First American Home Warranty vs Choice Home Warranty

First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty offer similar plans, coverage, and service. Let’s take an inside look at how they compare:

Service Fee
Home Warranty Cost
Contract
Basic Coverage
Combo Coverage
Add-On Coverage
Build-Your-Own Coverage
Waiting Period
Licensed Contractors
24/7 Claims Service
Time in Business
Customer Reviews
First American Home Warranty vs. Choice Home Warranty: Which is Better?

Service Fee (Winner: First American and Choice)

First American Home Warranty service fees vary by location, and you can get an exact fee estimate by getting a free online quote. However, starting service fees typically range from $75 to $85.

Choice Home Warranty has a set service fee of $85 no matter the cost or repair or replacement. This fee is paid directly to the technician that comes to your home, and eligible discounts can be applied. 

Home Warranty Cost (Winner: Choice Home Warranty)

At first glance, First American Home Warranty has lower plan costs, but Choice Home Warranty has more comprehensive plan options.

First American Home Warranty costs range from $28 to $42.50 per month ($336 to $510 per year), and for any add-on coverage you will have to pay extra for each additional service/system.

Choice Home Warranty costs range from $43.75 to $52.50 per month ($495 to $600 per year), and you will be charged for any add-on coverage. However, you will have a flat service fee of $85. Therefore, you might have more of an opportunity to save money on larger appliances and systems because your service fee won’t rise or fall with specific services, which would be the case with First American Home Warranty.

It is important to assess your specific home warranty needs to make a decision between the two companies.

Contract (Winner: Choice Home Warranty)

Both First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty have one-year contracts. However, Choice offers increased flexibility with a transferable service contract, meaning that if you have an existing contract with another company, Choice’s contract will begin immediately when the other ends. In addition, Choice offers one month of free service with the purchase of either its single-payment or one-year home warranty plans.

Basic Coverage (Price Winner: First American; Coverage Winner: Choice)

• First American Home Warranty Basic Plan: $28 per month ($336 per month)
• Choice Home Warranty Basic Plan: $43.75 per month ($495 per year)

While First American Home Warranty’s basic plan price point is lower than that of Choice Home Warranty, Choice offers more comprehensive coverage. Thus, although the price tag is higher with Choice, you will get extensive coverage for a reasonable price.

However, it is worth noting that refrigerator, clothes washer, and clothes dryer coverage isn’t included in the Choice basic plan, but it is included in the First American basic plan. Thus, depending on your needs, the First American basic plan might be a better choice for you, even with reduced coverage for other appliances and systems.

Combo Coverage (Winner: First American Home Warranty)

• First American Home Warranty Premier Plan: $42.50 per month ($510 per year)
• Choice Home Warranty Total Plan: $52.50 per month ($495 per year)

Choice Home Warranty has a much more comprehensive basic home warranty plan, but First American Home Warranty’s Premier Plan covers essentially everything that Choice covers in both its basic and total plans, but with a lower price tag. 

Add-On Coverage (Winner: Choice Home Warranty)

Both First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty offer additional coverage options that you can add to your plan. Add-on coverage will have additional costs, but Choice offers more options than First American.

First American add-on coverage includes the following:

• Central Air Conditioning
• Additional Refrigeration
• First Class Appliance Upgrades
• Pool/Spa Systems
• Well Pump

Choice add-on coverage includes the following:

• Second Refrigerator
• Stand Alone Freezer
• Central Vacuum System
• Pool/Spa Systems
• Well Pump
• Sump Pump
• Limited Roof Leak
• Septic System
• Septic Tank Pumping

Build-Your-Own Coverage (Winner: N/A)

Neither First American Home Warranty nor Choice Home Warranty offer a build-your-own coverage option — an option which is offered by some home warranty companies. Build-your-own home warranty plans can offer increased flexibility in price and coverage.

Waiting Period (Winner: First American and Choice)

For new customers, both First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty have a 30-day waiting period before service can be requested.

Licensed Contractors (Winner: First American and Choice)

Both First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty have networks of licensed contractors who will respond to any service calls. If you have a preferred technician, in most cases you can choose to work with that individual instead.

24/7 Claims Service (Winner: First American and Choice)

Both First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty have a 24/7 claims service. Service claims can be submitted online or over the phone.

Time in Business (Winner: First American Home Warranty)

First American Home Warranty has been in business for 35 years, while Choice Home Warranty has been in business for 14 years. Time in business is not a reliable indicator of overall service or expertise, but it may give you greater peace of mind to work with a company that has been in the home warranty business for a substantial amount of time.

Customer Reviews (Winner: First American Home Warranty)

First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty have comparable reviews on BestCompany.com — 72 percent of First American Home Warranty reviews are 4 or 5 stars, and 67 percent of Choice Home Warranty reviews are 4 or 5 stars.

Although both companies have comparable customer sentiment ratings (3.5/5 stars) in all four sentiment categories (value, quality, service, and trustworthiness), Choice has a large number of reviews in comparison to First American. More reviews means that you will get an even better idea of the customer experience with a company, giving Choice an advantage over First American.

Positive First American Home Warranty reviews typically highlight the following:

• Excellent customer service, including prompt and professional technicians
• Easy claim service (either online or over the phone)
• Reasonable or low service fees

Positive Choice Home Warranty reviews typically highlight the following:

• Excellent customer service
• Prompt response to service claims
• Customer is kept informed throughout the claims process

First American Home Warranty vs. Choice Home Warranty: Which Is Better?

First American Home Warranty and Choice Home Warranty are both highly rated and well-known home warranty companies, and you likely won’t go wrong with either company. Choosing between the two companies will come down to your needs and what kind of coverage you’re looking for — for more comprehensive coverage, Choice Home Warranty would be the better option, but for affordable pricing, First American Home Warranty would be the better option.

We recommend reading customer reviews to compare the companies further and to provide further information in the decision process.