Best Home Warranty Companies in Maryland

If you live in Maryland, now is the best time to protect your home’s systems and appliances and take advantage of a home warranty—an annual plan that can save you money on expensive repair and replacement costs.

Finding the right home warranty can be challenging, especially if you don’t know where to begin. To help you out, our team at House Method did the research for you and found five of the best home warranties in the state. Read on to see which companies we recommend and how to find the providers with the best home warranty.

Maryland’s best home warranty companies

Maryland is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, and is bordered by Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The state bird is the Baltimore oriole, the state tree is the white oak, the largest city is Baltimore, and the oldest city is St. Mary’s City.

The median age of homes in Maryland is about 40 years and the cost for home maintenance is roughly $582 a year, which is slightly higher than the average cost of a home warranty. Save yourself the time, money, and overall headache with performing home maintenance on your own and take advantage of a home warranty to take care of your home’s system and appliance repairs.

Top home maintenance problems in Maryland

Keeping up with home maintenance is very important when it comes to owning a property. This is in part due to the rising home prices and the hot buyer’s market. Below are a few problems that Maryland homeowners typically face and what they can do about them.

• Plumbing issues—Preventing water damage is crucial to maintaining the appearance of your home. Not to mention, maintaining your plumbing system will mitigate expensive repair and replacement costs in the future. To keep up with your plumbing, look for leaks around your toilet, tub, and shower, ensure your sink faucets are working properly, and flush your hot water heater every three months.
• Faulty appliances—To avoid having to replace an appliance prematurely, do a routine check on your appliances to make sure they’re in good working condition. For your washing machine, ensure that the water filters are clean and that you don’t need to replace any hoses. Vacuum lint out of dryer ducts and all the surrounding areas and maintain your refrigerator by cleaning the drain hole, washing the door gasket, and vacuuming the condenser coil.
• Moisture in basement—Since many Mayland homes have a basement, it’s important that you check your basement for foundation cracks or moisture surfacing. This will prevent larger issues down the line.

Who is eligible for a home warranty in Maryland?

Anyone can purchase a home warranty in Maryland, regardless if you live in a mobile home, single-family home, duplex, townhouse, or condo. Not to mention, there are home warranty plans to fit any budget and customization preferences. Select Home Warranty, for example, has some of the most affordable plans on the market, while American Home Shield offers customizable plans for customers.

If you’re buying a home and don’t yet have a home warranty, ask your real estate agent if the seller is including a warranty in the sale. This is a prime opportunity for you to receive free home warranty coverage for a year and decide if you want to continue with coverage after the year is up.

What is covered under a Maryland home warranty?

Home warranty coverage will depend on the plan you choose, the home warranty company you sign up with, and if you want to add on coverage for optional items, like your swimming pool, hot tub, or well pump. Consider which features of your home need to be protected and what’s already covered under a warranty.

If you want to pick and choose which items you want coverage for, American Home Shield may be a good choice because they offer customizable plans. If you’re purchasing an older home, you may want full coverage on your home’s appliances, which may lead you to choose a home warranty from First American.

In general, basic plans will cover systems and appliances like your oven, dishwasher, heating systems, electrical systems, and plumbing. More comprehensive plans will typically cover your air conditioning, refrigerator, clothes washer, dryer, built-in microwave, garbage disposal, and trash compactor.

Note: The condition and value of the appliance may affect whether or not coverage is provided.

MORE: Compare coverage of the best home warranties in the industry

How much does a home warranty cost in Maryland?

The average cost of a warranty is anywhere between $350 and $600 per year, with the state average in Maryland being $500. If you need additional coverage for your pool or sump pump, you can expect to pay an additional $100 to $500 per year.

Keep in mind what you need covered when it comes to determining a price to expect in your home warranty search. Even though there are already home warranty plans that have set coverage without customization, you should still look out for what isn’t covered without extended coverage.

How does a home warranty work in Maryland?

Purchasing a home warranty is quick and easy in Maryland.

1. To start, call your selection of home warranty providers and ask for quotes based on the coverage you need.
2. Once you agree on the terms and conditions of your home warranty, you’ll sign a contract and wait for about 30 days for coverage to kick in.
3. If an appliance or system breaks down after 30 days, simply call your home warranty company and file a claim, detailing the issue.
4. The home warranty company will reach out to a service technician in their network and encourage them to make an appointment with you to come to your home and fix the issue. Some home warranty companies will even let you choose your own contractor.
5. Once the tech is in your home, they’ll determine if a repair or replacement is best. At this time, you’ll pay a one-time service fee.
6. If a repair is necessary, the technician will typically make the repairs right then and there. However, if a replacement is the course of action, you’ll have to schedule a follow-up appointment for a technician to come back and install the new appliance or system.

Why is a home warranty necessary?

Even brand new appliances can break down due to normal wear and tear, so you want to be ready for anything. Purchasing a home warranty gives you the peace of mind that in the event of an emergency, you’ll be covered by specialists that are trained and ready to fix your home’s appliances and systems.

Did you know that the average cost to have your refrigerator repaired or replaced can range from $150 to $1,300? With the competitive cost of investing in a home warranty and the potential cost of fixing a single appliance, being protected is definitely worth the warranty investment.

Buying a home warranty in Maryland

There are many factors you need to consider when it comes to picking the right home warranty for you. One important consideration is the cost of your home warranty based on the needs and coverage you want. Ask yourself these questions before signing up for coverage:

• When was your home built?
• What appliances are already protected under warranty?
• Did you have any issues surrounding home systems and appliances in your home inspection?
• What is your budget?
• Are there any pre-existing conditions on your home systems or appliances?

Once you’ve answered these questions, think about the cost of services fees, the coverage caps for your appliances, and if there’s a limit to the service calls you can make each year. First American Home Warranty, for example, has unlimited service calls. These questions will help you narrow down which home warranty company you want to buy coverage from.

Maryland home warranty reviews

Below are a few reviews from Maryland homeowners who own a home warranty:

“Everything went exceptionally well with the contractor when I filed a claim with AHS concerning my dryer. He came in, repaired it, and it’s been outstanding since the repair!” — Allen

“Our repairman was courteous, and gave us a full explanation of what he was doing. He showed us how the spark module was defective and needed to be replaced. After ordering the new part, he returned two days later and installed it.” — Mia

Our conclusion

Keeping your home appliances protected is one of the most important parts of being a Maryland homeowner, and there’s no better way to stay protected than with a home warranty. The two best home warranties in the state of Maryland are American Home Shield and Choice Home Warranty. You can get coverage in a matter of minutes and receive the best assistance from personally selected service technicians. Be sure to call them to discuss the various home warranty plans as well as your appliance protection needs.