Best Home Warranty Companies in Florida (2024)

Name: American Home Shield
Brand: American Home Shield

Written by Dana Getz + 2 others Reviewed by Mike Qiu Fact-checked Updated 11/13/2024

Florida weather can take a toll on your home. The constant rainfall can lead to roof leaks, the sea air can corrode your gutters, and the scorching summers can strain your AC. Thankfully, a reliable home warranty company can save you money on repairs when these issues happen. Investing in a home warranty for an older home should “provide peace of mind that if something big goes wrong, you won’t be on the hook for an expensive repair,” says Ben F. Bigelow, Ph.D., a professor of construction science at the University of Oklahoma.

To help you find the right home warranty plan, we reviewed 13 leading companies and found the best five for Florida homeowners. Our favorite is American Home Shield, thanks to its impressive cooling and heating system coverage ideal for Florida’s intense heat. Our other top pick is First American Home Warranty (FAHW). It offers unlimited HVAC and plumbing coverage alongside protection for improperly maintained items—something particularly important for older or damaged homes.

Top Home Warranty Companies in Florida

After reviewing 13 of the most popular home warranty companies, we recommend the following five for Florida homeowners:

Comparing Top Providers

We gathered quotes from each home warranty company for a 2,043-square-foot home in Tampa, Florida. The following table compares these prices plus other key factors you should consider before choosing a provider.

Brand	Monthly Cost in FL	Service Fee	Workmanship Guarantee	BBB Rating	Link
American Home Shield	$14–$79	$100–$125	30 days	B	VISIT SITE
First American Home Warranty	$42–$82	$100–$125	30 days	B	VISIT SITE
Choice Home Warranty	$46–$54	$100	90 days	B	VISIT SITE
Elite Home Warranty	$40–$60	$70	90 days	B+	VISIT SITE
Liberty Home Guard	$49–$59	$65–$125	60 days	NR**	VISIT SITE

American Home Shield

First American

Choice Home Warranty

Elite

Liberty Home Guard

American Home Shield
Logo
Star Rating
Monthly Cost in FL	$14–$79
Service Fee	$100–$125
Workmanship Guarantee	30 days
BBB Rating	B

VISIT SITE

First American Home Warranty
Logo
Star Rating
Monthly Cost in FL	$42–$82
Service Fee	$100–$125
Workmanship Guarantee	30 days
BBB Rating	B

VISIT SITE

Choice Home Warranty
Logo
Star Rating
Monthly Cost in FL	$46–$54
Service Fee	$100
Workmanship Guarantee	90 days
BBB Rating	B

VISIT SITE

Elite Home Warranty
Logo
Star Rating
Monthly Cost in FL	$40–$60
Service Fee	$70
Workmanship Guarantee	90 days
BBB Rating	B+

VISIT SITE

Liberty Home Guard
Logo
Star Rating
Monthly Cost in FL	$49–$59
Service Fee	$65–$125
Workmanship Guarantee	60 days
BBB Rating	NR**

VISIT SITE

Provider	Our Score	Monthly Plan Cost*	Service Call Fee	Workmanship Guarantee	BBB Rating	Get a Quote
VISIT SITE	4.8	$14–$79	$100–$125	30 days	B	VISIT SITE
VISIT SITE	4.6	$42–$82	$100–$125	30 days	B	VISIT SITE
VISIT SITE	4.7	$46–$54	$100	90 days	B	VISIT SITE
VISIT SITE	4.6	$40–$60	$70	90 days	B+	VISIT SITE
VISIT SITE	4.4	$49–$59	$65–$125	60 days	NR**	VISIT SITE

No results were found.

*Pricing may vary depending on your home’s location, size, type, and plan choices.
**BBB ratings are accurate as of November 2024.
***NR, or “No Rating,” means that the BBB has not issued a rating due to an ongoing review or update to a company’s profile.

Our Reviews of Top Providers in The Sunshine State

When researching the best home warranty companies for Florida, we prioritized providers that have the most benefits for residents. For example, while we generally rate Choice higher overall, First American Home Warranty offers better HVAC and plumbing coverage. Choice also doesn’t cover air conditioning systems in its basic plan. Because of these factors, we placed Choice below FAHW.

