When I bought my last house, the fridge started leaking water within a few months of moving in. Before I’d recovered from paying the down payment, I had to buy a brand-new refrigerator. 

If I’d had a home warranty, the provider might have covered the repair or replacement.

Home warranty companies sell policies to help homeowners with unexpected repairs or replacements. After you buy a policy, if something breaks down, you place a claim, and they’ll send out a service technician to fix it. In many cases, if the technician determines that the item isn’t repairable, the company will pay for a replacement. 

But why would the provider just might have covered it? Because many home warranties exclude preexisting conditions or items that you could have reasonably known about. Some exclude an item from coverage if you can’t provide annual maintenance records, too. In my case, this happened when I had just bought a house.

If you own an older home, have older appliances and systems, or just bought your house, you might want the peace of mind of a home warranty but have concerns that some companies wouldn’t cover a breakdown. This is why I went secret shopping to find the best home warranty companies that cover preexisting conditions. 

Today’s Homeowner uses specific review criteria to rank home warranty providers. I analyzed plan options, the claims process, service call fees, availability, reports of online reviewers, and coverage limits. We  want you to have peace of mind that when you choose the home warranty coverage for your home, it will cover the most.

Why You Can Trust Us

Here’s how we ranked and reviewed the nation’s top home warranty companies to bring you the most accurate information. Read our full Home Warranty Review Methodology for more details.

78 companies reviewed

152 quotes collected

6 rating factors


Top 4 Home Warranty Companies for Preexisting Conditions

2-10 Home Warranty: Best For Customization

Key Takeaways

  • 2-10 Home Warranty company is my top pick. Their “even if” workmanship guarantee covers past repairs for as long as you have a warranty with the company — you’ll never pay twice for the same repair. And, their generous preexisting conditions coverage won’t exclude items for normal wear and tear.
  • If you had a home inspection when you bought your house, have had your furnace serviced since then, or paid for professional installation when you purchased a new clothes washer, keep those records. Some home warranty providers will request those records before approving a repair.
  • Even if a home warranty doesn’t exclude coverage for a preexisting condition, you’ll still pay a service fee every time someone comes out for a repair. Take the service fee into consideration when you’re pricing out the cost of a policy. If you own older appliances or systems, you could be placing claims frequently, and those fees will add up.

What’s Most Important in a Home Warranty for Preexisting Conditions?

Home warranties cover many types of repairs that you might need after you buy your policy, but many exclude repairs necessary because of preexisting conditions. This exclusion protects them from a homeowner purchasing a policy because their furnace just failed and then wanting the home warranty provider to fix it for the cost of a $85 service fee. But what if you’re worried about a preexisting condition you can’t see or know about?

Some (not all) home warranty companies will cover repairs if you couldn’t have known there was a problem when you bought the house. Others will still send out a service technician even if normal wear and tear causes the repair. But, to find out the best home warranty option for your home, read the fine print. 

You’ll want to look for language about known issues, preexisting conditions, or exclusions for lack of maintenance in your home warranty contract. Make sure to check if the company’s contract states that they might request annual service records. If you haven’t kept track, they’re probably not your best pick. The home warranty provider may want proof you weren’t hiding something when you bought the policy.

While no company will cover 100% of a repair (and most exclude known preexisting conditions), just because you have an older home doesn’t mean you can’t get coverage. If you do your homework, you can find a policy that protects you even if the previous homeowner hid a leaking fridge. 

Today’s Homeowner Tip

Expert Recommendation: Always keep receipts, past service contracts, and proof of any past repairs on major appliances and systems. While some companies won’t request them before approving a repair, others might require proof that you didn’t install your dishwasher yourself, and that’s why it’s leaking now.


Home Warranty Companies for Preexisting Conditions I Don’t Recommend

There are two home warranty providers I’d recommend avoiding. Both are known for shady marketing practices, and in some cases,  authorities have intervened. 

US Home Guard has a terrible reputation in the industry, primarily due to its marketing tactics. In 2022, the Better Business Bureau issued a press release warning consumers about doing business with them. They warned consumers to beware of deceptive marketing.  The company sends mailers that use scare tactics with subject lines such as “Your home warranty is about to expire!” but they even send them to homeowners who’ve never had a home warranty with them.

While operating under a different name, Total Home Protection, in 2021, Service Plus Home Warranty paid a $400,000 settlement to the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. Similar to US Home Guard, they had deceptive marketing tactics. While the company changed its name to try to shake the bad press, that doesn’t mean anything else has changed. 

Both companies have a long history as bad actors in the industry, and I recommend avoiding them.


Compare The Highest Rated Home Warranties for Pre Existing Conditions

Quote and cost data gathered January 2024. Cost data are updated and monitored continuously.


Our Reviews of the Best Home Warranties

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Best Workmanship Guarantee

2-10 Home Warranty

4.3

Our Rating

Limited Time:
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The “even if” workmanship guarantee that 2-10 Home Warranty gives its customers is the best in the business. You won’t be stuck paying a service fee if a technician comes out on a service call but determines your home warranty doesn’t cover the repair. And, as long as you have a policy with 2-10, you’ll never pay a second service fee to have something fixed twice. If the company serviced your home appliances once, and something breaks down again, they waive the second fee. 

When it comes to preexisting conditions, their contract states that the company will not exclude coverage for a covered item just because it had a preexisting condition, even if they could have or should have known about it at the effective date.  They also provide coverage for repairs caused by normal wear and tear. 2-10 has a generous policy for preexisting conditions.  

 2-10 Home Warranty gives homeowners peace of mind for the life of their home warranty, which is much longer than Liberty Home Guard’s 60 days or American  Home Shield’s 30 days. They have an “even if” service fee guarantee. If you file a claim and a technician comes out to your house but then determines the item isn’t covered, 2-10 refunds the service fee. 

If an item on which they’ve performed service fails again during the agreement’s term, you don’t have to pay another service fee to have it fixed again. This amazing service guarantee should alleviate a lot of your worry about preexisting conditions. All you have to do is maintain your coverage with 2-10, and you won’t pay twice for the same repair. 

