Choice Home Warranty Review 2024
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on Choice Home Warranty's website
Choice Home Warranty stands out by offering higher coverage caps than most of its competitors. With midrange monthly premiums and service fees, it's an appealing choice for homeowners anticipating high repair costs from wear and tear. But it does have a low customer satisfaction rating compared to competitors, with many reviewers complaining about slow response times for repairs, denied claims and bad experiences with the company’s third-party technicians.
» MORE: Best home warranties of 2024
Deciding factors | |
---|---|
Monthly cost | $47 and up. |
Service fees | $70-$100 per call. |
Annual coverage cap* | $3,000 for each covered item and $500 on roof leak repair. |
Average customer service rating† | 2.91 out of 5. |
Technician choice | Customers must use the company's technicians. |
*Annual coverage cap assumes a 12-month plan. †Average customer service rating is based on three sources: Trustpilot, ConsumerAffairs (both consumer review sites) and the Better Business Bureau. |
» MORE: What is a home warranty?
How does Choice Home Warranty work?
Choice Home Warranty has two levels of coverage:
Basic Plan: Covers heating, electrical, plumbing, water heaters and kitchen appliances except the refrigerator.
Total Plan: Includes items in the Basic Plan, plus air conditioning, refrigerator and clothes washer and dryer.
You also have the option to buy add-on coverage for various items like a sump pump, an extra refrigerator and limited roof leak repair.
Like competitors, Choice Home Warranty 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. For example, if your clothes washer stops working because a part is old and worn, Choice Home Warranty is likely to pay for a repair if the part is listed as a covered component in the contract. However, if your dog chewed on a hose that runs between your washing machine to the water connection, the damage would be excluded from coverage.
» MORE: What does a home warranty cover?
You can file claims by phone with the customer service department or through an online portal. The company doesn’t allow you to choose your own contractor; if you want the service covered, you’ll have to use the technician Choice assigns to your claim.
The company contacts technicians within four hours of your claim and will generally schedule an appointment within two days. In some cases, it could take longer. Once a technician has inspected your appliance or system, they send a diagnosis of the problem and estimate to Choice, and Choice will let you know if your claim is approved or denied. If Choice approves the estimate, the technician will return to complete the work.
Choice Home Warranty limits how much it will pay to repair or replace a covered item. For both plans, the company will pay or reimburse you 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.
» MORE: Are home warranties worth it?
How much does a Choice Home Warranty cost?
Choice Home Warranty plans come with monthly premiums starting at $46.67. The company requires customers to provide their addresses and contact information to get price quotes.
Like other home warranty companies, Choice Home Warranty charges customers a service fee of $75 and $100 when a technician responds to a claim. You’ll have to pay it even if a technician comes out to look at a covered item that was repaired previously — unless it's within Choice's 30-day guarantee period following work on a claim.
Pros of Choice Home Warranty
Choice Home Warranty provides several benefits to homeowners, including:
High coverage caps. Choice Home Warranty offers coverage up to $3,000 per item during a 12-month period. Compared to competitors, that’s on the high end. For approved claims, high caps mean you’ll pay less out of pocket.
Access repair coverage. Unlike many of its competitors, Choice Home Warranty will pay up to $500 to repair a wall if a technician needs to cut into it to gain access to a system.
Coverage in most states. Choice Home Warranty provides coverage in 49 states plus Washington, D.C. The only state in which it does not provide coverage is Washington.
Cons of Choice Home Warranty
There are a few drawbacks to Choice Home Warranty’s coverage, including:
No choice in technicians. When you file a claim, a technician is assigned to your case. There’s no option to get reimbursed for work completed by a provider chosen by you.
Low customer satisfaction. Customer reviews on Trustpilot, ConsumerAffairs (both consumer review sites) and the Better Business Bureau note issues with claims being incorrectly denied, longer wait times than advertised and poor experiences with repair technicians.
Alternatives to Choice Home Warranty
First American Home Warranty
on NerdWallet
Liberty Home Guard
on Liberty Home Guard's website
Select Home Warranty
on Select Home Warranty's website
Methodology
NerdWallet's Home Services team evaluated home warranties across several factors, including cost, covered items, coverage limits, customer ratings, ability to choose your own technician and warranty on work completed. Because costs can vary by location, it's best to get quotes from multiple companies before making a decision. Read more about how NerdWallet rates home warranties.