Below, we give a thorough breakdown of our favorite Florida home warranty providers:

American Home Shield

4.8

Monthly Cost: $14–$79

Service Fee: $100–$125

Workmanship Guarantee: 30 days

Coverage Overview

Covers $5,000 for HVAC systems, an essential for Florida’s hot summers
Offers discounts for heating and cooling tune-ups and air filters
Includes roof-leak protection in its highest-tier plan

Keep in Mind

Has negative reviews that mention low claim payouts
Offers fewer add-ons and plan options than other companies, limiting customization

Our Review

We recommend American Home Shield as the best home warranty company in Florida because it offers some of the most valuable benefits for local homeowners. It has an HVAC coverage limit of $5,000, which is the maximum your home warranty provider will pay for a given item in a year. Because AHS’s HVAC coverage cap is twice the industry standard of $2,500, you’re less likely to hit this limit and have to pay out of pocket. The company also offers discounts on tune-ups and filter replacements, which will help keep your system running smoothly and reduce the likelihood of a breakdown in the first place. Few other companies offer discounts for general upkeep, which can be really helpful for Florida’s intense summers and humidity.

While American Home Shield offers some of the best HVAC coverage on this list, its plan variety could be better. The company doesn’t have an appliance-only plan, so it’s not a good fit if you’re only interested in appliance coverage. AHS is also one of the most expensive providers on this list, with its higher-tier plan costing $79 per month compared to an average of $43–$72. However, when requesting quotes for Florida, we found that its lowest-tier plan was only $14 per month. This plan covers major home systems such as cooling, heating, and plumbing but not appliances like cooktops or refrigerators.

First American Home Warranty

4.6

Monthly Cost: $42–$82

Service Fee: $75–$125

Workmanship Guarantee: 30 days

Coverage Overview

Has unlimited coverage for HVAC and plumbing systems
Covers up to $7,000 for appliances in its top plan, over three times the industry standard
Offers a free upgrade that covers improperly installed or damaged items

Keep in Mind

Doesn’t have appliance- or system-only plans
Costs more than any other provider on this list

Our Review

First American Home Warranty (FAHW) is a great option for Floridians thanks to its unlimited coverage caps for HVAC systems and appliances. If you have a larger home or a higher-end HVAC system, an unlimited coverage cap will keep you from paying out of pocket in the event of a breakdown.

FAHW’s free First American Advantage upgrade is great for older homes or those with damaged items. This add-on covers items damaged from poor upkeep or faulty installation, which is rare in the home warranty industry. However, a rep confirmed to us that this does not extend to damage from Florida’s climate or hurricanes. Like most home warranty companies, FAHW doesn’t cover natural disasters or damage from environmental conditions.

First American Home Warranty doesn’t offer any system- or appliance-only plans. If you only want appliances or systems covered and not both, you’re better off going with a different company. Another issue is that the company’s Starter Plan doesn’t cover roof leaks. It’s rare that companies do this, but it’s a valuable item for Floridians due to the state’s intense rainfall. You can buy this coverage as an add-on for an extra $8.33 per month or upgrade to a higher-tier plan.

Choice Home Warranty

4.7

Monthly Cost: $46–$54

Service Fee: $100

Workmanship Guarantee: 90 days for parts, 60 days for labor

Coverage Overview

Provides comprehensive coverage at moderate prices
Guarantees follow-up repairs if issues aren’t fixed within 90 days, while most companies only do this within 30 days
Has coverage limits of $3,000 for most items, $500 more than the industry average

Keep in Mind

Doesn’t cover essential items in its basic plan
Is facing a lawsuit filed by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office

Our Review

We recommend Choice Home Warranty to Florida homeowners because it provides good coverage at a reasonable price. Choice’s most expensive plan is only $54 per month, making it pretty affordable for the level of coverage it provides. It has coverage limits of $3,000 for most of its covered items like HVAC and plumbing systems, which is $500 more than the industry standard. It also offers 11 add-ons you can tack onto your base plan for more coverage, including septic tank pumping and well and sump pumps. The only other company on this list that offers the same value is AHS’s lowest-tier plan at $14 per month.

A drawback of Our biggest concern with Choice is that it doesn’t cover major home systems and appliances in its Basic Plan. Some items that aren’t covered include air conditioning, refrigerators, and laundry appliances. Since these items aren’t sold as add-ons, you’ll need to pay an extra $9 per month for its higher-tier plan if you want them covered.

Another issue is that it’s facing a lawsuit filed by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. The suit claims that Choice Home Warranty denies claims in bad faith. We contacted Choice about the lawsuit, and a representative stated that while they could not comment on pending litigation, the company “is committed to providing best-in-class service to every customer.”

