Our guides explain how home warranties work in plain language, so you can read a contract with confidence and decide whether a plan fits your home. Each one is reviewed on a schedule and shows the date it was last checked.
Start here
What is a home warranty?
The basics: what a plan is, who might find one useful, and how it differs from insurance.
Read more →How to compare plans and read a sample contract
A line-by-line worksheet and the questions to ask before you buy.
Read more →Home warranty glossary
Plain-language definitions of service fees, caps, exclusions, and other contract terms.
Read more →Home warranty vs. homeowners insurance
Two different products for two different problems.
Read more →10 mistakes to avoid when buying
Common pitfalls, red flags, and how to check a company before you sign.
Read more →When should you buy a home warranty?
The moments a plan makes the most sense, and when to wait.
Read more →Buying or selling a home
Home warranties for buyers
Seller-paid plans at closing, what to check, and what to expect in year one.
Read more →Home warranties for sellers
Listing-period coverage, offering a plan to buyers, and what it does and doesn't protect.
Read more →Plans for older homes
The clauses that matter most when your home and its systems have years on them.
Read more →Coverage and exclusions
What's commonly covered
Systems, appliances, and optional add-ons.
Read more →Common exclusions
What contracts often leave out, and why.
Read more →Limits and caps
Per-item and total limits that can leave you with a bill.
Read more →Service fees
What you pay each time a technician comes out.
Read more →Costs and value
What home warranties cost
The parts that make up the price, and how to compare quotes.
Read more →Is a home warranty worth it?
A framework for deciding based on your home and budget.
Read more →Claims and alternatives
How to file a claim
Step by step, with what to have ready.
Read more →What to do if a claim is denied
How to read a denial and ask for a review.
Read more →Seasonal maintenance checklist
Keep systems running and claim-eligible, with the records to keep.
Read more →Alternatives to a home warranty
Repair funds, manufacturer warranties, and more.
Read more →Build your own repair fund
Sizing a savings fund with your own numbers.
Read more →Manufacturer & extended warranties
Where they overlap with a home warranty.
Read more →"Home appliance insurance," explained
What the term usually means and what to compare.
Read more →A note on our guides
Our guides describe common patterns, not universal rules. Terms, exclusions, limits, fees, and availability vary by provider, plan, and state, and the contract you sign controls what’s covered. Read how we review and our affiliate disclosure to see how we research and fund this site.
This page is general education, not legal, financial, or insurance advice. Home warranty terms vary by provider, plan, and state; the contract you sign controls what is covered. Spotted an error? Request a correction.
