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Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa for 2023
By Susan Doktor MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
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- Online Business Bureau Accredited with A+ Rating
- Covers Major Home Systems, HVAC & Appliances
- Free Roof Coverage, No Inspection Needed
24/7 support whenever your appliances fail
- Large network of independent prescreened contractors and qualified technicians
- In business for over 30 years
- Good coverage on home systems
- Does not cover pre-existing issues
- They will replace items that fail if they can't be fixed regardless of age, make or model
Get $50 OFF Any Plan
- Industry leader since 1971
- More than $2 Billion in claims paid in last 5 years
- More than 2 Million customers served
- No inspection or maintenance records required
- 30-day workmanship guarantee
Owning a home is a big financial commitment. Some experts advise that you can expect to spend between 1% and 4% of your home’s market value on home maintenance and repairs. That’s a big chunk of change to budget.
It’s not uncommon for homeowners who want to bring some predictability to their monthly expenses to purchase a home warranty. Home warranties don’t typically cover the cost of routine maintenance, but they can help pay for a wide range of surprise breakdowns in your home’s major systems and appliances.
We’ve looked closely at the home warranty choices available to Iowa residents. Read on for our top picks, plan prices, and coverage details for eight of the top home warranty providers for Iowans.
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks for the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
Guide to the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa FAQs
How We Evaluated the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
Summary of Our Guide to the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
Our Top Picks for the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
Liberty Home Guard
- Offers systems-only, appliances-only, and combination plans
- Ample room to customize your plan with add-on coverage options
- Get answers to your questions through online chat
- $2,000 coverage cap per system
- One high standard deductible choice only
Prices By Plan
- Appliance Guard: $49.99
- Systems Guard: $54.99
- Total Home Guard: $59.99
Liberty Home Guard offers three flexible home warranty plans designed to meet the diverse needs of Iowa residents. The plans — Systems Guard, Appliance Guard, and Total Home Guard — are named in a clear and concise manner to make it easy for homeowners to understand the differences among its plans.
The Systems Guard plan provides protection for your home’s crucial systems such as heating and cooling, plumbing, and electrical. The Appliance Guard plan, on the other hand, covers common appliances like washing machines and clothes dryers, built-in microwaves, and smaller items like garbage disposals, ceiling fans, and garage door openers. The Total Home Guard plan is a combination of both systems and appliances coverage and is available at a reasonable cost.
Liberty Home Guard also offers add-on coverage options such as lawn sprinkler systems, pools and spas, roof leak coverage, septic systems, and central vacuum systems. The company differentiates itself by providing coverage choices for uncommon household features such as swamp coolers, professional series kitchen appliances, and reverse osmosis water filtration systems. You can also add coverage for services such as pest control, carpet cleaning, and gutter cleaning, to maintain your home in top condition.
Liberty Home Guard charges fair monthly premiums and includes a standard service fee of $125. Filing a lot of claims may result in less affordable coverage overall.
Iowa Realty
- Water, gas, drain, and waste lines covered in Basic plan
- Two heating and air conditioning units covered with 7-star Upgrade plan
- Expanded coverage for systems and appliances with 7-star Upgrade plan
- No coverage available for washers and dryers
- No personalized quotes
- No simple plan comparison tool
- No optional add-on coverages
Prices By Plan
- Basic plan: $42.91
- 7-star upgrade: $55.33
Iowa Realty is not a home warranty company itself, but rather offers home warranty plans through Home Warranty of America (HWA), a new company founded in 2021.
Iowa Realty offers two reasonably priced combination systems-and-appliances plans. Both come with a fixed, $100 deductible. While some customers prefer to choose their own deductibles, a $100 deductible is on the low side and can help bring the overall cost of your home warranty plan.
