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America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) offers peace of mind when you own a home. Lodgings feature complex systems — plumbing, electrical, heating — and appliances like dishwashers that break down regularly. With an APHW policy, your repairs are covered, minus a deductible that you choose when you sign up.However, this home warranty system doesn’t always live up to the claims.
America’s Preferred Home Warranty Overview
- Plan types: one basic type, with upgrades available
- Pricing: $465-549 a year, depending on deductible
- Service fees: $75-125
- Workmanship guarantee: not applicable (you choose the provider)
- Contract length: 12 months
- BBB rating (Letter): A+
- Home inspection required? No
- States served: all except California
- Available appliance and system coverage: Yes
Plan Type:
Basic plan
Price: $38.75/$41.58/$45.75/month (depending on deductible: $50/$100/$125)
Systems Covered
- HVAC system
- Septic system
- Electrical system
- Plumbing
- Roof
- Duct work
Appliances Covered
- Built-in dishwasher, microwave, or oven
- Refrigerator
- range/cooktop
- Garbage disposal
- Attic and exhaust fans
- Garage door opener
- Sump pump
- Humidifier
- Water heater
Optional Add-on plans
Preferred Upgrade
Price: $10.42/month
Coverage: Includes additional elements for some appliances and systems that are covered in basic plan
Systems Covered:
- Central air: refrigerant recovery, cost of crane, registers and grills
- Central heat: registers, grills and heat lamps
- Special electrical package: fire/burglar alarms, lighting fixtures, doorbell
- Toilets: replaced with like quality up to $200
- Water heater: sediment buildup
- $250 toward code violations.
Appliances Covered:
- Racks, baskets, and rollers of built-in dishwashers
- Interior lining, glass door, clocks and shelves of built-in microwave
- Ceiling fans
- Garage door opener: hinges, springs, keypads and remote transmitters
- Refrigerator: refrigerant recovery, control board, ice maker and beverage dispenser
- Trash compactor: lock and key assembly, buckets
- Oven/range: interior lining, clocks, etc.
Pool/spa
Price: $15.42/month
Coverage: All component parts of the heating, pumping, and filtration system. It doesn’t cover skimmers, pool sweeps and motors, lights, liners, jets, underground electrical, gas or plumbing lines, cleaning or solar equipment, structural defects, and above-ground pools.
Premium salt water pool/spa
Price: $28.75
Jetted bathtub
Price: $10.42
Coverage: Accessible electrical controls, accessible plumbing lines, air pumps, drains, gaskets, and primary circulation pump motor.
Clothes washer and dryer
Price: $7.08
Coverage: All parts and components except soap dispensers, filter screens, plastic mini-tub, dials and knobs, link screen, venting and damage to choting.
Water softener
$7.08
Coverage: Domestic water softener, brine tank, and connecting water lines.
Who is this best for?
A home warranty is best for new home buyers, or sellers who want a plan to increase buyer interest in their homes.
Pros:
- Limits your costs (within a certain amount) for repairs that might otherwise be budget-busting.
- Allows you to choose your own trusted contractors.
- Plan choice gives you options for either a basic plan or more extensive coverage
Cons:
- Plan maximums are fairly low for some systems. For example, washer and dryer, water well pump, and septic maximum claim is just $400. Septic claims alone can run into the thousands.
- There are many exceptions to coverage.. For example, if you have coverage for a jetted bathtub, it doesn’t cover repairs to the bathtub shell or surrounding tile or tub enclosure.
The Competition
| America’s Preferred Home Warranty | Complete Protection | American Residential Warranty | |
| States served | All states except CA | All states except NY, MA, WI. | All 50 states |
| Service fee | $75-125 | NA | $55 |
| Workmanship guarantee | NA | NA | 30 day guarantee |
| Customizable? | no | no | no |
| Other |
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|
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*All information accurate as of May 12, 2020
America’s Preferred Home Warranty compared to Complete Protection
Both APHW and Complete Protection allow you to choose your own contractors, rather than using someone sent by the company. This allows you to remain in control of the quality of the work done. However, Complete Protection’s lack of a service fee puts it well ahead of APHW, which charges anywhere from $75-125, depending on your plan.
Complete Protection has higher service caps on some systems, including septic, which is $1,000 compared to APHW’s $400. Although both companies have several options for basic and extended protection plans, neither allows you to customize a policy to your specific needs.
America’s Preferred Home Warranty compared to American Residential Warranty
American Residential Warranty (ARW) also has a lower service fee than APHW. ARW also offers some extended coverages that APHW lacks, particularly a plan that includes electronics such as TVs, computers, and gaming systems. The plan isn’t cheap, at $109.99 a month, but if you’re a gamer or audiophile it can be worthwhile.
Another area where the two companies differ is assignment of workers; ARW sends out their own selected contractors, unlike APHW. That might be a plus for you if you’ve just moved into an area and don’t know any reliable local service people. ARW offers a 30 day guarantee on all work done by their contractors, so you’ve got recourse if something is not fixed to your satisfaction. With APHW, you choose the contractors, so you’re on your own if the work isn’t top-notch.
The Bottom Line
There’s no lack of good home warranty companies in the U.S. and most of them, including America’s Preferred Home Warranty pay a limited amount toward home repairs of named systems and appliances. If you’re worried about being nickeled-and-dimed to death by repairs, they can offer some security against highrepair fees. But buyer beware: there is a maximum cap on what APHW will pay you for a single repair, and that cap, which ranges from $400-$2,250, may not be enough for some fixes.
About the Authors
Mary Van Keuren has been covering auto and home insurance for Reviews.com for nearly five years, and has published numerous reviews of state-specific insurance trends and how to find the best insurance deals for your money. She earned B.S. and M.A. degrees from Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. and has been writing professionally, both in print and online, for 30+ years.
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