Does a Home Warranty Cover Electrical Issues? A Guide to Coverage

Anyone who’s dealt with an electrical issue knows it’s not a trivial matter. Whether it’s a faulty light switch or a complex issue with your home’s electrical panel, a power problem can be especially disruptive to your daily life. In this guide, we’ll describe how home warranty electrical coverage can offer you a repair or replacement solution for many of the common home electrical issues you’ll encounter.

What’s inside:

• Electrical system parts and components that home warranties cover
• Signs of common electrical problems and when to call a pro
• Benefits of home warranty electrical coverage

Are Electrical Issues Covered by a Warranty?

When it comes to electrical issues covered by a warranty from First American, any issue related to the hard-wired parts and components of your home’s electrical system can be covered — subject to the limitations stated in your contract.*

Here’s a quick list of covered items in our electrical system home warranty plans:

• Panels and sub-panels
• Circuit breakers
• Interior wiring
• Switches and fuses
• Plugs/Outlets
• Doorbells
• Conduits
• Junction boxes
• Smoke detectors
• Telephone wiring

Repairing or replacing electrical issues listed above can be costly without a home warranty. In fact, our members can save hundreds to thousands of dollars a year on repair and replacement costs for components in their electrical systems.

What Electrical Problems Are Covered by Warranties?

Home warranties offer budget protection for many covered appliances and systems, but in this guide, we’ll dive into the details of home warranty electrical coverage using five typical questions homeowners often ask about warranties. Keep in mind that all home warranty plans have coverage limitations, so be sure to read your contract to understand the limits in your plan.*

1. Will My Homeowners Insurance Cover Electrical Problems?

You may wonder how important a home warranty is when you have homeowners insurance. While both homeowners insurance and a home warranty protect your home, they mostly cover different things:

• Homeowners insurance covers home damage from natural disasters (such as fires, floods, and storms), theft, and accidents.
• Home Warranties cover repairing or replacing home appliances and systems when they break due to normal wear and tear.

When you have home warranty coverage for your electrical system and the many other covered household items it can protect, you have an easy solution when the inevitable failure happens. Every homeowner will experience problems with home appliances and systems, including electrical issues, making home warranty coverage something you’ll use often.

Discover how home warranties and homeowners policies can work better together and why you need both.

2. Does a Home Warranty Cover Electrical Panel Replacement?

If your lamps or lights are constantly flickering, there may be a loose connection in the interior wires between the circuit and the outlet or fixture. This can cause a "break" in the flow of electricity, which can be serious and may indicate an issue with your electrical panel.

If you notice this happening in your home, contact First American, and we’ll assign a prescreened technician to come to your home to determine whether the panel needs repair. If it cannot be repaired, we’ll replace it.†

3. Does a Home Warranty Cover Electrical Wiring?

With First American home warranty electrical coverage, we will send a prescreened electrician to diagnose the issue and determine whether it is the breaker or the electrical wiring. We'll repair the covered issue or replace any items that can't be fixed.†

4. Does a Home Warranty Cover Wiring Issues?

Notice an odd burning odor coming from an outlet? Or when plugging something into the outlet, do you see sparks or experience a mild shock? If so, immediately stop using the outlet and contact First American Home Warranty for help. There may be a loose wire, and the outlet should be examined by a professional electrician as soon as possible.

5. Does a Warranty Cover Outlets?

If you plug in a lamp or other electrical device and notice the outlet is a bit wobbly, don’t ignore it. A loose outlet can spark, cause an unwelcome shock, or cause a fire. Often, the issue can be resolved by replacing either the receptacle or the electrical box inside the wall.

While some homeowners may feel comfortable fixing a loose outlet, there are still potential hazards when it comes to electrical repairs. With First American home warranty coverage, you can have a prescreened electrician take care of the issue for you.

Electrical Issues Covered by Warranties

The table below lists 10 common electrical problems typically covered by a home warranty:

Electrical Issue:	Covered by a Home Warranty?
Fuse and switch replacements	Yes
Electrical panel and sub-panel issues	Yes
Faulty breakers, including ground faults	Yes
Interior wiring problems	Yes
Junction box replacements	Yes
Repairing or replacing outlet plugs	Yes
Damaged or broken conduits	Yes
Hard-wired smoke detector issues	Yes
Repairs to telephone wiring	Yes
Doorbells repairs, including wiring	Yes

While these electrical issues are typically covered, there are certain conditions for coverage. Please review your contract to ensure your electrical issue is covered under your plan.