Iowa Realty’s Basic plan covers most, but not all major appliances. Notably, coverage for washers and dryers isn’t available with either of the company’s plans. On the systems side, the Basic plan offers limited HVAC coverage — only heat pumps and ductwork are covered. Window air conditioners are not protected. But window AC units, water heaters, plumbing parts and stoppages, and water, gas, drain, and waste lines are all covered. So overall, the coverage is pretty beefy.
Iowa Realty’s 7-Star Upgrade is one of the most robust plans we’ve seen and represents an excellent value. Coverage for items that are included in the Basic plan is much more comprehensive than average. Many items that are excluded from the typical home warranty plan are covered with the 7-Star Upgrade. For example, dishwasher racks, baskets, and rollers are covered. Range components, such as knobs and handles, clocks, built-in rotisseries, and even stove linings are covered. Shower heads and faucets are included in the Upgrade plan. And the list goes on to include central heat and air conditioning registers, grills, filters, and heat lamps, removal of equipment that needs replacing, $250 coverage towards code violations and permits, crane rental for rooftop HVAC units, and more.
Here’s the rub, though. Iowa Home Realty’s website is rather challenging to use. Unlike most home warranty companies we have reviewed, its website does not give homeowners a chance to get an instant quote tailored to their specific homes and coverage needs. Nor does it offer a simple way to compare what’s covered under each of its plans. All information, including pricing, is contained in a lengthy brochure that comprises both contract details and marketing materials. It’s cumbersome, confusing, and time-consuming to pour over the brochure and find the information you need to evaluate the true value of Iowa Realty’s plans.
Still, both of Iowa Realty plans offer very good coverage at a rather modest cost. And the 7-Star Upgrade plan is an excellent choice for customers who are looking for fewer exclusions and enhanced coverage for systems and appliances.
Choice Home Warranty
- Choice of two combination systems-and-appliances plans
- Many optional add-on coverages
- Low service call fee ($85)
- No systems-only or appliances-only plan
- Fixed deductible only
Prices By Plan
- Basic plan: $46.83
- Total plan: $54.75
Choice Home Warranty offers homeowners two whole-home plans, with coverage for both systems and appliances. The plans differ in price and eligible items. The company does not offer separate coverage for systems or appliances, which may be a deal breaker for some customers. But if you want comprehensive coverage, it may be what you’re looking for.
The Basic Plan covers cooktops, ovens, built-in microwaves, dishwashers, and garbage disposals. It excludes refrigerators, clothes washers, and dryers but does protect electrical, plumbing, heating systems, and water heaters. Air conditioning systems are not covered in the Basic Plan.
The Total Plan covers all Basic Plan items plus clothes washers and dryers and air conditioning systems. The company doesn’t allow you to choose your deductible, but its fixed $85 deductible per service call is quite reasonable. Low service call fees can help keep your total home warranty costs low overall, particularly if you have to make a lot of claims.
Home Warranty Inc.
- Choice of local contractors
- Standard 14 months coverage
- Cash-out option for repairs
- Very affordable opening price point plan
- Home inspection required
- Limited protection for systems Supplemental Home Protection Plan
- Few choices for add-on coverage with Supplemental Home Protection Plan
Prices By Plan
- Supplemental Home Protection Plan: $30
- Home Protection Plan: $49
Home Warranty Inc. (also known as Home Warranty of the Midwest Inc.) has been in business since 1999. The company is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau and earns 3.15 out of 5 stars from customers who review it on the BBB website. That consumer rating stands out as relatively high among home warranty companies.
Home Warranty Inc. offers two combination systems-and-appliances plans with a fixed deductible of $100 per service call. The company charges the lowest premium we’ve found for an opening price point plan. Its Supplemental Home Protection Plan is a good choice for customers on a tight budget. But it’s a common case of “you get what you pay for” because coverage is very limited under the plan. While it includes coverage for the most important home appliances (and some minor appliances, too), it’s weak on systems coverage. Only water heaters and heating systems are covered under the Supplemental Home Protection Plan and heating coverage excludes ductwork.
