Best Home Appliance Insurance Companies (June 2023)

Home appliance insurance, also known as a home warranty policy, can provide peace of mind by helping you cover repair and replacement costs and locate a contractor if a major home appliance breaks down. In this guide to the best home appliance insurance, see how a home warranty can help protect the most important appliances in your home.

We at the Guides Home Team have rounded up the top home warranty companies offering appliance coverage. We then reviewed and ranked each provider based on its coverage levels, quality of customer service, overall customer satisfaction and cost. We determined that the best home appliance insurance company is American Home Shield.

When deciding which home appliance warranty is best for you, you’ll want to consider important factors like each provider's coverage, cost and level of customer satisfaction. Compare our top-rated home appliance warranty companies to see which one fits your needs:

Home appliance insurance is another name for a home protection plan or a home appliance warranty. As a customer, you pay a monthly or annual fee in exchange for discounted diagnostics, repairs and replacements of your home's essential components, such as HVAC units, refrigerators and laundry appliances. Many home warranty companies offer multiple coverage tiers so you can select the best plan for your budget and household needs, including appliance-only coverage.

Our survey of 1,000 homeowners found that nearly 50% of respondents have had to pay $700 or more to replace a single home appliance. If that figure alarms you, home appliance insurance can help alleviate the expense of appliance replacement and repairs.

Review our picks for the best insurance for home appliances:

American Home Shield (AHS) earned 4.58 out of 5 stars based on our provider review methodology and is ranked #2 as our most experienced appliance insurance provider. Although AHS does not have an exclusive, appliance-only policy, two of its three plans offer comprehensive appliance coverage. We like AHS for appliance coverage because it extends a high coverage cap of $3,000 to $6,000 per item (depending on your plan) and even covers professional-series appliances.

AHS offers three plans — two of which cover appliances. You won't get appliance coverage if you enroll in AHS's basic plan, ShieldSilver™. You’ll have to upgrade to ShieldGold™ or ShieldPlatinum™, which both cover appliances and other home systems like air conditioners, electrical lines and plumbing.

Compare AHS's three plans:

American Home Shield's plans cost between $30 and $100 per month, depending on which plan and service call fee or deductible option you choose ($100 or $125).

Get a quote: To get a personalized quote from American Home Shield, use this simple online tool or call 844-529-9298.

To learn more: American Home Shield review

Liberty Home Guard earned 4.53 out of 5 stars according to our methodology and is our top pick for a home appliance insurance provider. Liberty has consistently broadened communication with its customers, offering live-chat customer support and a customer survey tool to implement feedback on features like add-on options.

We also like that Liberty offers an appliance-only plan that fits your needs, as well as a long list of optional add-ons you can choose from to customize your appliance plan. If you have less common appliances like an ice maker, stand-alone freezer, second refrigerator or pro-series appliances, Liberty Home Guard allows you to add personalized protection to your plan.

Liberty Home Guard offers three plans, two of which offer appliance coverage. Its Appliance Guard covers only appliances, while its Total Home Guard covers both home systems and appliances. The Systems Guard does not cover appliances, only home systems.

Compare coverage between the three plans:

Liberty Home Guard's plans cost between $50 and $60 per month, with its Appliance Guard plan being the cheapest option. Unlike other providers that allow you to choose your own service fee, Liberty assigns you a service call fee between $65 and $125 based on your plan, add-ons and location.

Get a quote: To request a free and customized quote from Liberty Home Guard, fill out this quick form or call 866-452-9107.

To learn more: Liberty Home Guard review

Select Home Warranty earned 4.54 out of 5 stars according to our rating system and is the most budget-friendly provider on our list. Although Select Home Warranty has a relatively low coverage cap of $500 per appliance, it also has one of the cheapest complete home plans (which covers appliances and home systems) at just $47.75 per month. The company also offers a low service fee of $75.

Select Home Warranty offers three plans: Bronze Care, Gold Care and Platinum Care. The Bronze Care plan is appliance-only, while the Platinum Care plan covers both appliances and home systems. Gold Care does not cover appliances.

All of Select Home Warranty's plans cost under $50 per month, making it a budget-friendly option. Plus, Select's service fee is always $75, which is cheaper than most other providers.

Get a quote: To request a free quote from Select Home Warranty, use this simple online tool or call 888-370-3956.

