Choice Home Warranty Reviews Is This Company A Scam?

Choice Home Warranty is one of the leading providers of home coverage plans in the country. They offer a wide range of plans to help insure, replace, and maintain various systems in the home, as well as appliances and other items in the home that are not typically covered by home insurance. We’ve decided to make an in-depth, objective review of this company and what they offer, looking at the ins and outs of buying a warranty plan with them and comparing these plans to those of their competition so that you can make an informed decision about your home warranty purchase. 

An Overview of at Choice Home Warranty

We based our rating on a number of criteria. If you’re looking for a quick answer rather than having to read through this entire review, we’ve rated Choice Home Warranty as 95% out of a possible 100% in overall quality. They scored extremely well in categories like customer service, plan options, add-ons, and pricing. They are also rated well by the Better Business Bureau, scoring a “B” rating. 

Choice Home Warranty Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Great customer service record
• Repair guarantee for up to 30 days
• Coverage can go into effect sooner than 30 days in some cases
• Very affordable plans
• No home inspections required
• Award-winning company

Cons:

• Only available in 48 states

Coverage and Plans from Choice Home Warranty

Choice Home warranty offers a couple of primary plans, as well as a number of add-ons. Although they don’t allow customers to personalize the primary plans, they do allow for customers to choose as many or as few add-ons as they like, creating a unique plan that suits them well. 

The only thing that keeps Choice Home Warranty from being considered the very best home warranty company is its lack of plans and customizability. Most home warranty providers offer more plans with the ability to personalize the plans, so Choice falls just a bit short. 

Primary Plans

There are two primary plans offered by Choice Home Warranty: the Basic Plan and the Total Plan. The Basic Plan is fairly robust, so you may not need to add on anything extra, depending on your needs. What does it cover? With the Basic Plan, you will be covered for repairs and replacement on your plumbing system and plumbing stoppage, heating system, electrical system, stove/oven/range, water heater, cooktop, built-in microwave, dishwasher, whirlpool bathtub, garbage disposal, garage door opener, exhaust and ceiling fans, and ductwork. 

The Total Plan covers just a bit more. It covers very important, very expensive items in the house that could need costly repairs. In addition to what the Basic Plan offers, the Total Plan is able to cover your washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, and air conditioning system. 

Choosing the right plan can be determined by what kind of appliances you have in your home. The age of the appliances and their risk of breaking down or needing replacement will also factor into your decision. 

Add-Ons

You can add more coverage onto either one of these plans, choosing however many add-ons you’d like. You can switch these additions each month, as your needs change. There are a few different add-ons that Choice Home Warranty offers with its plans. You can be covered for your air conditioning system’s condenser oil or compressor, the plumbing system in case of leaks, as well as issues with the valves and stoppages. Ceiling and exhaust fan costs can also be covered, including motors, bearings, controls, and switches. 

It’s a smart idea to read over the warranty information and details carefully before making a decision on a plan and add-ons. You may not need certain coverage, depending on what the warranty already covers. As you can see, the add-ons that Choice Home Warranty offers cover some additional components related to what is already covered in the primary plans. 

Coverage Exceptions

One thing to keep in mind with all best home warranty companies is that preexisting conditions may not be covered. If you have older equipment, it may require repairs that a home warranty plan won’t cover. It’d be best to purchase a home warranty plan before your appliances or home systems start to experience maintenance problems. 

A Choice Home Warranty will also not cover any natural disasters or accidents, including storm damage, fire, and theft. It also won’t cover the consumer for problems caused by sediment build-up or reservoir tanks. It won’t cover cosmetic items like handles, rollers, doors, and knobs. Air conditioning maintenance is also excluded from coverage – including grills and registers for the air conditioning unit. 

Make sure you check all exclusions before purchasing a plan so that you can ensure that the expenses, services, and items you need covered are thoroughly covered. You don’t want to end up with a plan that won’t actually cover you if anything goes wrong and repairs are needed.

The Cost of Choice Home Warranty Plans

A lot of the Choice Home Warranty reviews rave about the affordable pricing. Choice has some of the most competitive rates on the home warranty market. The cost of the plans will be dependent on where you live as Choice Home Warranty charges more in some states than it does in others. 

