To keep from having to pay these unexpected maintenance costs, consider purchasing a home warranty. A home warranty is a contract that covers repairs and even replacements to your home’s important appliances and systems when they break down due to normal wear and tear. Many homeowners find that a home warranty is well worth the cost for the peace of mind it provides. The This Old House Reviews team has compiled a list of the best home warranty companies in Cincinnati, Ohio to make your search easier.
Top 4 Home Warranty Companies in Cincinnati
The highest-rated home warranty companies in Cincinnati include:
American Home Shield: Best Overall Select Home Warranty: Best Value Liberty Home Guard: Most Responsive First American Home Warranty: Best Appliance Coverage
American Home Shield
For the best overall experience with a home warranty company, we recommend American Home Shield. This provider represents the best balance of coverage, value, and service, and you’ll get the benefit of the company’s 50 years in the home warranty industry. American Home Shield offers three home warranty plans: one to cover systems, one to cover appliances and systems, and one to cover both with extra perks. Below is a breakdown of what each plan covers. American Home Shield also provides additional coverage for pools, spas, well pumps, septic pumps, and guest units up to 750 sq. ft. Each of these options is priced separately.
With every home warranty, you need to take into account two costs: the service call fee and the premium. The service call fee, or deductible, is what you’ll pay every time a contractor visits your home to diagnose or repair a problem. For American Home Shield, you can choose a service call fee of $75, $100, or $125. You might choose a higher service call fee if you want to pay a lower premium. The premium is what you’ll pay for every month (or year) of your contract whether you use it or not. It might make sense to choose a higher premium and a lower service call fee if you anticipate needing a lot of contractor visits. Here are the premium prices for American Home Shield’s lowest deductible of $75.
Select Home Warranty
Select Home Warranty offers decent coverage at budget-friendly prices, earning the designation of “Best Value” in our rating system. Select is a reliable provider that offers a combination plan for less than $50 per month and includes free roof-leak coverage in each of its plans. Select provides three coverage plans for your home: the Bronze Care, Gold Care and Platinum Care plans. The Bronze Care covers eight appliances, Gold Care covers six major systems, and the Platinum Care includes both appliance and home systems coverage. Select provides a suite of add-ons:
Central vacuum Lawn sprinkler system Pool Roof leak (free) Septic system Spa Stand-alone freezer Sump pump Well pump
Select Home Warranty’s service call fee is $75 per claim, which is on the lower end of competitor service call fee ranges. The table above highlights Select’s monthly and yearly premiums.
Liberty Home Guard
Liberty Home Guard is the only provider on our list to receive an A+ from the Better Business Bureau for its transparent business practices and its satisfactory response to customer complaints. Similar to other companies, Liberty Home Guard’s three plans are a systems, appliance, and combination plan. If you need coverage for additional items, check Liberty Home Guard’s list of add-ons, some of which are fairly uncommon in the industry.
Pool and spa Additional spa Gutter cleaning Floor/carpet cleaning Sump pump Septic system pumping Limited roof leak Pest control Central vacuum Standalone freezer Re-key Second refrigerator Well pump
Liberty Home Guard’s service call fee is only $60, well under the industry average. Here are the associated premium costs.
First American Home Warranty
We find that First American Home Warranty offers excellent value for the money you’ll spend, particularly with the company’s First Class Upgrade addition. First American’s offerings vary from state to state, but in Ohio, the company offers three plans.
Only First American offers the First Class Upgrade, which covers associated costs like refrigerant disposal, building permits, and limited code upgrades. It will also cover damage from improper installation or modification, which is unusual for a home warranty company. You can also purchase coverage for any of the following.
Additional refrigerators (up to 4 units) Pool and/or spa equipment Limited roof leak Septic tank pumping/system Well pump
All of First American’s plans come with a $75 service call fee. Here are the premiums for Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Our Conclusion
We highlighted key features of each provider after reviewing them against our review standards. American Home Shield earns the title of “Best Overall” for its comprehensive home warranty coverage, value, and 50 years of experience in the industry. Select Home Warranty earned our “Best Value” moniker due to its affordable coverage options. Liberty Home Guard, which ranks well on the Better Business Bureau and receives high ratings from third-party customer review sites, ranks as the “Most Trusted.” Lastly, we named First American Home Warranty as the “Best Appliance Coverage” for its coverage options and First Class Upgrade add-on. To better understand provider offerings across the state, check out our Best Home Warranty Companies in Ohio article.
How much does a home warranty cost in Cincinnati?
Home warranty costs are measured in both monthly premiums and service call fees, or deductibles. Typically, a 12-month home service contract will have a monthly premium of between $30 and $60 plus a service call fee of between $60 and $125. Generally speaking, the more expensive your plan, the more appliances and systems your contract will cover.
What does a home warranty cover in Cincinnati?
Home warranties typically cover wear-and-tear damage on appliances and systems that have been properly maintained, no matter how old they are. If the item can’t be repaired or parts are no longer available, a home warranty will cover replacement of the item at cost. However, it’s also important to know what a home warranty won’t cover. A few may cover rust and corrosion damage or unknown pre-existing conditions, but many don’t. In general, home warranties don’t cover accidental damage, acts of God, or breakage due to manufacturing defects.
What are the benefits of a home warranty in Cincinnati?
Homebuyers and sellers especially appreciate the comfort in knowing that they won’t face large, unexpected repair bills if something in the home wears out. However, even homeowners who have been in their current houses for a while can benefit from the peace of mind that a home warranty provides. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
