In this article: Top Home Warranty Companies | Bottom Line | FAQs | Methodology
Home appliance and system breakdowns are inevitable, but paying for unexpected repairs doesn’t have to be. A home warranty offers peace of mind that repairs will be covered if your thermostat gets stuck or the temperature drops to a teeth-chattering low in winter. The best home warranty companies cover HVAC units comprehensively, including your vents, registers, ductwork and even an annual tune-up in some cases.
We at the Home Media reviews team have researched dozens of home warranty providers and narrowed our list to the best ones for HVAC system coverage. This guide highlights each company’s plans, prices and customer reviews to help you decide which is right for your home.
Top Home Warranty Companies for HVAC in 2022
These are the best HVAC home warranty options:
American Home Shield
- State availability: 49 (excludes Alaska)
- Date founded: 1971
American Home Shield (AHS) tops our list as the best overall company for HVAC coverage. AHS has been in the home warranty business for more than 50 years and has handed out millions in claims for covered items. The company also has an extensive network of more than 15,000 qualified contractors throughout the United States to expedite repairs. It offers customizable plans designed to fit any budget.
American Home Shield stands out because it doesn’t have a coverage cap for built-in systems, such as HVAC. This means the costs to repair or replace your heating and air conditioning systems will likely be less than other providers.
Plan Breakdown
American Home Shield offers three tiered plans: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold and ShieldPlatinum. All three plans cover HVAC systems with no preset coverage cap. ShieldSilver covers 14 essential built-in systems. ShieldGold includes everything in ShieldSilver plus some major appliances, such as refrigerators and ovens. ShieldPlatinum covers everything in ShieldGold, as well as roof leaks. ShieldPlatinum also comes with one free HVAC tune-up per year, helping you prevent repairs. The tune-up is available through the other two plans but costs $75.
AHS covers issues that can’t be determined through a simple mechanical inspection, such as turning an appliance on and off or a visual check to see whether any parts are missing. An item’s age does not limit AHS’ coverage, and service records aren’t required to be covered.
Cost Breakdown
Customers can choose from three service call fees: $75, $100 or $125. A higher service call fee reduces your monthly payment, and a lower service fee increases your bill.
We requested a quote from American Home Shield for a single-family home in Santa Fe, N.M. The company estimated that coverage would range from $59.99 to $104.99, depending on your selected plan. Keep in mind that plan costs vary by your location and home size.
America’s First Choice Home Club
- State availability: 49 (excludes Hawaii)
- Date founded: 2010
America’s First Choice Home Club (AFC Home Club) offers more plan options than any other home warranty provider on our list. The company is a great option for HVAC coverage because it has a workmanship guarantee that lasts the length of your contract, as opposed to the typical 30, 60 or 90 days. One-year and three-year contracts are available.
Plan Breakdown
AFC Home Club offers four plan options: the Silver Plan, the Systems Plan, the Gold Plan and the Platinum Plan. The Silver Plan doesn’t cover HVAC systems, but the Systems Plan does. The Gold and Platinum plans cover a combination of appliances and systems, including HVAC. Ductwork is included in all four plans.
Cost Breakdown
Coverage with AFC Home Club ranges from $33.58 to $57.50, depending on your selected plan and service call fee. Three service call fees are available: $75, $100 and $125.
Get your quote: Fill out AFC Home Club’s quick form or call 877-755-1115 to request a personalized quote.
To learn more: AFC Home Club review
Liberty Home Guard
- State availability: 48 (excludes Washington and Wisconsin)
- Date founded: 2017
Liberty Home Guard has a reputation for providing customizable plans and quality customer service. Liberty offers more than 35 add-on options — more than any other provider on our list.
Plan Breakdown
Liberty offers an appliances-only plan, a systems-only plan and a comprehensive plan that includes appliances and systems. Systems Guard and Total Home Guard both cover HVAC systems and ductwork up to $2,000 per item. Additional coverage options include gutter cleaning, pest control, and floor and carpet cleaning.
Cost Breakdown
Liberty Home Guard quoted us plans ranging from $69.99 to $79.99 per month, with a service call fee of $65 to $125. Liberty selects the service fee customers pay based on location, plan selection and similar factors.
While LHG’s monthly fees are slightly higher than some other options on this list, 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 up-front payment on a five-year contract includes six months of free coverage.
Get your quote: Request your free quote through Liberty Home Guard’s online form or by calling 866-452-9107.
