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9 Best Home Warranty Companies in Fort Worth for 2023
By Chris Ozarowski MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Starts at $44.42/month, $40-$100
The Platinum Care plan offers coverage for 17 home systems and appliances
9 add-ons, including septic systems and lawn sprinklers
3.9 out of 5
May be able to choose your own contractor
Discounts available for one-year and multi-year plans
Starts at $38.99/month, $100-$150 service fee
Complete Home Coverage plan offers coverage for 22 home systems and appliances
Customizable plans with wide range of add-ons
2.6 out of 5
Not able to choose contractor
Discounts for new appliances
Starts at $45/month, $85 service fee
Total Plan offers coverage for 18 home systems and appliances
Ten add-ons are available including pool and spa and central vacuum.
3.6 out of 5
Not able to choose contractor
One free month when buying full year of coverage.
Starts at $45/month, no service fees
Ultimate Plan covers eight appliances, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and preventative maintenance
27 optional add-ons including a high-end appliance upgrade furnaces and trash compactors
4.1 out of 5
May be able to choose your own contractor
Discounts when buying plans as part of real estate transactions
If you’ve recently bought property or are looking to buy a home in Fort Worth, you may also want to consider a home warranty plan to protect yourself from repair and replacement costs for your home’s major appliances and systems. We’ve compiled a list of the best home warranty companies in Fort Worth, Texas.
We’re confident that our recommendations will help you find the best home warranty in Fort Worth — giving you the comprehensive coverage and peace of mind you need.
Our Top Picks for the Best Home Warranty Companies in Fort Worth
- Best overall: American Home Shield
- Best reviews: Choice Home Warranty
- Best customizable plans: Cinch Home Services
- Best appliance add-ons: Complete Appliance Protection
- Best reputation: Liberty Home Guard
- Best budget-friendly option: Select Home Warranty
Best Home Warranty in Fort Worth Reviews
Best Overall: American Home Shield
Why we chose it: American Home Shield has been in the business for over 50 years and is the largest home warranty company in the country. The company provides coverage for several scenarios their competitors do not, such as home electronics coverage and protection against code and permit violations. This makes it our top pick out of the Dallas Fort Worth region home warranty companies.
American Home Shield plans start at $29.99 a month for their basic plan, which covers 14 major home systems. Their next tier adds coverage for nine home appliances, including your refrigerator, washer and dryer. The premium plan adds coverage for code and permit violations, free HVAC tune-ups and roof leak repairs.
Service call fees with American Home Shield are $100 or $125. You can pick which of these service fees you would like to pay when you sign up, and choosing a more expensive service fee will usually result in a cheaper premium.
With American Home Shield, you may be able to choose your own contractor in certain instances. You will have to go through an approval process, but it may be worth the extra hassle if you already have a trusted contractor.
Best Reviews: Choice Home Warranty
Why we chose it: On most review sites, Choice Home Warranty edges out competitors, making it our choice for the “best reviews” category for this list. Satisfied customers leaving reviews usually note the speed with which Choice Home Warranty answers service requests, the competence of the licensed technicians and the ease with which you can submit service requests on Choice Home Warranty’s website.
The company offers two tiers of coverage plans. The Basic Plan covers most of your major home systems and some appliances. The Total Plan, meanwhile, provides additional coverage for larger appliances and your air conditioning system. Service fees with Choice Home Warranty are $85 per visit.
The Basic Plan can cost around $532 annually, or $45 a month. It provides coverage for the following:
- Heating systems and ducts
- Plumbing systems
- Electrical systems
- Water heaters
- Some kitchen appliances, including your oven, range, stove, cooktop, dishwasher and built-in microwave
- Garbage disposal
- Whirlpool bathtub
- Plumbing stoppage
- Garage door opener
- Exhaust fans
- Ceiling fans
The Total Plan costs around $627 annually, or $54.75 a month. It provides coverage for everything included in the Basic Plan, as well as additional coverage for the following:
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Clothes washer
- Clothes dryer
If you need additional coverage, Choice Home Warranty has several add-on options available. You can purchase additional coverage for the following:
- Pool and spa
- Central vacuum system
- Well pump
- Roof leaks
- Sump pump
- Septic system and septic tank pumping
- Second refrigerator or a stand-alone freezer
Choice Home Warranty does not allow you to choose your own technician, but the company has a large pool of licensed contractors they send out to do repairs. You can get your first month of coverage for free if you purchase an annual plan upfront. For more details, take a look at our Choice Home Warranty review.