How much does it cost to sign up for a plan with one of the best home warranty companies in Texas, Tennessee, New York and just about any other state? The Basic Plan has a monthly cost not published by the warranty provider, but if you buy the annual plan, it will come to less for the year overall. Check above to see our breakdown of what’s included in the Basic Plan. It’s considered a fairly complete plan and offers more than what you might find with many of the competitors’ basic plans. 

The Total Plan is more expensive because it covers you for more expenses. But like the Basic Plan, it will cost less per year if you purchase the annual plan. You can change plans at the end of the month, if you are paying monthly. It may be necessary to upgrade your plan to include any new additions to the house. 

The add-ons vary in price, adding costs per month and per year, with pricing depending on the specific add-on. You can add on as many as you want, making it as comprehensive as you like and leaving little chance that you will ever have to pay for any repairs, maintenance, or replacements on your own.

Before deciding on the best home warranty for you, you should consider getting multiple quotes on a few home warranty companies and their plans. Be sure to get local quotes, as the rates can change from state to state. Compare not just the cost of the primary plans but also any add-ons you might be interested in. Compare the cost of an annual plan as well, there may be an opportunity there to save some money with some of the home warranty providers.

Service Charges

Another thing that makes Choice Home Warranty one of the top home warranty companies is its low prices, which extend to its competitively priced service charges. The national average on a service charge for a home warranty plan is about $90-$100. Choice usually beats that out by offering a lower average service charge price. Some services will cost more than others, but overall Choice compares favorably to the competition. 

Limitations and Caps on Coverage

Your coverage will vary from one circumstance to another. There may be times where the coverage is minimal because of the kind of expense it is or the service that is required. Each of the home warranty companies have their own caps or limitations set, determining how much they will cover and where their coverage ends. The worst home warranty companies will have very low caps, not covering you for much and requiring you to pay the majority of the costs associated with repairs and maintenance. Keep an eye out for these caps when looking for a high value plan that gets you your money’s worth. 

What kind of coverage caps does Choice Home Warranty have in place that limit its responsibility to help customers pay for repairs? They will provide extensive repairs on most appliances and systems in your house, but there is a limit to their coverage – which is all written in the warranty plan that you select and should read thoroughly.

For each service Choice Home Warranty offers, whether it be repairs, replacement, diagnosis or access, the company’s service contract states that the company will not pay for any costs beyond $1,500. After the repair costs exceed $1,500, the customer is responsible for the rest of the bill. Bare in mind that this only applies to individual services, so if you need multiple repairs or replacements at once, the total could exceed $1,500, and Choice Home Warranty would still cover you for those costs. This likely means that most common repairs and replacements will be completely covered by the Choice Home Warranty, unless you require serious, major repairs. 

In some cases, the systems in your house may not share the same warranty caps as appliances. Choice Home Warranty caps out repairs and service on plumbing, electrical systems, and ductwork at $500. If you have concerns or questions about any of the caps and aren’t sure how well covered you will be under a warranty plan from Choice, then you’re encouraged to talk to one of their customer service representatives directly.

Which States Is Choice Home Warranty Available in?

You can purchase a Choice Home Warranty plan in every state except for Washington and California. Though the company has not made any plans to become available in these two remaining states, it’s still better coverage than most home warranty companies offer.

Choice stands out in how far its coverage extends nationwide. The majority of home warranty companies cover far fewer states than Choice, so Choice Home Warranty actually ranks as one of the best home warranty companies in total coverage across the US.

What Customers Are Saying about Choice Home Warranty

Choice Home Warranty has been in the home warranty business since 2008, and there’s a thorough amount of reviews from both sites like ours as well as from customers. We looked at a number of customer reviews in order to give you an accurate assessment of what people think of Choice. We also pored over dozens of other home warranty reviews to better help form our own in-depth analysis. 

On the Consumer Reports website, there are thousands of reviews for this company. We’ve selected a few to showcase so you can see for yourself what people have to say about Choice Home Warranty.

Daphne C wrote: “I was pleased with the service and repair getting completed so quickly. I was also very satisfied with the electrician. He was friendly and knowledgeable. He wore a mask without being asked. He didn’t seem to mind answering my many questions. I would recommend them. So far I’m pleased with the CHW contract and service.”