To learn more: Liberty Home Guard review
Select Home Warranty
- State availability: 46 (excludes Nevada, New Mexico, Washington and Wisconsin)
- Date founded: 2012
Select Home Warranty is a good choice for HVAC repair coverage because of its same-day turnaround process on claims and multi-year coverage discounts. The coverage cap for HVAC units is $2,000, lower than some other providers on this list.
Plan Breakdown
Select Home Warranty offers three coverage options, but Gold Care and Platinum Care are the two plans that cover heating systems and AC units.
Cost Breakdown
Select Home Warranty quoted us monthly prices between $41.67 and $46.08. Customers who pay an annual contract in one payment receive two months of free coverage. The number of months of free coverage increases the longer you make your contract. For example, a five-year contract paid in full will include an additional six months of free coverage.
Cinch Home Services
- State availability: 48 (excludes Alaska and Hawaii)
- Date founded: 1988
Cinch Home Services stands out for its extensive coverage — 28 systems and appliances — and unique perks. The top-tier plan offers an up-to-$500 reimbursement ($1,000 with Complete Home VIP) if you have to file a homeowners insurance claim during your contract. Additionally, the company covers damage due to rust and corrosion and preexisting conditions that aren’t easily detectable through a visual or simple mechanical inspection.
Cinch has a 180-day guarantee on repairs and replacements, longer than most competitors’ range of 30 to 90 days. The only longer guarantee on this list is AFC Home Club’s, which provides a plan-length workmanship guarantee.
Plan Breakdown
Cinch Home Services offers three plans: Appliances, Built-in Systems and Complete Home. The Built-in Systems Plan covers major systems, such as air conditioners and heating systems. Complete Home is the most comprehensive option, providing coverage on 28 appliances and systems, including HVAC units.
All of Cinch’s plans include a $25 credit for an air conditioning unit filter or water filter plus a $50 Green Reward. The Green Reward can be used to offset the cost of upgrading to energy-efficient home items, such as LED light bulbs, programmable thermostats and other smart-home technologies.
Cost Breakdown
Cinch Home Services’ plans range from $34.99 to $67.99 per month, according to our quote. New customers receive one month of free coverage when they opt for monthly billing.
Your monthly fees will be higher or lower depending on your selected service call fee. Cinch offers service call fees of $100, $125 and $150.
The Bottom Line: What’s the Best Home Warranty for HVAC?
Selecting the right home warranty plan for HVAC protection depends on your individual needs. We evaluated providers’ coverage, price and customer satisfaction and recommend each of the companies on this list.
American Home Shield and Cinch Home Services are great options for homeowners who want coverage for unknown preexisting conditions. AFC Home Club is an excellent choice if you want the added reassurance of a plan-length workmanship guarantee.
We encourage homeowners to thoroughly research home warranty companies and request quotes from at least three before making a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About Home Warranties for HVAC
Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Home Warranty Companies
Our consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information — as such, we create a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best home warranty companies. This system accounts for a wide range of ranking factors, and we collect data on dozens of home warranty providers to grade the companies on each factor. The end result is a cumulative score for each provider — companies that score the most points top the list.
To ensure our research is as thorough as possible, we call every major home warranty provider directly and speak with representatives to get quotes, specifics on coverage options, availability based on location and additional information. We also review sample contracts to better understand what each plan covers and to identify limitations. In addition, we simulate the process of reaching out to each company’s customer service team to evaluate their level of helpfulness and ability to solve problems.
Once we gather all relevant data, we use the following scoring system to grade each home warranty company on a 100-point scale:
- Overall plan options (25 points): Companies that offer a variety of plan options are more likely to meet consumer needs. Thus, we award more points to providers that offer more plans and greater flexibility.
- Cost (25 points): Monthly fees and service fees are both taken into consideration. The lower the fees, the higher the score.
- Trust (25 points): We analyze customer feedback on third-party review sites to gauge the reputation of each company. We deduct points for companies that are currently facing or have recently faced civil lawsuits.
- Customer service (10 points): We base this factor on the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of a company’s customer service team.
- State availability (5 points): Most home warranty companies do not serve all 50 U.S. states. Providers that offer service in the most states score the highest in this category.
- Additional benefits (5 points): Promotions and discounts are among the perks that can make a home warranty more attractive to consumers. Companies that offer benefits that competitors don’t are awarded more points.
- Coverage specifics (5 points): While the total number of plan options is important, it is also essential to consider what is covered under each plan. The more comprehensive the coverage, the better.
