Editorial note: Homefront (defined in the Disclosure below) may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured on our site. This commission does not influence our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
Carter Gaddis is a senior writer at USA TODAY Homefront. He is an experienced journalist who has written about roofing, sunrooms, title insurance and other home service topics. Carter has contributed to the TODAY SHOW parenting section, CBS SPORTS and ESPN, among other publications. He lives with his family in Central Florida, where he spends most weekends at theme parks or watching English soccer on TV.
Purchasing home appliance insurance — more accurately referred to as a home appliance warranty — helps you pay for repairing or replacing kitchen and laundry appliances that no longer work. Our in-depth research revealed that Liberty Home Guard is your top option for comprehensive coverage in case one or more of your appliances break down unexpectedly.
The best home warranty companies are reputed for their affordability, reliability and excellent customer service. Using our proprietary methodology, we reviewed home warranty providers and ranked them based on cost, customer satisfaction, coverage levels and service.
To get started, request no-obligation quotes from the providers below.
The listings that appear are from companies from which this website receives compensation, which may impact how, where and in what order products appear. This listing does not include all companies or all available offers and products.
In the know
Over 150 homeowners have bought a home warranty plan from one of the above companies in the last 30 days.
We focused on home appliance coverage for our list on this page of the best home warranties for major appliances.
Which company you choose should depend on your specific needs. Both Liberty Home Guard and Elite Home Warranty offer comprehensive coverage for kitchen and laundry appliances with their lowest-priced plans. 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty has a high $25,000 coverage cap for all items.
We gathered pricing information for the comparison table below by requesting quotes for three ZIP codes in each state the providers service and calculating a national average for all featured companies. We used a 2,000-square-foot, single-family home to obtain our quotes. Your pricing will vary based on your home’s size, location and coverage needs.
All of the home warranty providers profiled below offer more than appliance coverage, but our evaluation for this article focused specifically on how well they can protect your kitchen and laundry appliances.
Many providers offer appliance-specific plans, and most offer midrange or high-end plans that combine appliance coverage with systems such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing. Some offer optional add-ons that enhance appliance coverage, and those are noted in each provider’s section.
To request quotes for this article on home appliance insurance companies, we used a 2,193-square-foot, single-family home in Tampa, Florida. We specifically focused on finding the best combination of appliance coverage, cost and reliability.
What we like
Liberty Home Guard‘s (LHG) combination of conscientious customer service, comprehensive coverage plans and reasonable prices give it the edge in appliances.
What we don’t like
LHG excels at appliance coverage and its coverage for home systems. While on the pricey side it proves adequate. Higher premiums might be out of range for some homeowners.
Liberty Home Guard makes it simple if you only want your appliances covered with its comprehensive, lowest-tier, appliance-specific plan. The only potential drawback is an extra charge to cover pro-grade appliances.
Add-on options: Its 42 available add-ons include coverage for pools and spas, an outdoor generator and lawn sprinklers. It offers limited roof leak protection for $12 per month.
Other factors that influence coverage: The Appliance Guard plan is available for $549 annually and extends the policy’s term to 13 months. LHG’s surcharge for its appliance plan is $4 per month or $43 if paid annually.
Liberty Home Guard’s A rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) was changed to N/R (“not rated”), but it holds a BBB customer review rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. In March 2024, LHG responded to losing its A rating with a statement that the company’s customer satisfaction levels remain the highest relative to its scale. LHG also stated that in February 2024, it received the lowest number of cancellation requests in its history.
Many BBB and Trustpilot reviews state that filing a service request with LHG is simple and seamless. Customers also praise LHG’s speed in sending out their in-network technicians, with some reporting that they filed a claim on the weekend and got a resolution by the next business day.
AFC Home Warranty (formerly known as AFC Home Club) provides some of the lowest premiums combined with good coverage for laundry appliances and most kitchen appliances.
AFC might have taken the top spot in this category if it covered microwaves in its lowest-priced plan.
The only potential coverage deficiency for AFC Home Warranty is its lack of standard coverage for microwaves in its two lower-tier plans.
Add-on options: Coverage for microwaves is available for the Silver and Gold Plans at $50 annually. When we requested a quote, AFC offered us free add-on roof leak coverage for all plans.
Other factors that influence coverage: Customers who pay annually are charged $100 less per year than those who pay monthly premiums. Monthly premiums scale with $75, $100 or $125 service fee options. An additional discount is available for customers who sign three-year agreements. AFC offers a $3,000 annual coverage cap on all appliances.
AFC Home Warranty holds a B rating with the BBB and a customer rating of 2.4 out of 5 stars.
