While homeowners insurance offers security against major events like earthquakes and fires, a home warranty fills in some of the gaps that insurance won’t cover. The next time your dishwasher goes on the fritz or your heating system breaks, your home warranty will kick in and prevent you from paying for expensive repairs or replacements. To help homeowners select the best home warranty policy for their needs, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best home warranty companies in California and compared them on coverage, plans, and pricing. Keep reading for our top home warranty picks for San Francisco residents.
Top 4 Home Warranty Companies in San Francisco
The highest-rated home warranty companies in San Francisco, CA, include:
1. American Home Shield
American Home Shield (AHS) has more than 50 years of experience in the home warranty industry. The company’s policies provide coverage for most wear-and-tear breakdown scenarios, including damage due to improper installation or repairs, malfunctions from a lack of maintenance, and age-related problems caused by corrosion and rust. American Home Shield offers three coverage plans: ShieldSilver™, ShieldGold™, and ShieldPlatinum™. The ShieldSilver plan covers major systems, such as your air conditioning and heating, the ShieldGold plan covers a total of 23 systems and appliances, and the ShieldPlatinum plan covers everything in the ShieldGold plan plus roof-leak repairs and a free HVAC tune-up. Compare all three plans below. You can also add optional coverage for a pool or spa, guest unit under 750 square feet, septic pump, well pump, and electronics protection.
American Home Shield Prices
Home warranty plans involve two costs: the rate you’ll pay each month and the service call fee, which is due when a technician visits your home to make a repair or replacement. With American Home Shield, homeowners can choose between three service call fees: $75, $100, or $125. Depending on which service fee you select, your monthly premium will adjust inversely. If you expect you’ll need many repairs during your contract period, choosing the lowest service call fee will likely be the most cost-effective approach. However, your monthly premium with the $75 service call fee will be slightly higher than if you paid $125 per claim. Here are the costs of American Home Shield’s three plans for Bay Area homeowners with the $75 service call fee. To get a personalized quote, call American Home Shield at 844-529-9298 or fill out this easy online form.
2. Cinch Home Services
Cinch Home Services makes it simple for San Francisco locals to keep their systems and appliances in great working order. The company’s plans feature industry-leading perks that streamline a quality, hassle-free claims and repairs process. Policyholders can request a service technician appointment online or by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cinch also backs its professionals’ expertise with an industry-leading 180-day workmanship guarantee. These value-adding perks are built into each of the company’s three tailored plans: one specific to appliance coverage, another for built-in systems, and a combination policy for complete home protection. Compare all three coverage plans below. Each of Cinch Home Services’ plans covers unknown pre-existing conditions as well as damage from corrosion and rust. Homeowners can choose to include optional coverage for items like a pool or spa, well pump, and septic tank. There’s also a Premier Upgrade Package available for about $10 per month, providing up to $2,000 in coverage for costs related to permits and code upgrades.
Cinch Home Services Prices
With any Cinch Home Services plan, homeowners can choose a $100, $125, or $150 service call fee. While this service call fee range is above the industry average of $65–$150, Cinch Home Services’ monthly premiums are more affordable than similar packages from other providers. With the $100 service call fee, you can expect to pay the following monthly premiums for Cinch Home Services plans. Get in touch with a representative from Cinch Home Services at 844-979-0899 or fill out this online form to get a free home warranty quote.
3. 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty
According to 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty (2-10 HBW), 68% of homes experience a breakdown each year. While homeowners insurance won’t cover standard repairs or replacements for household items, 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty approves its policyholders’ claims 97.5% of the time. This peace of mind also comes with affordable pricing. The company’s Simply Kitchen plan is one of the most affordable appliance coverage options on the market, protecting homeowners from the cost of repairs and replacements for important kitchen appliances. Starting with one of the company’s three base plans, you can mix and match add-on coverage based on your top priorities, whether that’s your plumbing or electrical system, a washer and dryer, or even routine maintenance services. Compare all three 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty coverage plans below. With any 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty plan, you can increase your coverage’s dollar limits with the company’s optional luxury package. Add-on protection is also available for the following items:
Washer and dryer Roof leaks Garage door opener Additional refrigerators, built-in wine coolers, freestanding freezers, or wet bar refrigerators Freshwater pool, saltwater pool, or additional pool Well pump Septic system Water softener Extended pipe leaks Pre-season HVAC tune-up
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty Prices
2-10 Home Buyers Warranty offers competitive pricing for its plans with plenty of flexibility to personalize coverage. It makes it easy to design a package that protects the items you need, so you don’t get charged for extra systems and appliances that you don’t need coverage for. The standard service call fee included with 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty plans is $85, but the company also offers $65 or $100 service fee options. Below are 2-10 HBW’s plan prices with an $85 service call fee. To get a free quote from 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, call 855-498-4719 or fill out this simple online form.
