The Best Home Warranty for Veterans of 2023

You have served your country honorably, and now it's time for you to enjoy your military retirement by buying a home or perhaps settling into a new career. If you don't want to deal with the sometimes overwhelming repair and replacement costs for appliance or home system breakdowns, a home warranty could help you manage your budget.

To help you find the most affordable and comprehensive home warranty services for your specific needs, we at the MarketWatch Guides Team have combed through contract details and customer reviews for 39 providers to find the best home warranty companies for veterans.

Check out our top choices for home warranties for veterans:

American Home Shield (AHS) is our top recommendation for veterans because it has a well-established reputation in the industry for in-depth coverage, fast claims processing and superior customer service. In addition, AHS has an extensive network of more than 15,000 qualified contractors throughout the U.S. and offers customizable plans to meet homeowners’ budgets.

American Home Shield also has coverage caps that may be appealing to veterans, particularly if you are living on a fixed income. AHS does not have a coverage cap for built-in systems, like HVAC and plumbing, and caps for appliances can be as high as $6,000. This means lower out-of-pocket costs in the event of major appliance repairs or the need to replace a home system, such as your electrical system.

American Home Shield offers three tiered plans: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold and ShieldPlatinum. ShieldSilver covers 14 essential built-in systems. ShieldGold includes everything in ShieldSilver and nine major appliances, including refrigerators, garbage disposals and ovens. ShieldPlatinum covers everything in ShieldGold, as well as roof leaks.

One standout feature of AHS is its coverage of issues that are not easily identified through a basic inspection or visual check for missing parts. The company will repair or replace covered appliances and home systems despite their age and/or without service records. AHS will also cover breakdowns and home repairs that result from a lack of maintenance, malfunctions due to sediment, rust or corrosion and improper installations, repairs or modifications.

American Home Shield also offers an adjustable service call fee, allowing you to choose one of three amounts — $75, $100 or $125 — to set your monthly payment amount. A higher service fee will reduce your monthly bill, and a lower service fee will increase it.

We requested a quote from AHS for a single-family home under 5,000 square feet in Richmond, Va. The company estimated that coverage would range from $24.99 to $69.99, depending on the plan and choice of service call fee. Keep in mind that plan costs will vary depending on where you live and the size of your home.

Get a Quote: To get your personalized quote, fill out this quick online form or call 844-529-9298.

To Learn More: American Home Shield Review

Although a relatively new home warranty company, Liberty Home Guard has built its reputation thus far on providing customizable plans paired with quality customer service. Liberty allows customers to select up to 30 add-on options — more than any other service provider on our list — to create the best-suited coverage for their unique needs and budget. This feature allows veterans to tailor their home warranty to their specific needs without paying for anything they don't need or want.

Liberty also has an easy-to-use online portal for filing and tracking claims, making policy changes and paying bills. However, if you live in Washington or Wisconsin, remember that Liberty Home Guard is currently unavailable in those states.

Liberty offers an appliances-only plan, a systems-exclusive plan and a comprehensive plan that includes appliances and in-home systems. Add-ons such as gutter cleaning, pest control, and floor and carpet cleaning may be particularly beneficial for rental property owners to maintain the home through tenant turnover.

According to our quote from Liberty Home Guard, plans range from approximately $50–$60 a month, with a service call fee from $65–$125, for a home under 5,000 square feet. Liberty selects the exact service fee customers pay, although the company does not provide its rationale for setting that fee beyond location and plan selection.

Customers can receive discounts for signing up for multi-year contracts and paying in one installment. For example, an annual payment on a one-year contract includes two months of free coverage. An upfront payment on a five-year contract includes six months of free coverage.

Get a Quote: Request your free quote by filling out Liberty Home Guard's online quote form.

To Learn More: Liberty Home Guard Review

Select Home Warranty stands out for its affordable roof-leak coverage. Limited roof-leak repairs on single-family homes come standard with every plan, and each plan costs $50 a month or less. Veterans may also appreciate Select's reputation for a same-day response on repair claims.

Select Home Warranty offers three coverage options: Bronze Care, an appliance-only plan; Gold Care, a systems-only plan; and Platinum Care, which covers both systems and home appliances.

Select Home Warranty's quote for a Richmond, Va., home of less than 5,000 square feet is between $41 and $46 per month. Select has a service call fee on the low end of the industry standard, but the company may charge multiple fees for a single visit if multiple repairs are needed. Select's service call fee is $75; the industry average is $75–$125.

Get a Quote: Fill out Select Home Warranty's easy online form or call 888-370-3956 to receive a free quote.