Many positive BBB reviews center on AFC’s professional service from its in-network technicians and customer service representatives. Customers report that AFC’s representatives answer questions completely and in a helpful manner.
Unfavorable reviews on consumer site Trustpilot said that AFC rejected claims or offered payment for replacement at a prorated amount based on the item’s age.
American Home Shield (AHS) only covers appliances with its mid-tier and highest-tier plans, which cost $60–$100 depending on the service fee. However, its favorable reputation and coverage limits give it an edge in appliance coverage.
AHS’ relatively few add-on options might not be a concern for some homeowners, but add-on flexibility and depth of coverage might matter to others.
AHS is among the few home warranty providers that reverse the usual order of appliance and systems coverage. Most cover appliances with their lowest-tier plan and systems with mid- and highest-tier plans.
Add-on options: Limited to six add-on options, including electronics and pool coverage. AHS does offer optional roof leak protection at $10 per month.
Other factors that influence coverage: AHS scales its monthly premiums based on $100 and $125 service call fees. Lower premiums mean higher service call fees.
American Home Shield has a B rating with the BBB and a customer rating of 2.1 out of 5 stars.
Customers on BBB report that AHS has friendly and efficient customer service representatives, with several noting how well reps answer questions and respond to concerns. Several customers who reviewed AHS on Trustpilot also noted that AHS quickly set them up with service appointments; some stated they received an appointment confirmation within several hours of filing a claim.
These two home warranty companies rank well overall based on our methodology, but the top three distinguished themselves with a combination of excellent appliance coverage, a favorable reputation and consistently helpful customer service.
Elite Home Warranty lists its lowest-tier plan at $57 per month, but our quote elicited a discounted rate of $44 per month. While Elite is not transparent with its premiums, it responded promptly to our emailed follow-up questions about rates and coverage types.
Elite has a reputation for excellent customer service, but the fact that its online quote request form does not provide cost information adds inconvenience.
Elite Home Warranty secured a place in our top five for appliance coverage, thanks to the discount offered when we requested an appliance-specific coverage quote.
Add-on options: Elite offers 32 add-ons, including limited roof patching and pool and spa coverage. The Premium Appliances add-on increases the maximum coverage limit for kitchen appliances to double their standard limits.
Other factors that influence coverage: Elite offered us an annual $490 rate with a 13th month added to the one-year policy. Its service call fee is $70 and its aggregate coverage cap for appliances is $7,000. Elite’s annual dollar limit for refrigerators is $3,000, while it is $2,000 for ranges and $1,500 each for dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers.
Elite Home Warranty carries an A+ rating with BBB and a customer rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Most of BBB customer ratings for Elite are favorable, with many praising its customer service representatives. Customers appreciate their knowledge, helpfulness and willingness to customize plans based on their needs.
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty is our top-rated home warranty provider overall, with generous coverage caps and a reputation for efficiency and consistency.
2-10 might have grabbed our top spot for appliances if it offered a plan with standard coverage for washers and dryers.
We’d like to see a comprehensive appliance-only plan from our top-rated home warranty provider. While the Simply Kitchen plan protects most appliances, the 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty offers an add-on for clothes washers and dryers.
Add-on options: 2-10 offers 15 optional add-ons, including clothes washers and dryers for $6 per month.
Other factors that influence coverage: 2-10 offers scaling premiums based on service fees of $65, $85 and $100. It also offers an “Even If” guarantee, which stipulates your service fee may be reimbursed if a technician determines the broken item is not eligible for repair or replacement.
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty holds an A rating with BBB but a customer review rating of 1.3 out of 5 stars. Customer complaints tend to focus on poor communication or delayed service.
Many customer reviews praised the quick repairs 2-10’s in-network technicians performed. These customers experienced a seamless claims process, from submitting the claim online or over the phone, to a completed repair by the assigned in-network provider. Others appreciate 2-10’s speed in confirming a service appointment.
On the surface, a home warranty and a homeowners insurance plan can seem synonymous. But that’s not the case.
The big difference between a homeowners insurance policy and a home warranty is that insurance covers damage related to disasters or theft. Your home warranty typically covers failures related to wear and tear. The provider, with certain exclusions, also agrees to cover some or all of the cost for repairs or replacement during the contract’s term.
According to our November 2023 survey of 1,000 homeowners, nearly 64% of respondents had both a home warranty and a home insurance plan.
Of course, whether or not to purchase homeowners insurance and a warranty plan is a personal preference. However, having both can add to your peace of mind.
Refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers and many other new home appliances come with a manufacturer’s warranty. These warranties cover the cost to repair or sometimes even replace a specific appliance after a breakdown. A manufacturer’s warranty is typically good for one year unless you buy an extended warranty for the appliance.