4. Select Home Warranty
With per-visit service call fees that fall far below the industry average, Select Home Warranty provides homeowners with some of the most affordable home warranty options in San Francisco. Like most home warranty companies, Select offers three plans that cover appliances, systems, and a combination of the two while allowing for plenty of customization through various coverage add-ons. Select Home Warranty also includes free roof-leak coverage, discounts on annual payments or multiple-year coverage, and 24/7 claims support with all three plans. Compare Select Home Warranty’s three coverage plans below. In addition to these three plans, homeowners can opt to add on coverage for items such as a central vacuum, lawn sprinkler system, pool, septic system, spa, stand-alone freezer, sump pump, and well pump.
Select Home Warranty Prices
Homeowners can expect to pay between $60 and $75 per technician visit, depending on their Select Home Warranty policy. The prices below reflect the average monthly premium for each plan with a $75 service call fee. Note: Select Home Warranty often offers discounts or a few months of free coverage if you pay for a full year of coverage up-front. Call Select Home Warranty at 888-370-3956 or fill out this simple online form to get a personalized home warranty quote.
What Does a Home Warranty in San Francisco Cover?
Exact coverage, including eligible items and policy limits, will vary from one home warranty plan to the next. In general, the best home warranties in San Francisco cover repairs and replacements for components of major home systems and appliances. Customers can also mix and match optional add-on coverage for items like pools, spas, sump pumps, and septic systems. Below are a few items typically included in home warranty coverage.
Benefits of a Home Warranty in San Francisco
With a home warranty policy, you can remain protected financially when a system or appliance unexpectedly breaks down and needs a repair. Additionally, most home warranty companies have a network of trusted technicians to perform a repair or replacement, so you don’t have to worry about finding a trusted contractor on your own.
How Much Does a Home Warranty Cost in San Francisco?
A home warranty in San Francisco can cost as little as $22 per month, with fees increasing for more comprehensive coverage. Policies in San Francisco that include protection for a variety of home systems and appliances tend to run between $47 and $70 per month or about $564–$840 annually. Service call fees in San Francisco generally cost between $60 and $150 per claim.
Our Conclusion
The top home warranty companies in San Francisco cover major systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear. However, subtle differences in their policies can make certain plans more suitable to your needs. American Home Shield is a nationwide leader with decades of experience in the home warranty industry, provides three comprehensive coverage plans, and has high coverage limits on appliances. Cinch Home Services offers great homeownership perks and has one of the longest workmanship guarantees in the industry. 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty plans, including its Simply Kitchen plan, are some of the most affordable in the industry. Finally, with its free roof-leak coverage and customizable plans, Select Home Warranty ensures extensive system and appliance protection at a great value. We ultimately recommend getting a free quote from each provider listed in this review to compare plan pricing and coverage in your area.
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team is committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. This means earning your trust through transparency and having the data to back up our ratings and recommendations. Our rating system for home warranty providers is on a 100-point scale based on seven factors:
Plan options (25) Coverage specifics (5) Pricing (25) Trustworthiness (25) State availability (5) Customer service (10) Additional benefits (5)
Our Reviews Team reviewed 45 companies and we have a full-time researcher who collects (and regularly updates) more than 100 specific data points from each company to help us compare them on key factors such as coverage, cost, service, and dependability. Read more on our methodology here. How is a home warranty different from homeowners insurance? Homeowners insurance covers your home’s structure and belongings when they’re damaged by unexpected events, such as natural disasters, fire, or theft. A home warranty specifically covers systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear. Will a home warranty cover pre-existing conditions? If a covered item breaks before your home warranty coverage begins, it has a pre-existing condition and generally won’t be eligible for plan coverage. When does my home warranty coverage start? Home warranty coverage typically goes into effect 30 days after signing your contract. However, this waiting period may vary from company to company. Ask your provider to clarify when you should expect coverage to begin. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
