Sears Home Warranty Review

Sears Home Warranty Ratings at a Glance

While you likely already know Sears for the company’s series of department stores, you may not be aware that the company also offers home warranty policies to protect your systems and appliances. In addition to selling appliances from a variety of manufacturers, Sears offers independent home warranty policies on both home systems and appliances. You can purchase a home warranty from Sears even if you did not buy your appliances from the company.

Before rating Sears Home Warranty, Benzinga will review the basics of what a home warranty is and how they typically work. A home warranty is a home protection plan that provides you with more affordable repairs for your home’s major systems and appliances. When you have a home warranty, you pay a set premium each month to maintain your coverage. If one of your covered home systems or appliances breaks because of normal wear and tear, you can call your home warranty company to schedule a repair. Some home warranties also include coverage if your home system or appliance cannot be repaired and needs to be replaced.  

Home warranty policies come with trade fees or service fees that are due each time you use your policy benefits. They are not the same thing as a deductible because you must pay your service fee every time you claim a repair or replacement issued from the company issuing the policy. Like a homeowners insurance policy, home warranty coverages also include upper coverage limits that put a cap on the total value of repairs you can claim from the company.

Sears Home Warranty offers home warranty plans and policies in most parts of the country — you can get a plan anywhere in the United States except Alaska or Puerto Rico. The company offers three plan options throughout the country, each of which includes its own covered systems and appliances. Let’s take a look at what is covered under each plan choice.

Appliance Plan

The Appliance Plan includes coverage for some of the most common home appliances you’ll find in your home, including:

• Refrigerator
• Built-in ice maker
• Dishwasher
• Washing machine
• Clothes dryer
• Range
• Cooktop
• Oven
• Built-in microwave
• Range exhaust fan
• Built-in trash compactor

System Plan

The System Plan includes coverage for the following major home components:

• Central air conditioner
• Central heating
• Plumbing system 
• Water heater                      
• Water softener                               
• Faucets and toilets                        
• Garbage disposal                           
• Plumbing stoppages 
• Electrical system
• Ceiling fans
• Garage door opener

Whole Home Plan

The Whole Home Plan offers more affordable coverage for your property. It includes all of the coverages found on both the Appliance Plan and the System Plan with a single monthly premium and trade fee.

Like most home warranty plans, Sears Home Warranty’s policies come with a 30-day waiting period. During the waiting period, you cannot use your plan benefits. This policy protects Sears and other home warranty providers from providing policies to homeowners who have appliances and systems that are already in need of repair when they buy coverage. During your waiting period, you cannot use your plan, but you can claim up to a 25% discount on HVAC, appliance and water heater repairs while you wait for your coverage to begin when you work through Sears’ program. The maximum discount you can claim with this clause is $500.

Sears Home Warranty policies also include additional benefits. All unknown pre-existing conditions are covered, and there is no age limit on covered systems and appliances. Every plan includes a 180-day service guarantee on repairs provided, which means you won’t need to pay your service fee multiple times if you need corrective repairs following a claim. In select areas, your home warranty even entitles you to discounts on vehicle repair and maintenance services issued through Sears Auto Center.

With a wide range of coverages and a series of benefits not found with other home warranty providers, Sears offers an appealing option for homeowners in most parts of the country. Sears’ plans can be particularly beneficial for homeowners who have older systems or appliances that are likely to need regular repairs, as coverage limits are higher than with almost every competing home warranty company. 

Sears Home Warranty offers its customers multiple methods to file a claim or get in touch with customer service, including:

• By phone: To file a claim with Sears Home Warranty over the phone or to speak with an agent, call 855-256-2467. Residents of Hawaii should call 844-602-5613 when they enroll in a policy.
• Through your online portal: If you already have an account and you need to file a claim, you can do so through your Sears Home Warranty customer portal. You can also manage your plan, pay your bills and track the status of your outstanding claims online through Sears’ customer portal.  

Claims reporting is available 24/7 via phone and online.  

Like other home warranty companies, Sears Home Warranty requires you to pay both a monthly premium to maintain your coverage and a trade service fee each time you use your plan. Unlike other home warranty providers, Sears offers pricing information and sample contracts without giving the company your phone number or email address. This system helps you get the information that you need while reducing unwanted nuisance phone calls.

Pricing for Sears Home Warranty’s policies are consistent across the country. Here’s what you can expect to pay monthly and per appointment depending on the plan that you choose.

While these costs are higher than other home warranty companies, Sears Home Warranty’s policies also have higher coverage limits. Like your auto insurance policy or homeowners insurance, home warranty policies have limitations on the total amount of money they will spend per claim and per contract term.

Each one of Sears’ plans has a per-incident coverage cap of $10,000 and an annual upper limit of $50,000. While other home warranty companies institute limits as low as $500 for each appliance in your home, Sears’ system and appliance warranty plans only institute individual item limits on any commercial-grade appliances in your home. 

Sears Home Warranty’s policies are impressive, especially when it comes to customer transparency. Some of the benefits that you’ll enjoy when you choose Sears for your home warranty policy include:

• Free annual tune-ups: All Sears Home Warranty policies include one annual HVAC tune-up at no additional cost to you. This can help prevent future breakdowns, saving you both time and money.
• No individual item limits: Sears’ plans don’t include individual caps on noncommercial-grade appliances and systems, while other home warranty companies institute low coverage limits. So long as the total value of your claim is less than $10,000, you’re covered under your policy from Sears.
• No limitations on the age of your appliances: Sears doesn’t have age limits on the systems and appliances it covers, which means that this company’s policies may be beneficial for homeowners living in older properties.
• Discounted repairs during the waiting period: If you have a system or appliance that’s likely to need a repair soon, you can save up to 25% simply by signing up for a Sears Home Warranty. Discounts are available during your waiting period before your policy is in effect. 

Sears Home Warranty’s user experience is simple and straightforward. The company is exceptionally transparent, especially when it comes to pricing and policy limitations. You don’t need to submit your personal information before viewing pricing — an invaluable benefit if you’ve ever been hounded by sales professionals in the past. Sears is upfront with its policy limitations, allowing you to read through sample contracts before investing in coverage.

Filing a claim with Sears is also an easy process. Claims reporting is available over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you can file a claim through your customer portal as well. When you enroll in a home warranty with Sears, you can also track your claim and manage your policy benefits on-the-go. 

Sears Home Warranty Versus Competitors

While Sears Home Warranty’s policies are comprehensive, they won’t fit into everyone’s monthly budget. If you’re looking for more affordable home warranty coverage, competitors like Choice Home Warranty, Select Home Warranty and 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty offer lower-cost policies that can help you protect your home without taking such a large toll on your wallet.

Benzinga offers insights and reviews on the following home warranty protection providers.  Consider beginning your search for the right coverage with a few of the links below.

Overall, Sears Home Warranty offers strong home warranty protections. Coverages are comparable to other home warranty providers and caps are higher, which provides additional benefits to you as the homeowner. There are no age limitations on systems, appliances or homes, and pricing and exclusion information is easy to find online. 

Filing a claim and managing your policy is also exceptionally easy, making Sears an appealing choice for homeowners looking to arm themselves with as much info as possible before they invest in a policy. Though Sears’ policies are on the more expensive end of the spectrum when it comes to home warranties, homeowners looking for high coverage caps might feel that the company’s policies are worth the extra cost.     

Sears Home Warranty Video Tutorial

Frequently Asked Questions