While 2-10’s coverage limits of $2,000 per item aren’t that impressive, the Luxury Package add-on costs just $6 a month and increases coverage caps to $5,000. With 2-10, you get decent coverage and a great workmanship guarantee. 

Unlike some competitors, with 2-10 Home Warranty, you don’t have a guaranteed service window. Instead, they promise to contact a service technician within 48 hours. What’s more, you have to make an appointment with the technician directly, so you’ll then be waiting for the technician to call you.  

Some customers complain it took weeks or months to get service or that technicians couldn’t perform the repair in one visit. Even with 2-10’s cheapest service fee option, just $65, this will add up.  And, while plans are reasonably priced, to get the best deal, you have to agree to auto-renew your contract.

2-10 offers homeowners the choice of three different service fee options with their plans: $65, $85, and $100. A higher service fee lowers your monthly premiums, which might be a better fit for your budget. They have industry-standard coverage limits of $2,000, which apply to appliances, home systems, and plumbing. However, for only $6 more a month, you can increase your coverage limits to $5,000. 

The Simply Kitchen home warranty plan only covers kitchen appliances, which is more restrictive than some competitors’ basic plans. It protects your dishwasher, range, oven, cooktop, built-in microwave, and refrigerator with icemaker and water dispenser coverage. Its cheap price likely reflects its basic coverage. 

The Complete Home plan adds ‌HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems to the Simply Kitchen plan’s kitchen appliances. The electrical system coverage includes your doorbell in addition to  wiring, switches, outlets, and panels.

Oddly, plans don’t cover your clothes washer and dryer until you purchase the Pinnacle Plan. Most competitors offer this coverage with their lower-tier plans. 2-10 doesn’t add it until you’re paying the highest monthly fee. But if you buy the Pinnacle Plan, you’ll also get Supreme coverage on your appliances. This includes handles and hinges, heating filters, haulaway or disposal fees, and fans. Many competitors exclude items like handles and hinges in all their policies. 

In order to get discounted prices, you have to agree to auto-renew your contract. In my opinion, this isn’t customer-friendly. However, the flexibility with your service fees is a great price. For example, a $100 service fee lowers your monthly premium by $3, but the $65 service fee leads to paying $6 a month more.

However, you have flexibility in your service fees. If you choose a higher or lower service fee, you’ll pay a lower or higher monthly cost. For example, a $100 service fee knocks $3 a month off your monthly cost. But if you pick the $65 service fee, you’ll pay more. Because getting straightforward coverage feels a little more confusing with this brand, we rated them a 7.5/10 in this category.

PlanMonthly CostService Fee*Available Discounts
Simply Kitchen$35, $30, $27$65, $85, $100$27 a month with auto-renewal and a $100 service fee
Complete Home$55, $50, $47$65, $85, $100$47 a month with auto-renewal and a $100 service fee
Pinnacle Home$69, $64, $61$65, $85, $100$61 a month with auto-renewal and a $100 service fee

*If you choose the higher service fee of $100, you pay the lower monthly premium. For example, the $61.00  with the Pinnacle Home plan pairs with the $100 service fee. 

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Seattle, WA. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

The list of additional coverage available from 2-10 has some unusual items on it. I haven’t seen the option for an extended pipe leak or wet bar refrigerators sold by most competitors. Add-on options with 2-10 include:

  • Luxury package: $6
  • HVAC surplus: $10
  • Garage door opener: $3
  • Roof leak: $8
  • Pre-season HVAC tune-up: $8
  • Extended pipe leak: $5 
  • Septic system: $5
  • Additional refrigerator: $4
  • Additional freestanding freezer: $4
  • Freshwater pool: $18 
  • Well pump: $6
  • Water softener: $8
  • Saltwater pool: $30
  • Additional wet bar refrigerator: $4
  • Additional pool: $15
  • Additional built-in wine cooler: $4
  • 2nd additional refrigerator: $8
  • 2nd additional built-in wine cooler: $7
  • 2nd additional freestanding freezer: $7
  • 2nd additional wet bar refrigerator: $7

2-10’s Home Warranty plan pricing is within the industry’s range, and you can pay even less if you choose a high service fee and sign up for auto-renewal. Add-ons are also much cheaper than what their competitors offer. Septic system coverage costs $5 a month versus $12.99 with Liberty Home Guard or $7 a month with First American. 

The option for a $65 service fee is one of the cheapest in the business, and their service fee options don’t go above $100 a service call. You have 30 days to cancel and, as long as you haven’t filed a claim, receive a full refund. If you have any questions about 2-10’s coverage, it’s easy to download a sample contract online.

It’s painless to get a quote online, and once you’ve entered your information, you can easily flip between screens and add and subtract coverage to see how your choices impact the total cost. However, one downside is that 2-10 immediately bombards you with calls and texts after you apply for a free quote, so we scored 2-10 an 8.1/10 for customer experience.

Like most home warranty companies, you have to wait 30 days for coverage to begin. While the company will find a service technician within 48 hours, which is longer than some competitors, they don’t guarantee when you’ll receive service.  The technician contacts you to make an appointment, and some customers report long waiting periods. However, the service guarantee ensures you’ll never pay twice for the same repair. 

2-10 Home Warranty has been in business for over forty years. The company has built a strong network and deep experience in the industry. Even though some customers have left unhappy reviews, they have an excellent A rating on the Better Business Bureau. Positive reviews say that they had to find and pay a service technician to come out on the weekend but that the company reimbursed them quickly. Others mention fast, professional service. 

However,  other customers complain that it took over a month to receive service or to resolve a claim. Some said that technicians had to come out multiple times and that it was hard to reach customer service after they bought a policy. Policyholders who received their policy in a real estate transaction said that they regretted factoring it into their home purchase.

Customer experience depends on the local service network. In some states, it’s hard for 2-10 to get technicians out to homeowner’s houses. In others, service is fast and good. I recommend asking a few nearby friends with a 2-10 policy what their experience has been with the local network.