Best Customizable Plans: Cinch Home Services
Why we chose it: Cinch Home Services provides a wide range of add-ons, allowing you to customize your home warranty plan to your needs. It also has a 180-day workmanship guarantee, meaning that if the appliance or home system in question breaks within six months of its initial repair, Cinch Home Services will repair it again at no cost.
Cinch Home Services plans start at $38.99 a month for its Appliance plan and $43.99 a month for its Built-in Systems plan. Its Complete Home plan, which covers both home systems and appliances, costs $54.99 a month.
Cinch Home Warranty’s service call fees are slightly more expensive than their competition. You can choose between a $100, $125 or $150 service fee, with more expensive service fees bringing down the cost of your monthly or annual premiums.
Best Appliance Add-Ons: Complete Appliance Protection
Why we chose it: Complete Appliance Protection allows customers to purchase a basic plan that covers only a few home systems and appliances and then pick from a wide selection of appliance add-ons. Because of this, you can create a plan tailored precisely for your appliances and systems and are less likely to pay for extra coverage you don’t need.
One thing that separates Complete Appliance Protection from its competition is that the company has no service call fees, which means all repairs and replacements within coverage limits are free. This can be helpful when planning your budget because, as long as you stay within coverage limits, you know exactly how much you will pay for your home warranty and repairs every year.
Complete Appliance Protection coverage terms state that, unlike other providers, the company offers coverage for every component of a covered appliance or system. However, the total coverage limits are lower than those of some of the competition.
Complete Appliance Protection plans do not cover the following: pools, spas, sump pumps, ductwork, roof repairs and sprinkler systems. If coverage for any of these items is crucial for you, you may need to look at another provider. You can get a head start on your search by taking a look at our article on the best home warranty for HVAC.
Best Repuation: Liberty Home Guard
Why we chose it: Liberty Home Guard has a Better Business Bureau rating of A-, putting it ahead of most of the competition.
A total coverage plan for both home systems and appliances costs $599 when paid annually or $59.99 a month, giving clients who pay annual premiums a two-month discount. Liberty Home Guard has a wide range of add-ons, allowing you to further customize your plan to your needs.
Service fees cost between $65 and $125, and you can expect a service technician to be sent out to you within 24 to 48 hours. A 60-day workmanship guarantee backs repairs made by Liberty Home Guard technicians.
Best Budget-Friendly Option: Select Home Warranty
Why we chose it: Select Home Warranty can be a great home warranty provider for those looking for appliance or home system coverage on a budget. Their Platinum Care plan, which provides coverage for both your major home systems and appliances, starts at only $47.75 a month. Select Home Warranty offers multiple discounts, including two free months for customers who purchase an annual plan upfront. Further discounts may be available for customers buying multi-year contracts. Service fees at Select Home Warranty range between $75 and $100.
Select Home Warranty guarantees repairs made by its licensed technicians for 90 days from the repair date. If any appliance or home system breaks in the 90 days after being repaired, further repairs for the same problem.
While Select Home Warranty is cheaper than the competition, they also have a reputation for being stricter when deciding whether to approve claims. The warranty provider may sometimes require three years of maintenance records for an appliance or home system to check whether the breakdown occurred because of insufficient or improper maintenance. If you do not provide the maintenance records, Select Home Warranty may limit covered services to as low as $150 for some systems.
Other companies we considered
These companies didn’t make our first cut, but may offer features and prices that suit your home and budget.
Home Warranty of America
First American Home Warranty
For more information, take a look at our First American Home Warranty review.
Home Service Club
Round-the-clock customer service can be a plus, but Home Service Club has a short claim period for damages.
Best Home Warranty Companies in Fort Worth Guide
What is a home warranty plan?
A home warranty plan is a service contract, usually signed for a period of one year or longer, that protects you from the costs of unexpected repairs. A home warranty plan is an optional contract and is not a replacement for a home insurance policy.
While a mandatory home insurance policy provides coverage for unexpected damages to your home from external sources, a home warranty protects appliances and systems within your home from damage from expected wear and tear. For more information on how home warranty plans and homeowners insurance in Fort Worth differ, take a look at our article on home warranty vs. home insurance.