Pressler wrote: “Had a good experience with CHW. My water heater was replaced with no problem. I will not hesitate to recommend this company to my friends because that replacement saved me some money during this Coronavirus. The contractor did also a good and clean job. Bravo CHW for choosing good contractors to work with your customers.”

One five star review from Teresa states: “I was very please[d] with the response time from Choice and my initial appointment. The technician came when he said he would, quickly diagnosed the problem. A part had to be ordered and he said he’d be back at the end of the week. When a week went by with no communication, I called the technician’s company and left messages asking for a return call and an update. When I still had no call back, I submitted the information to choice and asked them to follow up with the company for an update and projected return. Within a day the technician contacted us to say he’d be back the next day to finish the job. And he did!”

Another reviewer, James, wrote: “My star rating indicates my dissatisfaction with what’s covered on my Choice warranty and how it’s presented. The contractor you sent was 5-star. It was my fault I didn’t check my coverage before submitting a claim about my leaky water heater. It was the tank, and I had it in my mind it would be covered because we have the Total Plan. But the Total Plan doesn’t cover anything different on water heaters than the Basic Plan.”

The Choice Home Warranty reviews that we came across were mostly positive, five star reviews. Most people seem to be very happy with the service and glad that they chose Choice Home Warranty. There were just a few less than satisfied customers. 

Many reviewers noted Choice Home Warranty’s low, affordable rates and the great customer service as the reasons they were satisfied with their plans. Choice is known for its fast response time and employs multiple customer service representatives on each claim.

Comparing Choice Home Warranty to Its Competitors

We wanted to look at how Choice Home Warranty stacks up against the competition and show you what each of them bring to the table. This will help you decide on the best home warranty company for you. 

Compared to First American Home Warranty

First American excels is in affordable rates (which it shares with Choice) and in years of experience in the industry. This company has been around 24 years longer than Choice Home Warranty, so when it comes to a long-standing reputation, First American has Choice beat. However, First America’s home warranty plans are only available in 35 states compared to Choice’s 48. It’s rare to have a company cover as many states with its plans as Choice does, and First American range is actually fairly average. 

Compared to Select Home Warranty

Select Home Warranty offers a similar price range and similar great reputation for fast and responsive customer service. Though the customer service is not quite as well-reviewed as Choice, with more negative reviews overall. But Select does offer more primary plan options and lower service fees on average, making them a competitive option when compared to Choice Home Warranty. 

The Verdict on Choice Home Warranty

The question remains whether or not we would advise to buy Choice Home Warranty over other companies. The decision is ultimately up to you, but we hope you do take the time to read through all we’ve had to say in order to get a better idea of what the company offers and how they compare in other home warranty reviews. 

But we highly recommend this company, rating them as just about the best home warranty company you could choose. What especially stands out is Choice Home Warranty’s customer service. They respond quickly to customer claims and have an experienced and knowledgeable customer service team known for being friendly and helpful. 

We also feel we should mention Choice Home Warranty’s award-winning record. In 2020 alone, they won three awards for exemplary service. You can see why they’ve achieved such high acclaim when you file a claim with or call about a problem with your home systems and appliances. You can also see evidence of their award-winning service in their rave customer reviews. Customers have plenty of positive things to say about Choice and their customer service. The company has been recognized by major review sites with top awards for their value and service, and their customers continue to post positive reviews on a number of other sites. 

Choice Home Warranty is also notable for their affordable rates, which are some of the lowest in the industry. We rank them as one of the best home warranty companies available because of the high level of quality they offer with comparably low rates. You may find lower prices, but you are not likely to get the same robust warranty plan or quality customer service anywhere else. 

The extensive coverage offered by even the Basic Plan is impressive, and that’s part of why we wanted to provide an in-depth review – we feel strongly that they’re worthy of your consideration. If you do your research, you will find other Choice Home Warranty reviews rating them just as highly or more so.

How We Rate

We rated Choice Home Warranty a 95 out of 100, and we want to break down the factors we considered in our review so that you can understand exactly where that score comes from. 

