Cinch Home Services Review

By Amanda Lutz

Jun 20, 2023
A beautiful modern farmhouse kitchen with stainless steel appliances.

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Jump to: Fast Facts | Benefits and Drawbacks | Coverage Options | Pricing | Reviews | How Cinch Home Services Compares to the Competition | Our Recommendation | FAQ | Methodology

 

Cinch Home Services provides warranties backed by more than four decades of industry experience. As the company has grown over the years, it has changed its name from Cross Country Home Services and acquired other home warranty companies, including Fixd

After researching more than 35 providers, we found that Cinch Home Services is among the best home warranty companies. In this in-depth review, we’ll look closely at Cinch’s claims process, compare the pros and cons, and discuss other essential factors that can help you make an informed decision about your home warranty services.


 

Fast Facts About Cinch Home Services

Below you’ll find some fast facts about Cinch Home Services.


 

Benefits and Drawbacks of Cinch Home Services

You can compare the pros and cons of Cinch Home Services in the table below.

UpsidesDownsides

Cinch provides coverage for unknown preexisting conditions, plus rust and corrosion.

It does not offer roof-leak coverage.

The Complete Plan offers the rare benefit of a homeowners deductible reimbursement of up to $500.

Cinch offers fewer add-ons than its competitors.

If the claim is made within business hours, they promise to find a service technician within two hours. If it’s after hours, they work to find one within 24 hours

You can only find the optional add-ons during the quote process, whereas other providers list the options on a landing page.


 

Cinch Home Services Coverage Options

Cinch Home Services offers three home warranty plan options: the Appliances Plan, the Built-in Systems Plan, and the Complete Home Plan. All three plans have a 180-day workmanship guarantee, which is significantly longer than many competitors. 

All plans also include a $25 credit toward your air conditioner or refrigerator filter. Cinch’s sample contract stipulates a $10,000 coverage cap for all covered items, which means all claims will be subtracted from this total amount. 

Appliances Plan

The Appliances Plan covers 12 essential home appliances. These covered items are clothes washers, clothes dryers, cooktops, dishwashers, food centers (built-in), freestanding ice makers, microwaves (built-in), ranges, range exhaust hoods, refrigerators, trash compactors (built-in), and wall ovens

Built-In Systems Plan

The Built-In Systems Plan covers 16 home systems. These covered items are air conditioning including ductwork, attic fans, ceiling fans, central vacuums, doorbells, electrical system, garage door openers, garbage disposals, heating system including ductwork, instant hot/cold water dispensers, plumbing system, smoke detectors, sump pumps, toilets, water heaters, and whirlpool tubs.

Complete Plan

The Complete Plan includes all the covered items of the two earlier plans, plus a homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement of up to $500. 

Optional Add-Ons 

Cinch Home Services offers six add-on options, including coverage for your septic tank/pumping, well pump, pool, pool with spa, and spa. Cinch also offers a Premier Upgrade Package, which provides up to $2,000 of coverage per year (two claims of up to $1,000) when there are charges that are not normally covered under a home protection plan, such as permits, code upgrades, removal and disposal costs. 


 

Cinch Home Services Pricing

Cinch offers a flexible service call fee model with three options. During the quote process, you can select a $100, $125, or $150 service call fee. You’ll pay this fee to your technician when you place a service request. The higher service call fees will result in lower monthly fees. 

According to our quote for a 5,000-square-foot, single-family home in San Jose, California, you can expect to pay between $28 and $58 per month for a base plan. However, because your pricing and plan options will vary depending on the size of your home, location, and add-on elections, we recommend requesting a personalized quote before making your final decision. 


 

Cinch Home Services Reviews

Cinch Home Services is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and, as of June 2022, it held a B rating. While customer reviews are not factored into the company’s BBB rating, formal complaints are considered relative to the size of the business. BBB also follows up on whether or not the business responded appropriately to the complaints.  

As part of our research process, we read more than 1,000 BBB reviews and nearly 2,000 Trustpilot reviews, which noted that the company’s customer service team was knowledgeable and personable. The company’s policies also seemed to cover more than other home warranty companies.

We pulled a few notable customer reviews below:

Updating my review on a new one since it wouldn’t let me update my old one[.] Mary contacted me and was patient, explained how it worked which gave me a better perspective on how to proceed going forward. I was going to update it to 3 stars but due to her help and providing me with her contact information for future help I upped it to 4 stars[.] I still feel like maybe a lesser deductible for uncovered maintenance issues would be fair, and they should REALLY improve their initial customer service [because] it’s all over the place, but once you get to the right people it’s a lot better —David K via BBB

My garage door wouldn’t open the morning that we were set to leave for vacation. Such a bad way to start a vacation!! I knew that I had a home warranty so I didn’t worry too much. On the way back, I submitted the claim via my phone (from the airport) and the technician reached out quickly to confirm the appointment. I thought it would just be something small, maybe the door needed an adjustment or something but no, the motor needed to be replaced! The tech told me that it normally costs about $900 parts and labor to fix, I only had to pay my deductible. They had the part in stock, sent a guy out the next day to fix it, took him about 45 minutes and we are back in business. The only bummer is that the new motor is a different brand than the one we had, which had the keypad and 3 fobs, those don’t work and our new one only came with 1 fob. The tech told me to just purchase one from Amazon for like $20 so it’s not too much of a big deal. —Marilyn W via BBB

I was pleased with the customer service. She was very patient with my questions and concerns. She was thorough and not pushy. The price was reasonable and the home plan was a better coverage plan than others. —Marsha via Trustpilot

Customer service was very helpful, knowledgeable, and considerate. The only critique would be that I called the customer service number several times and left my phone number, and my call was never returned; it was only after many attempts that [we] were able to speak with an agent. —R Porter via Trustpilot

When we reached out to the company about the complaints of slow customer service, we did not receive a response. 


