Cinch Home Services Review (August 2024 Guide) (2024)

Our Thoughts on Cinch Home Services

Cinch Home Services is a home warranty company offering system and appliance protection. Our team awarded Cinch Home Services 4.5 out of 5 stars and named it the best home warranty provider for extra benefits. Its policies include more home appliance and system coverages than many competitors, with its most inclusive home protection plan also including a $500 credit toward your insurance deductible. If you have a customized property and want a more comprehensive plan, Cinch Home Services could offer the top home warranty companies for your needs.

The company delivers $10,000 in aggregate or overall damage per term, which is higher than many competing warranty providers. Kitchen and laundry appliances have upper coverage limits of $2,000 per item, which contributes to the aggregate limit. Policies also include a 30-day cancellation period.

One of the most unique features of Cinch Home Warranty’s plans is its workmanship guarantee, which protects parts and labor up to 180 days after you submit your service request. Sample contracts are easy to access online and read, based on our experience, helping customers compare differences between plans before they buy. Cinch also earned points for its around-the-clock claims submission process.

Pros and Cons

How Cinch Home Services Scored in Our Methodology

In our Cinch Home Services review, our team gave the company 4.5 out of 5 stars. Its policies are more inclusive than most comparative companies, extending protection to more unique home components. However, it institutes individual and aggregate coverage limits on many items, which can impact your plan’s value, and pricing is higher than average in many states.

Cinch Home Service Plans and Pricing

Our team found the process of getting a free quote from Cinch Home Services straightforward, following a basic step-by-step questionnaire. After confirming your ZIP code is within Cinch’s service area, you’ll get redirected to a list of plans outlined by covered components and price. Differences between plans are easy to spot, and you should see your estimated price before you buy.

Cinch Home Services offers three plans in most parts of the U.S. with your choice of a $100 or $150 service fee, which you pay each time you use your benefits. When looking at component coverage, Cinch’s plans are more inclusive than its competitors.

• Appliances: A plan that covers kitchen and laundry appliances, including washers, dryers, cooktops, dishwashers, built-in food centers and microwaves, ranges and range exhaust hoods, refrigerators, trash compactors and ovens.
• Built-In Systems: This plan is Cinch’s choice if you’re looking for lower-cost coverage for major home systems. It covers your air conditioning system and ductwork, attic fans, ceiling fans, central vacuums, doorbells, garage door openers, garbage disposals, instant hot and cold water dispensers, smoke detectors, sump pumps and water heaters. It also extends to your electrical, heating and plumbing system.
• Complete Home Plan: The company’s most popular and inclusive plan covers the appliances and systems listed above, plus a $500 credit toward your homeowners insurance deductible if you file a claim. It also adds coverage for a built-in whirlpool bathtub.

The table below summarizes coverage items you’ll find on each of Cinch’s policy options.

Add-On Options

In addition to the home warranty plans detailed above, Cinch Home Services lets you purchase the following extra coverages for an added monthly cost. The company also offers a Premier Upgrade Package, which extends coverage to include limited benefits for items such as permits and code upgrades.

How Much Does Cinch Home Services Cost?

Unlike some other home warranty providers our team has reviewed, Cinch Home Services’ plan costs vary by state so your monthly price will depend on your ZIP code. The table below summarizes Cinch pricing for three sample states, which our team collected directly from the company’s website.

Types of Covered Damages and Perils

Like other home warranties, Cinch Home Services’ plans only cover breakdowns from normal wear and tear. So, if you can point to a specific event as the cause of your damage — such as a fire or storm — a home warranty will typically not cover the damage. However, Cinch’s plans outline coverage for damage from corrosion and unknown pre-existing conditions, which many companies normally exclude coverage.

Coverage Exclusions and Limitations

As with other home warranty policy providers, Cinch has a series of limitations within its plans, including the following notable restrictions:

• Coverage limits: All items covered under Cinch’s policies include an aggregate upper limit of $10,000 per term for both systems and appliances. Coverage for most kitchen and laundry appliances is capped at $2,000, which works in conjunction with aggregate limits. Policyholders with comprehensive coverage can allocate the remaining aggregate coverage between systems as needed.
• Location and appliance restrictions: Policies do not cover items located off of your home’s foundation or beneath your home’s basem*nt level. Policies also do not cover items without a visible serial number or those classified as commercial grade, which typically applies to appliances.
• Damage from mold and mildew: While plans cover breakdowns caused by corrosion and rust, benefits do not extend to issues caused by mold, mildew and power surges. However, your homeowners insurance may cover this type of damage.

To learn more about Cinch’s exclusions and coverage limitations, read a Complete Home Plan sample contract or request a quote to download a sample contract specific to your plan choice and state.

Discounts and Policyholder Perks

Cinch Home Services offers all homeowners who buy a policy online a free first month of coverage. Some customers may even qualify for a $25 Visa prepaid card when signing up. The company also offers the following home services-related perks with a policy purchase:

• A $25 credit toward a refrigerator or air conditioning filter change
• Coverage for corrosion damage
• Discounts on appliances and locksmith services

Discounts and perks vary based on your location and plan purchase. Contact a Cinch representative to learn more about discounts.

Sign-Up Process

Overall, our team found the process for signing up for a Cinch home warranty plan was easy. Information on plan differences is accessible, and shoppers can download a sample contract directly. The company makes clear its coverage limits, which makes it easier to compare policies to other providers.