If you step up to the Home Protection Plan, you’ll get considerably more coverage. The plan includes water heaters, interior plumbing systems (including plumbing stoppages), interior electrical systems, and coverage for two heating and cooling systems. That’s an important feature for customers who may have a main heating system in some areas of the house and supplemental electric baseboard heating in other areas.
Home Warranty Inc. offers optional coverage for quite a few items, including pools and spas ($17 each), septic systems ($9), well pumps ($9), water softener systems ($3) and limited roof leak coverage ($10).
Select Home Warranty
- Offers individual plans for systems or appliances
- Low-cost combination plan
- Earn a discount when you buy multi-year plan
- Fewer add-on coverage options than competitive plans
- $500 coverage limit on appliances, electrical systems, and plumbing systems
- More exclusions than competitive plans
Prices By Plan
- Bronze Care: $44.42
- Gold Care: $44.42
- Platinum Care: $47.75
Select Home Warranty provides homeowners with three plan options: an appliance plan, a systems plan, and a plan that includes both. All three plans include limited roof leak coverage, which often only appears in top-tier plans or as an add-coverage at an additional cost.
The Bronze Care plan covers appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves, built-in microwaves, and garbage disposals.
The Gold Care plan offers comprehensive system coverage, including heating and air conditioning, electrical and plumbing systems, water heaters, and ductwork. Plumbing stoppages are excluded from the Gold Care plan.
The Platinum Care plan is a cost-effective combo plan that fills in some of the gaps in the company’s lower-priced plans. It covers plumbing stoppages and adds in coverage for clothes washers. However, Select Home Warranty’s low premiums may be balanced by low coverage limits on some systems and appliances, such as a $500 coverage limit on appliances.
While the company does provide a sample contract that specifies coverage limits and exclusions, they do not disclose the length of their workmanship guarantee. Nor does the company discuss its service call fee anywhere on its website. These are significant considerations when determining the value of a home warranty plan.
American Home Shield
- Impressive $6,000 per appliance coverage limit (ShieldPlatinum only)
- No inspection required
- Doesn't exclude poorly maintained or undocumented appliances
- Choice of two deductibles ($100 or $125)
- Appliances-only plan not offered
- Limited add-on coverage options
Prices By Plan
- ShieldSilver: $39.99
- ShieldGold: $59.99
- ShieldPlatinum: $89.99
American Home Shield is a mainstay of the home warranty industry, with more than 50 years of service to its credit. The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and holds a B rating from the organization.
American Home Shield (AHS) has three customizable plans: one for home systems and two that cover both systems and appliances. The home systems plan includes 14 different systems, such as heating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, and water heater. Unlike some home warranty companies, AHS covers appliances and systems that haven’t been properly maintained. Some of us don’t keep up with routine appliance maintenance and even more of us move into homes where the provenance of home appliances and systems is unknown.
ShieldSilver, the company’s systems-only plan, covers most major home systems. While it isn’t prominently noted in the company’s individual plan descriptions, water heaters are covered under all three of its plans.
The ShieldGold combination plan covers major systems and popular appliances like refrigerators and dishwashers. Kitchen and laundry room appliances are also included.
The ShieldPlatinum plan offers additional benefits such as limited roof leak repairs, free HVAC tune-ups, unlimited AC refrigerant refills, and coverage for code violations, permits, and modifications. Optional coverage is available for electronics, pools, and guest units, but some home features like sump pumps and septic systems are not covered.
Cinch Home Services
- 180-day workmanship guarantee
- Choose your deductible ($100, $125, or $150)
- Pays a portion of your homeowner's insurance policy deductible (conditions apply)
- Service call fee options are on the high side
- Fewer add-on options than some companies offer
Prices By Plan
- Appliances plan: $39.99
- Built-in Systems plan: $44.99
- Complete Home plan: $54.99
Cinch Home Services offers a range of home protection plans with three options to choose from: systems, appliances, or a combination of both. Each plan is designed to provide comprehensive coverage for different aspects of your home. Its most expensive plan—the Complete Home plan—provides peace of mind at moderate price and protects you from unexpected expenses due to appliance and systems breakdowns
One of the key selling points of Cinch Home Services plans is the low starting monthly costs. While customers can choose from plans with varying deductibles, the most competitive rates are available for customers who select a plan with a $150 deductible.
