Select Home Warranty Review | Money
Select Home Warranty offers home warranty plans with multiple ways to save money, from two months free if you pay a year in advance to several additional discounts for signing up for a year-plus. The company also has periodic discounts that can take off between $100 and $200 for new sign-ups. Select also offers free roof leak coverage with each plan, a rarity in the home warranty industry.
As a homeowner, you may not be aware that homeowners insurance doesn’t cover your home’s appliances and systems in the event of breakdowns or failure, unless these breakdowns happen due to a covered peril, like a fire or storm. If something major breaks, like your HVAC system or sump pump, you could be on the hook for major repairs. Instead of going into your savings, a home warranty may help mitigate out of pocket repair costs and provide peace of mind.
We’re going to take a look at the features and benefits of Select Home Warranty to see if this company could meet your home warranty needs.
Table of Contents
Select Home Warranty Overview
Select Home Warranty’s Services
Select Home Warranty Availability
Select Home Warranty’s Credentials
Select Home Warranty’s Customer Satisfaction
Select Home Warranty Comparison
Select Home Warranty FAQ
How we evaluated Select Home Warranty
Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.Ad
Select Home Warranty Overview
Select Home Warranty is a Mahwah, New Jersey-based home warranty company that offers service contract plans to homeowners, including those purchasing or selling a home.
Get two months of free coverage if you pay for your plan annually vs. monthly 90-day repair guaranteeAppliances and systems are covered regardless of their age
Includes coverage for roof leaks
The company has a substantial number of complaints on its Better Business (BBB) profile
If multiple trades are required to fix an issue, you must pay a separate service call fee for each one
Must present 3 years of maintenance records to obtain guaranteed coverage on some systems
Select Home Warranty Services
Select Home Warranty plans and coverage
Select Home Warranty’s plans are available for most property types, including single-family and multiple units, mobile homes, rental properties, manufactured homes and condos.
Select Home Warranty offers three different home warranty plans:
Bronze Care Gold Care Platinum Care
The Platinum Care plan is the most comprehensive and the only one that covers a mix of both appliances and home systems. The Bronze Care plan only covers some appliances, whereas the Gold Care plan covers major home systems.
Below are the three coverage plans Select Home Warranty offers, with a list of covered appliances and systems.
Bronze Care
(Starts around $44/month or $499/year*)
Gold Care
(Starts around $44/month or $499/year*)
Platinum Care
(Starts around $50/month or $549/year*)
Air conditioning, cooling
Optional add ons
In addition to these packages, you can purchase the following optional add-ons to your home warranty coverage:
Central vacuum Lawn sprinkler system Pool Septic system Spa Standalone freezer Sump pump Well pump Coverage limits
Coverage limit, or coverage cap, is the maximum amount a home warranty company will pay you in case of a malfunction of a covered item, regardless of how much it costs to repair it.
There are a few coverage caps you should know about when it comes to repairs and replacement.
Heating and cooling (HVAC) equipment
Electrical (non-heating or cooling)
In addition, Select Home Warranty reserves the right to request maintenance records and paying out a maximum of up to $150 for any system or appliance that doesn’t have proper maintenance.
It’s also worth noting that Select Home Warranty has a 30-day waiting period. During this time the company won’t cover the replacement of entire systems or appliances nor will it cover evaporator coils, compressors, control boards, condenser coils or motors of any kind.
What Select Home Warranty doesn’t cover
Even the best home warranty companies have limitations on what they cover. As for Select Home Warranty, it excludes coverage for the following:
Any systems or issues relating to acids, asbestos, lead and lead-based products, red-tagged units, gas leaks, carbon monoxide leaks, and any other hazardous contaminants. Damage from neglect or human error Repairs as a result of improper installation Appliances or systems with previous repairs that were not done properly Appliances or systems that have not been maintained (with accompanying documentation) in the last three years Shelves, doors, hinges, handles, knobs, buttons, door seals, freon, damage caused by freon leaks, latches, timers, leveling equipment, clogged drains or lines, cosmetic issues, leak searches, lights, noise, refrigerants, valves, dispensers, installation, electrical failures, upgrades Damages caused by acts of nature Foundation/structural issues
If you are unsure about what could void a home warranty and other exclusions to your service contract, contact a Select Home Warranty representative or review your contract terms for more details. Here’s a link to Select Home Warranty’s sample contract.
Select Home Warranty Availability
State availability
Select Home Warranty is available in 46 states, excluding New York. Nevada, Washington and Wisconsin.
Contact information
To request service, call Select Home Warranty at 1-855-267-3532 or write to [email protected].
User experience
Select Home Warranty’s website doesn’t offer much pre-sales information. However, you can get an instant free quote and purchase coverage online. Existing customers can also submit a claim online by signing in to Select’s client portal.
Select’s response time is two business days (48 hours) for claims made during regular business hours, but can be up to four days on weekends and holidays.
If you want to cancel the policy within the first 30 days, you’ll receive a full refund if no service has been provided. However, should you cancel after the initial period, there’s a $75 cancellation fee, and your refund will be prorated to the full annual price.
Select Home Warranty Credentials
Regulatory or legal actions
As of this writing, we haven’t found any pending lawsuits against Select Home Warranty.
