Best Home Warranty Companies in California | 2022
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Best Overall
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Best Discounts
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Best Coverage Upgrade
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Best Membership Perks
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Best for Quick Coverage
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Most Affordable Appliance Plan
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Looking for the best home warranty company in California? Our review team analyzed every major home warranty company in California on factors like cost, number of home warranty plans, and customer service. Continue reading for a detailed analysis of the best home warranty companies in the Golden State.
Top Home Warranty Companies in California
American Home Shield: Best Overall
Select Home Warranty: Best Discounts
First American: Best Coverage Upgrade
Cinch Home Services: Best Membership Perks
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty: Most Affordable Appliance Plan
#1: American Home Shield
American Home Shield (AHS) is the longest-running home warranty provider in the industry and offers three different coverage plans, including two combo plans. Because of its history, market dominance, and solid coverage plans, we named American Home Shield as the best overall home warranty provider in California.
American Home Shield has a nationwide network of over 16,000 independent, screened professional contractors, and the company accepts and pays more claims than any other home warranty company in the nation. In fact, almost one out of every two home warranty customers purchases a home warranty policy from American Home Shield.
To get a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this simple form online.
American Home Shield Plans
The table below shows the items that American Home Shield covers in each of its plans. The ShieldSilver™ Plan covers only major systems, and the ShieldGold™ and ShieldPlatinum™ plans cover all 23 home systems and appliances.
Optional Add-ons
American Home Shield offers five optional add-ons:
Well pump
Electronics extended warranty
Septic pump
Pool and spa
Guest unit under 750 square feet
American Home Shield Cost
Based on quotes our review team received, American Home Shield plans cost between $39.99–$64.99 per month, and the company lets you choose a service fee between $75 and $125. The service fee you choose impacts the premium you pay—the higher the service fee you choose, the lower the premium and vice versa.
You can get a free quote from American Home Shield by filling out this simple form.
#2: Select Home Warranty
Offering three coverage plans for under $40 per month, Select Home Warranty is an excellent choice for budget shoppers. In addition to selling low-priced plans, Select Home Warranty offers limited roof leak coverage with all plans and up to two months free and $150 off for new customers, earning them our mark for best discounts in the home warranty industry.
To get a free quote from Select Home Warranty, call (888) 370-3956 or fill out this simple form online.
Select Home Warranty Plans
Select offers an appliances-only plan, a systems-only plan, and a combo plan that combines appliance and system coverage. Compare Select Home Warranty plans below.
Optional Add-ons
Select Home Warranty offers seven optional add-ons:
Septic system
Lawn sprinkler system
Stand-alone freezer
Spa
Pool
Central vacuum
Sump pump
Well pump
Roof leak (free)
Select Home Warranty Cost
With three plans that cost under $50 per month and a $75 service fee, Select Home Warranty is one of the more affordable home warranty companies in California and is cheaper than American Home Shield and First American. However, Select does charge repeat service fees, so homeowners who have issues with an item that was recently serviced will have to pay a $75 service fee every time a professional contractor returns to their home.
Compare Select Home Warranty plan pricing below:
You can get a free quote from Select Home Warranty by calling 888-370-3956 or by completing this form.
#3: First American Home Warranty
Founded in 1984, First American Home Warranty has over 35 years of experience in the home warranty industry. First American offers 24/7 customer service and covers appliances and systems regardless of their age.
To get a free quote from First American Home Warranty, call 800-891-9778 or fill out this online form.
First American Home Warranty Plans
First American offers two home warranty coverage plans: a Basic plan and a Premier plan. The company's Basic plan covers eight appliances, and the company's Premier plan covers 16 home systems and appliances. Because some areas of California can get very hot during the summer, it's worth noting that air conditioning is not included in either First American plan—coverage for this system must be purchased as an optional add-on.
Optional Add-ons
First American offers these optional add-ons:
Pool/spa
Well pump
Second refrigerator
Central air conditioning system
First American also offers a "First Class Upgrade," which earned it our mark for best coverage upgrade. The First Class Upgrade includes the following benefits:
Up to $250 for expenses related to local building permits required for replacing an appliance
Coverage for cosmetic damage to systems and appliances
Coverage for appliance removal
First American Home Warranty Cost
First American Home Warranty's Basic plan costs $37 per month and the Premier plan costs $49.50 per month. The company's service fee is $85, which falls in line with the industry average of $75 to $125 for service fees.
You can get a free quote from First American Home Warranty by calling 800-891-9778 or by filling out this simple online form.
#4: Cinch Home Services
Cinch Home Services is a top-rated home warranty provider in California that offers a few unique benefits and membership perks in addition to covering up to 28 systems and appliances in its Complete Home Plan. All plans come with an air conditioner or water filter credit of $25 and a free water sensor shipped to your house.
Additionally, the Complete Home Plan uniquely comes with a $500 homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement for if you have to file a claim with your home insurance provider during the length of your warranty period.
