
Call Choice Home Warranty
on Choice Home Warranty's website
Call Choice Home Warranty
on Choice Home Warranty's website
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Choice Home Warranty stands out by offering consistent pricing and decent coverage caps, as well as being available in 49 states. However, its Basic Plan lacks some key coverage, and the company offers a repair guarantee for only 30 days.
Call Choice Home Warranty
on Choice Home Warranty's website
Call Choice Home Warranty
on Choice Home Warranty's website
Overall | 3.5 NerdWallet rating |
Price | 4.0 NerdWallet rating |
Service fees | 3.0 NerdWallet rating |
Customer satisfaction | 3.0 NerdWallet rating |
Breadth of coverage | 4.0 NerdWallet rating |
Coverage limits | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
This snapshot shows some factors that we consider when rating a home warranty company and is not representative of the full evaluation process. |
The company covers up to $3,000 per covered item, which is higher than some competitors’ coverage limits. Choice Home Warranty also has consistent pricing, so you’ll pay the same as other homeowners for the same coverage regardless of your location. We also like that Choice is available just about everywhere (every state except Washington).
Choice only offers a 30-day repair guarantee, which is lower than some of its competitors’ guarantees. Additionally, its cheaper plan doesn’t cover air conditioning repairs, and both plans are for comprehensive coverage — so you can’t cover only appliances or only systems. Choice also has mixed customer satisfaction scores on consumer review websites.
Choice Home Warranty has two plans:
Basic Plan: Covers heating, electrical, plumbing, water heaters and most kitchen appliances, including ovens, ranges, stoves, cooktops, dishwashers, built-in microwaves and garbage disposals. It also covers garage door openers and ceiling and exhaust fans.
Total Plan: Includes items in the Basic Plan, plus air conditioning, refrigerators and washer and dryer sets.
You also have the option to buy add-on coverage for:
Well pumps.
Sump pumps.
Septic systems.
Septic tank systems.
Pools or spas.
Limited roof leaks.
Central vacuums.
Second refrigerators.
Standalone freezers.
Like competitors, Choice Home Warranty only covers repairs and replacements for systems and appliances that malfunction because of everyday use, known as normal wear and tear. The company won’t cover costs for regular maintenance or physical damage.
» MORE: What does a home warranty cover?
Most home warranty companies limit how much they’ll pay to repair or replace a covered item. Choice Home Warranty caps its coverage at $3,000 for each category of items regardless of which plan you purchase. For both plans, the company will pay or reimburse you for each covered item up to:
$3,000 combined for heating and air conditioning systems.
$3,000 for electrical systems.
$3,000 for plumbing systems.
$3,000 for each covered appliance.
$500 for roof leak repair if you pay for the extra coverage.
Choice’s coverage limits are higher than some of its competitors’ coverage caps, though there are other home warranty companies that offer more coverage. Whether these coverage caps are likely to pay for the majority of repairs depends on the type of problem your appliance or system has and the cost to repair them in your area.
» MORE: Are home warranties worth it?
Choice Home Warranty plans start at $51.66 per month. Our research shows that the company offers consistent pricing in most areas.
You can get a good idea of how much a plan will cost by requesting a quote through Choice’s website. The company requires customers to provide their addresses and contact information to get price quotes.
To compare Choice Home Warranty’s pricing, we requested quotes for both plans in three cities that represent different costs of living.
City | Basic Plan monthly premium | Total Plan monthly premium |
---|---|---|
Anaheim, California | $51.66. | $60.00. |
Boise, Idaho | $51.66. | $60.00. |
Tulsa, Oklahoma | $51.66. | $60.00. |
Average price | $51.66. | $60.00. |
Like other home warranty companies, Choice Home Warranty charges a service fee, so you'll pay $100 when a technician visits your home, even if the company denies your claim. Plans come with a repair guarantee, so you won’t have to pay a second service fee if a covered repair fails within 30 days of an approved repair. However, even though a 30-day guarantee is the standard with home warranty companies, several competitors offer longer guarantees.
Like many home warranty companies, Choice requires customers to wait 30 days before filing a claim.
You can file a claim by phone with the customer service department or through the company’s online portal.
Once you’ve filed your claim, the company will contact a technician to schedule an appointment. Choice Home Warranty says that it tries to talk with a technician within four hours of your claim and will generally schedule an appointment within two days. But it might take longer in some cases. Once a technician has inspected your appliance or system, they send a diagnosis of the problem and a cost estimate to the company.
