Last updated: October 8, 2026
Quick answer: on the paper alone, Choice looks stronger. Its agreement lists a general limit of $3,000 per item per year, while Select lists $3,000 only for heating and cooling and $500 for appliances, plumbing and electrical. Both have a 30-day waiting period, both choose the technician, and neither publishes the service fee in the agreement. Select adds a service fee owed even on denied claims and a $75 cancellation fee. We compared the two published agreements clause by clause, and this page puts the results side by side. For the full reviews, see our Choice review and Select review.
Choice Home Warranty: ★★★★☆ 4.1 / 5 (Coverage 4.3 | Price Value 4.0 | Customer Service 4.0)
Select Home Warranty: ★★★☆☆ 2.9 / 5 (Coverage 2.8 | Price Value 3.0 | Customer Service 2.9)
Editorial scores from our review of each company’s published agreement, not a paid placement or a customer survey. See how we rate.
Side-by-side: what the agreements say
A ✓ marks the company whose published terms look better for you on that row. Both agreements are labeled samples that vary by state, and your own paperwork controls.
| Term | Choice (Homeowners User Agreement) | Select (plan agreement) |
|---|---|---|
| General coverage limit | ✓ $3,000 per item per 12 months | Heating and cooling $3,000; appliances, plumbing and electrical $500 |
| Optional items and add-ons | Lower limits, mostly $500; septic pumping $250 | Add-ons share a $400 annual maximum |
| Waiting period | 30 days from the Agreement Fee, or earlier with proof of prior coverage | 30 days from the Purchase Date |
| Service fee | Per request, amount in your Coverage Details | Per issue, owed even if the claim is denied; no amount stated |
| Who picks the technician | Choice (Oregon exception) | Select; your own contractor needs advance authorization |
| Report a failure | As soon as you find it, before the term ends | Within 3 days of discovering it |
| Cash instead of repair | Company cost, then no claim on that item for 12 months | Depreciated value, paid within 30 days with proof |
| Cancel in the first 30 days | ✓ Refund minus service costs | Refund only if no service was provided |
| Cancel after 30 days | ✓ Pro rata, admin fee up to $50 | Pro rata, $75 fee plus service costs |
| Renewal | Defaults to a Monthly Plan at the prevailing rate | Contact Select first; monthly payers renew automatically unless notice 30 days before |
| Disputes | Mediation, then AAA arbitration in New Jersey, class action waiver | Arbitration under California law |
Coverage limits: where the gap is
This is the biggest difference. A failing refrigerator, dishwasher or plumbing line would hit a $500 ceiling under the Select agreement, while the Choice agreement lists $3,000 per item. Heating and cooling are the one place where the two match at $3,000. Neither is a promise of full replacement: both exclude pre-existing conditions, and both require you to keep up with routine maintenance.
Price: what we can and cannot compare
Neither agreement states the service fee, and neither publishes base plan prices in it. Choice puts them in your Coverage Details. Select’s site lists add-on prices (for example $8.33 a month for a pool and $3.33 for a sump pump as of October 8, 2026) and runs promotions that change. Because of this, we do not rank them on price. Ask both for a written quote for your address, and see what companies publish in our home warranty cost guide.
Claims and contractors
With both companies you do not pick the technician. Choice starts contacting providers within 4 hours, and acceptance can take more than 48 hours in some cases. Select aims to contact a technician within 48 hours and says repairs are paid within a reasonable time. Select requires you to report within 3 days, and it owes you nothing for unauthorized work, a rule Choice also has. Read both agreements’ maintenance and pre-existing clauses before you buy; the details are in each review.
Renewal and cancellation: the part people skip
Renewal rules can matter more than the first-year terms. Under the Choice agreement, unless you cancel, you renew into a Monthly Plan at your current coverage level and the prevailing monthly rate, and the company gives 60 days’ written notice before any rate or agreement change. Under the Select agreement, Select sets new rates and terms at renewal and may deny renewal, and the monthly payment option renews each year unless you give written notice 30 days before the end date. Put the renewal date in your calendar, and ask each company how to stop an automatic renewal before you pay.
Five things to get in writing before you buy
- The service fee for each visit, and whether it is owed if the claim is denied.
- The exact items and limits on your plan, not the sample agreement.
- The waiting period and how it applies to your start date.
- The renewal rate and the notice you must give to stop renewal.
- Which state version of the agreement applies to you.
Who should pick which
| You are… | Pick |
|---|---|
| Worried about a costly appliance or plumbing repair | Choice ✓ |
| Mostly worried about heating and cooling | Either; limits match at $3,000 |
| Likely to cancel soon | Choice ✓ (fee up to $50, refund in first 30 days) |
| Interested in a specific add-on at a listed price | Select, after you confirm the price in writing |
| Wanting to choose your own contractor | Neither ✗ |
Frequently asked questions
Which has higher coverage limits, Choice or Select?
Based on the published agreements, Choice. Choice lists a general limit of $3,000 per 12-month period per covered item. Select lists $3,000 for heating and cooling but $500 for appliances, plumbing and electrical, and $400 for optional add-ons.
Do Choice and Select have a waiting period?
Both do. Choice coverage starts 30 days after it receives the Agreement Fee, or earlier with proof of prior coverage. Select coverage begins 30 days after the Purchase Date.
Can I pick my own contractor with Choice or Select?
Generally no. Choice has the sole right to select the service provider, with an Oregon exception. Select has the exclusive right to choose the technician, and your own contractor needs advance authorization and must contact Select directly.
Which is cheaper, Choice or Select?
We cannot say from the agreements. Neither one publishes the service fee or base plan prices in its agreement. Select lists add-on prices on its site. Ask each company for a written quote for your address.
How do the cancellation terms compare?
Choice refunds the Agreement Fee minus service costs in the first 30 days, then pro rata minus service costs and an administrative fee of up to $50. Select refunds in the first 30 days only if no service was provided, then pro rata minus a $75 cancellation fee and service costs.
To see where these two sit among other providers, read our best home warranty companies comparison. If you are unsure a warranty is worth it, see are home warranties worth it.
Sources
- Choice Home Warranty, Homeowners User Agreement (choicehomewarranty.com/user-agreement), reviewed October 8, 2026.
- Select Home Warranty, plan agreement (selecthomewarranty.com/terms-and-conditions) and home page, reviewed October 8, 2026.
- FTC consumer alert: So what’s the deal with home warranties? (February 2023).