Elite Home Warranty

4.6

Monthly Cost: $40–$60

Service Fee: $70

Workmanship Guarantee: 90 days

Coverage Overview

Has a unique plan system that allows homeowners to fully customize their coverage
Guarantees follow-up repairs if issues persist within 90 days
Has more add-ons than most companies

Keep in Mind

Doesn’t extend workmanship guarantee to repair people not within its network
Limits coverage to $15,000 total per year, increasing the chance you’ll have to pay out of pocket

Our Review

Elite Home Warranty is a good choice for Florida homeowners who want a fully customized plan. While most companies offer a small selection of pre-built plans, Elite allows you to design your own. When signing up, you pick from a range of items including refrigerators, cooktops, and electrical systems. You can also choose from Elite’s catalog of 27 add-ons, including pool, spa, and sump pumps. Because other providers bundle coverage, you sometimes end up paying for coverage you don’t really need, but not with Elite.

We do have two problems with Elite: its workmanship guarantee and aggregate coverage caps. Though Elite has a generous 90-day workmanship guarantee that means repairs will be scheduled for free if any issues persist after the initial visit, this only extends to technicians within the company’s network. This means that if you choose a repair person you like who isn’t in Elite’s network, you’ll have to pay out of pocket for further repairs if something goes wrong.

Elite also has a $15,000 annual claim limit across all items. So, if you need multiple expensive repairs in a year and hit the cap, you’ll have to pay for repairs out of pocket until your plan renews. Though this isn’t unheard of in the home warranty industry, it’s not super common either. If you’re worried about covering multiple repairs, we recommend choosing a different company.

Liberty Home Guard

4.4

Monthly Cost: $49–$59

Service Fee: $65–$125

Workmanship Guarantee: 60 days

Coverage Overview

Has a 24/7 live chat, which can be helpful for emergency repairs
Includes a 60-day workmanship guarantee, double the industry average
Has over 40 add-ons, the largest catalog in this article

Keep in Mind

Doesn’t reveal its service call fee rates until after signup
Has low plumbing and electrical coverage caps of $500

Our Review

We recommend Liberty Home Guard (LHG) due to its impressive add-on catalog of 42 items. This large selection means you can get coverage for all the items you need without having to upgrade to a more expensive plan. LHG’s add-ons include items that most Floridians would find helpful, such as two AC units, roof leaks, and sump pumps.

The two areas where Liberty Home Guard could improve are its service call fee policy and coverage caps for some systems. A service call fee is the payment you make when a repair person comes to your home. Home warranty companies usually let you pick from a few service call fees, with higher fees resulting in lower premiums and vice versa. However, LHG doesn’t let you choose your fee; instead, it assigns one after you sign up. However, LHG’s fees range from $65–$125, which is in line with the industry standard.

We don’t like that LHG only offers a $500 coverage cap for plumbing and electrical systems, which is $2,000 below the industry standard. This means you’re more likely to have to pay out of pocket if you experience an issue with one of these systems.

Our Experience Signing Up for a Home Warranty

To understand what it’s really like to have a home warranty, our team members signed up for plans from several companies. One of these companies was Choice Home Warranty.

Our team member used Choice’s online portal to sign up for a plan and noted that the process was quick and easy. They opted for the Total Plan and chose the pool and spa and roof leak add-ons.

Once on the checkout page, they found an itemized total of $74.54 per month or $864.50 annually. Choice even applied a 5% discount that came to $45.50 off of the yearly bill. Our team member then entered their payment information, hit accept, and received a confirmation email.

Home Warranty Costs in Florida

Florida homeowners can expect to pay $456–$792 annually or $38–$66 monthly. This range is below the national average for home warranty costs of $516–$864. However, the price of your specific plan will vary based on your location, plan, and add-ons.

	Average Home Warranty Cost in Florida*	National Average for Home Warranty Costs
Monthly	$38–$66	$43–$72
Annual	$456–$792	$516–$864

*We compiled this pricing information using sample quotes from each home warranty company in this review using the same 2,043-square-foot home in Tampa, Florida. National pricing is based on sample quotes we pulled for each state in the United States for a single-family home of less than 3,000 square feet.

Advice From a Homeowner

Keeping your HVAC system up and running is essential for Florida homeowners, especially during the hot summer months. We spoke to a homeowner named Daniel V. in Kissimmee, Florida, who experienced an AC breakdown when the exhaust pipe clogged, causing the coils to freeze over. While Daniel doesn’t have a home warranty plan, he found it easy to repair the system because there’s an AC repair technician in his neighborhood, and it was only $150. However, he says he could have done a better job of preventing the issue in the first place.

