Sears Home Warranty Review (2020)

Available nationwide, Sears Home Warranty provides home warranties, appliance repairs, maintenance, and appliance cleaning assistance to homeowners throughout the United States. The company offers multiple plans, a workmanship guarantee, as well as unique perks like an annual preventive heating and cooling system check and auto care discounts at Sears Auto Centers.

In this 2020 House Method review, we compare Sears plans and pricing, analyze Sears Home Warranty reviews, and stack this company against its competitors. Keep reading to learn about their pros and cons and whether or not Sears Home Warranty is the best home warranty for you.

Sears Home Warranty plans, coverage, and cost

Sears Home Warranty offers three plans—an Appliance Plan, a Systems Plan, and a Whole House Plan—at an average cost of $49.99–$69.99 per month. All three plans include one heating and one cooling preventive maintenance check a year and discounted oil changes for your car at Sears Auto Centers.

You can also customize your Sears Home Warranty with additional coverage and add-on options, including pool and spa equipment/pumps, septic tanks, pumps, and a stand alone freezer.

Appliance Plan: $49.99 per month ($599.88 per year). This plan covers 10 appliances, including your refrigerator, washer, and dryer. It also includes a 25% discount on HVAC and water heater repairs, as well as discounts on repairs during the 30-day waiting period before coverage begins.  Below are all of the appliances covered under this plan:

Systems Plan: $59.99 per month ($719.88 per year). Eleven systems in your home are covered under a Sears Home Warranty. Similar to the Appliance Plan, the Systems Plan also includes a 25% discount on appliance repairs and discounts on repairs during the 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. 

Whole House Plan: $69.99 per month ($839.88 per year). The Whole House Plan is the most comprehensive plan offered by Sears Home Warranty. It includes the repairs discount that the other two plans have, but it doesn’t include the appliance repairs or HVAC and water heater repairs that the other two include.

Optional coverage: For an additional cost, you can purchase additional coverage for the following items:

• Pool and/or spa with heater
• Septic tank with pumping
• Stand-alone freezer
• Sump pump
• Well pump

Sears Home Warranty service calls

Sears Home Warranty customers will have to pay a service fee, also known as a deductible, every time they request service. The service fee amount will depend on the coverage plan customers select. There’s a $75 service fee under the Appliance Plan and a $100 service fee under the System and Whole House plans.

Price of Sears Home Warranty vs. competitors

Details for top Sears Home Warranty systems and appliances

Because all home warranties offer different coverage plans, our team at House Method wanted to standardize which systems and appliances are most important to homeowners. To do this, we surveyed 1,000 homeowners and asked them which systems and appliances were most valuable to them.

We found that the top three systems that are most important are the electrical, plumbing, and air conditioning, while the top three appliances that are most important are the refrigerator, washer/dryer, and oven/stove/range.

Sears Home Warranty has a sample contract for all three plans—Appliance, Systems, and Whole House—which provide details on what’s covered and what’s not for each item.

Here’s how coverage looks like for systems and appliances under a Sears Home Warranty plan:

Refrigerator

Sears provides coverage for mechanical parts and components of a refrigerator located in the kitchen. Some of these mechanical parts and components include ice makers and ice/water dispensers built into the primary refrigerator (excluding external water supply lines),  electronic components, switches and relays, thermostats, touch pads, and water valves.

Here are some items not included in coverage: Doors; door cables; door glass; door seals, drawers, food spoilage, standalone or self-contained ice makers and ice/water dispensers, external water supply lines, interior shelves, interior lining, stand-alone freezers, trays, conditions of water flow restriction, minerals, and other deposits.

Oven/stove/range

Similar to the refrigerator, certain mechanical parts and components are covered under a Sears home warranty plan. These include a built-in microwave oven; self-contained range exhaust unit located above the range; electronic components; ignitor and pilot assemblies; gas valves; range/cooktop/heating elements/burners; thermostats; and touch pads. 

Clothes washer and dryer

The mechanical parts and components covered for washers and dryers are automatic soap dispenser, belts, compressors, condensers, control timers, clothes dryer heating elements, and other elements. Note: the washer and dryer must be located in the primary laundry area to be covered.

Electrical

Here are a few items covered under Sears electrical coverage: Standard mechanical parts or components located within the perimeter, ceiling fan motors and their controls, one garage door opener, interior standard light switches, and smoke detectors, including battery and hardwire systems. Some items that aren’t covered include exhaust fans, batteries, door bells, exterior wiring, and fire or carbon monoxide alarms.

Plumbing

Under plumbing coverage, Sears covers the garbage disposal, interior hose bibs, shower and tub valves, faucets, and toilet tanks, bowls, and toilet mechanisms within the toilet tank. Additionally, the company will clear plumbing stoppages up to 100 feet from the point of access.