To Learn More: Select Home Warranty Review

America's 1st Choice Home Club (AFC Home Club) offers more plans than any other home warranty provider on our list, with four coverage options versus the more typical two or three. The company also offers a workmanship guarantee on all completed repairs for the length of your contract (one or three years) instead of the more standard 30- or 90-day guarantee. Like American Home Shield, AFC Home Club allows customers to choose their service call fee to keep their monthly payments within budget.

AFC Home Club offers four plan options. One covers just appliances, and another covers only in-home systems. The two more comprehensive coverage options offer a combination of home appliances and major systems. Ductwork is included in all four plans.

Coverage with AFC Home Club for a single-family home smaller than 5,000 square feet ranges from $37.92 to $65, depending upon your selected plan and service call fee. Three service call fees are available: $75, $100 and $125.

Get a Quote: Fill out AFC Home Club's quick form to request a personalized quote.

To Learn More: AFC Home Club Review

Cinch Home Services offers extensive coverage for 28 systems and appliances and provides unique perks to customers. One such perk is a $500 reimbursement toward your insurance deductible, available with the top-tier plan, if you have to file a homeowners insurance claim with your provider during the length of your home warranty contract. The company will also cover preexisting conditions that aren't easily detectable and damage from rust and corrosion.

Cinch provides a 180-day (six-month) guarantee on repairs and replacements, which is longer than most competitors’ range of 30 to 90 days.

Cinch Home Services offers three plans: Appliances, Built-in Systems and Complete Home. Complete Home is the most comprehensive coverage option, covering 28 appliances and systems, such as your cooktop, water heater, electrical, plumbing system and stoppages. The Appliances Plan covers major appliances, including washers and dryers, and the Built-in Systems Plan covers major systems, including air conditioners and heating.

All Cinch's plans include a free water-leak sensor and a $25 credit for an air conditioning unit filter or refrigerator filter. The company also offers discounts of up to 30% on purchasing a new name-brand appliance.

According to our sample quote, Cinch Home Services plans range from $29.99–$62.99. New customers receive one month of free coverage for monthly billing.

Your monthly bill will be higher or lower depending on which service call fee amount you choose. Cinch offers service call fees of $100, $125, and $150.

Get a Quote: Use Cinch Home Services’ online form for an instant quote or call 855-435-0489.

To Learn More: Cinch Home Services Review

Selecting the right home warranty company for you depends on your specific coverage needs and budget. We have thoroughly evaluated the providers on this list to give you crucial information on customer satisfaction, coverage items and prices. You can begin the process of finding a home warranty provider by requesting a quote from at least three providers to compare coverage options.

American Home Shield may be attractive due to its long history and solid reputation in the industry. AFC Home Club can provide peace of mind long after repairs have been completed due to its plan-length workmanship guarantee.

None of the home warranty companies on our list promote standard military rates. However, each company may have policies and procedures regarding military and veteran discounts, so you should speak with a customer service representative to learn what options may be available to you. If you are a USAA member, the military-support association may also offer assistance or discounts with your home warranty.

While a VA loan can provide an excellent deal on a home mortgage for veterans and active military, loans do not include warranty coverage. You can consider using the money you have saved through a VA loan on a home warranty policy, which will further save you money in the long run by significantly offsetting your out-of-pocket costs for repairs and replacements.

Most home warranty companies have a 30-day waiting period before purchased plans are effective. However, some companies may offer warranties that go into effect immediately, while others could have longer waiting periods. Always read the fine print of sample contracts for providers from which you request a quote to determine how quickly you can use your home warranty coverage.

Coverage of older appliances and built-in systems will depend upon the home warranty provider. American Home Shield and Cinch Home Services are good options for homeowners with older or under-maintained appliances or systems. Both companies extend coverage to appliances and systems regardless of age.

Our team created a comprehensive rating system to rank providers based on objective factors. We researched each company by speaking with company representatives, reading sample contracts, and analyzing and comparing consumer reviews. We deepened our research by gaining homeowner insights through surveys and focus groups.

After collecting data, we scored each provider in the following categories: plan options, cost, trustworthiness, customer service, state availability, additional benefits and coverage specifics.

Ally Sabatina is an experienced content producer whose work has appeared on sites like The Financial Diet and Inverse. She holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Temple University and strives to distill complex and nuanced topics into accessible and approachable language for all readers.

Rebekah Young is an editor with a decade of experience in educational content and editing. Before joining the Guides Home Team to focus on home services content, she guided content strategy and edited in the insurance, venture capital, financial and health care fields. Rebekah has a bachelor's degree in communication and English.