Roof leaks can be frustrating. Most homeowners insurance policies won’t cover roof leaks caused by normal wear and tear. However, a home warranty service contract will cover roof leaks that occur due to wear and tear, which can provide peace of mind that your home’s roof is protected.
To help you with your research, the This Old House Reviews Team reviewed the best home warranty companies in the nation and selected the top providers that offer roof-leak coverage.
Are Roof Leaks Covered Under a Home Warranty?
If you’re unfamiliar with a home warranty, this is an annual service contract that covers repairs or replacements on major home systems and appliances like your clothes washer, water heater, air conditioning, and plumbing system. In addition to protecting these items, a home warranty covers optional items like swimming pools, well pumps, and roofs.
While there are some home warranty companies that cover roof leaks, this type of coverage is usually optional or listed as an add-on that you must pay extra for when you sign up for a policy. Also, certain types of roofs aren’t covered, such as metal and eco-friendly roofs. Most providers don’t cover attachments to your home’s roof, such as solar panels and downspouts.
Cost of Roof Repairs
The cost to repair a roof will depend on the size of the area that needs repair, the steepness of the roof, the roofing material, and the severity of the repairs needed. Roof repairs can be one of the most expensive home repair costs. Depending on the size of your house, they can cost a few thousand dollars without a warranty or protection plan.
Annual Home Warranty Cost Calculator
Our team created a calculator to break down the estimated annual cost of owning a home warranty. Enter your monthly premium, service call fee, and estimated number of claims to see your projected annual cost. It’s best to request a quote directly from one of our recommended providers, as annual costs and service fees vary between them.
Lifespan and repair cost data sourced from InterNACHI and Home Depot
The Top 5 Home Warranty Companies That Cover Roof Leaks
Based on our in-depth research into roof-leak coverage, these are the best home warranties for roof coverage:
- Liberty Home Guard: Best Customer Ratings
- American Home Shield: Best Coverage Caps
- Select Home Warranty: Best Value
- America’s First Choice Home Club: Best Customization
- The Home Service Club: Quickest Coverage
Liberty Home Guard
Liberty Home Guard (LHG) offers new customers free limited roof coverage when they purchase a plan plus two free months of coverage. The limited roof coverage includes roof-leak patching on the occupied living area of your home. It does not cover metal roofs, shingles, gutters, flat roofs, skylights, flashing, satellite, or chimney components.
LHG adds a $2,000 coverage cap for all covered items, including roof-leak repair coverage.
Pros and Cons
Check out our pros and cons for Liberty Home Guard coverage:
✔ Provides free limited roof-leak coverage for new customers
✔ Offers more than 30 unique add-on coverage options
✔ Extends a 60-day workmanship guarantee for covered repairs
✘ Lacks transparency in service call fee pricing
Plans and Pricing
Liberty Home Guard offers three home protection plans. Homeowners can purchase limited roof-leak coverage as additional coverage with each plan. You can expect to pay $11.99 extra per month for limited roof-leak coverage.
The Appliance Guard plan is LHG’s major appliances plan. It covers items such as refrigerators and garbage disposals. The Systems Guard covers major systems, such as ductwork and electrical systems. The Total Home Guard Plan covers everything listed in the Appliance Guard and Systems Guard.
Here’s a breakdown of Liberty Home Guard’s monthly premiums:
- Appliance Guard: $49.99 per month
- Systems Guard: $54.99 per month
- Total Home Guard: $59.99 per month
The service call fee of $65 to $125 is assigned by the provider and is based on your home’s size type, and location, as well as your plan and add-on selections.
To request your free quote, fill out Liberty Home Guard’s quote form or call 866-452-9107.
Learn More: Liberty Home Guard Review
American Home Shield
American Home Shield provides solid roof-leak repair coverage. American Home Shield’s roof-leak coverage provides up to $1,500 for roof leak patching. Exclusions include patching or repairing metal and eco-friendly roofs, items that are attached or penetrating your roof, and roof attachments such as gutters and downspouts.
Pros and Cons
Check out our pros and cons for American Home Shield coverage:
✔ Provides generous roof-leak repair coverage cap
✔ Includes coverage for items with preexisting conditions
✔ Offers service call fee flexibility within plans
✘ Charges higher monthly premiums compared to other providers
✘ Offers limited add-on coverage options
Plans and Pricing
American Home Shield provides three coverage plans: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. It offers roof-leak repair as an add-on in its ShieldSilver and ShieldGold plans. Its most comprehensive plan, the ShieldPlatinum, bundles roof-leak coverage with its standard system and appliance coverage. Expect to pay an extra $10 per month for roof-leak coverage if you select the ShieldSilver or ShieldGold plans.
American Home Shield protects major systems in its ShieldSilver plan, and its ShieldGold plan combines major systems with home appliance coverage. It pairs a $5,000 coverage limit per covered system and $2,000 per covered appliances. Its ShieldPlatinum plan covers all items listed in the ShieldSilver and ShieldGold, plus it increases the home appliance coverage cap to $4,000, adds roof-leak coverage, and includes code violation coverage.
Below is a breakdown of American Home Shield’s monthly premiums paired with a $100 service call fee. Note that the higher your service call fee, the less you pay monthly.
- ShieldSilver: $29.99
- ShieldGold: $49.99
- ShieldPlatinum: $79.99
Fill out American Home Shield’s quote form or call 844-529-9298 for your free quote.
Learn more: American Home Shield Review
Select Home Warranty
With Select, roof leaks on single-family homes are covered, but patios, metal roofs, shingles, and structural leaks aren’t covered. Select also doesn’t cover repairs that require a partial or complete roof replacement.