Rating SiteRatingNumber of Reviews
BBBB, 1.25 / 5 stars409
Trustpilot2.1 / 5 stars10
Google4.2 / 5 stars6,955

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

Customers can call to place a claim or place one online 24/7/365 days a year. Unlike other home warranty companies, you pay the service fee directly to the contractor and not to the warranty company. While they generally assign a service technician within 48 hours, the technician contacts you to make an appointment. The service call will actually take place when the technician has time in their schedule. 

However, service is only available within normal business hours, which is why they only got an 8/10 in claims. If you want someone to come for a non-emergency after hours, you have to pay any overtime or additional fees. 2-10 only responds faster and for the regular service fee if it’s an emergency. When I asked the customer service representative I spoke with, they told me that an emergency can be when there is no electricity, gas, or water, when the toilet isn’t working, or during a condition that endangers someone’s health and safety. In emergencies, 2-10 tries to get someone out within 24 hours, and some online reviewers support this timeframe.

A high rating of 9.3/10 for transparency and ease of use comes from a full sample contract available online, reasonable and normal exclusions, and a website with comprehensive FAQs. 

Exclusions

All of 2-10’s  plans have the following exclusions:

  • Failure to perform routine maintenance
  • Appliances not located in the primary kitchen, excluding the washer and dryer
  • Collapsed ductwork
  • Commercial-grade or professional equipment
  • Corrections of building, fire, and zoning violations
  • Damage due to fire or freezing
  • Duplicate appliances, unless add-ons are purchased
  • Hazardous materials, such as asbestos
  • Matching features of current systems that are not directly related to the primary function of that system or appliance
  • Repair of cosmetic defects

A failure to perform routine maintenance could exclude an appliance or system from coverage, despite 2-10’s generous clause that doesn’t exclude preexisting conditions. Because of this,  I’d advise keeping good maintenance records.

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, readers should review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

If you pick 2-10 as your home warranty provider, you can’t choose your own service technician without serious restrictions. If the company has no local technicians in their network, they’ll ask you to find a licensed, insured technician to work with them. While you can insist on using your own technician, their contract says that you’ll be responsible for any difference in cost between someone in their network and your technician, so we gave them a 5/10 for flexibility. 

Best Appliance Coverage

First American Home Warranty

4.3

Our Rating

Limited Time:
$100 Off with Code PROTECT

First American’s contract addresses preexisting conditions in the first few paragraphs. They cover items in good working order from the day you buy your policy. They’ll also cover unknown defects that aren’t detectable through visual inspection or a simple mechanical test for new customers. And you won’t have to worry that they’ll deny a claim due to a lack of maintenance, rust, corrosion, or chemical or sedimentary build-up in a malfunctioning system or appliance.  

It’s one of the best clauses regarding preexisting conditions I found in my research and should be at the top of your list of potential home warranty providers if you’re shopping with an eye on preexisting conditions. 

First American has a generous policy regarding preexisting conditions and generous coverage limits, too. While the low coverage caps at other companies like Liberty Home Guard could stick you with an inferior replacement item if you bought a high-end washer, you’d be safe with First American. The company pays out up to $3,500 for an appliance, and if you buy the Premium Plan, limits increase to $7,000 for your refrigerator, washer, dryer, and other appliances.

First American also has reasonable pricing, with monthly premiums between $57 to $97 and three options for service fees. They’re the only provider on this list to give you three choices for service fees. You can pick a service fee of $75, $100, or $125, which, in turn, impacts your monthly premiums. 

With First American, you get excellent appliance coverage, even if that appliance has a little rust on it.

First American’s generic website could have more specific information on it without forcing you to apply for a quote. You can’t see coverage limits, exclusions, a sample contract, or fees unless you give them all of your contact information. This isn’t ideal if you’re casually shopping and don’t want endless calls and texts. 

Also, if you call on a weekend, you’ll have to wait for a call back during the week. Customer service representatives can’t answer any questions. 

First American also doesn’t give homeowners the option to choose their own service technician. They reserve the right to select your service provider, which isn’t great since some online reviews mention poor experiences with technicians. 

First American’s first two plans, Starter and Essential, cover up to $3,500 of the repair or replacement of a dishwasher, refrigerator, built-in microwave oven, oven, range, cooktop, and kitchen range hood. The Essential Plan adds coverage for your washer, dryer, and trash compactor with the same limit. Most home warranty companies divide plans by either appliances or systems, so the split between plans is odd to me.

However, First American’s cheapest plan does offer protection for more items than many competitors include in their basic plans. It includes your dishwasher, refrigerator, kitchen range hood, built-in microwave oven, oven/range/cooktop, plumbing, plumbing stoppages, toilet tanks, bowls, mechanisms, electrical system, ductwork, heating, and refrigerant.

The Essential Plan builds on this coverage by adding on your water heater, washer, dryer, trash compactor, fans (attic, exhaust, ceiling, whole-house), garage door opener, air conditioning, and a mini-split ductless system. First American is the only home warranty provider that covers a mini-split system, which is more common in older houses where it’s impossible to add the ductwork for traditional air conditioning.

The Premium plan increases the coverage cap to $7,000 for appliances. It also increases coverage to include hose bibbs, a ground-level cleanout, an instant hot water dispenser, a shower head, a shower arm, garage door springs, hinges, transmitters, central vacuum system, registers, grills, filters, and window A/C units. It’s rare for a home warranty company to cover window A/C units, so this is a perk. 

Because you have three options for service fees, you adjust your monthly costs to fit your budget. If you pay a higher service fee, you’ll spend less monthly for your plan. 

The Essential and Premium plans include additional items and limits I haven’t seen offered elsewhere. First American helps pay for permits and code violations, concrete encasement, HVAC lifting equipment, improper installations/modifications, and refrigerant recapture, reclaim, and disposal.  

PlanMonthly CostService Fee*Available Discounts
Starter Plan$57, $62, $72$75, $100, $125None on website
Essential Plan$67, $72, $82$75, $100, $125Spring sale: $200 off
Premium Plan$82, $87, $97$75, $100, $125None on website

*If you choose the lower service fee of $75, you pay the higher monthly premium. For example, the $97 with the Platinum Plan pairs with the $75 service fee. 