However, you can use a Google search or Google alert with certain keywords to check for lawsuits and class action suits by using the following search phrases:
[Home Warranty Company Name] + Department of Justice
[Home Warranty Company Name] + Attorney general
[Home Warranty Company Name] + Class action
Although we always try to include accurate and up-to-date information on regulatory and legal actions, we don’t claim this information is complete or fully up to date. As always, we recommend you do your own research as well.
Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.Ad
Select Home Warranty Customer Satisfaction
Third-party ratings
Better Business Bureau: 1.53 out of 5 average from customer reviews. Customer complaints
Select Home Warranty has 5,434 complaints filed and closed on the BBB during the last three years. While Select isn’t accredited by the BBB, it does have a B rating.
While BBB ratings are not a guarantee of the company’s reliability or performance, it can provide an overall idea of the most frequent complaints against the company.
The most common complaints we found against Select Home Warranty have to do with:
Delays in dispatching contractors for warranty claims Limitations on the types of items the company covers Difficulty resolving issues regarding claims, billing, etc. Unfriendly online client portal
The research above is based on data that was available at the time of publication.
Select Home Warranty Comparison
Although Select Home Warranty offers affordable prices, its coverage can be somewhat limited compared to other home warranty companies.
Below we discuss how Select Home Warranty compares with two other popular competitors.
Select Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield
Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield offer coverage for similar appliances and home systems, except for one key difference: American Home Shield doesn’t offer an appliance-only warranty and roof leak coverage is only included with its premium plan.
American Home Shield features three tiered home warranty plans: Shield Silver, Shield Gold and Shield Platinum.
Shield Silver covers HVAC, electrical systems and plumbing systems, while Shield Gold adds coverage for kitchen and laundry appliances. The Shield Platinum plan is the most comprehensive option, and covers all the systems and appliances in Shield Silver and Shield Gold plus roof leaks, AC refrigerant, HVAC tuneups. It also features higher coverage caps for appliances (up to $4,000).
While American Home Shield only includes coverage for roof leak repairs with its premium plan, you can purchase this coverage as an add-on for the other two. By contrast, Select Home Warranty includes roof coverage with all its plans.
Service call fee
(or deductible)
Read the full American Home Shield review
Select Home Warranty vs. Choice Home Warranty
Similar to Select Home Warranty, Choice Home Warranty offers affordable plans ranging from $46 to $55. There are two plans available: Basic Plan and Total Plan, which cover a mix of both appliances and home systems.
The Basic Plan includes coverage for 14 primary systems and appliances, including garage door openers, plumbing systems, electrical systems and some kitchen appliances like cooktops, ovens and built-in microwaves. The Total Plan covers all items in the Basic Plan plus air conditioning systems, refrigerators, and clothes washers and dryers.
Although Choice Home Warranty covers the same amount of items as Select, it doesn’t feature appliance-only or system-only plans. Additionally, roof leak repair is available as an optional coverage and not included as part of any of its two home warranty plans.
Choice Home Warranty isn’t currently accredited by the BBB but has a C rating, which is lower than Select’s B rating. In addition, as of this writing, Choice Home Warranty has a pending government action with the Arizona Attorney General for allegedly making false promises to customers.
Service call fee
(or deductible)
Read the full Choice Home Warranty review
Explore other home warranty options
Check our reviews for other home warranty companies you can consider:
Select Home Warranty FAQ
Is Select Home Warranty legit?
Select Home Warranty is a legitimate business operation in good standing with the state of New Jersey. The company provides home warranty services to homeowners to cover the cost of repairing and replacing home appliances and major systems in the case of breakdown and failure.
What does Select Home Warranty cover?
Select Home Warranty covers the repair or replacement of household appliances and systems, including roof leaks. You’ll pay a monthly fee to the company and a service call fee each time you file a claim to fix issues covered under your service contract. Read your service contract so you understand the exclusions and limitations of your coverage.
How much is the service fee for Select Home Warranty?
Select Home Warranty charges between $65 and $75 for the service call fee. If your issue requires multiple trades and tradesmen, you’ll pay a separate service fee for each one.
How we evaluated Select Home Warranty
We evaluated Select Home Warranty based on the following criteria:
Services offered: We looked at its coverage limits and discounts, comparing these to other home warranty providers. Cost: We compared offering and pricing with other competitors to assess cost-effectiveness. When prices weren’t openly disclosed we requested quotes using a California address. Availability: We focused on companies with nationwide coverage or that service at least 30 states. Legal actions: We checked whether Select Home Warranty had any legal or regulatory actions against it. Customer service: We researched the company’s customer service through third-party ratings, and read hundreds of reviews and complaints to better gauge satisfaction. Summary of Money’s Select Home Warranty Review
Select Home Warranty offers affordable home warranty contracts. Like most home warranty companies, it doesn’t cover issues caused by pre-existing conditions, natural disasters, human error or neglect. Plus, large systems like heating and cooling require regular maintenance to qualify for coverage.
While affordable, Select Home Warranty’s plans cover a limited amount of home systems and appliances. It also has lower coverage caps than other competitors. Common customer complaints have to do with delays in dispatching contractors and difficulty resolving billing issues and claims.
As always, we suggest you conduct your own research and carefully read the fine print before making a decision.