Best Home Warranty Companies of 2027
Six providers quoted on the same three-bedroom house built in the 1990s. We downloaded every sample contract and read it for the caps and exclusions the brochure leaves out, then priced each plan at two claims a year rather than quoting the monthly headline. A home warranty is a service contract, not insurance, and what it will refuse to pay for is the part worth reading.
Liberty Home Guard (Total Home Guard) - The widest add-on list in the category and the fewest complaints per customer we could find — with a 60-day workmanship guarantee most rivals cap at 30 days Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Over 40 optional add-ons including pools, wells, septic and re-key — the widest here
- 60-day workmanship guarantee against the usual 30
- No home inspection and no maintenance records demanded before cover starts
Cinch Home Services (Complete Home) - A 180-day workmanship guarantee — six times the usual — plus $25 a year toward filters and a water-sensor kit included on the top plan Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- 180-day workmanship guarantee against the 30 to 60 days everyone else offers
- $10,000 aggregate annual cap, the highest here
- Covers pre-existing conditions that a visual inspection would not reveal
American Home Shield (ShieldPlatinum) - The oldest name in the business, and the only one here that covers pre-existing faults it could not have detected — the clause that saves an older home Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Covers undetectable pre-existing conditions and improper installs — no other contract here does
- Highest HVAC cap in the test at $5,000 on Platinum
- You may use your own contractor if you get approval first
First American Home Warranty (Premier) - Backed by a large title-insurance group, with unusually generous appliance caps and no limit on the age of the items it will cover Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $7,000 appliance cap on Premier, comfortably the highest here
- No age limit on covered items, which suits an older kitchen
- Backed by First American Financial, a long-established public company
Select Home Warranty (Platinum Care) - The cheapest premium of the six, with free roof-leak cover thrown in — and the lowest caps, which is where the saving comes from Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $723 a year at two claims — the lowest total here
- Roof-leak cover included free, which others sell as an add-on
- Frequent two-months-free promotions
Choice Home Warranty (Total Plan) - Two simple plans instead of a menu, 24/7 claims and a large national network — straightforward cover at a middling price Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Only two plans to choose between, both clearly written
- 24/7 claim submission with a 48-hour response commitment
- $3,000 per-item cap rather than a single annual pot
What separates the best home warranty picks?
Six providers, one house, and scores that run from 8.6 down to 7.6. The gap is rarely about what's covered on paper — it's about caps, workmanship guarantees and how much you pay when something breaks.
Liberty Home Guard leads at 8.6 with over 40 optional add-ons and a 60-day workmanship guarantee. Cinch sits at 8.3 with a 180-day workmanship guarantee and a $10,000 aggregate annual cap, the highest here. American Home Shield scores 8.2 and is the only contract here that covers undetectable pre-existing conditions and improper installs.
First American lands at 8.0 with a $7,000 appliance cap on Premier and no age limit on covered items. Select Home Warranty is the cheapest premium at $44.42, with $723 a year at two claims and roof-leak cover included free. Choice Home Warranty closes the list at 7.6 with two plans, 24/7 claims and a $3,000 per-item cap.
What should you check before buying a home warranty?
Start with the caps, because that's where the money hides. Select's $2,000 HVAC cap will contribute to a replacement, not cover one. Its $3,000 aggregate cap across the whole year is the tightest here. American Home Shield's Platinum plan carries the highest HVAC cap at $5,000.
Then look at the service fee. Liberty charges $65, Cinch $100 to $150, American Home Shield $100 to $125, and Choice $100 per visit. Cinch's deductible choice pushes the premium around a lot, so run the numbers at two claims, not one.
Availability matters too. First American is sold in only 36 states. Choice is not sold in California or Washington.
Finally, read the workmanship guarantee. Liberty offers 60 days, Cinch 180 days, and most rivals cap at 30. If you want your own contractor, American Home Shield allows it with prior approval; Liberty does not.
Which home warranty is right for you?
- Liberty Home Guard — best for homeowners who want the widest add-on list, including pools, wells and septic.
- Cinch Home Services — best for those who want the longest workmanship guarantee and the highest aggregate cap.
- American Home Shield — best for older homes with pre-existing faults a visual inspection would not reveal.
- First American Home Warranty — best for an older kitchen, thanks to the $7,000 appliance cap and no age limit on covered items.
- Select Home Warranty — best for the lowest total cost, with $723 a year at two claims and free roof-leak cover.
- Choice Home Warranty — best for a simple two-plan choice with 24/7 claims and a 48-hour response commitment.
Liberty Home Guard suits homeowners who want the widest add-on list and a 60-day workmanship guarantee. Cinch Home Services fits anyone who values a 180-day workmanship guarantee and the highest aggregate cap here. American Home Shield is the pick for older homes with undetectable pre-existing faults, while Select Home Warranty keeps the total at $723 a year at two claims.
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*Scores: What is actually covered 30 · Claims experience 25 · Total annual cost 20 · Terms & flexibility 15 · Add-ons & availability 10; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.