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Seattle, WA. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

Unfortunately, First American has few available add-ons. Some are included on more expensive plans, while others you can add to more basic plans for an extra charge. Among the optional coverages with every plan are:  

  • Pool/spa equipment: $21/month
  • Well pump: $7/month
  • Additional refrigeration: $4/month
  • Limited roof leak: $8/month
  • Septic tank pumping/system: $7/month
  • Water softener/reverse osmosis system: $7/month
  • HVAC tune-up: $2/month

With three options, you have a lot of choices in service fees with First American, which led us to give them an 8.3/10 for affordability. You can pick from a $75, $100, or $125 service fee. If you choose a high service fee, your monthly premium decreases, and vice versa with a low fee. 

For example, If you want to pay a $75 service fee, the Premium Plan will cost $97 a month. If you select a $125 fee, it’s only $82 a month. That works out to a savings of $180 a year, which would be great if you don’t end up using your plan. However, their plans are all priced slightly higher than those of their competitors.

Pricing for add-ons ranges from $2 to $21 a month, which is fairly cheap. If you want to cancel early, you’ll receive a prorated refund and have to pay a $50 cancellation fee. 

Like most home warranty companies, First American has a 30-day waiting period after signing up, only gives prorated refunds, and charges a cancellation fee. Service call fees can be lower than both Liberty Home Guard’s standard fee and the $85 discounted fee that they occasionally offer customers, depending on your choice. After you apply for a quote, they’ll contact you nonstop through texts and calls, which gets very annoying, a reason why they score a 7.8/10 for customer service.

First American has a short-service guarantee, too. While Liberty Home Guard guarantees its technician’s work for 60 days, First American’s guarantee is only 30 days. Homeowners with older appliances who’ve left reviews have complained often about repeat service calls outside this window. If you have your dishwasher repaired and it starts leaking again 31 days later, you’ll pay another service fee to have someone come out and look at it.

While First American’s customers rate them highly on Trustpilot, their ratings dip on other sites. Positive reviews talk about the skills and professionalism of technicians. Even when they had to order a part and return later to finish the repair, reviewers say it was done in less than a week. Others were extremely happy with the timeliness of an HVAC repair or getting reimbursed quickly if they had to use an electrician not in First American’s network. 

However, other reviewers mention that First American only had technicians who were very far from their homes, and they had to wait for service. In some cases, the company had no technicians in their network near the homeowner, and the homeowner had to arrange for service themselves. Others were angry about the company’s payouts for replacement items, frequent repairs that were just outside the short 30-day workmanship guarantee, or repairs that dragged on for months.

From reviews, it’s easy to see that customer experience with First American varies widely based on the network of service technicians where they live. For this reason, I’d advise homeowners to ask friends about anyone who has recent, local experience with service claims through First American. Most competitors ignore negative reviews and complaints, but First American responds to negative comments online and attempts to resolve the problem. In my opinion, engaging with unhappy customers and working to resolve issues is a good sign for the company’s overall integrity, earning them an 8.3/10 for reputation.

Rating SiteRatingNumber of Reviews
BBBB, 1.77 / 5 stars1,851
Trustpilot4.2 / 5 stars14,34
Google2.9 / 5 stars2,704

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

It’s easy to place a claim over the phone or through First American’s online portal, but you might wait a few days or weeks for service, so we took off a few points here and scored FA an 8/10. The company first has to check that the item has coverage before they even schedule a service call. Online reviewers say that you have to pay the service fee before they’ll give you details about your service technician. This could be a problem if you’ve used someone in the past and had a bad experience. 

After they’ve approved the claim, you have to wait for the service provider to contact you to schedule an appointment. On the one hand, you’re not at the mercy of First American’s scheduling department. On the other hand, you don’t know when the technician will call. 

First American’s contract says that services will commence within 48 hours of filing a claim, but that only means First American will have started the ball rolling. It doesn’t mean that the service technician will have performed the service. This could be a real issue with an urgent repair. 

On their website, you have to dig to find answers, and most information is quite basic. First American’s sample contract is only available after you apply for a quote. However, it’s a big plus that they cover unknown conditions, including rust, corrosion, sediment, and problems resulting from lack of maintenance. And their contract goes into a lot of detail, such as the below information about sewer line coverage.  If you take the time to read their contract fully, you won’t have any surprises when you file a claim, which is why we scored them a 9.8/10 for transparency and ease.

Exclusions

All of First American’s plans have the following exclusions:

  • Crane rentals are needed to move appliances or systems
  • Geothermal heating systems
  • Haul-away services
  • Light fixtures
  • Code violations
  • Appliances and systems not properly maintained

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, readers should review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

First American’s contract states that it won’t approve repairs on items that weren’t in safe working order the day you bought your policy. The Company must pre-approve all repairs. Some items have further exclusions in terms of parts and components. For example,  filters, fuel storage tanks, zone control systems, and more are excluded within a heating unit.

First American doesn’t give policyholders the flexibility to choose their service providers. Unlike other companies like Liberty Home Guard, you can’t get pre-approval and call a technician you know to perform a repair. If the company sends out a technician who bungled a past repair or who was unprofessional, you wouldn’t have a choice about using them. The only time customers were able to pick their technicians was when First American didn’t have an in-network technician in their area. This is why they scored extremely low in the flexibility category, getting just a 2/10.

Best for Customization

Liberty Home Guard

4.6

Our Rating

Limited Time:
$200 Off + 2 Months free

As long as it was working when you bought the house, your broken hot water heater has coverage under Liberty Home Guard. While the company does exclude preexisting conditions, they do have flexibility if the issue wasn’t known or found during inspection. If your home inspector didn’t find a problem with the item pre-closing, the company will pay for the repair. However, they do reserve the right to request a copy of the home inspection report before approving the claim. 

It’s always a good idea to keep a copy of your home inspection or annual maintenance records, and I recommend keeping a central file for this purpose. If you’ve bought or had any new appliances and systems put in, Liberty could also ask for purchase and installation records. Often, they only want to verify that the company installing your new item had the proper qualifications, which is yet another reason to reconsider a do-it-yourself project. 

