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State guide · SCNo paid placement

Home warranty
in South Carolina.

The Director of South Carolina's Department of Insurance registers service contract providers under Chapter 78 of Title 38, which exempts these contracts from the rest of the insurance title.

Regulated as a service contract3 reviewed providers ranked
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Why South Carolina is different

The Director of South Carolina's Department of Insurance registers service contract providers under Chapter 78 of Title 38, which exempts these contracts from the rest of the insurance title. Providers pay $200 a year. They need reimbursement insurance, or else a 40 percent reserve plus at least $25,000 on deposit, or a net worth of $100 million. If no claim has been made, a buyer who returns a South Carolina contract within 20 days after mailing, or 10 days after delivery at the time of sale, is refunded or credited the full purchase price. An automatic renewal can't be enforced unless you were notified 30 to 60 days before the cancellation deadline.

Source: S.C. Code Ann. Title 38, Chapter 78 (Service Contracts; Department of Insurance) (State statute, accessed 2026-10-07) · South Carolina Department of Insurance: Service Contract Provider FAQs (State regulator, accessed 2026-10-07)
Coverage-priority context · SC

What breaks in South Carolina.

Issue 01
Hot, humid summers driving heavy air-conditioning load and compressor wear
Issue 02
Coastal salt air accelerating condenser corrosion near the shore
Issue 03
Clay soils in the Midlands affecting slab plumbing and foundation movement
§ 02Best providers in South Carolinaranked by Warranta editorial score · /5 scale · how we score
01
American Home Shield
Homeowners who want broad systems coverage and a choice of service fee.
Score
4.1/5
Read review →
02
Choice Home Warranty
Budget-focused homeowners who want a predictable flat service fee and straightforward plan choices.
Score
3.7/5
Read review →
03
Select Home Warranty
Buyers who want bundled roof-leak coverage and accept tighter payout limits.
Score
3.4/5
Read review →
§ 03Common questions for South Carolina
When does coverage start after I buy a plan?
When the waiting period in your contract ends. Providers set different lengths. Liberty Home Guard's sample policy starts coverage 30 days after purchase and requires covered items to be in working order that day. American Home Shield's 2024 sample plan agreement shows an initial waiting period of 0 days. Under Liberty's terms, a covered item that breaks on day 20 falls inside that 30-day holding period and is not covered, so read each provider's sample contract before you buy.
Can I buy a plan after something has already broken?
You can buy one, but the two sample contracts we read would not pay for a breakdown you already have. Liberty Home Guard's sample policy "does not cover any known or unknown pre-existing conditions." American Home Shield's 2024 sample plan agreement says a covered breakdown "must occur during the Plan Agreement Term," and it excludes earlier breakdowns that "were either known by you or were reasonably detectable by you."