If you’re a homeowner in Illinois, a home warranty can save you money and provide peace of mind against costly repairs on your home’s most important appliances and systems. Because the market is saturated with home warranty companies, it can be difficult to determine which provider is best for you. Our team of experts has reviewed the top home warranty companies available, accounting for cost, coverage, state availability, customer service and more.
Read our picks for the best home warranty coverage in Illinois.
In This Article:
- Best Overall: American Home Shield
- Best for Aging Homes: Choice Home Warranty
- Best for Value Shoppers: Select Home Warranty
- Most Customizable Plan Options: America’s 1st Choice Home Club
- Our Verdict
- Frequently Asked Questions
Today’s Homeowner works with an independent reviews team to create evidence-based research that helps our readers make informed decisions. The reviews are always independent. For transparency, we may be compensated if you purchase through a link.
Best Overall: American Home Shield
Quick Take
Our team of reviewers rated American Home Shield (AHS) as the best overall home warranty provider in Illinois. Since 1971, American Home Shield has grown to serve every state but Alaska and has a network of over 15,000 contractors. It also offers three coverage plans and allows customers to choose between three service call fees, which is the amount you pay a contractor at the time of repairs.
| Pros | Cons |
| Provides three comprehensive coverage plans | Guarantees repairs for only 30 days |
| Has a $6,000 coverage cap on appliances through its ShieldPlatinum Plan, which is one of the highest coverage limits in the industry | Not available in Alaska |
| Offers flexible service fees, ranging from $75–$125 | – |
Plans & Coverage
American Home Shield offers three plans: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold and ShieldPlatinum. The ShieldSilver plan covers important home systems, such as your air conditioning and plumbing, while the ShieldGold plan covers 23 systems and appliances, including your refrigerator, electrical system and dishwasher.
The ShieldPlatinum plan covers the same 23 items as the ShieldGold plan, but it also includes one free pre-season HVAC tune-up, $1,000 in coverage for modifications, code-required changes and permits, a $6,000 coverage limit on appliances and unlimited air conditioning refrigerant.
In addition to these three plans, American Home Shield provides add-on coverage for increased protection. AHS offers an electronics protection plan, which covers TVs, laptops and smart home gear, ipln addition to coverage for your pool or spa, well pump, septic pump and guest home for an additional monthly fee.
|
Coverage |
ShieldSilver |
ShieldGold |
ShieldPlatinum |
|
Roof leak repairs |
✓ |
||
|
Air conditioner |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Heating unit |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Ductwork |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Built-in exhaust, vent and attic fans |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Main breaker and fuse panel box |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Doorbells and chimes |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Interior electrical lines |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Ceiling fans |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Garage door openers |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Interior plumbing lines |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Toilets |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Faucets and valves |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Whirlpool tub motor and components |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Water heater |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Refrigerator |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Range/Cooktop |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Oven |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Dishwasher |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Built-in microwave oven |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Garbage disposal |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Instant hot/cold water dispenser |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Clothes washer |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Clothes dryer |
✓ |
✓ |
Cost
With an American Home Shield plan, customers can pay $75, $100 or $125 per service call. If you choose a higher service call fee, your monthly rate will be lower, while a lower service call fee will slightly increase your monthly payment. Here’s a monthly cost breakdown for each plan:
|
Plan |
$75 Service Fee |
$100 Service Fee |
$125 Service Fee |
|
ShieldSilver |
$39.99 |
$29.99 |
$24.99 |
|
ShieldGold |
$49.99 |
$39.99 |
$34.99 |
|
ShieldPlatinum |
$64.99 |
$54.99 |
$49.99 |
Get a Free Quote
To get a free quote from American Home Shield, call 844-529-9298 or fill out this online form.
Best For Aging Homes: Choice Home Warranty
Quick Take
Choice Home Warranty (CHW) was founded in New Jersey in 2008, and its home warranties are available in every state except California and Washington. It scored best among home warranty companies for covering aging homes because it protects your appliances and systems as long as they’ve been well-maintained, no matter how old your home is, doesn’t require a home inspection for coverage and provides free repairs within 90 days if an item breaks after a repair.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Provides 24/7 customer service |
Has only two plan options, while most companies generally offer three coverage plans |
|
Offers a low service call fee of $85 |
Its coverage limits are lower than some competitors’ coverage limits |
|
Provides add-on coverage for 10 optional items |
– |
Plans & Coverage
Choice Home Warranty offers two plans: the Basic Plan and the Total Plan. The Basic Plan covers 14 appliances and systems, including your plumbing system and dishwasher, which is unique since most home warranty companies cover only appliances or only systems in their basic coverage plan. The Total Plan covers all 14 items in the Basic Plan, plus your refrigerator, air conditioning and laundry appliances.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s covered under each plan:
|
Coverage |
Basic Plan |
Total Plan |
|
Heating system |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Electrical system |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Plumbing system |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Plumbing stoppages |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Air conditioning |
✓ |
|
|
Water heater |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Whirlpool bathtub |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Refrigerator |
✓ |
|
|
Oven/Range/Stove |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Cooktop |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Dishwasher |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Built-in microwave |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Garbage disposal |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Clothes washer |
✓ |
|
|
Clothes dryer |
✓ |
|
|
Ductwork |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Garage door opener |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Ceiling and exhaust fans |
✓ |
✓ |
Cost
Here’s a breakdown of how much each Choice Home Warranty plan costs:
|
Plan |
Cost |
|
Basic Plan |
$41.69 per month |
|
Total Plan |
$50.00 per month |
Get a Free Quote
Get a free quote from Choice Home Warranty by calling 929-400-6165 or filling out this online form.