Even though Liberty has reliable coverage for a problem that you couldn’t have known about when you bought your policy, they do have coverage exclusions. If a technician finds that your machine needs a repair due to misuse, abuse, and mistreatment, they could deny paying a claim. So, keep the kids from roughhousing around any major appliances. 

Liberty Home Guard offers the most add-ons of any home warranty provider on this list. If you have a sump pump, a pool or spa, or an extra refrigerator, you can add them to your policy. With 42 options, you can protect every part of your home. This is particularly useful if you are worried that an older basement freezer or central vacuum could soon break down — a worry isn’t knowledge of a preexisting condition. Liberty doesn’t exclude items from coverage due to their age. 

When you file a claim, they promise a 24 to 48-hour response time, which means a service technician could arrive at your house before the extra meat in your basement freezer goes bad. Liberty Home Guard is one of the few home warranty companies to have an app, which is a useful perk. If you’re waiting for a service technician to arrive, their app shows the technician’s progress. 

If, for whatever reason, a service technician in Liberty’s network can’t get to your house within their promised turnaround time (or if you have an existing relationship with a provider), you can set up a service call with the company on your own. Liberty lets homeowners choose to use the licensed and insured technicians they prefer. 

While Liberty’s customers have left glowing online reviews, the Better Business Bureau has currently changed its rating to “Not Rated.” The BB has noticed a pattern of complaints regarding the claims process and sales tactics. When Today’s Homeowner reached out, Liberty responded to our request for more information promptly and politely. However, it’s worrisome that their complaints have increased in recent years. 

The additional coverage Liberty sells might not be something you need. It could also be overwhelming to pick between 42 options, and you could end up overpaying for something you don’t use. Liberty’s additional coverage fees are also sometimes higher than competitor’s fees. It’s a good idea to compare companies if you know you want a certain add-on. For example, if you need pool and spa coverage, American Home Shield charges $1.99 a month less than Liberty, which adds up to $23.88 a year in savings.

You’ll pay a service fee every time a technician performs a repair, and these service call fees can add up. High fees could put a strain on your budget, which is why it’s unfortunate that Liberty’s $125 a call is one of the highest service fees in the business. Their coverage stops at just $2,000 per covered item, which is also lower than some competitors. Homeowners who don’t need to add a lot to their policies might find another company to be a better option.

Liberty sells three plans and has a massive list of add-ons, which is why they get a 10/10 for plans and coverage. All of their plans have a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins and coverage limits of just $2,000 per covered item. Policies about preexisting conditions apply to all plans.

Systems Guard covers all major home systems like air conditioning, heating, plumbing, electrical, and water heaters. If you bought extended warranties on your appliances, this plan rounds out your coverage. Appliance Guard includes your clothes washer and dryer, refrigerator, range, oven, or cooktop, built-in microwave oven, and dishwasher. It also includes items you might not think of as appliances — like your garbage disposal, garage door opener, and ceiling and exhaust fans. Liberty’s most expensive plan, Total Home Guard, combines the coverage of the other two options into one comprehensive plan.

With Liberty, you have the choice of paying monthly or annually up-front. If you can afford to pay a year in advance, you’ll get two months free. Additional years paid in advance increase the number of free months you receive. While Liberty normally charges a $125 service fee for each call, which is higher than competitors, when I spoke with a representative, they offered to reduce it to $85 if I signed up that day. 

PlanMonthly CostService FeeAvailable Discounts
Appliance Guard$49.99$125One year paid in advance $499.99 (2 months free)
Systems Guard$54.99$125One year paid in advance $549.99 (2 months free)
Total Home Guard$59.99$125One year paid in advance $599.99 (2 months free) online, $575 (2 months free) over the phone

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Buffalo, NY. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

Homeowners can pick from 42 options for additional coverage to increase their policy’s coverage with Liberty Home Guard. Options include: 

  • Pool and spa: $19.99/month
  • Additional spa: $9.99/month
  • Lawn sprinkler system: $9.99/month
  • Saltwater pool: $23.99/month
  • Generator: $19.99/month
  • Casita guest unit: $35.99/month
  • Sump pump: $8.99/month
  • Well pump: $12.99/month
  • Septic system pumping: $12.99/month
  • Ejector pump: $14.99/month
  • Grinder pump: $14.99/month
  • Limited roof leak: $11.99/month
  • Re-Key: $9.99/month
  • Gutter cleaning: $14.99/month
  • Pest control: $14.99/month
  • Carpet cleaning: $19.99/month
  • Window washing/cleaning: $19.99/month
  • Power washing (exterior flooring): $19.99/month
  • Central vacuum: $8.99/month
  • Stand-alone freezer: $5.99/month
  • Water softener: $13.99/month
  • Swamp cooler: $14.99/month
  • Second refrigerator: $7.99/month
  • Trash compactor: $7.49/month
  • Ice maker (in-fridge): $3.99/month
  • Freestanding ice maker: $14.99/month
  • Wine cooler/fridge: $11,99/month
  • Water dispenser water line: $4.99/month
  • Instant hot water dispenser: $9.99/month
  • Reverse osmosis water filter system: $14.99/month
  • Lighting fixtures: $7.99/month
  • Plumbing fixtures: $7.99/month
  • Electronics protection: $19.99/month
  • TV mounting (up to 65-inch TVs): $14.99/month
  • TV mounting (up to 85-inch TVs): $19.99/month
  • Pro-Series Refrigerator: $14.99/month
  • Pro-Series Stand Alone Freezer: $14.99/month
  • Pro-Series Range/Oven/Cooktop: $12.99/month
  • Pro-Series Dishwasher: $7.99/month
  • Pro-Series Microwave: $4.99/month
  • Pro-Series Washing Machine: $4.99/month
  • Pro-Series Clothes Dryer: $4.99/month

Liberty goes above and beyond to try to meet homeowners’ needs. If you need coverage for an unusual item that you don’t see included in their plans or sold as an add-on, you may still get lucky. Liberty suggests that you contact them with the make and model of the item you want to be covered and promises to try to provide you with specialized coverage.

