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A refrigerator malfunction can mean losing a week — or more — worth of groceries, which can be expensive and inconvenient. If an unexpected repair bill would hurt your budget, a refrigerator warranty could help you plan for the unexpected. 

Home warranties can help you pay for repairs and replacements for your most-used appliances and built-in systems, especially the refrigerator that keeps your fresh food and leftovers at a safe temperature.

If your refrigerator is past your manufacturer’s warranty, a home warranty policy can limit the inconvenience of a broken refrigerator (or other covered appliance) by matching you with a local service provider and reducing your out-of-pocket cost for a repaired or replaced refrigerator. 

A refrigerator warranty is a policy that protects its owner from the cost of unexpected malfunctions and manufacturer defects within a certain period from the purchase date. If your new refrigerator breaks down during its warranty period, the manufacturer will cover the cost to repair or replace the malfunctioning part. After the warranty provided by the manufacturer or appliance dealer expires, you can purchase a home warranty to cover your major appliances, including your refrigerator. 

There are a few different types of refrigerator warranties. Here are the terms you should know to understand better what kind of protection is available to you: 

If you’re ready to choose a home warranty policy to cover your refrigerator, this list can get you started. We at the Home Media reviews team have carefully reviewed the best home warranty companies in the industry and combed their policies for refrigerator coverage. The breakdown below will provide thoroughly researched insight into each provider’s prices, offerings, shortcomings, industry reputation and coverage limitations.

See how the best home warranty companies for refrigerators compare on key metrics.

America’s 1st Choice Home Club

*Range shows the least expensive plan to the most expensive plan. **A service fee is a one-time payment typically between $60 and $125, with some fees as high as $150. This fee covers your service and is typically paid directly to your service contractor.

Note: All pricing information used in this article is pulled from sample quotes we obtained for a single-family home smaller than 5,000 square feet in Coral Gables, Fla. Your quote may be different depending on the location of your home, the square footage of your home and your coverage selections, so we recommend requesting a customized quote from a few companies.

► Availability: 49 (excludes Alaska ) ► Year founded: 1971

American Home Shield (AHS) offers excellent coverage for your refrigerator and other essential home appliances. With more than 50 years of experience, AHS leads the list in industry knowledge, comprehensive policies and high coverage caps for appliances and built-in systems.

American Home Shield offers three plan options, two of which include coverage for a refrigerator. ShieldGold and ShieldPlatinum cover major appliances, such as your refrigerator, dishwasher, oven and laundry machines. ShieldSilver is limited to coverage for built-in systems only. 

According to our quote, customers can expect to pay between $35 and $80 a month. Your monthly fee will depend on your location, chosen service call fee and plan selection.

The table below lists the monthly premium, service call fee and covered items for each AHS plan.

Get a Quote: To request a free quote, call 844-529-9298 or use AHS’ simple online tool . 

To Learn More: American Home Shield Review

► Availability: 49 (excludes Hawaii ) ► Year founded: 2009

America’s 1st Choice Home Club (AFC Home Club) offers four plan options that cover only appliances, only systems and a couple of combination plans. You can take advantage of further customization with the flexible service call fee model and various add-on options.

You can choose from three of AFC Home Club’s four plans that cover your refrigerator. The Silver Plan offers coverage exclusively for laundry machines and kitchen appliances, such as your refrigerator, cooktop and garbage disposal. The Systems Plan covers systems only. The Gold Plan combines the Silver and Systems plans into one package, and the Platinum Plan expands on that by covering plumbing stoppages, faucets, ice makers and built-in microwave ovens.

With AFC Home Club, you can choose your service call fee from options set at $75, $100 and $125. According to our quote, you can expect to pay between $44 and $75 a month for coverage.

The table below lists the monthly premiums, service call fees and covered items for AFC Home Club’s four plans. Refrigerator coverage is included in all but the Systems Plan.

Get a Quote: To request a personalized quote, fill out AFC Home Club’s quick quote form .

To Learn More: AFC Home Club Review

► Availability: 48 (excludes Washington and Wisconsin ) ► Year founded: 2017

Liberty Home Guard covers refrigerators in two of its three plans. Customers can cover only their appliances with Appliance Guard or opt for more comprehensive coverage with Total Home Guard. 

Liberty Home Guard offers two plans with refrigerator coverage. Appliance Guard covers items such as your dishwasher, cooktop, garage door opener and refrigerator. The Systems Guard plan is limited to built-in systems, such as your heating, ductwork and electrical systems. Total Home Guard combines the basic plans into one comprehensive package. 

