Home protection explained
Home warranty vs. homeowners insurance
They sound similar, but they protect you from completely different things — and most homeowners need both. Here’s the simple version.
Homeowners insurance covers sudden accidents and disasters. A home warranty covers your systems and appliances when they break down from everyday use.
Home warranty covers
Breakdowns from normal wear and tear
- ✓Heating & air conditioning breakdowns
- ✓Plumbing & electrical system failures
- ✓Water heater failures
- ✓Kitchen & laundry appliance breakdowns
- ✓Failures from normal wear and tear
Homeowners insurance covers
Sudden damage and disasters
- ✓Fire, smoke & lightning damage
- ✓Theft & vandalism
- ✓Storm, wind & hail damage
- ✓Water damage from burst pipes (the damage, not the pipe)
- ✓Liability if someone is injured on your property
A quick example
Say your air conditioner stops working. If it failed because a storm damaged your home, that’s a homeowners insurance claim. If it simply wore out and stopped running, that’s a home warranty claim.
Insurance almost never covers a system or appliance that breaks down from age or normal use — and that’s exactly the kind of failure a home warranty is built for. That’s why the two work best together: insurance for the unexpected disasters, a warranty for the everyday breakdowns.
Fill the gap your insurance leaves
Cover the systems and appliances your homeowners policy won’t. Get a free United Home Warranty quote in minutes.
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