Conducting regular HVAC maintenance, such as replacing air filters and performing tune-ups, helps prevent issues down the road. His advice for maintaining your AC unit? “Flush the pipe regularly.” This routine maintenance task involves flushing your AC exhaust pipe with distilled vinegar.

Given Florida’s humidity, we recommend cleaning your AC exhaust pipe about once a month to prevent clogs and keep your system running smoothly. Most home warranty companies require you to perform routine maintenance on your systems and appliances for repairs to be covered. Some companies, like American Home Shield, offer discounts on HVAC tune-ups and air filter replacements to make things easier.

Expert Insights and Tips

Ben F. Bigelow, Ph.D.

Professor and Director of the Haskell and Irene Lemon Construction Science Division

The University of Oklahoma

See answers

Read bio

What is the purpose of a home warranty?

This really depends on what kind of home you are buying. If it is a new home, you are essentially buying protection in the event a builder cannot or does not honor their warranty. On a “used” home, it should provide peace of mind that if something big goes wrong, you won’t be on the hook for an expensive repair. Obviously, the age of the home and its systems should play an important role in deciding if a warranty is worth the money or not.

How might a home warranty be helpful to a homeowner?

HVAC systems, water heaters, garage doors, and other appliances are expensive, both the actual appliance and the labor to install. A warranty should give some peace of mind that if something breaks, you won’t have to be out of pocket for an expensive repair. But, most homes never have a problem, so it is a balancing act of cost versus peace of mind. I’ve purchased home warranties three times—I would say one of three times was worth it.

What tips do you have for selecting a home warranty?

Take a close look at what is covered and make sure it includes the things you are worried about. Look at the claim process: Can you hire anyone you want to do repairs, or does it have to be someone in their network? Are you okay with the options? What is the deductible? What is actually covered? If a plumbing fitting breaks and your house floods, will the warranty repair the fitting and flood damage or just the fitting? Are there overlaps between the warranty and your homeowner’s insurance? Are there overlaps between manufacturer’s warranties (i.e. appliances) and the home warranty?

Ben F. Bigelow is a director and associate professor in the Lemon Construction Science Division at the University of Oklahoma. He attended high school in Coppell, Texas, earned a B.S. in construction science at Texas A&M University, an M.S. in construction management at Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. from The School of Education at Colorado State University. He has been at the University of Oklahoma since 2017, and prior to that, he spent six years in the Construction Science Department at Texas A&M University.

Andrew Barnes, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor in the Department of Construction Management

University of North Florida

See answers

Read bio

In what ways can the Florida climate put stress on home systems and appliances?

Florida, the “Sunshine State,” is the hottest state in the United States, with an average annual temperature of 74.1 degrees Fahrenheit, beating both Hawaii (73.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and Arizona (73.6 degrees Fahrenheit). It is also the most humid, with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other filling the air with moisture.

What preventative steps can a Florida homeowner take to prevent costly repairs?

In combination with good insulation, the single best defense that a homeowner has against the often-extreme Florida weather conditions is a properly sized and regularly maintained air conditioning system—the engine of the Florida home—designed to control both the heat and humidity inside a home. Sizing the air conditioner is the task of the heating, venting, air conditioning (HVAC) contractor at the time the home is built or renovated. The task of homeowners is scheduling maintenance regularly with competent HVAC service technicians to ensure that the system is operating at peak performance. Failing to do so can place unnecessary stress on the system, causing it to work harder than it needs to operate efficiently and potentially reducing its lifespan. Homeowners should think of regular HVAC maintenance like getting oil changes for their cars. It has to be done if the car is going to work well and last a long time.

Should certain coverage areas be at the top of a homeowner’s list when evaluating a Florida home warranty?

Eventually, all air conditioners will need to be replaced. The main structure and many major building systems of modern homes are designed to last over a hundred years. According to Trane, a leading manufacturer of air conditioners, residential air conditioning systems typically last 15–20 years. When an air conditioner does need to be replaced, it can be surprisingly—no, shockingly—expensive to most homeowners, on average ranging from about $4,000–$8,000 per unit in Florida. If this is a cost that a homeowner is unable or uninterested in paying all at once or in financed installments, it may be a good idea to explore extended warranty options for HVAC systems, especially in Florida, the hottest state, where, in the summer months, the air conditioner can feel as essential as the roof.