If Choice approves the estimate, the technician might be able to make the repair right away; otherwise, they’ll schedule another appointment to complete the work. If the company denies the claim, though, the warranty won’t cover the cost of the repairs, and you’ll need to pay out of pocket for a repair.
on American Home Shield's website
on Choice Home Warranty's website
on Liberty Home Guard's website
You can cancel your home warranty at any time, according to Choice’s service agreement. When you cancel determines whether you’ll receive a refund and how much. Generally, a $50 cancellation fee applies regardless of when you end your agreement.
If you cancel within the first 30 days after you purchase the plan (the 30 days you have to wait before filing a claim), the company will refund any amount you’ve paid toward the plan minus the cancellation fee. The service agreement also says Choice will deduct any service costs it incurred up to that point.
If you cancel more than 30 days after you purchase the plan, the company will prorate your refund. This means the refund will be for any unused months if you paid annually. For example, if you cancel during the third month of a 12-month plan, your refund will be for the nine months of unused coverage minus the $50 fee and any service costs the company has had to pay.
If you don’t want to renew your plan at the end of your contract, you’ll need to tell Choice that you want to cancel the service agreement at least 30 days before your contract ends. Otherwise, the company can automatically renew your agreement and charge you for another month.
Some states limit cancellation fees. In some states, a home warranty company may not be able to charge you the full $50 cancellation fee. Check the service agreement for state-specific restrictions on cancellation charges.
We considered customer reviews from three review websites to get a wider perspective of customer experiences. We’ve highlighted the types of experiences that we’ve found to be most common, keeping in mind that online reviews tend to lean toward negative experiences.
Some customers say the technicians are professional and repair items quickly. Positive reviews also highlight Choice Home Warranty’s fast scheduling, with technicians available to make repairs within a few days of customers filing claims. Customers have also highlighted Choice’s easy claim submission process.
Many negative customer reviews say that the company and technicians are slow to resolve issues or make appointments; some customers also mention interactions with unfriendly technicians. Unhappy customers also report that Choice inaccurately denies claims that should be covered. Several reviews mention customers having to find their own technicians to perform work as well. Some reviewers also say customer service is unhelpful and they struggled to get in touch with anyone to help them.
Reading the coverage and exclusions information in your contract is one of the most impactful things you can do to avoid costly misunderstandings in the future. You have a right to read your contract before purchasing a plan, and it’s important to understand that home warranties:
Always have exclusions to coverage, no matter what their sales pitches say. Read your contract carefully before purchasing a plan — especially anything listed as an exclusion or limit of liability. For example, a company might cover air conditioning systems but exclude certain parts or components, such as coils. Other companies cover plumbing repairs but won’t pay to clear all plumbing stoppages or repair certain types of leaks.
Are not a type of insurance. Even though some companies call their service fees deductibles, home warranties do not work the same way as insurance policies. They differ in what they cover and how they pay for repairs or replacements. A home warranty is not a supplement for homeowners insurance.
Limit how much they pay. If the cost of a repair or replacement goes beyond a limit stated in your contract, you’ll have to pay the difference. For example, if the bill for a repair is $2,000 and the limit is $1,500, you’re required to cover $500. This is in addition to your monthly premium and service fee.
Can deny your claim for several reasons. Examples include if you had work performed on a covered item without approval or you modified the system or appliance.
May not pay enough to cover the full cost of replacing a covered item. Home warranties often depreciate the value of items as they age, so you’ll likely have to pay at least some money to replace an item, even if it’s covered by the contract.
Call First American Home Warranty
Call First American Home Warranty
» MORE: Read our full review of First American Home Warranty
Call Liberty Home Guard
on Liberty Home Guard's website
Call Liberty Home Guard
on Liberty Home Guard's website
» MORE: Read our full review of Liberty Home Guard.
Call American Home Shield
Call American Home Shield
» MORE: Read our full review of American Home Shield
Dive Deeper
How we rate and review home warranties
Our Home Services team reviews home warranty companies with our readers in mind. We provide unbiased reviews that consider several factors, including cost, covered items, coverage limits, customer ratings, ability to choose your own technician and warranty on work completed. When rating home warranties, we researched 13 companies, compared terms and conditions in their service agreements and read customer reviews from three consumer review websites. While NerdWallet does have partnerships with some home warranty companies, our editorial team is uninvolved in that process to ensure unbiased reviews and recommendations. Read more about how NerdWallet rates home warranties.