If you’re having a hard time narrowing down the list of add-ons to those you might find most useful, Liberty helps. When you’re applying for a quote, the website shows the most popular options in your state. It’s helpful to see what other local homeowners thought they needed to add on when deciding what you need.

Liberty loses a few points on cost and affordability due to two factors: its service fee and its cancellation fee. Unless you get a discount, you’ll pay $125 per service call. This is higher than the options of American Home Shield and AFC Home Club. And, while you can cancel your contract at any time, you’ll only receive a prorated refund and have to pay a $50 cancellation fee. 

Watch out for pricing on additional coverage options, too. Select Home Warranty charges $3.33 a month for a sump pump, but it’s $8.99 a month extra with Liberty. That works out to an additional $67.92 a year more!

However, regular plan pricing falls in the normal range for home warranty pricing, which is why Liberty still earns an 8.9/10. Suppose the customer service representative offers you a lower service fee, which happened to me. You might still be able to afford one of their policies and get better coverage than some competitors but for a lower price. If you’re looking for a deal, I recommend calling. 

Liberty Home Guard makes it easy to apply for a quote online. You have to give them a few details, and they’ll tell you the pricing in your area. You can toggle between options  — like paying monthly or annually  — to compare what you’d potentially pay. 

Liberty also wins points for their personal touch when you call. Customer service representatives take the time to ask why you’re shopping, what you need in a home warranty, and to find the best options for your home. The company has a good reputation for transparency and honesty. You’ll find sample contracts online, and instead of auto-renewing, they’ll call and check if you want to renew 60 days before your policy expires. 

Liberty does lose points on customer experience for its multiple points of contact after you apply for a free quote. They will call, text, and email for weeks, which took their score down to a 7.8/10.

Customers rave about Liberty Home Guard’s customer service and claims resolution, and many mention professional and helpful technicians. Even still, the Better Business Bureau has recently changed Liberty’s rating to “Not Rated” due to a pattern of increasing complaints, so we took their company reputation score down to a 9.1/10. It’s hard to tell if this is because service has deteriorated or if the company has had some growing pains since its founding in 2017. 

Customers who mention an urgent repair praise the quick and expedited claims processes. This is exactly what you want if your fridge goes out just after stocking up for the big game. Several reviews also state that the service technician got the job done right the first time. While reviews indicate that it might be rare if a service technician’s work is subpar, Liberty guarantees all workmanship for 60 days. If someone needs to fix an earlier repair within that 60 days, you won’t pay two service fees. 

The home warranty space is competitive, with many options, so it’s interesting that some reviewers had been with a competitor home warranty company in the past and were much happier with Liberty’s service.

Rating SiteRatingNumber of Reviews
BBBNR4.48/ 5 stars2,457
Trustpilot4.7 / 5 stars2,845
Google4.7 / 5 stars11,585
Yelp1.2 / 5 stars73

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

*Note (as of 6/20/24): Recently, the Better Business Bureau shifted LHG’s A+ rating to “NR” (Not Rated). We reached out to a representative from LHG for comment, and they shared this statement: “Despite the BBB’s alert, our customer satisfaction levels remain by far the highest relative to our scale. Last month, we had the lowest percentage of customer cancellation requests in our entire history. On the BBB’s own platform, Liberty Home Guard has achieved a star rating of 4.5 out of 5 from nearly 2,500 reviews. For added context, the approximately 480 resolved complaints on Liberty Home Guard’s BBB profile equate to an extremely low fraction of a percentage relative to the size and scale of our total customer base. As we navigate this situation, which we believe will be resolved in time, we want to assure you that we remain committed to our customers and their satisfaction; they are the key stakeholders we orient all our efforts around.”

Liberty’s customers report generally positive experiences with the claims process, including praise for service technicians and communication with customer service, so they scored a 10/10 for claims. You can file a claim 24/7/365, either over the phone, online, or through the app. I love that you can see what’s happening with your claim on the app and track the technician’s progress to your house. 

Some competitors might increase their service fees at night and on the weekends or require that you find and use a service provider on your own. Liberty charges a flat service fee night, day, or weekend. The company recently announced a partnership with Progressive Insurance, which increased their technician network. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that you’ll receive faster service.

It’s tough to predict which parts of an HVAC system or an appliance might break. Could a handle come off the dishwasher, and it isn’t covered? However, you can guess that older systems and appliances will have more issues, and you want to make sure they’ll still have coverage in your policy. 

In addition to covering anything that you couldn’t have reasonably known about when you bought your house or that wasn’t visible, Liberty doesn’t exclude items from coverage based on age. It’s easy to find out what’s hidden in the fine print in Liberty’s contracts because they have a sample contract online. Worried about your dishwasher? The company doesn’t cover racks, rollers, or hinges, but they will fix all mechanical components and parts. 

The company’s website clearly explains each plan’s coverage and its FAQs answer many basic questions, so Liberty gets a 9.3/10 for transparency.

Exclusions

All home warranty companies have exclusions in their contracts. These could be items, the reason something breaks, or a part of a larger system or appliance. Liberty Home Guard’s plans exclusions include: 

  • Flues, vents, chimneys, and exhaust lines
  • Electronics, computerized, “smart,” or Internet/enabled components and parts
  • Filters associated with any covered items
  • Remote receiving and transmitting devices
  • Radon and other leak detection monitoring systems
  • Fire sprinkler systems
  • Lighting 
  • Solar systems and applications
  • Cosmetic defects
  • Disposal of appliances, systems, or components
  • Cranes or other specialty vehicles required to install, remove, or access your appliances or home systems
  • Glass parts
  • Noise

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it’s imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

Do you have a favorite plumber in town? Don’t worry; with Liberty Home Guard, you can still call them. The company lets homeowners pick a service provider as long as the provider is licensed and insured, so we gave them a 10/10 in this category. Just call and check their qualifications with Liberty Home Guard before you make an appointment. 