Cinch Home Services also offers the flexibility to adjust your service call fee. Selecting a lower deductible will raise your premiums, but if you wind up having to make a large number of service calls — a common experience when you buy a new home — a lower service call fee can turn into a financial advantage. Regardless of the deductible you choose, Cinch’s three protection plans remain competitively priced.
One of the outstanding features of Cinch Home Services is its lengthy workmanship guarantee. Repairs performed by the company’s technicians are guaranteed for an industry-leading 180 days. This ensures that homeowners don’t have to pay multiple service call fees when they encounter a persistent problem.
Another noteworthy benefit of Cinch Home Services is the company’s homeowner’s insurance reimbursement policy. Let’s say you make a home warranty claim for your plumbing system, which is covered by your Cinch plan. Cinch sends a technician to fix the leaks. Now let’s imagine that the leaky pipes in your home caused damage to your ceiling and wallpaper. So you file a homeowner’s insurance claim for the cost of making your home beautiful again. Under those circumstances, Cinch Home Services will reimburse you for a portion of your insurance deductible, up to $500. This reimbursement benefit has the potential to significantly offset the cost of an annual home protection plan through Cinch.
We noted one drawback with Cinch’s product offering. Add-on coverage through the company is limited to pools and spas, septic tanks, well pumps, and repairs caused by code violations. If your home has a lot of special features, you may find that your specific needs are not covered among the options CInch offers. Nevertheless, for most homeowners, Cinch Home Services offers a robust home protection solution.
America’s First Choice Home Club
- Best workmanship warranty: one year for each year you enroll
- Option to choose either systems-only or appliances-only coverage
- Offers two combination systems-and-appliances plans
- Choose any licensed service technician
- Choose your deductible ($75, $100, $125)
- $75 cancellation fee
Prices By Plan
- Silver: $33.00
- Systems: $40.00
- Gold: $47.08
- Platinum: $51.83
America’s First Choice Home Club provides the longest workmanship guarantee we’ve come across in our review of the home warranty industry, guaranteeing the work you have done when filing a claim for the full term of your purchased plan. This guarantee applies to all plans, whether you opt for a one-year or three-year plan, but you must remain enrolled for the guarantee to be valid. This warranty feature has the potential to represent significant savings over the term of any plan you choose.
AFC HomeClub’s Silver plan provides protection for kitchen and laundry room appliances and not much else. It excludes coverage for built-in microwaves which is unusual in appliance plans. But with a low cost of just $33 per month, it’s a good choice for homeowners who have older, unpredictable appliances in their homes.
The company’s Systems plan covers all major home systems, including electrical, plumbing, and heating and cooling systems (plus ductwork) and water heaters.
AFC Home Club’s Gold plan combines the kitchen and laundry room appliances covered under the Silver plan with coverage for heating and cooling, plumbing and electrical systems. Microwave coverage is included.
The company’s Platinum plan offers the broadest coverage, with everything in the Gold plan included. It also offers enhanced plumbing coverage — with plumbing stoppages and faucets included —, coverage for refrigerator ice makers and exhaust, ceiling, and attic fans. Customers who buy newly-constructed homes typically don’t have to worry about attic fans, but if you have one in your house, it’s likely pretty old. Replacing one can be expensive.
AFC Home Club offers homeowners the opportunity to choose either a $75, $100, or $125 deductible. It’s hard to predict whether choosing a low deductible will offset the higher monthly premiums that come with it. That all depends on how many service calls you make during your plan term.
