Universal Home Protection

What Universal Home Protection does

Universal Home Protection (UHP) is a privately held regional home warranty provider founded in 1992 by Will Schmid and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. The company offers three core tiers of home warranty coverage (Basic at $625, Elite at $725, and Ultimate at $825 for 13-month terms), plus a specialized New Construction Elite plan ($925 for 36 months) that activates when the builder's warranty expires, an optional Seller HVAC rider, and an a la carte menu of add-on coverages for items such as pools, spas, well pumps, additional appliances, and water softeners. Coverage spans heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, kitchen appliances, and select premium items, with a $100 service call deductible and optional auto-renewal billing to saved payment methods that converts one-time warranty sales into recurring subscription revenue.

UHP's underlying technology is a relatively standard home warranty service management platform built around three operational layers: a network of over 200 pre-screened, licensed, and insured service contractors across Wisconsin and northern Illinois; a self-service online claim filing system with photo upload; and an SMS/text messaging notification system for claims status and contract updates. The platform is operated by a small leadership team (President James Imhoff joined 1998; Director of Operations Holly Donarski joined 1999; Director of Business Development Joe Luther joined 2005; Manager of Account Services Josh Hoover joined 2010), supported by a headcount band of 11-50 employees.

UHP's business model combines a channel-driven distribution motion with a direct-to-consumer retail layer. The primary channel is partnerships with hundreds of Wisconsin and Illinois real estate professionals — agents, Realtors, and brokerages including First Weber Group, Shorewest Realtors, RE/MAX, Century 21, EXP Realty, and Northwoods Community Realty — who offer UHP warranties as a marketing tool during listings, with warranty fees typically collected at closing. A secondary direct channel lets existing homeowners purchase Homeowner Direct warranties online or by phone outside of a real estate transaction. The company is a registered member of the National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA code 12H435), holds a BBB A+ accreditation, and maintains a 4.9/5 Google rating. UHP is domiciled in the USA, serves only Wisconsin and northern Illinois (including the Chicago metro), and shows no evidence of external investment, parent company ownership, or M&A activity.

Name

Universal Home Protection

Legal name

Universal Home Protection

Website

https://uhpwarranty.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Universal Home Protection is a privately held regional home warranty provider founded in 1992 in Madison, Wisconsin, serving Wisconsin and northern Illinois homeowners, home buyers and sellers, and real estate professionals with tiered Basic/Elite/Ultimate plans and a 200+ contractor service network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Home Warranty Services

akta.pro primary industry

Home Warranty / Residential Service Contracts (Systems & Appliances) (FSAJALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Appliance & Major Home Equipment Protection Plans (FSAJALAI)

Keywords

• Home warranty services
• Residential warranty plans
• Appliance coverage plans
• Home systems protection
• Real estate warranty

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Home Warranty Premiums: One-time warranty fees paid at closing (for buyer/seller warranties) or upfront (for homeowner direct). Fees range from $625 to $2,850 depending on plan tier and property type. Basic plan $625, Elite $725, Ultimate $825, New Construction $925.
2. Warranty Renewals: Annual renewal fees for continuing coverage after initial contract term expires. Renewals are processed with auto-renewal option and charged to saved payment methods.
3. Optional Coverage Add-ons: Additional coverage riders available for items like pools, spas, well pumps, additional appliances, and extra systems at additional cost per item.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Universal Home Protection sells residential home warranty contracts that cover repair or replacement costs for major home systems (heating, A/C, plumbing, electrical) and appliances, sold primarily through real estate agents during property transactions and directly to existing homeowners. Plans are tiered (Basic $625, Elite $725, Ultimate $825) and offered as 13-month contracts for buyers and sellers, a 3-year New Construction plan ($925), and a Homeowner Direct plan for non-transaction homeowners, with optional riders for additional systems and items such as pools, spas, and well pumps.

