Home Warranty Inc.
In 1999, an appliance repair technician with more than 36 years of experience founded Home Warranty Inc. (also known as Home Warranty of the Midwest) to offer contractors efficient payment and homeowners quicker service when they need common home repairs. The company offers five home warranty plans with different coverage tiers and a standard $100 service call fee.
Our rating: 4.3 out of 5
Best for: Choosing your own contractor
Availability: 45 states
- Home Warranty Inc. offers services in 45 states, excluding Arizona, California, New York, Oregon and Washington.
- The company has an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and has been accredited since 2011.*
- Home Warranty Inc. is one of the few providers in this industry that allows homeowners to choose their own contractor.
- Home Warranty Inc. earned an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 in our rating system. It scored highest for its 24/7 customer service, claims response within 48 hours and many covered items.
- We also like that the company offers a free cancellation period, so you can get your money back within 30 days of enrolling, and a 30-day workmanship guarantee that allows you to request re-service if a covered item breaks after a repair.
- The provider offers five plans and add-on options, making it highly customizable to homeowners’ unique needs.
- Home Warranty Inc.’s website is outdated and not very user-friendly.
- The $100 service call fee is higher than many competitors’ more typical $75 fee.
- You may be charged a fee if you cancel your policy more than 30 days after purchasing it.
* Third-party ratings are accurate as of May 2024 but may be subject to change.
Home Warranty Inc. pros and cons
Home warranty companies aren’t created equally, so comparing the advantages and disadvantages of every company you’re considering is helpful. Here are a few notable pros and cons of Home Warranty Inc.
Pros
- Five plan options, including an a la carte option that doesn’t have a service call fee
- $5,000 coverage cap per covered item, which is higher than many competitors
- Offers cash in lieu of repair if you would prefer to apply the funds to a new appliance or system
Cons
- Not available in Arizona, California, New York, Oregon or Washington
- Caps total coverage at $15,000
- $100 service call fee is higher than many competitors
pro tip
- Identify the items in your home most likely to break and select coverage for them. Newer appliances are more likely to be covered by manufacturers’ warranties and less likely to malfunction from everyday use.
Home Warranty Inc. has five plans: an a la carte appliance plan, a supplemental home warranty plan and three comprehensive combination plans for sellers, buyers and existing homeowners. In general, the more coverage the plan offers, the more you can expect to pay per month. The company’s standard service call fee is $100.
Home Warranty Inc.’s appliance protection plan can be a cost-effective solution for homeowners who want to pick and choose coverage for their most-used appliances without overpaying for coverage they don’t need.
You can quickly compare the average costs in the table below.
|
Service Call Fee |
|
|---|---|
| Appliance Protection Plan | No service call fee |
| Supplemental Home Protection | $100 |
| Home Protection Plan (Seller Core) | $100 |
| Home Protection Plan (Buyer Core) | $100 |
| Home Protection Plan (Executive) | $100 |
|
Monthly fee |
|
|---|---|
| Appliance Protection Plan | $5 – $14 per covered item |
| Supplemental Home Protection | $30 |
| Home Protection Plan (Seller Core) | Complimentary for six months |
| Home Protection Plan (Buyer Core) | $50 |
| Home Protection Plan (Executive) | $75 |
Savings and discounts
Home Warranty Inc. offers a few savings opportunities:
- $25 military discount: Military members and veterans can save $25 when they purchase a home warranty plan.
- A la carte plan: Homeowners can pay as little as $5 to $14 per appliance.
- Complimentary Seller Core Home Protection Plan: Home Warranty Inc. offers six months of complimentary coverage to homeowners looking to sell their home in the near future. However, coverage is limited to core systems and appliances.
Home Warranty Inc. will cover all the items on your selected plan after a 30-day waiting period. After your initial purchase, you can elect add-ons, but those add-ons will be subject to another 30-day waiting period.
pro tip
- Don’t hesitate to call customer service and ask about available discounts and promotions. Sometimes they’re not readily advertised.
The company covers up to $5,000 per covered item, up to a maximum of $15,000 per plan term. Unlike many home warranty providers, Home Warranty Inc. gives customers flexibility to customize their policies — particularly for appliances.
Home Warranty Inc. doesn’t have any unusual exclusions — remember, home warranties cover normal wear and tear, not misuse or improper modification — but its Buyer Core and Executive Level Home Protection Plans will cover undetectable pre-existing conditions. Undetectable pre-existing conditions are malfunctions that can’t be diagnosed through a simple mechanical test or visual inspection.
