A home warranty is a way to protect your bank account from unexpected large expenses. With a home warranty in place, your repair costs can be significantly lower and allow you to live in your home with more peace of mind.
Owning a home in Alameda has tons of great advantages, but there are, of course, some downsides too. The hot, humid weather can cause problems in a home and destroy some systems and appliances.
Even though a home warranty can help with your homeowner concerns, one issue is narrowing down the perfect choice for your Alameda home. That's why we've done the research and have made a list of the best home warranty options in Alameda.
After reviewing home warranties in Alameda, the next step is to determine which company you'd like to receive a free quote from. Plans can vary, so consider the following factors when deciding on a home warranty policy:
Over 10 years of experience
24/7 customer service team
Home inspections aren’t required
90-day repair guarantee
Plans aren’t customizable
Customers can’t choose their own contractor
Not available in Washington
Choice Home Warranty is the best overall home warranty in Alameda. Choice offers very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts. Plus, it also has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties. Choice has 2 plans for homeowners to choose from.
Choice Home Warranty has 2 plans that provide a mix of system and appliance coverage. The coverage caps from Choice are about $3,000. The service fees are an affordable $85, which is lower than other providers in the Alameda area.
To receive a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164. To read more, visit our Choice Home Warranty Review.
Low service fees compared to other home warranty providers
Two months of free coverage
Has an appliance-only, systems-only, and combo plan option
90-day repair guarantee
Has a $75 cancellation fee
Low coverage caps
Select Home Warranty offers the most cost-effective home warranty for Alameda residents. Select has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy. With a home warranty from Select, you can benefit from a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan. Not to mention, it has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance.
The plans that Select offers to homeowners are Bronze Care Plan, Gold Care Plan, and Platinum Care Plan. Select's service fees are a reasonable $60, and the coverage limits come out to around $2,000 per covered appliance or system.
To get a free quote from Select Home Warranty, you can fill out this online form or call 888-370-3953. For a more detailed breakdown, read our detailed review of Select Home Warranty.
The oldest and most trusted company in the industry
Allows customers to build their own plans
Ability to choose the service fee you want to pay
Broad coverage on up to 33 appliances and systems
Doesn’t let customers choose their own technician
Doesn’t provide coverage in Alaska
American Home Shield offers the most customizable home warranty in Alameda. AHS offers the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home. Plus, it also has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies. AHS has 3 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy.
The plans that AHS offers to homeowners are ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. AHS's service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125, and the coverage limits come out to about $2,500 for each covered appliance or system.
For more information, read our comprehensive review of American Home Shield. To get a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839.
Policy starts in ten days
24/7 customer service support
Generous coverage caps on important systems and appliances
30-labor guarantee and 90-day parts guarantee
Offers utility and home service outside line coverage
Higher service fee of $95
Not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Only 2 plan options
The Home Service Club is the best home warranty with the quickest service in Alameda. The 2 plans from HSC are comprehensive and offer both system and appliance coverage. HSC has established itself as a company with quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days. It also has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee.
The 2 plans from The Home Service Club are Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan. Service fees from HSC are customizable and range from $65 to $90. The coverage caps are also about $2,000.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of The Home Service Club. To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or give them a call at 800-750-9443.
Established company with a BBB accreditation
Doesn’t have a coverage cap on heating, cooling, or ductwork
24/7 service calls available
Offers replacement of some covered items that are too damaged to repair
Doesn’t let customers choose their own contractor
According to some customer reviews, the technical jargon in contracts is confusing
First American Home Warranty is the best home warranty for appliance coverage in Alameda. First American has 2 plans for you to decide between. When you buy a plan from First American, you will get very affordable and comprehensive appliance coverage. First American Home Warranty also has a unique add-on alongside common ones called the First Class Upgrade, which covers fees associated with the use of lifting equipment, up to $250 per local building permits, haul away services, and appliances and systems that have been insufficiently installed or modified.
First American Home Warranty has 2 plans that provide a mix of appliance and system coverage. Service fees from First American are a reasonable $85. The coverage caps are also typically about $1,500 at the maximum.
For more information, read our review of First American Home Warranty. To receive a free quote from First American Home Warranty, fill out this online form or give them a call at 833-204-7164.