Liberty Home Guard assigns your service call fee based on your plan selection, add-on options and location. Unfortunately, your assigned service call fee is not disclosed during the online quote process, but a representative told us that the fee will always fall between $65 and $125. According to our quote, Liberty’s plans cost between $45 and $55 a month.

The table below outlines the service call fee, covered items and monthly cost of Liberty Home Guard’s plan options.

Get a Quote: To request a free quote,   use Liberty Home Guard’s simple online tool .

To Learn More: Liberty Home Guard Review

► Availability: 46 (excludes Nevada , New Mexico, Washington and Wyoming) ► Year founded: 2012

Select Home Warranty is our pick for budget-conscious homeowners. Select offers three plans, two of which cover appliances. All plans are priced at less than $50 a month and come complete with limited roof-leak coverage up to $400.

Select Home Warranty offers two plans covering refrigerators: Bronze Care and Platinum Care. Gold Care exclusively covers built-in systems. Bronze Care exclusively covers appliances, including your dishwasher, refrigerator and oven. Platinum Care combines the coverage of the basic plans and adds coverage for garage door openers and plumbing stoppages.

Use the table below to compare the monthly costs, covered items and service call fee for Select Home Warranty’s plans.

Get a Quote: To request a quick quote, fill out Select Home Warranty’s quote form or call 888-370-3956 .

To Learn More: Select Home Warranty Review

After the manufacturer’s warranty expires, you can continue to cover your refrigerator and other major appliances with a home warranty policy. You can purchase a home warranty for any appliance that has been properly maintained according to the manufacturer’s specifications. 

If your refrigerator malfunctions due to a covered issue, you’ll be able to file a claim with your home warranty provider. After you pay the service call fee, your home warranty provider will send a local, licensed contractor to diagnose and repair the covered item. If your refrigerator can’t be repaired, the home warranty provider may cover the cost to replace it with a similar model. 

In some cases, your home warranty company may not cover the full replacement cost of an older model appliance. In these cases, you’ll receive a check for the depreciated value of the appliance, and you can use it toward the cost of a new refrigerator.   

Refrigerator malfunction can range from temperature control issues due to problems with the sealed system to disturbing sounds from a mechanical failure inside the unit. Because homeowners are rarely experts in all aspects of home maintenance, sometimes it’s necessary to call in a qualified technician to complete your refrigerator repair. When you enroll in a home warranty policy, you can access local technicians who will diagnose, repair or replace your covered appliances as outlined in your service agreement. 

Select Home Warranty is an excellent choice for homeowners on a budget, especially those who want same-day claim response time. American Home Shield offers higher-than-average coverage limits for appliances between $3,000 and $6,000, and it has the longest legacy of service out of any provider in the industry.

All home warranty providers offer some degree of appliance coverage, which will typically include your refrigerator. We recommend you request quotes from at least three providers, read their agreements and speak to a representative directly so you can make the most informed decision for your home’s needs.

Many home warranty providers do not cover preexisting conditions, but American Home Shield does. American Home Shield will cover an unknown preexisting condition that can’t be detected by a visual inspection or by turning the system on and off.

Before you choose a refrigerator, research the specific brands and models that top your wish list. Refrigerators will last the longest when they are properly maintained.

When you purchase a new refrigerator, it may be covered by a limited warranty or a manufacturer’s warranty provided by the retailer or brand for up to five years after the purchase date. You may even have the option to purchase an extended warranty from the distributor or company when you purchase the appliance. 

Kitchenaid, Electrolux, Maytag and other refrigerator manufacturers have their own warranty terms. Some companies offer a full warranty, which will cover the total cost to replace your appliance if it can’t be repaired. In contrast, other companies offer a limited or sealed system warranty, which only applies to specific scenarios and covered items.

After those warranties expire, which can be anywhere from a few months to a year after your purchase date, all potential malfunctions become the owner’s responsibility. In these situations, you can purchase a home warranty to limit the financial liability of expensive refrigerator repairs.

Our consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information—as such, we create a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best home warranty companies. This system accounts for a wide range of ranking factors, and we collect data on dozens of home warranty providers to grade the companies on each factor. The end result is a cumulative score for each provider—companies that score the most points top the list.

To ensure our research is as thorough as possible, we call every major home warranty provider directly and speak with representatives to get quotes, specifics on coverage options, availability based on location and additional information. We also review sample contracts to better understand what each plan covers and to identify limitations. In addition, we simulate the process of reaching out to each company’s customer service team to evaluate their level of helpfulness and ability to solve problems.

Once we gather all relevant data, we use the following scoring system to grade each home warranty company on a 100-point scale:

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