Air conditioning

Mechanical parts and components of a centrally ducted air conditioning system or evaporative (swamp) cooler unit are covered. More specifically, the following components are covered: accessible ductwork from the air conditioning unit to the point of attachment at registers/grills; air handler; blower fan motors; capacitors; compressors; condensers; condenser fan motors; condenser coils; evaporator coils; fan blades; refrigerant gas lines interior to the unit; internal system controls; and more.

Coverage length

Sears Home Warranty coverage begins 30 days after you sign up for a warranty. It lasts for exactly 12 months and will automatically renew. You will be notified of any rate or coverage changes within 30 days of renewal.

Coverage limits and exclusions

Sears Home Warranty provides robust explanations of what is covered, what is not covered, limits, and exclusions on their Appliance, Systems, and Whole House sample contracts. 

With all three plans, there is a limit of $10,000 per claim and an annual limit of $50,000. There is no limit on the number of service claims you can make each year. In addition, unknown pre-existing conditions are covered, and there is no product age limit.

Sears Home Warranty is available nationwide, a definite plus as many home warranty providers do not offer coverage in every state.

Our take

Sears Home Warranty is a good option if you’re considering purchasing a home warranty. It offers nationwide coverage, has an A- BBB rating, and provides an easy-to-use website and sample contracts full of information. 

However, Sears is a little more expensive than its competitors. Your monthly payments will be a little higher and your service fees for the System Plan and the Whole House Plan are $100—about $25 more than the industry average. 

The website has clear information and pricing and the company provides sample contracts for all three plans, which isn’t something that all home warranty companies do. Additionally, Sears offers a 180-day workmanship guarantee as well as a heating and cooling preventative maintenance check. Not to mention, you also get a car service discount at all Sears auto centers.

Overall, Sears is a good choice for homeowners. However, we’d recommend checking out our Choice Home Warranty review and American Home Shield review if you’re still on the fence about Sears—these are two of our other high-rated home warranty companies. 

What others are saying

As a consumer, you probably don’t have the time to sit around and sift through the hundreds of reviews left by Sears Home Warranty customers. That’s where we come in. At House Method, we go through user complaints, reviews, and ratings of each home warranty company and compile that information in a chart that’s easy for you to read.

Below, we’ve included Sears Home Services ratings compared to the industry average.

Sears Home Warranty reviews

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives Sears Home Services (Warranty) an A- rating and 1 out of 5 stars based on 1,215 customer reviews. They’ve closed over 10,300 complaints in the last 3 years and 2,466 in the last 12 months. This shows they’re committed to resolving the feedback they receive.

To help you understand how the BBB scores businesses, here’s the criteria they follow:

• Number of complaints filed with BBB against the business
• The size of the business
• If the business has appropriately responded to complaints
• If the business has resolved the complaints in a timely manner to the customer’s satisfaction
• Whether the business has made a good faith effort to resolve complaints, even if the customer was not satisfied with the resolution
• Whether the business failed to resolve the underlying cause(s) of a pattern of complaints
• The age of resolved complaints—older complaints that have been resolved have less of an influence on the rating than recent complaints

Why consider another home warranty

If you’re still unsure about Sears Home Warranty, there are other home warranty providers that may align more with what you’re looking for. At House Method, we review the best home warranties, comparing coverage, prices, limitations, and other important contract details. For us, Choice Home Warranty comes out on top.

With Choice Home Warranty, you can expect comprehensive coverage at a low monthly or annual price, affordable service fees, and professional customer service.* Some of our other favorite things about this provider include:

• No home inspection required: Unlike many other home warranty companies, Choice Home Warranty does not require new customers to have a home inspection prior to receiving coverage.
• Low service call fee: Sears Home Warranty may charge up to $100 per service visit on top of the annual fee. Choice Home Warranty’s $75 service call fee is affordable.
• Service guarantee: If the repair work completed under your home warranty is insufficient, Choice Home Warranty will send a new technician to your home. You won’t be charged a service call fee for a period of 90 days on parts and 30 days on labor.
• Home improvement service discounts: In addition to competitive pricing and comprehensive coverage, Choice Home Warranty offers great discounts, making your policy even more affordable. Discounts include a free quote, lowered service fees, and a free month of coverage when you sign up for a single payment annual home warranty plan.
• Customer service: Choice Home Warranty offers fast, professional and stress-free customer service throughout the repair/replacement process. Customer service representatives are available 24/7 and work quickly to process your claim. You will work with the same claims professional throughout the process. Every Choice Home Warranty service contract also includes an online customer service and user-friendly reminders.

What do Choice Home Warranty plans cover?