To get started with Cinch’s online buying process, you’ll need to submit your ZIP code and email address. Customers do not need to submit their full addresses before getting a quote with most online request forms, which can benefit homeowners in the early stage of comparing plans. After confirming your area, you can view a list of plans with varying policies placed side-by-side for more intuitive comparisons. Our team collected quotes for a sample home in Arizona to assess Cinch’s buying platform.

The Cinch Home Services website makes it easy to review coverage limits without downloading a sample contract, based on our experience requesting quotes for a home in Arizona. You can toggle over the system or appliance for a basic overview of coverage limits.

You can download and review a sample contract for each plan directly before enrollment, providing you with the opportunity to fully review exclusions. When compared to other home warranty company enrollment processes, Cinch provides users with much more information and details before purchase. This accessibility helped Cinch Home Services earn a higher score for coverage details in our review.

How To File a Claim with Cinch Home Services

To file a claim with Cinch Home Services, you’ll go through the following steps.

1. Submit your claim online at my.cinchhomeservices.com or by phone at 1-844-324-5688. You must submit a claim within 24 hours of experiencing a breakdown.
2. You must pay a service call fee when you make a claim. If you’re filing a claim for an item with a separate deductible, you’re also responsible for paying this fee when you file.
3. Cinch should begin working on your claim within two hours if you file it during standard business hours, or within 24 hours if you file it over the weekend or after hours. A representative will call on the company’s network of local technicians to arrange a service appointment on your behalf.
4. Your technician will reach out to schedule a mutually convenient time to visit your home. You will have to schedule an appointment and provide access to the item when the time comes.
5. Your service technician will provide the repair or replacement according to your plan benefits. Cinch’s service contracts retain the right to receive a second opinion on the cause of the breakdown if the company does not agree with the technician’s diagnosis.

To get an idea of real customer experiences with Cinch’s claims process, our team read customer reviews on third-party sites such as the BBB and Trustpilot. Many customers noted experiences with denied and delayed claims, waiting up to a month or longer to get the service they were promised. Service quality varies significantly by location, with some homeowners reporting quick and efficient repairs.

What Customers Think About Cinch Home Services

Reading customer reviews is an important part of researching local home warranty companies. Our team analyzed third-party reviews from sources such as the BBB and Trustpilot to learn more about how homeowners rate their Cinch policy and service.

What Customers Like

In our review, we found that extra discounts and customer service representatives were the most commonly complimented features. Many customers also reported timely, knowledgeable service from their assigned technicians, a benefit if you value quick repairs.

• Sign-up discounts: Multiple customers were impressed with Cinch Home Services’ sign-on bonus, which included up to two months of free coverage.
• Low-pressure sales: If you’ve had experiences with pushy salespeople in the past, you might enjoy Cinch’s enrollment agents, who customers said were both knowledgeable and low-pressure.
• Timely service: Customers who had a positive experience with Cinch regularly reported prompt service in BBB reviews.
• Simple signup process: Customers appreciated Cinch’s straightforward enrollment process, which helped them easily understand the difference between coverage options.

What Customers Don’t Like

While some customers were satisfied with the service quality they received from Cinch Home Services, some complained about denied and delayed claims.

• Multiple visits without a resolution: A common complaint about Cinch is how it took multiple appointments for a technician to solve a problem.
• Service delays: Some customers complained about delayed service of up to a month or more after filing a claim. This left them without functioning essential appliances and home systems.
• Denied claims: Multiple BBB customers complained about Cinch denying their claims, with some homeowners claiming that Cinch denied coverage as outlined in their contract.
• Poor customer service: Some customers claim Cinch’s customer service team was rude and inconsistent, requiring multiple follow-up calls to get results.

Our team reached out to Cinch Home Services for comment on the above-listed customer reviews and received the following response from a company representative:

“Our top priority is providing efficient and satisfactory service for all of our customers. We are continuously working to improve our processes and ensure timely resolutions for all service requests. All denied claims adhere to the terms outlined in our contracts, but we review and refine our guidelines regularly to better meet the needs of our customers. We appreciate the feedback and remain committed to delivering exceptional customer service.”

Cinch Home Services vs. the Market

It’s important to know your options before selecting a home warranty company. Explore a few of the best home warranty companies and how each one compares to Cinch using the tables below.

Cinch Home Services vs. American Home Shield

Like Cinch Home Services, American Home Shield (AHS) is an experienced home warranty provider, with more than 50 years in the industry. It offers higher coverage limits of up to $5,000 for your HVAC and other major systems and up to $4,000 in protection per appliance. These limits make it competitive with Cinch. While AHS charges higher premiums than Cinch, it does not extend aggregate coverage limits.

Read our full review of American Home Shield to learn more.

Cinch Home Services vs. Select Home Warranty

Select Home Warranty is our team’s pick for a budget home warranty provider, with premiums ranging between $44 and $48 in most areas. Its service call fees are also consistently lower than Cinch’s, ranging between $75 and $100 depending on your area. While this lower pricing structure might make Select a better choice for homeowners looking to spend less each month, note the company’s lower coverage limits of $500 on most items.

Read our full review of Select Home Warranty to learn more.

Where Is Cinch Home Services Available?

Cinch Home Services is currently available in 48 U.S. states. It does not sell plans in Alaska or Hawaii.

Methodology: Our System for Rating Home Warranty Companies