Pros and Cons
Here is our list of pros and cons for Select Home Warranty coverage:
✔ Includes $400 roof-leak coverage in every plan
✔ Provides generous $3,000 coverage cap for cooling and heating systems
✔ Offers a low service call fee
✘ Limits coverage caps for home appliances, add-ons, and select home systems
✘ Excludes coverage for unknown preexisting conditions
Plans and Pricing
Select Home Warranty provides three plans: Bronze Care, Gold Care, and Platinum Care. Each plan includes up to $400 roof-leak repair coverage, whereas most other providers include roof-leak coverage as an add-on. Its Bronze Care plan covers home appliances, and its Gold Care plan covers home systems. Its Platinum Care plan bundles the Bronze Care and Gold Care plans into one comprehensive coverage package.
Here is a breakdown of Select Home Warranty’s monthly premiums paired with its $75 service call fee:
- Bronze Care: $44.42
- Gold Care: $44.42
- Platinum Care: $47.75
Fill out Select Home Warranty’s quote form or call 888-370-3956 for your free custom quote.
Learn More: Select Home Warranty Review
America’s First Choice Home Club
America’s First Choice Home Club (AFC Home Club) provides decent roof-leak repair coverage. It includes a $250 coverage cap for roof-leak repairs, which is the lowest of the providers we selected for this list. However, AFC Home Club allows you to choose your own roofing contractor, whereas other providers choose one for you. AFC Home Club strictly covers roof leaks that occur over dwelling areas of your home. It excludes leaks on patios, metal, and eco-roofs, as well as roof attachments.
Pros and Cons
Check out our pros and cons for AFC Home Club coverage:
✔ Extends an unlimited workmanship guarantee on all covered repairs
✔ Provides affordable roof-leak coverage
✔ Allows you to choose your own service provider
✘ Limits roof-leak coverage to $250 per membership term
✘ Reimburses a depreciated value for items older than five years
Plans and Pricing
AFC Home Club provides four coverage plans and three service call fees for homeowners who value customization. Roof-leak repair coverage is available as an add-on. AFC Home Club charges an extra $2.09 per month for roof-leak repair coverage, which is one of the lowest monthly premiums in this article.
AFC Home Club’s Silver Plan covers home appliances, and its Systems Plan covers major systems. Its Gold Plan combines all covered items in both the Silver and Systems plans. At the same time, the Platinum Plan includes additional coverage for built-in microwaves and more with its systems and appliance coverage.
Below is a pricing breakdown for AFC Home Club coverage paired with a $100 service call fee. Similar to American Home Shield, AFC Home Club allows you to select your service call fee. Selecting a higher service call will lower your monthly premium.
- Silver Plan: $40.42
- Systems Plan: $47.67
- Gold Plan: $54.92
- Platinum Plan: $59.75
Fill out the AFC Home Club quote form or call 877-755-1115 for your free quote.
Home Service Club
The Home Service Club (HSC) covers leaks that result from rain or normal wear and tear. It does not cover foam roofs, structural leaks, or improper installations. Note: The Home Service Club will pay up to $2,000 per contract term for roof-leak repairs.
Pros and Cons
Here is our list of pros and cons for Home Service Club coverage:
✔ Extends a 30-day workmanship guarantee on labor and 90 days on parts
✔ Includes a generous $2,000 limit for roof-leak coverage
✔ Provides comprehensive coverage for power, sewer, and water lines
✘ Adds a $30 monthly surcharge when you select monthly billing
✘ Charges a high service call fee
Plans and Pricing
The Home Service Club offers two home protection plans: the Standard and Comprehensive plans. HSC offers roof-leak repair coverage as an add-on. HSC charges $14.99 extra per month for roof-leak coverage. Additionally, its $2,000 coverage cap for roof-leak repairs is the highest of all the providers listed in this article. Its Standard plan covers a variety of major systems and appliances, such as air conditioning, garage-door openers, and water heaters. The Comprehensive plan covers all items in the Standard, including doorbells and water leaks.
HSC pairs a $95 service call fee with each plan. Below is a pricing breakdown of HSC’s monthly plan costs:
- Standard: $51.25
- Comprehensive: $62.50
Learn More: Home Service Club Review
Our Conclusion
A home warranty can give you financial peace of mind by covering your home’s roof, essential systems, and appliances from breakdowns caused by normal wear and tear. A traditional home insurance policy won’t cover wear-and-tear breakdowns, which could leave you with a hefty out-of-pocket expense for repairs.
The This Old House Reviews Team recommends Liberty Home Guard due to its generous $2,000 coverage cap for roof-leak repairs. Additionally, we recommend American Home Shield for its rust, corrosion, and sediment damage coverage. Select Home Warranty is our third top recommendation since it includes free roof-leak repair coverage in every plan.
Additionally, we recommend getting a quote from the above providers so you can compare your options, negotiate better deals, and find a home warranty plan that fits within your budget.
How to Maintain Your Roof
Since your home warranty will cover only normal wear and tear damage on your roof, it’s important to take care of your roof year-round. Below are just a few tips to help you keep your roof in good shape:
- Clean your gutters at least twice a year—once in the spring and once in the fall. Leaves, dirt, and other debris can build up in your gutters and prevent rainwater from draining properly. If your gutters get too backed up, it could lead to water damage around your roof and cause your gutters to burst.
- Avoid walking on your roof, as this could damage shingles, and use a ladder instead.
- Trim tree branches near your home to prevent them from hitting your roof.
- Clean roof shingles once a year and remove any moss or mold you find. Use a moss removal solution and a soft-bristled brush instead of using a pressure washer, which can lift up the shingles and damage your roof further.
FAQs: Home Warranty Roof Coverage
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each provider. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts from each company, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys. We then score each provider against our review standards for coverage, value, trustworthiness and transparency, availability, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.