Best For Value Shoppers: Select Home Warranty
Quick Take
In our review, Select Home Warranty scored the best among home warranty companies for consumers who are shopping on a budget. Select is available in 46 states, except Nevada, New York, Washington and Wisconsin, and provides reasonably priced coverage for major home systems and appliances. Its plans range from $41–$47 per month and its service call fee is $75, which is on the low end of the industry average of $65–$125.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Offers free roof leak coverage |
Has low coverage caps compared to some competitors |
|
Covers single-family homes, rental properties, mobile homes and condos |
Charges repeat service fees if a technician has to return to make another repair |
|
Provides discounts on multi-year plans |
– |
Plans & Coverage
Select offers three plans: Bronze Care, Gold Care and Platinum Care. The Bronze Care plan covers appliances like your washer and dryer, the Gold Care plan covers systems like your heating and plumbing and the Platinum Care plan covers everything under the Gold Care and Bronze Care plans for a small increase in price. The Platinum Care plan also adds protection for plumbing stoppages and covers your garage door opener and ceiling fans.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s covered under each Select Home Warranty plan:
|
Coverage |
Bronze Care |
Gold Care |
Platinum Care |
|
Air conditioning |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Ductwork |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Electrical system |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Heating system |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Plumbing system |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Water heater |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Cooktop |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Dishwasher |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Garbage disposal |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Built-in microwave |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Refrigerator |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Stove/Oven |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Clothes washer |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Clothes dryer |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Garage door openers |
✓ |
||
|
Plumbing stoppages |
✓ |
In addition to Select’s three plans, the company offers add-on coverage for the following items:
- Central vacuum
- Lawn sprinkler system
- Pool
- Spa
- Septic system
- Stand-alone freezer
- Sump pump
- Well pump
Cost
All Select Home Warranty plans come with a $75 service call fee. Here’s how much each Select Home Warranty plan costs:
|
Plan |
Cost |
|
Bronze Plan |
$41.00 per month |
|
Gold Plan |
$41.00 per month |
|
Platinum Plan |
$47.00 per month |
Get a Free Quote
You can get a free quote from Select Home Warranty by calling 888-370-3956 or filling out this online form.
Most Customizable Plan Options: America’s 1st Choice Home Club
Quick Take
America’s 1st Choice Home Club (AFC) is another national home warranty provider with a reputation for giving its customers more plan and pricing options than its competitors. Since 2009, the company has expanded its reach to include 46 states, with full service offered to Illinois residents. We also love AFC’s commitment to allowing its customers to choose their own contractors.
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Offers multiple plan and payment options |
Customers must submit a claim within one day after noticing an issue with a covered item |
|
Has a one- or three-year contract term |
Charges customers a $75 cancellation fee if they cancel their contracts |
|
Allows for 24/7 service requests online |
– |
Plans & Coverage
With four different plans available, America’s 1st Choice Home Club is our top pick for flexible plans. It offers a Systems Plan, Silver Plan, Gold Plan and Platinum Plan. Here’s a breakdown of what each plan offers:
|
Coverage |
Systems Plan |
Silver Plan |
Gold Plan |
Platinum Plan |
|
Clothes dryer |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Clothes washer |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Refrigerator |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Oven/Range/Cooktop/Stove |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Dishwasher |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Garbage disposal |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Garage door opener |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Water heater |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Air conditioning |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Heating system |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Electrical system |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Plumbing system |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Ductwork |
✓ |
✓ |
||
|
Plumbing stoppages |
✓ |
|||
|
Faucets |
✓ |
|||
|
Ice maker |
✓ |
|||
|
Built-in microwave |
✓ |
America’s 1st Choice Home Club also provides optional add-on coverage for the following items:
- Tankless water heater
- In-ground pool
- Stand-alone freezer
- Sump pump
- Septic system
- Well pump
- Double oven
- Central vacuum
- Ice maker
- Hot water dispenser
- Built-in microwave
Cost
Customers can choose between a one- or three-year plan and select a $75, $100 or $125 service call fee. Note: The monthly plan rate will be higher or lower depending on the plan length and service fee you choose.
Here’s a breakdown of America’s 1st Choice Home Club plan prices:
|
Plan |
$75 Service Fee |
$100 Service Fee |
$125 Service Fee |
|
Systems Plan |
$39.58 |
$35.42 |
$31.25 |
|
Silver Plan |
$37.50 |
$35.42 |
$33.33 |
|
Gold Plan |
$45.83 |
$43.75 |
$41.67 |
|
Platinum Plan |
$50.00 |
$47.92 |
$45.83 |
Get a Free Quote
To get a free quote from America’s 1st Choice Home Club, call 877-755-1115 or fill out this online form.
Our Verdict
If you’re an Illinois resident and want to protect your major home systems and appliances, consider investing in a home warranty plan from one of the above providers. With affordable monthly plans and comprehensive coverage, you’ll receive peace of mind knowing that your home items are protected if an unexpected breakdown occurs.
While American Home Shield is our top recommended home warranty provider, we suggest getting a free quote from each company listed above so that you can compare coverage and pricing and find a home warranty plan that works best for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois Home Warranties
What is a home warranty?
A home warranty is a service contract between you and your home warranty provider that protects you against costly repairs on major systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear.
How do I get a sample quote from a home warranty provider?
Fill out the online form under the “Get a Free Quote” section under each provider section. Most companies will ask for your name, phone number and ZIP code. Note: The prices listed in this article reflect sample quotes in Illinois for homes under 5,000 square feet.
What is a service call fee?
The service call fee, also known as a trade service call fee or service fee, acts as a deductible. Normally, you’ll pay between $65 and $125 for a technician to be dispatched to your home to make repairs; your home warranty provider should cover any other charges. Check your contract for full details.