Choice Home Warranty offers two warranty plans with basic and comprehensive coverage. Both plans are available for affordable annual or monthly payment, and you pay a service fee of $75 for each claim.

The Basic Plan includes the essential appliances and systems in your home. The Total Plan covers everything in the Basic Plan plus air conditioning, refrigerators, washers, and dryers. With both plans, you can select to include Optional Coverage items that aren’t as common, such as pools and spas (along with their equipment and pumps), septic systems, and second refrigerators.

Comparing Choice Home Warranty and Sears Home Warranty

Choice Home Warranty and Sears Home Warranty offer similar types of coverage, but the two plans differ in terms of the number of covered items, overall contract costs, service fees, and home improvement value.

Covered items

Choice Home Warranty offers more coverage for more home appliances and systems. A Choice Home Warranty Basic Plan or Total Plan covers 14 and 18 items, respectively.* The Sears Appliance Plan covers 10 appliances and the Sears Systems Plan covers 11 items. Both plans have optional coverage for less common items, which can be added to any plan.

The table below describes the difference in coverage between each company’s plans.

Both brands also offer optional coverage, not shown.

The options from Choice Home Warranty present homeowners with flexible coverage for more items that Sears Home Warranty. The lower-level plans provided by Sears make you choose between your appliances and systems, meaning you have to purchase the Whole House plan to have even essential items—like your stove and water heater—both covered.

Cost

In addition to covering more of your household appliances and systems, Choice Home Warranty’s competitive pricing makes it one of the most affordable warranties on the market today—plans start at about $1 a day. When researching home warranties, consider the price comparison between Choice Home Warranty and Sears Home Warranty’s monthly costs, annual costs, and the annual cost per covered item.

Sears Home Warranty offers less coverage than Choice Home Warranty at a greater monthly and annual rate. The Sears Appliance Plan covers 10 small appliances (such as a trash compactor or dishwasher) for $49.99 per month. That comes out to about $600 per year, or about $60 per item.

Choice Home Warranty’s monthly and annual costs are lower than Sears Home Warranty plans. For example, Choice Home Warranty’s Basic Plan covers 14 common household appliances at an estimated $30 per month. *1 If you divide the annual cost by the number of covered items, you would be paying about $27 per item each year. That includes larger appliances systems such as heating, electrical, and plumbing. With Sears Home Warranty, you’re paying more for less coverage.

¹ These prices are estimates and may not be the exact cost of your warranty. The price also includes one month free (13 months total) when you sign up for a single payment annual home warranty plan. Cost estimates are for a single-family home less than 5,000 square feet.

Home improvement values

No one likes an unplanned repair or replacement, along with the surprise cost and inconvenience that go with it. Purchasing a home warranty can help cover these costs instead of paying the full price out of pocket.

The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) publishes the predicted life expectancies of common household appliances. The table below provides a framework for the cost to repair or replace household appliances and system, as well as a cost comparison between the Choice Home Warranty and Sears Home Warranty plans over the maximum lifespan of each item.

² Price estimates based on $26.67 per item under Choice Home Warranty Total Plan and $39.99 per item under Sears Home Warranty Whole House Plan. Note that your warranty contract may include limitations. Source: National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Example: Warranty value for a washing machine

A washing machine is covered by Choice Home Warranty’s Total Plan, Sears’ Systems Plan, and Sears’ Whole House Plan. Assuming a 15-year old washing machine replacement is covered, you would pay:

• $400 under Choice Home Warranty’s Total Plan
• $600 under Sears Whole House Plan
• Almost $1,000 under Sears System Plan

Assuming a new washing machine costs $500, you’ll save $100 with Choice Home Warranty but pay more with either Sears warranty.

Final thoughts

House Method gives Sears Home Warranty 4 out of 5 stars. They have good coverage and a variety of plans along with additional coverage options. They also offer a workmanship guarantee, have nationwide coverage, and provide 24/7 support to customers.

However, the company is a little pricier than competitors and other companies have better online customer feedback.

Sears Home Warranty may be a good choice for you if…

• you’re a homeowner and want a coverage plan for your major systems and appliances.
• you value additional benefits such as auto service discounts.
• you live in a state with limited home warranty provider options.

Sears Home Warranty may not be a good choice for you if…

• you need a lower monthly premium and a lower service fee.
• you need specialized coverage outside of the regular plans.
• you want to choose your own technician.

Methodology

At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each home warranty provider according to our methodology. Our team spent hours on the phone speaking to representatives from each home warranty company to get information right from the source.

Our rating system involves a weighted, 100-point scale that scores home warranty companies on plans offered, coverage, state availability, cost, trustworthiness, customer service, and unique benefits.

For more details, check out our affiliate disclosure and rating methodology.