Related: Learn about other common electrical problems and DIY repair tips, and when to call a pro.

What Are the Benefits of Home Warranty Electrical Coverage?

We rely on consistent, safe, on-demand electricity in our homes. But for most homeowners, their electrical system is a mystery. Wiring is behind walls, electrical panels are on an outside wall or in the garage, and outlets are covered by faceplates. We also grew up learning that electricity can be dangerous, and faulty wiring can cause fires. It’s no wonder many of us feel unsure about what to do when an electrical issue comes up.

That’s where the convenience of home warranty electrical coverage excels. Considering the many common electrical problems homeowners can face, a home warranty provides an easy repair/replacement solution, along with additional benefits, including:

24/7 service requests: When a covered electrical item breaks, simply call or go online and alert First American that you need service. Once we confirm coverage, we’ll assign a prescreened electrician to diagnose the issue and repair it. Another benefit to coverage? If the item cannot be repaired, we’ll replace it.†

Simple solution: No need to spend your time searching for a local electrician when a circuit breaker switch breaks, or watching DIY videos to learn how to fix a light switch. With a home warranty, you can simply rely on the expertise of a pro to take care of covered issues.

Age doesn’t matter: Regardless of how old your electrical system is, home warranty electrical coverage can safeguard it. If your covered systems and appliances are in working condition at the start of your contract, they’re protected.

Peace of mind: Even if you enjoy doing your own home repairs, electrical work comes with hidden risks and must be done correctly and with care to avoid personal injury or worse. With your First American home warranty, it’s easy to start the service process when an electrical problem arises — letting you focus on other home projects you may feel more comfortable tackling.

Home warranty coverage can also protect many other items you rely on, including kitchen and laundry appliances and home systems such as HVAC and plumbing. Gain added peace of mind managing your home’s budget when it comes to the repair or replacement of electrical wiring, panels, outlets, and more.

Learn more about what home warranties cover, and get a free personalized quote today.

FAQs About First American Electrical Coverage

Does a Home Warranty Cover Electrical Issues?

All First American Home Warranty plans cover electrical systems. Whether the issue is an outlet out of order or an issue that causes your entire electrical system to fail, we’ve got you covered. See what’s covered in your area.

Does a home warranty cover electrical wiring?

Yes. When an electrical wiring issue inside the main structure of the home cannot be repaired by one of our prescreened technicians, First American will replace it.†

Is the cost of replacing electrical panels covered by a home warranty?

If the cause of your home’s electrical panel or sub-panel failure is covered, we can replace the panel.

Is there a limit to the amount of coverage provided for electrical issues?

First American Home Warranty has some of the best coverage limits in the industry. You can also enhance the protection of your home’s electrical systems when you purchase upgraded coverage. It can increase the dollar limit of your electrical coverage by up to $1,500 to correct code violations and building permits and to repair or replace covered systems that fail due to improper installation, modification, or repair.‡

Are electrical faults covered by home warranty plans?

Yes, a First American home warranty covers ground faults (a type of electrical fault). Your home may experience a ground fault when an electrical current escapes from its intended path and flows to the ground through an unintended conductor.

Related: Want to avoid ground fault electrical problems? Install GFCI outlets around the house.

Are electrical appliances included in home warranty coverage?

First American home warranty plans can cover many electrical appliances, including your refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, washer and dryer, built-in microwave, trash compactor, and more. We also cover many essential home systems, such as heating and cooling, and plumbing.

What electrical issues are not covered by home warranties

Coverage does not include phones or utility company equipment, phone jacks, meters, or wiring. We also do not cover computers, audio, video, intercoms, light fixtures, alarms, or any associated wiring or cables. Review your contract for more details about our home warranty electrical coverage.‡

*Please review your contract for specific coverage, terms, and limitations.

†If we can’t repair an item, we will replace it. Please read your contract for specific coverage and limitations.

‡Company is only responsible for providing access for covered electrical repairs through unobstructed walls, floors, or ceilings and will return the opening to a rough finish.