Set in the contract
Choice Home Warranty
3.7/5
“Budget-focused homeowners who want a predictable flat service fee and straightforward plan choices.”
Photo · Im Greg / Unsplash
First American Home Warranty
3.8/5
“Owners of newer homes who prioritize appliance coverage and some improper-installation protection.”
Photo · Avi Werde / Unsplash
vs
§ 01Round by round
The Warranta verdict
Both are budget-tier picks, so the split is about what you trade for the low price. Choice keeps it simple: two tiers, a flat $100 fee, predictable per-claim cost, but an $11.8 million Arizona Attorney General settlement (2026) and a mandatory arbitration clause. First American costs more once add-ons stack, yet a 3.4 claims score and improper-installation coverage make it the stronger choice for a newer home.
Round by round · 11 criteriaSourced ratings
| Criterion | Choice Home Warranty | First American Home Warranty | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.7 | 3.8Wins | — |
| Pricing | 4.3Wins | 4.2 | — |
| Coverage | 3.6 | 3.7Wins | — |
| Claims process | 3.2 | 3.4Wins | — |
| Customer service | 3.3 | 3.5Wins | — |
| Contractor network | 3.5 | 3.8Wins | — |
| Pricing | Tie | Tie | Choice charges a flat $100 fee per claim; First American publishes no service fee Warranta could verify, and neither publishes a monthly price. Confirm the service fee in the contract before you buy. |
| Annual caps | Tie | Tie | Choice's user agreement caps each covered item at $3,000 per 12-month period, with lower limits for some items, and air conditioning, heating and ductwork share one limit. First American says its plans have no dollar limit on the total per contract term but that some items, such as appliances and roof leaks, have dollar limits; Warranta could not verify those amounts against a current sample contract, so the two cannot be compared. |
| Coverage breadth | — | WinsWins | First American covers some improper-installation and maintenance failures; Choice excludes pre-existing conditions (outside Arizona) and code violations with no comparable allowance. |
| Claims experience | — | WinsWins | First American's claims sub-score is 3.4 with dispatch complaints on older gear; Choice's is 3.2, with an $11.8 million Arizona Attorney General settlement (2026) and mandatory arbitration. |
| Plan simplicity | WinsWins | — | Choice's two-tier lineup is simpler than First American's three-tier Starter, Essential, and Premium structure. |
Choice Home Warranty
3.7
Overall
First American Home Warranty
Founded 1984
3.8
Overall
Sources
- Choice Home Warranty BBB profile (BBB profile, accessed 2026-05)
- First American Home Warranty BBB profile (BBB profile, accessed 2026-05)
- Choice Home Warranty plan descriptions (Provider official, accessed 2026-09-23)
- First American Home Warranty plan and pricing pages (Provider official, accessed 2026-05)
- Arizona Attorney General press release on its $11.8M settlement with Choice Home Warranty (announced Feb. 10, 2026) (State regulator, accessed 2026-09-23)
- Choice Home Warranty common questions ($100 trade service-call fee per claim) (Provider official, accessed 2026-09-23)
- Choice Home Warranty user agreement (limitations of liability: $3,000 per 12-month period for each covered item, applied in the aggregate to items listed in the same numbered section) (Provider official, accessed 2026-10-07)
- First American Home Warranty FAQ (no cap or dollar limit on the total per contract term; appliances and roof leak coverage have dollar limits) (Provider official, accessed 2026-10-07)
§ 02Who wins for you
If
“Coverage breadth matters most”
First American covers some improper-installation and maintenance failures; Choice excludes pre-existing conditions (outside Arizona) and code violations with no comparable allowance.
EdgeFirst American Home Warranty
If
“Claims experience matters most”
First American's claims sub-score is 3.4 with dispatch complaints on older gear; Choice's is 3.2, with an $11.8 million Arizona Attorney General settlement (2026) and mandatory arbitration.
EdgeFirst American Home Warranty
If
“Plan simplicity matters most”
Choice's two-tier lineup is simpler than First American's three-tier Starter, Essential, and Premium structure.
EdgeChoice Home Warranty
If
“Pricing matters most”
Choice charges a flat $100 fee per claim; First American publishes no service fee Warranta could verify, and neither publishes a monthly price. Confirm the service fee in the contract before you buy.
Evenly matchedToo close to call
Across 5 rounds, First American Home Warranty takes more than it loses, but the right pick still turns on which of these criteria you weight. See the verdict above.
§ 03The figures, side by side
Choice Home Warranty
- Service fee options
- $100
- Service fee range
- Flat $100 trade service-call fee per claim (may be lower with discounts)
- Waiting period
- 30 days after Choice receives the agreement fee, or sooner with proof of prior coverage and no lapse
- Eligibility notes
- No home-age limit; pre-existing conditions excluded
At a glance
Across plan tiers
Before claims are eligible
Home age / pre-existing
First American Home Warranty
- Waiting period
- 30 days for many new customers, per its FAQ; the contract sets the details
- Eligibility notes
- No home-age limit; pre-existing conditions excluded
At a glance
Before claims are eligible
Home age / pre-existing
Choice Home Warranty
3.7/5
“Budget-focused homeowners who want a predictable flat service fee and straightforward plan choices.”
First American Home Warranty
3.8/5
“Owners of newer homes who prioritize appliance coverage and some improper-installation protection.”
Round winners and the use-case cards above reconcile against Warranta’s rating methodology. Scores are on a 5-point scale.
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