A California home warranty can help protect home buyers and current homeowners by covering major repairs and replacements on your home's appliances and systems.
Homeownership in California has lots of positives, but it also does not come without its difficulties. Your home's appliances and systems will inevitably need repair and this could mean a burdensome expense hitting your bank account suddenly.
Since the home warranty market is filled with many providers — all with different plans — the House Method team decided to do the research for you to help you find the right home warranty in California.
Now that you're ready to get a home warranty, the first step is deciding what items you want coverage for. From there, you can compare plans and contact different home warranty companies to get a free quote. Before deciding which home warranty to buy, here are a few additional factors to consider:
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 offers the best overall home warranty in California. Choice has established itself as a company with very high coverage caps and simple-to-understand service contracts. It also has great customer service, professional contractors, and lower out-of-pocket costs compared to other home warranties. Choice has 2 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy.
Choice Home Warranty has 2 plans that provide a combination of appliance and system coverage. Choice's service fees are an affordable $85, and the coverage limits come out to around $3,000 per covered system or appliance.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our thorough review of Choice Home Warranty. To get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 929-400-6164.
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 is the most cost-effective home warranty for California residents. Select has 3 simple plans, making the selection process easy. Select offers a highly affordable service fee and free roof coverage upon purchase of a policy plan. Plus, it also has an extensive network of highly trained professionals all over the country who are experts in home maintenance.
The 3 plans from Select Home Warranty are Bronze Care Plan, Gold Care Plan, and Platinum Care Plan. The coverage caps from Select are around $2,000. The service fees are a reasonable $60, which is cheaper than other providers in the California area.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our review of Select Home Warranty. To get a free quote from Select Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 888-370-3953.
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 is the most customizable home warranty for California residents. AHS has been on the market for about 25 years, making it a well-respected company in the industry. With a home warranty from AHS, you can benefit from the ability to customize your plan with the coverages that work specifically for your home. Not to mention, it has a remarkably low claim denial rate in comparison to other home warranty companies. AHS offers 3 plans for homeowners to decide between.
The plans that AHS offers to homeowners are ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. AHS has coverage caps of around $2,500 for most appliances and systems, but some plans may have different coverage caps, so make sure to check with the company. Service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $125.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our 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 offers the best home warranty with the quickest service for California residents. HSC has more than 14 years of experience in the home warranty industry, and has provided great customer service at an affordable cost to its customers. The 2 home warranty plans that HSC has include options for appliance and system coverage. With a home warranty from HSC, you can benefit from quick coverage where the home warranty goes into effect just ten days after you pay for the plan, instead of the typical 30 days. Not to mention, it has customer service representatives available 24/7, as well as a 30-day labor guarantee and a 90-day parts guarantee.
The Home Service Club offers 2 plans for California homeowners. The Standard Coverage Plan and Comprehensive Coverage Plan are the options they have, which have a mix of system and appliance coverage. The coverage limits from HSC are around $2,000. The service fees are customizable and range from $65 to $90, which is cheaper than other providers in the California area.
To get a free quote from The Home Service Club, fill out this online form or call 800-750-9443. For a more detailed breakdown, read our The Home Service Club full review.
Very highly rated among customer service reviews
Covers repairs with a 60-day workmanship guarantee
Extensive list of 20+ add-on coverages
Easy claims process
Isn’t available in 2 states
Won’t cover known or unknown pre-existing conditions
Liberty Home Guard offers the most trustworthy home warranty for California residents. Liberty has 3 simple plans, making the selection process and policy coverage easily understandable. Liberty has established itself as a company with a seamless complaint process and guaranteed service professionalism upon every repair visit. It also has a 60-day workmanship guarantee and some of the best customer service in the industry.
There are 3 home warranty plans from Liberty Home Guard: Appliance Guard, Systems Guard, and Total Home Guard. Liberty's service fees are an affordable $75, and the coverage caps come out to about $3,000 for each covered appliance or system.
To get a free quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this online form or call 866-451-2281. To read more, visit our comprehensive review of Liberty Home Guard.
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 for California residents. First American offers very affordable and comprehensive appliance coverage. Plus, it 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 has 2 simple plans, making the selection process quick and easy.
There are 2 home warranty plans from First American Home Warranty: Basic Plan and Premier Plan. Service fees from First American are a reasonable $85. The coverage caps are also typically around $1,500.