Product overview

Universal Home Protection is a home warranty provider offering three-tiered warranty plans (Basic $625, Elite $725, Ultimate $825) plus specialized New Construction and Homeowner Direct products. The core products differ in coverage scope: Basic covers heating, cooling, plumbing, and kitchen appliances; Elite adds washer/dryer, sump pump, and freezer; Ultimate adds water softener, pre-existing condition coverage, wine chiller, and jetted bathtub. The company also offers separate Seller and Buyer warranties tied to real estate transactions, a New Construction warranty (Elite-level, $925) covering newly built homes for 3 years starting at the builder warranty expiration, and a Homeowner Direct option for existing homeowners. Optional riders allow add-on coverage for additional appliances, systems (pool, spa, well pump), and premium features.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basic Home Warranty Entry-level 13-month home warranty covering one heating system, one A/C system, one water heater, plumbing, built-in microwave, kitchen refrigerator, wall oven/range/cooktop, built-in dishwasher, garbage disposal, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, smoke and CO detectors, garage door openers, electrical, and doorbells, with a $100 deductible per malfunction. Designed for single-family home sellers and buyers seeking baseline protection against mechanical failure.
• Elite Home Warranty Mid-tier 13-month home warranty that includes all Basic coverage plus washer and dryer, ice maker (in covered refrigerator), stand-alone freezer, and permanently installed sump pump. Priced at $725 for single-family homes with a $100 deductible per malfunction.
• Ultimate Home Warranty Premium 13-month home warranty that includes all Elite coverage plus water softener, unknown pre-existing conditions, wine chiller, jetted bathtub, and bonus appliance coverage. Priced at $825 for single-family homes with a $100 deductible per malfunction; cannot be applied for after closing.
• New Construction Warranty Elite-level home warranty covering 18 systems and appliances for newly constructed single-family homes. Coverage begins on the first anniversary of closing when the builder warranty expires and remains in effect for 3 years, priced at $925 total ($25.69/month) with a $100 deductible per malfunction.
• Homeowner Direct Warranty Basic or Elite home warranty for existing homeowners and rental property owners who are not currently in a real estate transaction. Coverage becomes effective 30 days after receipt of application and full payment and remains in effect for 13 months, providing ongoing protection against mechanical and appliance breakdowns.

Quantifiable outcome

• Homes with warranties sell faster and closer to original asking price
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA)minorOthersUHP is a proud member of the National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA) with member code 12H435. This membership indicates adherence to industry standards and best practices for home warranty providers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cinch Home Services: Multi-brand home protection plans provider offering home warranties, appliance, and HVAC service plans; competes in the same buyer/seller warranty category with national reach.
• American Home Shield: Largest U.S. home warranty provider covering major systems and appliances; competes directly with UHP's product set but operates nationally with much larger scale, brand recognition, and contractor network.
• Liberty Home Guard: National home warranty provider with tiered coverage and add-on appliance/system options directly mirroring UHP's product and rider structure.
• Choice Home Warranty: National home warranty company offering two-tier plans with comparable HVAC, plumbing, and appliance coverage; competes on price and direct-to-consumer digital experience.
• Old Republic Home Protection: Established home warranty carrier offering multi-tier plans and a real estate agent distribution model very similar to UHP, but operating across more states with deeper carrier infrastructure.
• First American Home Warranty: National home warranty provider backed by First American Financial; offers similar Basic/Elite-tiered home warranty plans and competes for the same real estate agent channel.
• Home Warranty of America: National home warranty carrier offering tiered plans (similar to UHP's Basic/Elite/Ultimate) for buyers and sellers, with comparable real estate professional distribution focus.
• American Residential Warranty: Home warranty provider offering comparable tiered coverage for systems and appliances, primarily distributed through real estate professionals and direct-to-consumer channels.

Direct peers

• Total Home Protection: Smaller national home warranty carrier offering similarly structured plans targeting real estate agents and homeowners, comparable in scale and channel approach to UHP.
• 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty: Home warranty provider specifically targeting real estate professionals and home builders with builder-warranty and systems/appliance plans, directly overlapping UHP's real estate agent channel and new construction product.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uhpwarranty
• Facebookfacebook.com/uhpwarranty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Universal Home Protection