Depending on your home warranty plan, your warranty provider may cover the costs of repairing or replacing several of your major appliances and home systems, such as your washing machine, stove, electrical system or water heater. Home warranty contracts only offer coverage for damage from normal wear and tear — coverage may be denied if the damage in question occurred through the fault of the homeowner or from insufficient maintenance.
For a detailed guide on purchasing a home warranty, take a look at our how to buy a home warranty article.
How do home warranties work?
As a homeowner, you pay annual or monthly premiums to your home warranty provider, who in return will pay for the repair or replacement costs when a covered item breaks down. Once that happens, you can document the damage and submit a service request to your home warranty company through their preferred platform.
The home warranty provider will usually require you to pay service call fees before they complete any repairs. The cost of your service fee should be specified in your home warranty service contract. Your warranty provider will send your information to one of its licensed technicians, who will contact you to schedule a service appointment. When your technician arrives you will pay the service call fee.
While a few providers may allow you to pick your own technician, most providers do not and have a list of licensed technicians they send out to do repairs. Even if your provider does allow you to pick your own technician, you will have to submit them for approval before they complete any repairs. A home warranty provider will not pay for any repairs made without approval.
During the service appointment, the technician will assess the appliance or home system and determine whether the repair or replacement is covered. If the repair or replacement is within the terms of your home warranty’s coverage, then the technician will begin repairs. Many repairs can be done in one visit, but sometimes your technician may need to order parts, which could lengthen the process. If the repair is within the coverage limits, then the provider will pay any repair costs up to the home warranty provider’s coverage limit.
If your warranty provider cannot repair your appliance due to a lack of available parts or other reasons, they may choose to pay you a settlement for the current value of the appliance in question. Your home warranty provider may calculate the current value of the appliance to be lower than the price you paid for it due to depreciation. How do home warranty companies determine depreciation? Each company may have its own formula based on the age and condition of the appliance.
For more information, you can take a look at our article on how to file a home warranty claim.
How to pick home warranty coverage
Picking the right home warranty plan and provider for your needs can often be daunting, and many companies may perform better than their competition in some aspects and worse in others. When choosing between home warranty policies, clearly set your needs and priorities first, so you know exactly what to look for and what questions to ask. Here are some critical steps you should take when deciding on a home warranty provider.
1. Determine the right pricing for your budget
The annual cost of your home warranty plan will be made up of your premiums and the service fees you pay for repairs. Providers may often have several tiers of service fees, allowing you to choose whether you would like to pay more or less per service fee. As the cost of your service fees goes down, your monthly or annual premiums go up.
Your provider calculates the cost of your home warranty premium based on the size, type and location of your home and the level of coverage you choose. Try to pick a plan that provides as much of the coverage you need as possible within your budget.
Some providers will allow you to choose whether to pay premiums annually or monthly. While an annual premium will have a higher upfront cost, monthly premiums will usually cost more over a year.
2. Be sure the plans cover what you need
Every home warranty plan is different, and it’s crucial to carefully review covered appliances and systems every time you look at a new plan. Many providers have separate plans for appliances and home systems and more premium combination plans for both.
It’s essential to look past the surface when comparing coverage. While two providers may both state that an appliance or home system is covered, they may have different approaches to that coverage. Sometimes specific components of appliances or home systems may be excluded from coverage. For example, a home warranty provider may refuse to cover repairs to any electronic components of an appliance, such as the computing unit and screen of a smart fridge or washing machine. For those with older homes, it’s important to note that many home warranty providers will refuse to provide coverage for home systems such as ductwork if there is a presence of asbestos.
3. Get a sample contract
Just as importantly, note that expensive repairs may still end up costing you money. Once you’ve exceeded your provider’s coverage limits, you will have to pay for any further repairs out of pocket. To avoid unpleasant surprises, get a quote for the total cost of repairs from the licensed technician sent by your warranty provider before work starts.
4. Get a quote
Don’t forget to request and compare quotes. Different home warranty providers may calculate premiums for your home differently, and requesting quotes is an integral part of making an informed home warranty purchase decision. If the company offers you a choice of deductibles, get quotes for each option, as premiums will change.
What does a home warranty cover in Fort Worth?