Call 888-520-1711 or fill out this online form to get an instant quote on your Cinch Home Services home warranty plan.
Cinch Home Services Plans
Cinch Home Services offers three home warranty plans to homeowners in California. The Appliances Plan covers 12 home appliances, such as ovens, refrigerators, and clothes washers, the Built-in Systems Plan covers 16 major systems, such as your heating and cooling, and the Complete Home Plan includes coverage for all 28 systems and appliances.
Optional Add-ons
Cinch Home Services offers six optional add-ons:
Pool (heater included)
Spa (heater included)
Pool with spa (heater included)
Septic tank and pumping
Well pump
Premier Upgrade Package*
*The Premier Upgrade Package (PUP) provides customers with coverage for up to two claims of $1,000 each for non-covered charges, such as permits and code upgrades, that are associated with a covered repair or replacement.
Cinch Home Services Cost
Similar to American Home Shield, Cinch Home Services lets you customize your plan's monthly price by allowing you to select a service call fee between $100 and $150. Based on the sample quotes we received, we found that plan prices usually fall between $28 and $52 per month, depending on your selected plan and preferred service call fee.
Here are some examples of monthly prices from sample quotes with the $100 service call fee:
Get a free quote from Cinch Home Services by calling 888-520-1711 or using this online tool.
#5: 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty has been around since 1980, offering a home warranty plan with affordable coverage for kitchen appliances. Its Simply Kitchen Plan costs around $22 per month, which is considerably cheaper than appliances plans from other top providers. It's an ideal choice for those who are just looking for coverage on their kitchen items, such as refrigerators and ovens.
Fill out this online form or speak with a representative at 855-498-4719 for a free quote based on your location in California.
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty Plans
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty's plan selections are slightly different from other top providers. It offers an affordable plan for coverage on kitchen appliances, including a refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher, a combo plan that covers those kitchen appliances and home systems, such as heating and cooling, and a comprehensive plan that provides extra coverage for items such as haul away-fees and fire alarms.
Optional Add-ons
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty offers these optional add-ons:
Washer and dryer
Roof leak coverage
Additional HVAC units
Garage door opener
Additional refrigerator
Built-in wine cooler
Free-standing freezer
Wet bar refrigerator
Freshwater pool*
Saltwater pool*
Additional pool*
Septic system
Well pump
Water softener
Extended pipe leak
Preseason HVAC tune-up
Luxury package**
*These add-ons were available in our sample quotes for California residents.
**The Luxury package increases per-item limits for your refrigerator, dishwasher, range, oven, cooktop, built-in microwave, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and heating from $2,000 to $5,000.
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty Cost
According to the sample quotes we received, 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty prices range from $19–$67 per month depending on your plan selection, and you can customize your plan's monthly price by choosing a service call fee of $65, $85, or $100. Below are some sample monthly prices from quotes we received on plans with the $85 service fee selection.
Get your free quote from 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty by calling 855-498-4719 or filling out this form.
Conclusion
Our review team found that American Home Shield, Select Home Warranty, and First American Home Warranty are the best home warranty companies in California and offer comprehensive plans at affordable prices.
We recommend getting free quotes from all three companies using the table at the top of this article. Doing so will allow you to compare plan pricing for your home and help you figure out which provider offers the better value for your home protection needs.
Home Warranty Rating Methodology
The Home Service Research Team at Better Homes & Gardens strives to provide unbiased and objective reviews to readers by compiling relevant information on home warranty companies and rating the providers on a variety of factors.
Here's what our review process looks like:
We examine each provider's website to determine plan details, coverage, customer service offerings, and other benefits. We also speak with company representatives to get more insight on plan details.
We read sample contracts from each home warranty company to analyze and compare coverage details, limits, and exclusions.
We read at least 100 third-party customer reviews for each home warranty company to determine the real-life benefits and drawbacks of each provider.
We gather cost information for a variety of home warranty plans in different states by completing online quote forms and speaking with sales representatives to simulate the quote process.
We revisit each company's offerings on a seasonal basis, ensuring that we include the most up-to-date information in our reviews.
We also created a 100-point rating system to score companies based on objective factors, such as plan options, coverage, and customer service:
Overall, the Home Service Research Team has reviewed over 70 home warranty companies to select the top-rated providers in the industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are home warranty plans worth it?
Home warranty plans may be worth it because they provide peace of mind that unexpected and expensive repairs and replacements will be covered. Repairing and replacing systems and appliances can cost hundreds—or thousands—of dollars, and paying for coverage for these items is a smart way to help ensure financial stability.
How much do home warranty plans cost?
On average, home warranty plans cost between $25–$60 per month and service call fees cost between $75–$125.
Is there a waiting period before coverage starts?
In general, there's a waiting period of 30 days before a home warranty company offers coverage. However, companies like The Home Service Club have a 10-day waiting period before coverage kicks in.