Andrew F. Barnes, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the department of construction management at the University of North Florida. His research focuses on construction management education, residential construction, and construction workforce development.

Seamus Nally

CEO

TurboTenant

See answers

Read bio

What tips do you have for selecting a home warranty?

When selecting a home warranty, make sure you shop around. In my opinion, there isn’t one home warranty company that shines above the rest—ultimately, what it comes down to is simply choosing the right one for you. Reviews are invaluable when it comes to making that decision. Truthfully, when you are looking at the various top choices and comparing what they have to offer, it can be really hard to distinguish which is best for you, as what’s offered is often very similar from company to company. So, by looking at reviews, you can learn all about the real experiences people have with the companies you are considering. Pay attention to low ratings and negative comments, and look for any repeated complaints.

Should certain coverage areas be at the top of a homeowner’s list when evaluating a home warranty?

It’s important for your warranty provider to have a lot of add-ons if that is something that you need. Before you purchase a warranty, you need to determine exactly what it is that you want covered. Then, find a provider that has the necessary add-ons.

Seamus Nally is the CEO of TurboTenant and a landlord of several residential properties in upstate New York and Colorado. Leveraging his years of property management experience and extensive startup knowledge, Seamus is a strong leader of the TurboTenant team and an industry trailblazer.

Ryan Barone

CEO and Co-Founder

RentRedi

See answers

Read bio

What tips do you have for selecting a home warranty?

Home warranties can vary widely from limited to comprehensive plans and low to high deductibles. Everything should be spelled out in detail so that you know upfront what costs you may face down the road and can budget accordingly. Having a more extensive list of service professionals will provide you with greater access to options and quality service.

Ryan Barone is CEO and co-founder of RentRedi, the fastest-growing property management software. While managing a full-time job and college courses, Ryan began building RentRedi, a modern, end-to-end platform that helps landlords collect rent online, list and market properties, screen tenants, sign and store leases, manage maintenance requests, and more. Ryan has become a sought-after thought leader in the growing proptech space, providing valuable cost and time-savings advice to landlords and tenants alike.

FAQ About Home Warranties in Florida

What is the best home warranty company in Florida?

We recommend American Home Shield as the best overall home warranty company in Florida. The company has strong HVAC coverage, which can help protect your AC system during Florida’s hot summers, plus roof leak protection for its heavy rainfall.

Do I need a home warranty in Florida?

No, there is no legal requirement to own a home warranty in Florida.

What is typically included in a Florida home warranty?

Florida home warranty coverage typically includes protection for the following items:

Common kitchen appliances
- Refrigerators
- Built-in microwaves
- Dishwashers
- Cooktops
- Ovens
Garbage disposal systems
Clothes washers
Clothes dryers
Water heaters
HVAC systems
Ductwork
Garage door openers
Plumbing stoppages
Well pump and sump pump
Septic system

However, coverage varies based on the plan and add-ons you select as well as your location.

How We Evaluated Home Warranty Providers

Below is an outline of the research and scoring criteria we used to choose Florida’s top home warranty providers.

Our Rating System

When picking the best home warranty providers in Florida, we researched the top companies in the state, consulted industry experts, analyzed service contracts, secret-shopped plans, surveyed thousands of customers, and spoke with real home warranty owners.

Using this research, our team developed a detailed methodology to score each company on six categories: coverage (35%), cost (20%), trustworthiness (15%), plan transparency (10%), customer support (10%), and flexibility (10%). Here are the key things we considered for Florida:

HVAC coverage: Florida’s hot, humid summers and high average temperature make HVAC systems one the most important items homeowners need covered. We awarded more points to companies that offer comprehensive HVAC coverage and HVAC-focused add-ons, such as tune-ups or air filter replacements.
Quality and trustworthiness: A home warranty is an expensive, long-term investment. As such, we want to ensure the companies we recommend are worth your time and money. We thoroughly and critically read customer reviews, analyzed survey results, and spoke with real homeowners to ensure the companies we recommend are trustworthy and reliable. If a company has a track record of failing to fulfill its promises, has active lawsuits against it, or shows other major red flags, we investigate the claims fully and won’t recommend providers we think fall short.
Opinions from real homeowners: Firsthand experience is the best way to understand how easy a home warranty company is to work with. To that end, we interviewed homeowners directly about their experiences with home warranty providers. We also surveyed thousands of customers to get a feel for how each company performs on a larger scale.