To learn more: Select Home Warranty review

America's First Choice (AFC) Home Club earned 4.52 out of 5 stars based on our rating methodology, and it has the best selection of coverage options of the providers on our list. AFC Home Club offers four plans, three of which cover appliances. Its Silver Plan is the cheapest appliance-only plan on our list, costing between $33.83 to $38.67 per month, depending on your service fee.

Although you’re paying a low price, you’ll still enjoy a high coverage cap of $3,000 for standard appliances and a $1,000 coverage cap for high-end appliances.

AFC Home Club offers three plans: Systems, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The Silver, Gold and Platinum plans all offer appliance coverage, but the Silver Plan exclusively covers appliances. The Systems Plan only covers home systems.

Compare plan coverage to see which one fits your needs the best:

AFC Home Club offers flexible service call fee options of $75, $100 or $125, which allows you to adjust your monthly prices. You can compare the prices of each plan below:

Get a quote: To request your free quote from AFC Home Club calling 877-755-1115 or fill out this online form.

To learn more: AFC Home Club review

First American Home Warranty earned 4.46 out of 5 stars based on our methodology and is our pick for add-on coverage. Its First Class Upgrade covers home items that were improperly maintained or installed, a benefit that most competitors don't offer. The First Class Upgrade also covers the cost of miscellaneous fees and appliance parts, which can add up quickly during a home repair. First American also offers comprehensive coverage with its Premium Plan, which has a coverage cap of $7,000 per appliance and no coverage limit for major systems.

First American Home Warranty offers three plans, each with varying levels of appliance coverage. The Starter Plan is the cheapest and covers some appliances like dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens and microwaves, but it does not cover clothes dryers and washers. The Premium Plan covers all of the below appliances with an extended coverage cap of $7,000 per item.

First American allows you to choose from three service call fees of $75, $100 or $125. This lets you scale your monthly cost up or down, with a higher service call fee meaning you’ll have a lower monthly cost:

Get a quote: To request your free quote, fill out First American Home Warranty's quote form or call 855-435-0489.

To learn more: First American Home Warranty Review

Home appliance insurance covers the cost to diagnose, repair or replace a major appliance when it malfunctions due to normal wear and tear. Our analysis of customer reviews of the top home warranty companies revealed that many customers don't understand what their plans will and will not cover. It's important to have a good sense of what your home warranty covers before agreeing to any contract. The most commonly covered appliances include, but are not limited to, the following:

A home warranty covers repair costs and replacements that are outside the scope of homeowners insurance. While homeowners insurance will protect your home in the event of a burglary, vandalism or natural disaster, it doesn't cover costs associated with the routine wear and tear of your home's built-in systems and appliances.

Each home warranty policy will have its own coverage limits — the maximum amount a home warranty company will pay to repair or replace an item — per system or appliance. Some companies will have only an annual coverage limit. You can find information about specific coverage limits in your home service contract.

When you enroll in home appliance insurance (or a home warranty) you will pay a monthly fee for the coverage, as well as a fee when your service technician comes to handle a repair.

Based on our comparison of the top home warranty providers, the average cost of appliance coverage is $47.71 each month, or $572.52 annually. Service call fees typically range from $75 to $125 for each claim. Most home warranty plans are a year-long contract, so you may incur fees if you choose to cancel your plan early.

The chart below is a breakdown of the average costs of home appliance insurance by the home warranty provider.

*Plan costs are based on a single-family home under 5,000 sq. ft. in Raleigh, NC. Pricing reflects the most basic plan that covers laundry and kitchen appliances.

The cost of replacing or repairing home appliances can vary depending on several factors, including the following:

Typically, repairs are more affordable than replacements, but sometimes the damage may be greater than the appliance's value. In this case, your home warranty company may suggest a total replacement.

According to our market research, the cost to repair appliances can range from $50 to $800, depending on the item. Water heaters and air conditioning units are the most expensive.

On the other hand, having to replace all your major home appliances can cost upwards of $10,000. Individual appliance replacement costs range from $150 on the low end to $10,000 for more luxury appliances, such as top-of-the-line refrigerators and air conditioning systems.

The MarketWatch Guides Team developed a calculator that analyzes the anticipated annual expenses associated with owning a home warranty. To determine your projected annual cost, simply input your monthly premium, service call fee and estimated number of claims. We recommend getting quotes from our top providers directly, as prices vary by plan, location and home size.

