Select Home Warranty Review: Plans, Costs, and Real Customer Feedback

Select Home Warranty legitimacy and licensing

Yes, in the sense that it’s a real company that sells contracts and pays some claims. Select Home Warranty LLC has operated since 2012, the BBB lists it in Mahwah, New Jersey, and its posted contract names Select Home Warranty of CA Inc. as the obligor. Its terms say it’s not an insurance company; it sells home service contracts, which most states regulate separately from insurance.

The complaint record is the concern. The BBB lists 4,670 complaints in three years, rates the company B- and it isn’t accredited. Home warranty companies draw heavy complaint volumes in general: the BBB lists 14,686 for American Home Shield and 9,604 for Choice Home Warranty over the same period. Trustpilot shows 6,391 reviews at 3.2 out of 5, with about a third one star and no replies to negative reviews. A KZTV (Corpus Christi) report said the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation had opened an investigation after a customer complaint; we found no published outcome.

Select Home Warranty cost

Select doesn’t publish base plan prices. You get a quote by zip code, and the site repeatedly urges you to call for a lower rate. Add-ons are listed: $3.33 a month for items like a sump pump or stand-alone freezer, $5.83 for septic, sprinklers or a spa, and $8.33 for a pool. A $16.58 a month Select Rewards club offers retail discounts.

On top of the premium you pay a service call fee for each technician visit, typically $65 to $200 per Select’s FAQ. The fee is due once the technician starts driving to your home, even if the claim is later denied, and a separate fee applies to each issue.

What's covered and the caps that matter

Bronze Care covers kitchen and laundry appliances, Gold Care covers systems (HVAC, ductwork, electrical, plumbing, water heater) and Platinum Care covers both. The posted terms cap repairs or replacements at $3,000 a year for heating and cooling and $500 a year for appliances, plumbing and electrical, with $400 for add-ons. A new refrigerator or water heater installed can easily cost more than $500.

Other limits: no full replacements in the first 30 days; only builder-grade replacements with no brand or color matching; cash payouts limited to depreciated value; no coverage for code upgrades, improper installation, prior repairs, cosmetic parts or water and mold damage caused by a failure. Select may ask for maintenance records during a claim.

Select Home Warranty complaints and how to avoid problems

The most common complaints are denied claims, low payouts, slow or no-show technicians, hard-to-reach support and disputes over cancellation charges. Most trace back to contract terms, so:

• Read the full plan agreement for your state before paying.
• Keep maintenance receipts for HVAC and water heaters.
• Always call Select before any repair, including emergencies, or you won’t be reimbursed.
• Ask whether a replacement would exceed the $500 or $3,000 cap and what you’d owe.
• Get every promise in writing, and file complaints with your state attorney general or the BBB if a claim stalls.

Cancellation and refunds

You can cancel within 30 days of your order for a full refund, but only if no service was provided. After 30 days, the refund is prorated at the non-discounted annual price, so promotional discounts are clawed back, and Select subtracts a $75 cancellation fee and any service costs it paid (up to the contract price). If Select cancels, it must give 30 days’ notice and a prorated refund minus an administrative fee.

The rules that protect you

Home warranties are service contracts, not insurance, and states regulate them differently; some, like Texas, license home service contract companies. Select’s terms require disputes to go to arbitration under California law, which limits your ability to sue in court. If you have a problem, complain to your state’s attorney general or consumer protection office and, where applicable, the agency that licenses service contract providers.