Offers home insurance deductible of $500
Extra long 180-day workmanship guarantee
Offers free cancellation in the first 30 days
Charges high service fees of $75-$150
Doesn’t allow customers to choose their own technician
Isn’t available in Hawaii or Alaska
Cinch Home Services is the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee for Alameda residents. Cinch has been in the home warranty industry for about 43 years. The 3 plans from Cinch are easy to comprehend and have a mix of both system and appliance coverage. If you're looking for a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done, this is the provider for you. Plus, it has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind.
Cinch Home Services has 3 plans that offer a combination of system and appliance coverage. The coverage limits from Cinch are about $1,000-$2,000. The service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150, which is cheaper than other providers in the Alameda area.
To get a free quote from Cinch Home Services, fill out this online form or give them a call at 877-589-0505. For more information on this provider, read our full review of Cinch Home Services.
Many home warranties cover or have options to cover appliances and other expensive repairs, which can save you significant money over time.
Get a free quote from our #1 recommended provider in Alameda
A home warranty is a protection plan that covers home systems and appliances. When your HVAC breaks down and the repair will cost several hundred dollars, a home warranty will ensure that you only have to pay a predetermined service fee. Home warranty coverage typically starts without an inspection and generally goes into place about thirty days after making your first payment.
When you notice a problem with one of your appliances or systems, you can file a claim with your home warranty provider. Then, a customer service representative will contact you about a contractor coming over to take a look at the problem. At this point, you will also need to pay your service fee. Once the contractor takes a look at the problem, they will take care of it at no cost to you. The only time a Alameda homeowner may have out-of-pocket costs is if the repair or replacement is higher than the item's coverage cap.
A home warranty plan will cover systems and appliances that have broken down due to normal wear and tear. For example, if your A.C. suddenly stops working under normal use conditions, this is a perfect time to call your home warranty company. Typical appliances covered by a home warranty include a dryer, garbage disposal, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, washer, and more. The systems that are most commonly covered will be air conditioners, electrical systems, heating systems, plumbing systems, and hot water heaters. Add-on coverage will vary from one plan to the next, but you can expect to see things such as roof leaks, pools, electronics, central vacuums, sump pumps, and spas.
An important thing to note is that home warranties only protect against normal wear and tear on your home systems and appliances. Things such as misuse, pre-existing conditions, lack of maintenance, and cosmetic damages are excluded from the home warranty policy.
Home warranty policies are an affordable way to guard your home systems and appliances from normal wear and tear. With temperatures in Alameda hitting upward of 70 degrees in the summer, you may find that certain appliances, such as your air conditioning system, get a lot of use. A home warranty can significantly bring down your out-of-pocket expenses should your HVAC system break down.
A home warranty also saves you time and energy. Instead of spending hours researching and choosing a contractor to fix your appliance or system, home warranty companies do the hard work for you and just send a trusted professional to your door whenever you need them.
There are also some drawbacks to getting a home warranty policy, such as the coverage exclusions. For example, home warranties may not cover systems or appliances that already have a manufacturer's warranty. Another stipulation is that home warranties typically only cover damage from normal wear and tear. They commonly won't cover systems or appliances that have need repairs or replacements due to animal infestations, natural disasters, improper maintenance, etc.
It isn't always easy to budget for the unexpected expenses that can come with owning a home, but a home warranty can help with that. Similar to any other warranty or insurance policy, there will always be advantages and disadvantages of buying one but its main purpose is to offer you protection and peace of mind.
Hopefully, you now feel as though you can select the proper home warranty for your Alameda home. When it comes to home warranty providers in Alameda, the best overall is Choice Home Warranty. It offers comprehensive coverage at an affordable monthly or annual cost. However, other companies mentioned above also give great coverage choices for Alameda residents.
Our pick for the best overall home warranty company in Alameda is Choice Home Warranty but the best company for you will vary based on factors like what appliances and systems you need to have covered.
A home warranty is a contract that covers repairing and replacing major home system components and appliances.
Typically coverage for a home warranty begins 30 days after payment. However, a few providers may allow you to file a claim before this, so verify with customer service to find the exact waiting period for your case.
A home warranty will cover repair and replacement costs for systems and appliances in a home. Home warranties only cover damage due to normal wear and tear and often don't cover something that happened as a result of a pre-existing condition.
Home warranties cover the cost of repairs and replacements if it is within the policy limits of the plan. If the replacement will cost more than the home warranty plan covers, you will have to pay for the rest out of pocket.
Owning a home can be costly. When a system or appliance breaks down, it can leave homeowners unexpectedly having pay a large amount of money to fix it. With a home warranty in place, you won't have any large hits to your bank account .
