Have you ever heard someone—a neighbor, a family friend, or a relative—mention their home warranty coverage and how they just feel…like they have peace of mind because of it?

They might say something like:

• "I like having a home warranty because it gives our family peace of mind."


• "Really. I know who to call when something breaks and I know they’ll pay to fix it. For me, that’s peace of mind."


• "I guess I just like the peace of mind of paying for home warranty coverage."

What exactly does someone mean when they’re talking about “peace of mind”?

And, what specifically is it about home warranty coverage that gives everyone so much peace of mind?

First off, what is a home warranty?

A home warranty, otherwise known as a home service contract, is a contract between a homeowner and a home warranty company that provides for discounted repair and replacement service on the major components of a home—like the air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems—or major appliances, such as washers, dryers, or refrigerators that break down over time.

Home warranty service contracts can cover major repairs or the cost to replace these important daily-use home systems and appliances. If the item included in your home warranty service contract coverage is deemed unrepairable, your home warranty will cover the cost to replace the home system or appliance for you. It’s optional coverage, but since most Americans have less than $1,000 in their savings account, a home warranty is useful, and affordable, coverage to have.

What’s the best feature of having a home warranty? Most would say: Access to home repair contractors.

If you’re someone who has done home repair work in the past and you had to find a general contractor to work with, you can attest to the pain and headache of finding, screening, and deciding on a home repair contractor for the job.

Convenience is part of the value of a home warranty, and one of the biggest benefits of having a home warranty is gaining access to a network of available pre-screened contractors—by specialty.

They’re not all just plumbers. You gain access to HVAC contractors and appliance specialists, too.

Because home warranty companies are responsible for the repair or replacement of a wide range of home systems and appliances, they have a variety of service technicians and specialists on call. They have electricians, home repair contractors, HVAC contractors, appliance specialists, and general contractors – all of whom they trust. No matter what might break down in your home, a home warranty company has qualified – and certified – technicians they can send your way.

Self-ranked and promoted general contractors online may not mean much. Vetted contractors by a home warranty company mean much more.

Did you know that for ranked lists of contractors, like Angie’s List, those technicians are paying to be there? With a home warranty, you won’t need to sift through online reviews or rankings of local general contractors wondering which one you should hire. You won’t need to ask your co-workers who they know who could come and fix your fridge. You won’t need to read tips on how to find a reliable home contractor. A home warranty company will have a list of pre-screened, technicians who are within your local network. Qualified technicians available for service calls from home warranty companies they’ve built a relationship and a reputation with.

That’s what peace of mind feels like.

If your washing machine starts leaking water or when your A/C unit starts making a horrible noise, as long as these items are covered within your home warranty coverage, you simply pick up the phone and call to make a claim. That’s all it takes. Your home warranty company will connect you to the right home repair contractor for the job, saving you time, money, and energy.

It's a nice feeling—knowing just who to call when something breaks. And that’s what your neighbor, family friends, and relatives mean when they say their home warranty brings them peace of mind.