Choice Home Warranty vs. America's 1st Choice Home Club
What is the difference between Choice Home Warranty and America's 1st Choice Home Club?
Choice Home Warranty and America's 1st Choice Home Club are both home warranty providers that offer service contracts to cover the repair or replacement of your home’s major systems and appliances. Both companies cater to homeowners, contractors and real estate professionals, and both have a long record of service that includes thousands of filed claims. So how do you choose between them?
We’ve compared Choice Home Warranty (CHW) and America’s 1st Choice Home Club (AFC) to help you decide which company suits your needs. Take a look at their prices, plans and customer satisfaction ratings to see which one is right for you.
Cost
 |  | |
| Monthly premium cost | $46.83 to $54.75 | $32.08 to $55 |
| Average cost for combo plan | $54.75 (Total plan) | $55 |
| Annual premium cost | $532 to $627 (for 13 months) | $330 to $550 |
| Service call fee | $85 | $75, $100 or $125 |
| Discounts available | Discounts for paying annually; free 13th month | Discount for paying annually |
| $46.83 to $54.75 | $54.75 (Total plan) | $532 to $627 (for 13 months) | $85 | Discounts for paying annually; free 13th month |
| $32.08 to $55 | $55 | $330 to $550 | $75, $100 or $125 | Discount for paying annually |
Plans
| | |
| Plans available | Basic, Total | Systems, Silver, Gold, Platinum |
| Covered systems | 8 | 8 |
| Covered appliances | 8 | 8 |
| Combo plan covered items | 16 | 16 |
| Service recall period | 30 days for labor; 90 days for parts | Up to 3 years |
| Availability | 48 states | 49 states |
| Basic, Total | 8 | 8 | 16 | 30 days for labor; 90 days for parts | 48 states |
| Systems, Silver, Gold, Platinum | 8 | 8 | 16 | Up to 3 years | 49 states |
Appliances coverage
| | |
| Built-in food centers | — | — |
| Built-in microwaves | ||
| Clothes dryers | ||
| Clothes washers | — | |
| Dishwashers | ||
| Ice maker | ||
| Instant hot/cold water dispensers | — | Add-on |
| Ranges, ovens and cooktops | ||
| Refrigerators | ||
| Trash compactors | — | — |
| Water sensors | — | — |
| Whirlpool bathtub | — |
| — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| — | Add-on | — | — | — |
Systems coverage
| | |
| Air conditioning | ||
| Ceiling fans | ||
| Central vacuums | Add-on | — |
| Doorbells | — | — |
| Ductwork | ||
| Electrical | ||
| Garage door openers | ||
| Garbage disposals | ||
| Heating | ||
| Plumbing | ||
| Smoke detectors | — | — |
| Water heaters |
| Add-on | — | — | |||||||||
| — | — | — |
Other coverage
| | |
| Guest unit | Add-on | — |
| Pools | Add-on | Add-on |
| Roof leak repairs | Add-on | Add-on |
| Second refrigerator | Add-on | — |
| Septic pump | Add-on | Add-on |
| Spas | Add-on | Add-on |
| Stand-alone freezer | Add-on | Add-on |
| Well pump | Add-on | — |
| Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
| — | Add-on | Add-on | — | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | — |
Reputation on ConsumerAffairs
| | |
| Overall star rating | 4.0 | 4.4 |
| Verified customer reviews | Read reviews | Read reviews |
| 4.0 | Read reviews |
| 4.4 | Read reviews |
All prices are based on a quote for a house of less than 5,000 square feet in Austin, Texas. All information is accurate as of publishing.
Choice Home Warranty
Choice Home Warranty does business in every state except California and Washington, and home inspections aren’t required for coverage. Plans can be transferred to new homeowners with no fee — a perk that can make a home more attractive to potential buyers.
Choice Home Warranty plans
Choice Home Warranty offers two plans:
- Basic Plan: The Basic Plan covers 14 major systems and appliances, including your home’s electrical, heating and plumbing systems.
- Total Plan: The Total Plan adds coverage for a handful of additional items to the Basic Plan, including your home’s air conditioning system, refrigerator and clothes dryer.
Additional coverage is an option for both the Basic and the Total Plan. Coverage for the following items can be added to customize a plan to your needs:
- Central vacuums
- Limited roof leaks
- Septic systems
- Septic tank pumping
- Sump pumps
- Well pumps
- Pools and spas
- Second refrigerators
- Stand-alone freezers
Coverage typically starts 30 days after enrollment, and most contracts are for one year. In some cases, all components of an appliance are covered — but in others, they're not. This makes it very important to carefully read your contract before making a final decision.
A flat service fee of $85 is charged for every service call, regardless of the repair or replacement costs or whether or not the claim is considered valid.
What do Choice Home Warranty customers say?
CHW gets high marks from reviewers for convenience and ease of use when it comes to filing a claim. Customers have also generally been happy with the technicians that came to their homes and the level of communication provided by customer service. However, unhappy customers state that coverage levels were misrepresented, and they rate customer service poorly.
My laundry room drain backed up and I was able to put a claim in with CHW by phone through their automated system. CHW alerted me by email that they had organized a plumbing company who could come the following day. It wasn't a dire emergency, but CHW still acted quickly to provide a plumber's service the next day, and I so appreciated that quick turnaround. Thanks!”
– Marcia of Lake Geneva, WI
America's 1st Choice Home Club
America’s 1st Choice Home Club offers multiple plans with a wide range of options. AFC operates in 38 states, and it makes buying a home warranty plan easy for new homeowners by providing an option where coverage begins as soon as escrow closes. However, AFC does require a home inspection in this case.
America’s 1st Choice Home Club plans
There are four levels of coverage available from AFC:
- Systems Plan: This plan covers six of your home’s most important systems, including its ductwork and air conditioning, heating, water heater, electrical and plumbing systems.
- Silver Plan: The Silver Plan only covers major appliances, such as your dishwasher, kitchen refrigerator, oven, range, garbage disposal, garage door opener, washer and dryer.
- Gold Plan: This plan combines all the systems covered in the Systems Plan and all the appliances covered in the Silver Plan to create a comprehensive coverage option.
- Platinum Plan: This plan offers AFC’s most extensive coverage. The Platinum Plan includes all the systems and appliances in the previous plans, plus coverage for plumbing stoppages, built-in microwaves, fans and ice makers.
A service fee is charged for all service calls, but this fee varies.
What America’s 1st Choice Home Club customers say
Customers appreciate the efficient, friendly service of the company’s representatives. Positive reviews reflect an overall high level of satisfaction with the plans and the sign-up process. Those who are unhappy cite poor communication and repair issues that remain unresolved for long periods of time.
Rep was very knowledgeable. No pressure, articulate, and made a major shift in my home coverage smooth. Looking forward to continued level of this service. Left another company after 15 years of diminishing level of service ending with 1+ month of a broken refrigerator compressor.”
– Melvin of San Antonio, TX
|
|
Bottom line: Choice Home Warranty or America's 1st Choice Home Club?
Choice Home Warranty charges a flat service fee and offers two easy-to-understand coverage plans. America’s 1st Choice Home Club offers four different plans to accommodate varying needs and budgets, but it does require a home inspection for new homeowners who want to add optional coverage after the initial waiting period.
- Choice Home Warranty is best for those looking for simple plans with traditional coverage options.
- America’s 1st Choice Home Club is best for new homeowners who want a few different coverage and cost options.
You’re signed up
We’ll start sending you the news you need delivered straight to you. We value your privacy. Unsubscribe easily.