What does a home protection plan cover?

A home protection plan is a specific list of covered systems and appliances — not a blanket promise. Here is what a plan typically covers, how plan tiers expand that list, and what stays excluded, so you know exactly what you are buying.

Beginner Friendly 5 Minute Read Updated for 2026

The Short Version

Coverage is a list — read it.

A home protection plan — sometimes called a home warranty — is a service contract, not insurance. It covers the cost of repairing or replacing the home systems and appliances that break down from normal wear and tear. When your water heater stops heating or your refrigerator stops cooling after years of use, that is exactly the kind of event a protection plan exists for.

What it covers is defined by a list, and that list grows with the plan tier you choose. RMO MyHome is built in four tiers, starting with the essential systems every home depends on and expanding to appliances, air conditioning, and premium items from there.

Just as important is what a plan does not cover. Knowing both sides of the list before you buy is the difference between a plan that delivers at claim time and one that disappoints. The rest of this guide walks through both.

Home Systems

The systems every plan starts with.

The foundation of any home protection plan is the major systems that keep a house livable. RMO MyHome I — the entry tier — covers these for every member:

Heating. The furnace, heat pump, and ductwork that keep the home warm — the single most expensive system to repair without coverage.
Electrical. Wiring, panels, switches, and outlets — the components that fail quietly until something stops working.
Plumbing. Pipes, faucets, toilets, and stoppages — everyday failures that can cause real damage if left alone.

These three systems are the core because they are the costliest and least optional to fix. A plan that covers them addresses the breakdowns most likely to turn into a large, unplanned bill.

Appliances & Tiers

How tiers expand the coverage list.

Above the essential systems, each MyHome tier adds more of the home to the covered list:

MyHome I — $19/mo. Essential home systems: heating, electrical, and plumbing.
MyHome II — $29/mo. Everything in MyHome I, plus major kitchen appliances — refrigerator, oven and range, dishwasher, built-in microwave — and the washer and dryer.
MyHome III — $39/mo. Everything in MyHome II, plus air conditioning, water heater, garage door opener, and ceiling and exhaust fans.
MyHome IV — $49/mo. The most comprehensive plan: everything in MyHome III, plus premium items such as pool and spa equipment, well pump, and septic system — with a disappearing-deductible reward.

Each tier also adjusts the per-service-call deductible — higher tiers reduce it. The right tier is the one that matches the systems and appliances your home actually has: there is no value in paying for pool equipment coverage without a pool, and no comfort in skipping appliance coverage in a house full of them.

Exclusions

What a home protection plan does not cover.

A protection plan covers breakdowns from normal use — not every possible problem in a home. The common exclusions are:

Pre-existing problems. A system already failing before coverage started is not a covered breakdown. Plans cover new failures, not known ones.
Misuse and missed maintenance. Damage from improper use, or from neglecting routine maintenance, generally is not covered.
Cosmetic issues. Wear that does not affect how a system or appliance works — a scratched panel, a faded finish — is typically excluded.
Items outside your tier. An appliance covered only at MyHome II is not covered on MyHome I. The tier defines the list.
Sudden disaster damage. Fire, storms, flooding, and theft are risk events covered by homeowners insurance, not by a protection plan.

That last point is the one homeowners most often misunderstand — a protection plan and homeowners insurance are different products. Our guide on home warranty vs. homeowners insurance explains where one ends and the other begins.