Since the warranty is attached to one specific appliance, you can think of a manufacturer’s warranty as an a la carte option. For example, you need one manufacturer’s warranty to cover your GE refrigerator and another one to cover your GE dryer, even though the appliances are made by the same company.
Depending on the plan and your provider, a home warranty may cover the cost of repairing any broken appliance in your kitchen or laundry room.
The decision to purchase a home warranty for your appliances may be based partially on an appliance’s life expectancy, the expected replacement cost and the manufacturer warranty’s expiration date.
Here are the average life expectancies of most commonly covered appliances, according to data from the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. Data for the replacement costs reflects the ranges of listed retail prices for five major manufacturers: GE, LG, Maytag, Samsung and Whirlpool.
You should file a claim after an appliance malfunction as soon as possible. These are the steps you need to take to do so:
Home warranty companies stipulate coverage limits for every covered item, including appliances. Coverage limits, known as coverage caps or dollar limits, denote the total amount the provider will pay toward repairing or replacing a covered item during the policy’s life.
In some cases, lower-tier plans come with lower coverage caps, and mid-tier or higher-end plans give you more generous dollar limits. Be sure to read a sample contract for the home warranty company you’re considering for details about how coverage caps are structured.
Our research shows that the nationwide average cost for a home warranty is $59 per month and $703 per year. These costs are an average of quotes we requested from leading home warranty providers.
Your price will vary depending on your coverage level and covered items, the warranty company’s billing practices and your geographic location. In general, home warranty providers’ appliance-specific plans cost less than plans that also cover home systems such as electric, HVAC and plumbing.
Based on coverage for a 2,193-square-foot home in Tampa, Florida, lower-tier plans from the five home warranty providers that are profiled in this article range from $27 to $54 per month.
You should consider several factors when choosing among home warranty companies, and what’s important to you might not matter as much to your neighbor. However, here are a few things you may want to consider:
As with any home service, you should be knowledgeable about home warranties before making a purchase.
Naturally, if appliances are your priority, you’ll want to make sure the company offers reasonably priced, reliable coverage for those items. You’ll also want to read consumer reviews on sites such as BBB and Trustpilot, noting that they don’t feature too many complaints about how a company handles its appliance coverage.
General red flags to watch include slow response times to emails and any legal action against a provider that you discover in your research. It may seem counterintuitive, but if a company’s appliance plan is priced well below the national average of $59 per month, the coverage might fall short of expectations.
Liberty Home Guard’s Appliance Guard plan was the most expensive lowest-tiered plan among the five companies profiled here. But LHG’s generally good reputation and the fact that the plan covers all major appliances in the kitchen, as well as the clothes washer and dryer, gave LHG the edge.
If you are considering purchasing a home warranty plan to cover your appliances or home systems, we recommend that you consider coverage needs, make sure premiums fit your budget and request at least three quotes from reputable providers.
We research and rate home warranty providers to help you choose the right one for your budget and your home. The best home warranty companies offer multiple coverage choices, high coverage limits, competitive pricing, good reviews, solid service and extra features.
We rate companies based on our in-depth methodology. We score companies out of 100 on factors related to their coverage options, coverage limits, pricing, reputation, customer service and extra features. We then divide their final score by 20 to obtain a 5-star rating in our reviews.
BBB and Trustpilot ratings are accurate as of March 2024.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
Overall, 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty is our top choice because of its unlimited workmanship guarantee, low plan premiums and service fees. As a homeowner, you have to deal with the occasional unexpected expense. For a monthly or annual premium, a home warranty can offset the financial burden of repairing or replacing your most-used systems and…
As a homeowner, you want to protect your home from the unexpected. This especially rings true if you own an older home with aging major appliances and systems. A home warranty can provide peace of mind by reducing the cost of repairing or replacing your home items. However, what exactly makes a company one of…
Our research shows that, on average, home warranties cost $93.75 per month and $1,032.75 per year. We obtained our averages via our November 2023 survey of 1,000 homeowners. We also requested quotes from many of the home warranty companies we’ve reviewed to calculate national averages, although this yielded different results — $58.55 per month and…
An American Home Shield (AHS) plan adds a layer of financial protection for your home’s essential appliances and systems. It’s a solid home warranty provider that covers repairs up to $5,000 per claim, compared to the industry standard, which typically ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 per claim. AHS is considered the founding company and among…
TEST Our editorial team is committed to creating independent and objective content focused on helping our readers make informed decisions. To help support these efforts we receive compensation from companies that advertise with us.
The compensation we receive from these companies may impact how and where products appear on this site. This compensation does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides within our content. We do not include all companies, products or offers that may be available.