How to Check If You Have a Home Warranty

A home warranty is a service contract that covers the repair or replacement of major household systems and appliances due to normal wear and tear. Unlike homeowners insurance, which addresses damage from unforeseen events, a home warranty focuses on the functional failure of covered components. This guide outlines steps to determine if you have a home warranty.

Initial Steps to Identify Coverage

Begin your search for home warranty coverage by reviewing documents received during your home purchase. Closing documents, the purchase agreement, and any binders or folders provided at the time of sale often contain details about a home warranty. Look for terms such as “home warranty,” “service contract,” or the name of a specific warranty company within these papers.

Also, reach out to the real estate agent who facilitated your home purchase or the home builder if your property is new construction. Real estate professionals often know if a home warranty was part of the sale. Home builders often provide warranties for new homes, though these primarily cover structural components and materials rather than appliances, and their duration varies.

Expand your investigation by searching through your personal records and digital communications. Check email inboxes, including spam folders, and physical mail for policy documents, welcome kits, or billing statements from home warranty providers. These communications would likely have been sent around the time of your home purchase or annually for renewal purposes.

Contact the previous owners of your home, as they might have purchased a policy that transferred with the sale. Many home warranties are transferable, though a small transfer fee may be required to place the plan in your name. The title company that oversaw your home sale may also have records indicating if a home warranty was part of the transaction.

Contacting Potential Providers for Verification

Once you have gathered potential leads, prepare specific information before contacting a provider. Have your property address, names of current and previous owners, and the approximate closing date of the home purchase ready. If you located any potential policy numbers or company names during your initial search, have these details prepared.

Home warranty companies can be reached through their customer service phone lines, often listed on their websites or in policy documents. Many providers also offer online policy lookup tools where you can input your address or a policy number. These methods confirm if a policy is active under your name or associated with your property.

When speaking with a representative, ask precise questions to confirm coverage. Inquire, “Do you have a policy associated with [your property address]?” or “Can you confirm if [previous owner’s name] purchased a policy that transferred with the sale of this address?”. If no specific provider is known, contact larger home warranty companies like American Home Shield, Choice Home Warranty, or First American Home Warranty. They may be able to look up policies based on property details even without a policy number.

Key Details to Confirm in Your Policy

After identifying and verifying a home warranty policy, review the document to understand its terms. Confirm the coverage period, including the start and end dates, to ensure it is active. Most home warranty contracts are annual, typically lasting 12 months, though some providers offer multi-year options. For existing homeowners, a waiting period, often 30 to 90 days, may apply before coverage begins for non-emergency services.

Review the list of covered systems and appliances. Standard coverage typically includes major items like HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical systems, water heaters, ovens, dishwashers, and built-in microwaves. Some plans also cover refrigerators, washers, and dryers, while additional items like pools or septic systems may be available as optional add-ons for an extra fee.

Understand the exclusions and limitations of your policy. Home warranties do not cover pre-existing conditions, issues from improper installation or maintenance, cosmetic damage, or secondary damage caused by a covered item’s failure. For instance, if a pipe bursts, the warranty might cover the pipe repair but not the water damage to your floors, which typically falls under homeowners insurance.

Understand the service call fees, also known as trade service fees or deductibles, paid each time a technician visits for a covered repair. These fees commonly range from $75 to $150 per visit, depending on your plan and provider. Locate the claim process instructions and contact information for customer service or the claims department for when a covered item requires service.