Source: Home Depot

When a covered item malfunctions, you can file a claim with your home warranty provider and expect a reply within 24 hours to five days, depending on your location and the urgency of the breakdown. The company will likely ask you to provide the make and model of the broken item. You should also be ready to explain the nature of the malfunction in detail — for example, explain that your washing machine won't drain water rather than simply stating it's not working.

Once your claim is approved, your provider will pair you with a local, licensed and insured service contractor. The technician will diagnose the problem and typically perform minor repairs and parts replacements during the initial visit. More extensive repairs and replacements may require an additional appointment, which may incur an additional service call fee.

It's important to note that most home warranty companies have a 30-day waiting period from enrollment before new customers can file their first claim.

There are several options for home appliance insurance that can help cover the cost of a repair or replacement if something in your home breaks. Compare the differences between a home warranty, home appliance warranty, manufacturer's warranty and extended warranty to decide what coverage is best for you:

When looking for a home appliance warranty, you’ll want to balance several factors, including:

Although many homebuyers purchase home appliance insurance when moving into a new home, you can enroll in coverage at any time. However, most home warranty providers that cover appliances require you to wait 30 days after enrollment before you can submit a service request.

You may want to consider purchasing home appliance insurance if you have older appliances. Older appliances are more likely to break down due to normal wear and tear and need repairs or replacements, meaning you’ll be more likely to take advantage of your home warranty and avoid paying out of pocket when something breaks. If you have all new appliances, it may not be worth it to pay for home appliance insurance every month.

We at the Guides Home Team recommend American Home Shield since it offers as much as $6,000 in coverage for appliances, whereas Liberty Home Guard allows you to customize your package with a massive suite of add-ons. Select Home Warranty allows you to cover your appliances and built-in systems for less than $50 a month.

Because all providers vary in their policies, coverage caps and response time, it's important to request a quote from at least three options and to read their sample agreements carefully for clarity.

If your appliances currently have extended warranty coverage, you do not need a home warranty. However, we recommend you opt for home warranty coverage over extended warranties. Like a manufacturer's warranty, extended warranties are limited to single appliances and do not offer built-in systems coverage. Home warranties can provide combination coverage opportunities not offered by extended warranties.

Home appliance insurance is a warranty that covers appliance repair costs in the event of unexpected malfunctions. A home insurance policy typically covers damages to the structure of your house and personal property, while a home warranty covers the repair and replacement of specific appliances and systems.

The typical coverage cap for home appliances is between $2,000 and $3,000 per item. Based on our research of dozens of home warranty companies, we found that this range is typical, but there are a few outliers. For example, American Home Shield will cover up to $6,000 per appliance if you’re enrolled in the ShieldPlatinum™ plan, while Select Home Warranty offers a lower coverage cap of $500 per appliance.

Home appliance insurance doesn't cover all scenarios and malfunctions, so it's essential to understand your service contract. The terms can vary from provider to provider, but in general, home appliance insurance does not cover the following items:

A workmanship guarantee is like a secondary warranty for an appliance after it's been repaired by a service technician. If your appliance is repaired once and breaks again, your home warranty company will send out another technician to complete the necessary repairs free of charge. For some companies, this guarantee is valid within 30 days of the repair, while others offer more extended coverage.

At the Guides Home Team, we’ve created a comprehensive rating system to rank home warranty providers based on objective factors. We researched each company by speaking with representatives, reading sample contracts, and analyzing and comparing consumer reviews, then deepened our knowledge by gaining homeowner insights through surveys and focus groups.

After collecting data, we scored each provider based on what matters most to homeowners: plan options, cost, trustworthiness, customer service, state availability, additional benefits and coverage specifics.

We established each company's rating out of 5.0 stars, weighing the following factors accordingly:

Our review methodology for home warranty companies is intended to provide a thorough overview of the best providers nationwide. To learn more, you can read our full home warranty methodology.

Faith Wakefield is a writer based in North Carolina. She holds economics and English degrees from UNC Chapel Hill, and her work has been featured on EcoWatch, The World Economic Forum and Today's Homeowner. In her free time, she loves to binge-watch personal finance videos on YouTube, collect books and spend time in nature.

Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York's Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.