We looked at multiple factors, such as:

• Customer Service
• Plan Options
• Pricing
• State Availability
• Reputation
• Add-ons

Scoring Each Component of Choice Home Warranty

We scored Choice Home Warranty on each of these categories and will break these down to help you understand if Choice is truly offering the best home warranty.

Customer Service: 100%

Plan Options: 90%

Pricing: 100%

State Availability: 95%

Reputation: 90%

Add-Ons: 95%

Choice Home Warranty FAQ:

What does a home warranty do?

Home warranties are designed to cover expenses not covered by home insurance, helping out with costs of repairs, replacement, and maintenance on a variety of home system components and appliances. The best home warranty will cover all of the basic home systems – electrical, plumbing, air conditioning, as well as various appliances. You may have to pay extra for major appliances or for some alternative systems. You can usually choose from a base plan that offers simple but reasonable warranty coverage and then add on less common or more expensive items for an additional fee. 

With home warranty services, you pay a monthly fee and will receive service or replacement on covered items and systems when you file a claim. There may be a limit as to how much the company will pay for all covered items. 

How well-reviewed is Choice Home Warranty as a company?

Choice Home Warranty reviews are overall positive and we believe they are a good choice for anyone seeking a reputable home warranty provider. They have been reviewed by many major review sites as well as by thousands of satisfied customers. You can find home warranty reviews on sites like Better Business Bureau and Consumer Reports. Reading through numerous reviews can help you identify recurring issues and understand what customers like most about a company as a home warranty provider. This kind of research can help shape your opinion and allow you to make a more informed decision. 

The company is also well-reviewed by professional review organizations. They regularly receive top honors for offering the best overall value and for having the best customer service. They have a lengthy record of good reviews, good word of mouth, and exemplary customer service.

When will I start to receive coverage?

Most insurance companies will wait 30 days after your initial enrollment date to start covering your home, its systems, and your appliances. Choice Home Warranty works similarly but offers a special option for those who have already been enrolled in a different home warranty plan. If you were signed up with another provider on a home warranty plan in the past, once you get your Choice Home Warranty login, you will be able to enjoy warranty coverage right away. This is a rare feature not offered by most home warranty providers.

How does a claim work with Choice Home Warranty?

When an item or system goes wrong or breaks, and they’re covered under your home warranty plan, you will need to file a claim with your warranty provider. A Choice Home Warranty claim is designed to be customer-friendly and easy to file. Your claim will be assessed and then attended to by multiple customer service representatives. The company guarantees that two to three personnel will be assigned to each claim. The company also boasts a response time of between 4-48 hours for each claim. 

To file a claim with the company, call the Choice Home Warranty phone number. The number has a professional standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, ready to take your call. 

How much of the cost that will be covered by the company depends on your specific warranty plan, and the service may be subject to exclusions for specific parts. In other words, you may be responsible for paying some of the costs and if the problem was caused by parts not covered by your warranty, you may be responsible for most of the repairs. If you have questions about the warranty coverage that Choice offers, be sure to talk to one of their customer service representatives. 

Can Choice Home Warranty cover my water heater?

Yes, the water heater is covered by both the Total Plan and the Basic Plan. You do not need to buy this coverage as an add-on.

Can I get Choice Home warranty to replace my air conditioning unit?

Air conditioning is only covered by the Total Plan. As with most of the coverage items that Choice Home Warranty vendors provide, the coverage for air conditioners is only up to $1,500. So, if your air conditioner is in need of replacement and a new one will cost $1,500 or less, then Choice Home warranty should replace it for you. The specifics of your issue case may be different from someone else’s, and Choice Home Warranty operates on a case-by-case basis. They may not be able to tell you over the phone if they can cover the cost of replacing your air conditioner. They might have to schedule a site visit first and perform an assessment in person. 

Keep in mind that preexisting conditions will not be covered, and if you are covering an older air conditioning unit with a warranty, not all issues will be covered by your plan. According to the terms of the warranty, your air conditioner must be properly maintained to qualify for a full replacement. 

Will my home need to be inspected before I purchase a home warranty?

You can get a Choice Home Warranty vendor login without having a home inspection done. Unlike most home warranty providers, Choice does not require a home inspection before approving customers for a plan. It also does not deny plans to anyone based on how old their appliance, home or home systems are. 

 

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