Warranties to Consider
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