 

How Cinch Home Services Compares to the Competition

Here’s a review of how Cinch compares to other top home warranty companies.

Providers
Best For
Monthly Cost
Service Fee
BBB Rating
Best for Extensive Coverage
$65–$76
$100–$125
B
Best Add-On Variety
$49-$60
$65–$125
A+
Best Budget Coverage
$44–$48
$65–$75
B-
Best for Systems Coverage
$59–$77
$75–$125
B
Best Membership Perks
$47–$56
$75–$125
B
Best for Pool Coverage
$47–$65
$100-$150
B
BBB Rating Monthly Cost Service Fee Link
American Home Shield American Home Shield B $65–$76 $100–$125 VISIT SITE
Liberty Home Guard Liberty Home Guard A+ $49-$60 $65–$125 VISIT SITE
Select Home Warranty Select Home Warranty B- $44–$48 $65–$75 VISIT SITE
First American Home Warranty First American Home Warranty B $59–$77 $75–$125 VISIT SITE
AFC Home Club AFC Home Club B $47–$56 $75–$125 VISIT SITE
Cinch Home Services Cinch Home Services B $47–$65 $100-$150 VISIT SITE
American Home Shield
Logo American Home Shield
BBB Rating B
Monthly Cost $65–$76
Service Fee $100–$125
VISIT SITE
Liberty Home Guard
Logo Liberty Home Guard
BBB Rating A+
Monthly Cost $49-$60
Service Fee $65–$125
VISIT SITE
Select Home Warranty
Logo Select Home Warranty
BBB Rating B-
Monthly Cost $44–$48
Service Fee $65–$75
VISIT SITE
First American Home Warranty
Logo First American Home Warranty
BBB Rating B
Monthly Cost $59–$77
Service Fee $75–$125
VISIT SITE
AFC Home Club
Logo AFC Home Club
BBB Rating B
Monthly Cost $47–$56
Service Fee $75–$125
VISIT SITE
Cinch Home Services
Logo Cinch Home Services
BBB Rating B
Monthly Cost $47–$65
Service Fee $100-$150
VISIT SITE

 

Our Recommendation

Cinch Home Services is an excellent option for homeowners who want the reliability of a veteran service provider and a few benefits not offered by other home warranty companies. In addition to its coverage for unknown preexisting conditions, rust, and corrosion, Cinch’s Premier Upgrade Package and comprehensive base plans offer more substantial coverage than its competitors. Additionally, compared to other home warranty companies, Cinch’s $10,000 coverage cap for the whole policy offers more flexibility than plans that limit coverage per item. 

To request a personalized quote from Cinch Home Services, use this simple online tool or call 844-979-0899.


 

Reviews of Other Home Warranty Providers


 

Cinch Home Services FAQ

Does Cinch Home Services cover water damage?

Cinch Home Services does not cover water damage, but it can help you prevent common causes, such as leaky pipes and water heater issues. When you enroll in a home warranty plan, Cinch will mail you a free water sensor.  Water sensors connect to your home’s wireless network to notify you when it detects moisture. Some water sensors can even be programmed to shut off your water supply if you aren’t home to address the issue immediately.

What isn’t covered by Cinch Home Services?

To find out the specifics of what Cinch Home Services doesn’t cover, it’s a good idea to read the exclusions section of the service agreement. Though Cinch’s policies cover more items than the average home warranty, the provider does not offer roof-leak protection.

Does Cinch own Sears Home Warranty?

Cinch Home Services does not own Sears Home Warranty, but Cinch does underwrite its home warranty policies. This means that Cinch assumes financial liability for Sears’ offerings. Sears Home Warranty has a complicated financial past, including filing for bankruptcy, so we recommend Cinch in states where it is available.


 

How We Chose the Top Home Warranty Providers

Our team reviewed and researched dozens of home warranty providers, thoroughly analyzed sample agreements, and identified customer pain points based on analysis of customer reviews and interviews with industry experts. Our in-depth methodology guides our review process to provide transparent information about the companies we review.

During this process, we determined that the most critical aspects of a home warranty company include available service plans and add-ons, depth of coverage, plan cost, industry reputation, customer support infrastructure, and additional features. We also focused on the ability to choose your own contractor; upgrade your coverage package; transfer your plan to another owner; and cover roof leaks, high-end appliance brands, ceiling and exhaust fans, and faucets and fixtures.

Our research supported that plan coverage should carry the most weight, with customer support as the second-most important factor. Industry reputation, plan availability, and additional features were rated equally. We determined that price range, while worth considering, should not be the primary basis for choosing a home warranty provider for your home’s needs.

New Jersey Residents: The product being offered by the featured brand is a service contract and is separate and distinct from any product or service warranty which may be provided by the home builder or manufacturer.