Best Coverage Limits

American Home Shield

4.3

Our Rating

Limited Time:
$150 Off Any Plan

American Home Shield sells some of the highest coverage limits in the business. High limits protect homeowners with expensive systems and appliances when a $2,000 coverage cap couldn’t be enough to replace an item. Repeated complaints about customer service and the quality of technicians somewhat offset the benefit of high coverage limits. With American Home Shield, homeowners can pick a high service fee that leads to lower monthly premiums if they need to fit a policy into their budget.

AHS’ contract states that breakdowns that existed before buying coverage or that you could have reasonably known about won’t have coverage. However, if you can’t see it or discover it with a simple mechanical test, AHS will cover the repair. AHS may request a copy of your home inspection, proof of past repairs, receipts, or invoices before approving service. 

Even a middle-of-the-road refrigerator can run you over $1,500 these days, and if you want bells and whistles, the price tag climbs higher. Many home warranty companies cap their coverage at $2,000 an item, which might pay for a repair but could mean covering the difference for a new model. But not if you bought a policy with American Home Shield. 

Other companies like Liberty Home Guard only have coverage limits of up to $2,000 to $3,000, though it could depend on the plan you pick. AHS covers up to $4,000  for appliances and $5,000 for HVAC. If you bought a policy with AHS, you wouldn’t have to worry about a major repair or replacement. What’s more, they don’t ask for maintenance records. 

The most expensive plan AHS sells, the ShieldPlatinum plan, has the highest coverage limits and roof leak coverage of up to $1,000 per contract term. Plus, you’ll get a free HVAC tune-up to keep your furnace in top shape and hopefully prevent more expensive fixes down the road. When you buy your policy, you can choose between a $100 or $125 service fee, which raises or lowers your monthly premiums. 

Another plus of AHS? It covers repairs needed from normal wear and tear and doesn’t always ask for maintenance records. It’s a solid choice if you have older homes that are more likely to have breakdowns. 

If you’re concerned about preexisting conditions, you probably have older appliances. Older appliances break down more frequently, so AHS’ shorter workmanship guarantee could become an issue. They only guarantee work for 30 days after a completed repair, versus Liberty Home Guard’s 60-day workmanship guarantee.

While AHS is justifiably proud of its large network of 17,4500 contractors and 4,500 service technicians, quantity doesn’t always equal quality. Common complaints mention that technicians didn’t have the necessary skills and couldn’t get the job done in one service call. American Home Shield has a higher service fee, between $100 and $125, which could become expensive if you end up paying multiple times for the same repair.

AHS’ customer service ranks lower than that of many competitors, and it has lower ratings on online review sites. I’ve had less-than-stellar experiences when calling for quotes; representatives either don’t ask exploratory questions or get pushy when trying to sell.

AHS sells three plans, so customers have options to find the best type of plan for their home. Plans cover either your appliances, systems, or both, for a 10/10 score for plans and coverage.

The ShieldSilver plan protects systems such as heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems for $39.99 or $29.99  a month. For homeowners with existing warranties on their appliances, systems coverage could protect the rest of your home.

The ShieldGold plan adds kitchen and laundry appliances to everything covered under ShieldSilver, rather than just covering appliances. There’s no option to purchase a plan for only appliances. The most expensive plan, ShieldPlatinum, includes the coverage of ShieldPlatinum and adds on roof coverage and a free HVAC tune-up. 

What’s more, with the ShieldPlatinum plan, if your repair involves fixing code violations, pulling permits, or otherwise modifying your home, ShieldPlatinum covers $250 of those costs. If you have an older home, systems, and older work might have been grandfathered in, but once it needs a repair, it could have to be made code-compliant. AHS will help with that. 

Every plan has HVAC coverage limits up to $5,000 per system. However, coverage limits for appliances vary depending on the plan you buy. The per-appliance limit on the ShieldGold plan is $2,000, but if you pay more for the ShieldPlatinum plan, it increases to $4,000. If you just bought a high-end appliance, the higher coverage could be a plus.

If you need to pay less monthly, you have the option of picking a higher service fee to lower your monthly fees. Selecting the $125 fee on the ShieldGold plan lowers the monthly premiums from $59.99 to $49.99. 

PlanMonthly CostService Fee*Available Discounts
ShieldSilver$39.99 – $29.99$100 – $125*No current discount
ShieldGold$59.99 –  $49.99$100 – $125*40% off on the website
ShieldPlatinum$89.99 – $79.99$100 – $125*No current discount

*If you choose the lower service fee of $100, you pay the higher monthly premium. For example, the $89.99  with the Platinum Plan pairs with the $100  service fee. 

Editor’s Note: The cost data mentioned in this article was sourced for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in Charleston, West Virginia. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

American Home Shield has a small list of additional coverage options. American Home Shield only offers six add-ons, which are:

  • Roof leak repair: $10/month
  • Electronics protection plan: $14/month 
  • Pool & built-in-spa equipment: $24/month
  • Guest unit: $26.99/month
  • Septic pump: $5/month
  • Well pump: $8/month

American Home Shield’s monthly premiums can be slightly higher than those of other companies, but so are the company’s coverage caps. Similar plans might cost up to $15 less with competitors, depending on current discounts, but you’d have lower coverage caps. AHS’ lower service fee, $100, is still higher than the options with 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty and First American Home Warranty, but they don’t charge extra for service on nights and weekends.

However, the higher fee might be worth it since American Home Shield doesn’t charge extra for service calls on nights and weekends. Coverage limits are per term, so if your HVAC needs a $4,500 repair the second month you have your policy and a $3,000 repair six months later, AHS would only cover $500 of that second repair. However, coverage limits for annual contracts reset every year when you renew. 

American Home Shield’s website has an easy-to-navigate layout, and you can get a free quote within a few minutes. However, customer service over the phone can vary, and this is why we gave them a 9.1/10. Once you apply, you can add and subtract coverage options to see how they impact your total monthly premiums. 

Customer service representatives often can’t answer questions that don’t come from a script. They push you to buy a policy without asking why you’re calling or diving deeper into your home’s needs to help you find the best plan. It’s sometimes uncomfortable to talk to AHS due to their high-pressure sales tactics. 