Coverage for your Fort Worth, Texas home depends entirely on the provider and plan you select. Even similar plans, such as systems-only or appliances-only plans may cover different home features from provider to provider. For example, some appliances-only plans don’t cover washers and dryers, though you may be able to add such coverage for an additional fee. Some systems plans provide coverage for only one heating or air conditioning system, while others offer coverage for two. That’s one of the challenges of comparing home warranty companies and why it’s essential to read your service contract carefully before buying a home warranty plan.
Exclusions of a home warranty
Every home warranty contract has them. And if you don’t understand them, they can amount to some very unpleasant surprises. Standard exclusions include pre-existing conditions — that’s when a service provider determines that a covered item was broken before you signed up for service. In addition, if a technician determines that the cause of a breakdown was not normal wear and tear — such as if your appliance was abused or improperly installed — your repair typically won’t be covered. Other exclusions include certain components of a system or appliance, such as digital screens or knobs and buttons.
Are there any deductibles with a home warranty?
Every home warranty company we reviewed but for one charges service call fees. These are the equivalent of deductibles in home warranty land: the amount you must pay even if a repair is covered. Deductibles range from about $65 to $150 industry-wide and some companies allow homeowners to choose their preferred service call fee.
Best Home Warranty Companies in Fort Worth FAQs
How much is a home warranty?
The annual cost of a home warranty is determined by the price of the annual or monthly premiums and any service fees paid for repairs. An annual home appliance and major systems plan will usually be in the $300 to $600 range, and service fees can cost anywhere between $65 and $150, depending on your home warranty provider and contract.
Service call fees are paid for every service request you make, so if multiple appliances or home systems break down during a year, the annual cost of your home warranty can go up. However, if you need to do any expensive repairs on covered items during the year, a home warranty can be an excellent deal, saving you hundreds of dollars in repair costs.
Do new houses in Fort Worth automatically come with a home warranty?
When you buy a new house, sometimes the builder will provide a builder's home warranty, which will guarantee permanent fixtures and materials of the home, such as concrete floors or drywall, for a set number of years. This is different from a home warranty service contract and usually does not cover any of the appliances that come with the home. While many home builders may choose to sell new homes with a builder's home warranty, the state of Texas does not require builders to do so, and therefore new houses in Fort Worth do not automatically come with any home warranty.
Your appliances and systems will come with their own manufacturer's warranty, however, but these may only be a year long. If you've had a new home built, the time to start thinking about buying a home warranty is when your manufacturer warranties are about to expire.
Why do home warranty companies sell long-year plans?
The short answer is to make money. Doing business with you may not be worth the trouble if you only buy a month or two worth of coverage.Most home warranty providers make it a policy to sell home warranty plans that you need to renew after one year. However, your home warranty provider may also have longer plans available and offer them at a discount if you pay for the entire duration upfront.
How We Chose the Best Home Warranty Companies in Fort Worth
When deciding the best home warranty companies in Fort Worth, we compared several factors important for home warranty customers.
Costs and fees
We compared the annual and monthly costs of the various home warranty providers in Fort Worth to see whether the coverage provided justified their fees and whether their plans were a good deal.
Coverage
We reviewed what various home warranties cover to see which ones provided coverage for more systems and appliances than the competition.
Add-on availability
A wide selection of add-ons allows customers to customize plans to their specific needs and ensures they can get coverage for appliances or systems not usually included in the basic or premium plans.
Ratings and reviews
Thoroughly reviewing customer ratings and feedback, as well as the ratings given to companies by the Better Business Bureau, allows us to see whether a home warranty provider lives up to its own marketing, and is not misleading customers.
Technician choice
Many homeowners may already have a trusted technician they rely on and would like to continue working with. If a home warranty provider allows customers to choose the technician they would like to work with, it can be a significant point in their favor.
Discounts
No one likes paying full price if they can help it, and some warranty providers give discounts to returning customers or those who pay annual premiums instead of monthly.
Summary of Best Home Warranty Companies in Fort Worth of 2023
- Best overall: American Home Shield
- Best reviews: Choice Home Warranty
- Best customizable plans: Cinch Home Services
- Best appliance add-ons: Complete Appliance Protection
- Best reputation: Liberty Home Guard
- Best budget-friendly option: Select Home Warranty
