Service-call fee
The flat fee — usually $65–$150 — you pay a home-warranty company each time a contractor comes out on a claim.
Also called a trade-call fee or service fee, this is the per-visit charge you owe every time you file a [home-warranty](/glossary/home-warranty) claim and a contractor is dispatched — typically $65 to $150, set when you choose your plan. It's the warranty world's version of a deductible, with one important difference: you pay it for each separate trade you call out, and you generally pay it even if the claim is ultimately denied. A higher service fee usually buys a lower annual premium and vice-versa, so the two trade off against each other. Because the fee eats into every payout, it's a key input in deciding whether a warranty beats simply paying for repairs yourself — a $100 service fee on a repair the plan values at $150 leaves you only $50 ahead before the premium is even counted. The same idea shows up outside warranties: a tradesperson's minimum or trip charge — see [how much an electrician costs](/guides/electrician-cost-guide) — is a service-call fee by another name.