For more information on this provider, read our First American Home Warranty Review. To get a free quote from First American Home Warranty, fill out this online form or call 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 offers the home warranty with the best workmanship guarantee in California. When you purchase a home warranty from Cinch, you will get a 180-day workmanship guarantee that ensures your home systems and appliance repairs will be professionally done. Cinch Home Services also has a broad range of coverage options that will give homeowners peace of mind. The 3 plans from Cinch are easily comprehensible and have a mix of both system and appliance coverage.
The plans that Cinch offers to homeowners are Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, and Complete Home Plan. Cinch's service fees are customizable and range from $75 to $150, and the coverage limits come out to about $1,000-$2,000 for each covered appliance or system.
Read more by visiting our Cinch Home Services full review. To receive a free quote from Cinch Home Services, fill out this online form or give them a call at 877-589-0505.
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 California
A home warranty is a service contract that helps homeowners manage the high costs of appliance and systems repairs. Home warranties will provide coverage for a select number of home systems and appliances that need repairs or replacements due to normal wear and tear. A home warranty can make budgeting and managing your finances easier. Home warranty plans generally have a thirty-day waiting period from the time you purchase to the time you can start using it.
When you have a system or appliance that has an issue, you file a claim with your service provider. You can do so in an online portal or by calling them, and then a repair technician will come and fix the problem. Once you file the claim, it will be assigned to a local service technician that will come to your home and look at the problem. At this point, you pay the service fee. Service fees usually range in price from about $60 to $150 and this is the only out-of-pocket fee you will need to pay unless the repair cost is more than your home warranty's coverage cap.
A home warranty in California typically covers the main systems and appliances in your home. The appliances a home warranty typically covers include a clothes dryer, cooktop, stove, microwave, clothes washer, refrigerator, dishwasher, and more. The systems included are the plumbing, heating system, electrical, water heater, air conditioner, and more. Many plans also provide add-on coverage options like septic systems, locksmith, central vacuum, and even roof leaks.
A home warranty will only protect against normal wear and tear that occurs on your home systems and appliances. Things such as misuse, pre-existing conditions, lack of maintenance, and cosmetic damages are not included in the home warranty policy.
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Another added benefit of having home warranty coverage is that it can increase your home's property value. If you ever decide to sell your home, you may be able to transfer your home warranty plan to the new home buyers depending on the provider you have your home warranty with.
One downside of getting a home warranty is that there are usually exclusions. For example, if you already have a manufacturer's warranty on one of your appliances, it may not be covered under the home warranty, so it's important to read through any contracts you're considering carefully to get a sense of what is included and what isn't. Another possible pain point of home warranties is that they don't cover items that have been improperly maintained. This can lead to your repair requests being rejected, so it's important to be sure you follow the manufacturer's guidelines for maintenance of your home systems and appliances.
Homeownership is a big responsibility that can be expensive, but fruitful. A home warranty is one thing that can help with your home maintenance budget, but its worth for you is something you'll have to consider before getting a policy.
Hopefully, this review of California's top home warranty options has helped you narrow down your choices and ultimately find the best plan for you. When it comes to home warranty companies in California, the best overall is Choice Home Warranty. It offers great and comprehensive coverage of all the essential home appliances and systems at an affordable cost with several add-on options.
The best overall home warranty company in California is Choice Home Warranty but the right company for you will vary based on factors like what appliances and systems you need to have covered.
A home warranty plan protects against the normal wear of systems and appliances in a home. Homeowners insurance protects the entire home in case of a situation such as a natural disaster or fire. Under a homeowners insurance plan, you will not be able to file a claim if you need a new refrigerator or oven, unless the damage is due to a natural disaster.
Home buyers, home sellers, real estate agents, homeowners, and landlords can all get home warranty plans. A home warranty can help make your property more appealing to prospective buyers and save homeowners money in the long run.
The systems and appliances in a home are covered under a home warranty in California. Everything from a oven to a pool can be covered under a home warranty.
Home warranties will cover the cost of repairs and replacements as long as it is within the coverage limits of the plan. If the replacement will cost more than the home warranty covers, you will have to pay for the rest out of pocket.
Many homeowners think a home warranty is a good investment because it helps protect against unexpected expenses. If you're worried about your finances and your ability to keep your home in good working order, getting a home warranty can help. One of the major positives of a home warranty is that it can offer you some financial peace of mind.