|
Appliance Protection Plan |
|
|---|---|
| Built-in microwave | ✓ |
| Clothes dryer | ✓ |
| Clothes washer | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ |
| Garbage disposal | ✓ |
| Refrigerator | ✓ |
| Stand-alone freezer | ✓ |
| Stove/range/oven | ✓ |
| Trash compactor | ✓ |
| Water softener | ✓ |
| Wine refrigerator | ✗ |
| Air conditioning | ✓ |
| Boiler/water heater | ✓ |
| Central vacuum | ✗ |
| Ductwork | ✗ |
| Electrical | ✗ |
| Furnace | ✓ |
| Garage door opener | ✗ |
| Gas fireplace | ✗ |
| Heat pump | ✓ |
| Jetted bathtub | ✗ |
| Lawn sprinkler system | ✗ |
| Plumbing | ✗ |
| Sump pump | ✗ |
| Annual furnace inspection | ✓ |
| Roof leak | ✗ |
| SurgeShield Plus (electronics) | ✗ |
| Undetectable pre-existing conditions | ✗ |
|
Supplemental Home Protection |
|
|---|---|
| Built-in microwave | ✓ |
| Clothes dryer | ✓ |
| Clothes washer | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ |
| Garbage disposal | ✓ |
| Refrigerator | ✓ |
| Stand-alone freezer | ✗ |
| Stove/range/oven | ✓ |
| Trash compactor | ✓ |
| Water softener | ✗ |
| Wine refrigerator | ✗ |
| Air conditioning | ✓ |
| Boiler/water heater | ✓ |
| Central vacuum | ✓ |
| Ductwork | ✗ |
| Electrical | ✗ |
| Furnace | ✗ |
| Garage door opener | ✓ |
| Gas fireplace | ✗ |
| Heat pump | ✓ |
| Jetted bathtub | ✗ |
| Lawn sprinkler system | ✗ |
| Plumbing | ✗ |
| Sump pump | ✗ |
| Annual furnace inspection | ✗ |
| Roof leak | ✗ |
| SurgeShield Plus (electronics) | ✗ |
| Undetectable pre-existing conditions | ✗ |
|
Home Protection Plan (Seller Core) |
|
|---|---|
| Built-in microwave | ✓ |
| Clothes dryer | ✓ |
| Clothes washer | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ |
| Garbage disposal | ✓ |
| Refrigerator | ✓ |
| Stand-alone freezer | ✗ |
| Stove/range/oven | ✓ |
| Trash compactor | ✓ |
| Water softener | ✗ |
| Wine refrigerator | ✗ |
| Air conditioning | ✗ |
| Boiler/water heater | ✗ |
| Central vacuum | ✗ |
| Ductwork | ✗ |
| Electrical | ✓ |
| Furnace | ✗ |
| Garage door opener | ✓ |
| Gas fireplace | ✗ |
| Heat pump | ✗ |
| Jetted bathtub | ✗ |
| Lawn sprinkler system | ✗ |
| Plumbing | ✓ |
| Sump pump | ✓ |
| Annual furnace inspection | ✗ |
| Roof leak | ✗ |
| SurgeShield Plus (electronics) | ✗ |
| Undetectable pre-existing conditions | ✗ |
|
Home Protection Plan (Buyer Core) |
|
|---|---|
| Built-in microwave | ✓ |
| Clothes dryer | ✓ |
| Clothes washer | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ |
| Garbage disposal | ✓ |
| Refrigerator | ✓ |
| Stand-alone freezer | ✗ |
| Stove/range/oven | ✓ |
| Trash compactor | ✓ |
| Water softener | ✗ |
| Wine refrigerator | ✗ |
| Air conditioning | ✓ |
| Boiler/water heater | ✓ |
| Central vacuum | ✓ |
| Ductwork | ✓ |
| Electrical | ✓ |
| Furnace | ✓ |
| Garage door opener | ✓ |
| Gas fireplace | ✗ |
| Heat pump | ✓ |
| Jetted bathtub | ✗ |
| Lawn sprinkler system | ✗ |
| Plumbing | ✓ |
| Sump pump | ✗ |
| Annual furnace inspection | ✗ |
| Roof leak | ✗ |
| SurgeShield Plus (electronics) | ✗ |
| Undetectable pre-existing conditions | ✓ |
|
Home Protection Plan (Executive) |
|
|---|---|
| Built-in microwave | ✓ |
| Clothes dryer | ✓ |
| Clothes washer | ✓ |
| Dishwasher | ✓ |
| Garbage disposal | ✓ |
| Refrigerator | ✓ |
| Stand-alone freezer | ✗ |
| Stove/range/oven | ✓ |
| Trash compactor | ✓ |
| Water softener | ✓ |
| Wine refrigerator | ✓ |
| Air conditioning | ✓ |
| Boiler/water heater | ✓ |
| Central vacuum | ✓ |
| Ductwork | ✓ |
| Electrical | ✓ |
| Furnace | ✓ |
| Garage door opener | ✓ |
| Gas fireplace | ✓ |
| Heat pump | ✓ |
| Jetted bathtub | ✓ |
| Lawn sprinkler system | ✓ |
| Plumbing | ✓ |
| Sump pump | ✓ |
| Annual furnace inspection | ✗ |
| Roof leak | ✗ |
| SurgeShield Plus (electronics) | ✓ |
| Undetectable pre-existing conditions | ✓ |
Home Warranty Inc. add-ons and optional features
Home Warranty Inc. has a wealth of add-on options, many of which are bundled into the Executive Home Protection Plan. Review the following to determine the best coverage options for your needs.
- Buyer Premium Upgrade: For an additional $75, homeowners can add coverage for code upgrades, debris removal, toilet replacement and more, up to $1,000 per plan term.
- Enhanced HVAC Plus: For $100, homeowners can expand their HVAC protection to additional items, system modifications to repair compatibility issues up to $500, failures due to insufficient seller maintenance and labor for items covered under manufacturer warranty.
- SurgeShield: For $84 per year, homeowners can add surge protection for their heating and cooling systems, ceiling fans, washers/dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers and more.
- SurgeShieldPlus: For $144 per year, SurgeShield Plus covers all the items in the previously discussed plan, plus electronics, including gaming systems, tablets, computers and digital cameras. This plan has a $5,000 maximum reimbursement.
|
Average cost (annual) |
|
|---|---|
| Additional kitchen or laundry appliances | $40 – $50 |
| Additional water heater | $60 – $75 |
| Exterior gas and water lines | $120 |
| Extra heating or cooling unit | $75 – $100 |
| Extra heat pump | $100 – $125 |
| Gas fireplace | $40 |
| Jetted bathtub | $60 |
| Lawn sprinkler system | $40 |
| Limited roof leak | $100 |
| Limited slab leak | $100 |
| Pool and spa | $200 |