If you don’t buy a policy when you first apply, the company will bug you for months. If you decide to go with AHS, get a quote online before calling. Even though the website’s quote offered me a 40% off ShieldGold discount, two representatives tried to charge me full price until I told them I’d seen it online.

Customer complaints frequently talk about an extremely difficult customer service experience, so we took off a few points for this, scoring AHS at an 8/10. Despite a Better Business Bureau rating of B, customers say that it’s hard to talk to representatives when they file a claim. They also say there aren’t many qualified technicians in their area and that it’s almost impossible to cancel their policies. 

American Home Shield has a good rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Google, but customer reviews on Trustpilot rate them just 2.1 out of 5 stars and 2.1 out of 5 stars on the Better Business Bureau.  Reviewers mentioned that AHS denied claims because service technicians claimed the repair became necessary due to a lack of maintenance. However, this is odd, given that AHS’ contract doesn’t mention exclusions for lack of maintenance records.

Positive reviewers were happy that AHS did replace items such as clothes dryers, refrigerators, and air conditioning units.

Rating SiteRatingNumber of Reviews
BBBB2.1 / 5 stars11,017
Trustpilot2.1 / 5 stars5,363
Google4.5 / 5 stars33,284
Yelp1.1 / 5 stars1,300

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

American Home Shield promises that they’ll set up a service appointment within 24 to 48 hours but makes no promises about when a technician will actually be at your house. In contrast, Liberty Home Guard tries to have someone at your house within the same timeframe, not just call a service provider. 

This definitely lowers AHS’ score for its claims process to a 6/10, especially since many customers weren’t happy with the turnaround time on service calls. Some say that it took weeks for an item to get fixed; they had to call many times, and that more than one service technician came to their house before the repair was complete. It’s concerning to me that AHS won’t even try to match a competitor’s service promises. 

If you need to file a claim, you can do it online or over the phone. Their workmanship guarantee covers you for the next 30 days after a repair — if the same item needs service again, you don’t have to pay a second service fee.

American Home Shield makes their contract available online, so you can read it and look for exclusions and worrisome clauses before you buy a policy. They cover unknown preexisting conditions and have a fairly standard exclusions list, which is why we gave them a 9/10 for transparency.

Exclusions

American Home Shield has a standard list of exclusions that gives the company a lot of wiggle room for denying claims. 

  • Construction or carpentry costs
  • Restoration of walls
  • Flues, chimneys, venting, and exhaust lines
  • Repairs or replacements due to cosmetic defects
  • Repairs due to mold
  • Appliances not covered under the ShieldSilver plan
  • Natural disasters

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, it’s imperative for readers to review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

“You get what you get, so don’t throw a fit”  is a phrase I used with my son when he was a toddler, and not what you want to hear from your home warranty company. However, AHS doesn’t give homeowners many options when choosing a service provider. Homeowners can’t choose their own service providers, nor can they pick a licensed and insured company and apply for reimbursement. AHS only allows homeowners to choose their own adventure under certain situations (such as a lack of qualified technicians in their network close to their home), earning them a fair 5/10 score in flexibility.


Calculate the Cost of a Home Warranty for Preexisting Conditions

If you’re curious about what a home warranty for preexisting conditions could cost you, try out our home warranty calculator. 

Appliance Average Repair Cost Average Replacement Cost
Dehumidifier $50–$200 $1,300–$2,800
Microwave $50–$400 $60–$2,000
Dishwasher $50–$500 $400–$3,000
Exhaust Fans $16–$300 $250–$950
Electric Range $100–$500 $230–$3,000
Gas Range $100–$500 $230–$3,000
Dryer $100–$400 $450–$2,300
Oven $100–$430 $400–$3,000
Washer $50–$450 $400–$2,300
Freezer $90–$500 $160–$2,900
Refrigerator $40–$350 $200–$5,000

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Need a Home Warranty for Preexisting Conditions?

Whether you need a home warranty for preexisting conditions depends on your house. If you’re unsure what could be hiding behind the 1970s wood paneling in the kitchen or have worries that an old appliance could break down soon, buy a home warranty policy that covers preexisting conditions to make sure your coverage comes through when you need it. 

How Much Does a Home Warranty Cost for Preexisting Conditions?

The average cost for a home warranty for preexisting conditions will vary depending on whether you buy a comprehensive plan or one for just home systems or appliances. As part of a comprehensive plan, the average cost is $79, according to Today’s Homeowner’s calculations. A home warranty’s price can go up or down if you pick more add-ons or a higher service fee.

How Can You Save Money When Shopping for Home Warranties for Preexisting Conditions?

To save money when shopping for home warranties that cover preexisting conditions, carefully pick the add-ons your home really needs. With added coverage, your monthly fees can quickly climb above more than $100 a month for a basic plan. Also, shop for a home warranty over a holiday weekend, like Memorial Day. Many companies offer discounts on holidays.

Is a Home Warranty Worth It for Preexisting Conditions?

A home warranty that doesn’t have exclusions for preexisting conditions will give you peace of mind if you suspect an issue might arise soon. When deciding if a home warranty is worth it, compare the total cost to what you’ve paid for recent repairs. A policy could have saved you money.


Other Warranty Resources for Homeowners

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Editorial Contributors
avatar for Dena Landon

Dena Landon

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Full Bio

Dena Landon has been writing in the real estate, finance, and insurance space for over ten years. Her work has appeared in national publications such as Good Housekeeping, Salon, and Homelight. Landon earned a Master of Business Administration from Capella University and a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
avatar for Lori Zaino

Lori Zaino

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Full Bio

Lori Zaino is a freelance writer and editor based in Madrid, Spain. With nearly two decades of editorial experience, she’s written and edited for publications like Forbes, CNN, Insider, NBC, Newsweek, The Points Guy, The Infatuation, and many others. Having just completed her first home renovation, she’s more interested in home improvements than ever, dedicated to bringing you fresh and accurate content to help you update your living spaces.
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