Guide to the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
Main things to know before purchasing an Iowa home warranty
The most important thing to know about home warranties in Iowa is that they are legally binding contracts. Both you and the company that provides your warranty service have specific obligations under these agreements. You may pay for your warranty monthly but the contract you sign is typically for a one year term. If you decide to cancel your warranty during your contract term, your warranty company is within its rights to charge you a penalty for canceling.
The second thing to know is that no two home warranty plans are exactly alike. There’s a lot of fine print to read before you can understand the differences among them and, to get the coverage you expect, it’s important that you don’t neglect the task of reading all of the details of each plan you’re considering. The last thing you want is to be surprised when you file a home warranty claim.
Finally, when comparing plans, it’s essential to understand all of the costs involved. Low premiums may sound great, but you’ll typically pay a larger service call fee if you opt for them. Choose a plan that works for the way you like to budget for home repair expenses.
What does a home warranty company cover in Iowa?
There’s no simple answer to that question. After thorough research, we can confidently say that every plan is different. General home warranty coverage information may be listed when you request a free quote and compare several plans, but the details are more likely to be contained in the service contract you sign. If a company doesn’t provide a sample contract, request it before buying a plan.
How much does an Iowa home warranty cost?
Like so many things in life, the answer is, it depends. And it depends on a lot of factors.
The cost of a home warranty will vary based on the company and the particular plan that you opt for. A basic plan may cost as little as $500 per year, but more extensive plans may run you as much as $800. You should also be mindful of service call fees, which also vary by company and can add to the total cost of service. If you elect optional coverage for such items as pools, spas, stand-alone freezers, or septic systems, that will also drive your premiums up.
Who regulates home warranty companies in Iowa?
The Iowa Insurance Division (IID) is charged with regulating home warranty companies in Iowa.
How does a home warranty work?
A home warranty shares some similarities with a homeowner’s insurance policy, but let us underscore that they’re not the same thing. With home warranties, you are required to pay a monthly or annual premium for the coverage. If a covered system or appliance malfunctions, you may file a claim and request service under the warranty plan. At this point, the home warranty company will dispatch a technician to identify and repair the problem. For each visit by a service provider, homeowners must pay a service call fee, which is similar to an insurance deductible. These fees may differ depending on the plan but generally fall within the range of $75 to $150.
Like auto or homeowner’s insurance, home warranties also come with coverage limits. Some plans only offer appliance repairs or replacements up to $500. But we’ve also reviewed plans that have an appliance limit as high as $6,000. So in fact, all home warranties work a little differently.
Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa FAQs
How does my home warranty determine if my claim is approved?
Can the home warranty technician return if the problem persists?
What are the exclusions for home warranties in Iowa?
Are there any discounts available for home warranties in Iowa?
How We Evaluated the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
To keep things “even Steven” throughout our reviews, we employed a consistent methodology to evaluate the plans we reviewed. The prices we quote in this guide are based on a single family home measuring under 5,000 square feet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. But you can expect about the same prices if you live in Des Moines or a more rural area of the state. We also selected the highest deductible available with each plan to show you the lowest available premium.
We compared coverage options, including add-on coverages, coverage limits, and deductibles when assessing each plan. We favored companies that were more transparent around pricing and exclusions and called out the ones that weren’t. We also evaluated the online experience each company offered: how easy it was to find specific coverage information and get accurate quotes.
Summary of Our Guide to the Best Home Warranty Companies in Iowa
Iowa homeowners have a long list of options when it comes to selecting a home warranty provider and plan. On a positive note, having so many choices allows you to select personalized coverage based on the unique features of your home and find a plan that suits your budget. The flipside is that making a smart decision necessitates conducting extensive research to determine which plan provides the most value. Take advantage of the free quote feature most home warranty companies offer. Then take the time to review the service contracts home warranty providers usually publish on their websites. Our Guide to the Best Home Warranty Companies includes many of the details you’ll want to know and is a terrific starting point for your research. But every home and every homeowner is unique. It’s up to you to decide which plan best suits your coverage needs.
