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American Home Shield Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.7 / 5 (Excellent)
4,138 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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American Home Shield is a Tennessee-based company founded in 1971 to provide coverage on home appliances and systems in the United States through its network of home service professionals.

The company offers service contracts that cover the repair or replacement of major components of home systems and appliances. Customers can also purchase optional coverage for pools and spas, guest houses, home electronic systems, roof leaks, maintenance services, and more.

How Do We Rate American Home Shield?

Breakdown

4.8/5
Transparency
4.8/5
Claims Processing
4.7/5
Coverage Options
4.7/5
Additional Benefits
4.7/5
Customer Experience

Our Overall Rating: 4.7 / 5 (Excellent)

American Home Shield's coverage is among the most comprehensive we've seen in the industry. The company covers considerably more appliances and systems than its competitors and has fewer coverage limitations.

The company recently updated its plans—they now have three to simplify choosing the right one for your home. American Home Shield focuses on the repairs that offer the most value to consumers, removing items that are inexpensive to replace, increasing its coverage limits on appliances in its most expensive plan to reflect today's higher-priced, "gourmet" appliances, and adding roof leak coverage.

Coverage

Key Facts

Plan Types
Systems
Appliances
Combo Plan
Benefit Limit Type
Per Item
Typical Appliance Benefit Limit
$3,000
Typical Systems Benefit Limit
$0

Coverage Options - 4.7 / 5

American Home Shield offers consumers a choice of three plans, following a good-better-best model. Its ShieldSilver plan warrants systems only, but can be amended with certain add-ons, including pools, electronics, and guest houses. Its ShieldGold plan covers a range of systems and appliances, again with add-on options. Its ShieldPlatinum plan covers everything in the ShieldGold plan, plus roof leaks up to $1500 and some routine maintenance services. These include free HVAC tune-ups, unlimited top ups on your AC refrigerant, coverage for code violations including permits.

All told, American Home Shield covers 23 systems and appliances, considerably more than most of their competitors, and fully covers 11 of those items. There is no limit on the number of claims a customer can file over the year’s contract, either.

What does American Home Shield cover?

Covered Built-In Systems

  • Air Conditioning
  • Heating
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Water Heater
  • Instant Hot/Cold Water Dispenser
  • Doorbells
  • Ceiling Fans

Covered Appliances

  • Refrigerators
  • Dishwashers
  • Clothes Dryers
  • Clothes Washers
  • Ranges/Ovens/Cooktops
  • Built-in Microwaves
  • Freestanding Ice Makers
  • Built-In Trash Compactors
  • Garage Door Openers
  • Built-in Food Centers

Exclusions

For a full list of American Home Shield exclusions, check out this page.

Specialty Items

  • Guest Unit
  • Pool/Spa
  • Well Pump
  • Septic
  • Roof Leaks

Contract & Price

Contract Details

Annual Premium
Starting at $0
Minimum Contract Length
12 month(s)
Home Inspection Required for Contract?
No
Online Quote/Application

Contract & Price - 5 / 5

American Home Shield has a flexible pricing policy and offers three different coverage plans and two trade service call fee levels: $100 and $125.

This allows consumers to have input into the annual price based on their budgetary needs.

We requested a quote for a single family home under 5,000 square feet located in a medium-sized midwestern city. The minimum annual premium (Shield Silver Plan) was $59.99 per month. The maximum premium (Shield Platinum Plan) was $109.99. So AHS prices are somewhat higher than many competitive plans. Consumers should note that their final price will vary by plan, service call charge selected, and location.

Sample Contract

American Home Shield provides a sample contract for potential customers on its website: American Home Shield Sample Contract

Cancellation Policy

Customers can cancel anytime within their 30 day wait period and receive a full refund, and can cancel anytime during the contract term, as this is a non-binding contract.

Claims & Service

Claims

Service Fee
$100 and $125
Maintenance Records Required for Service?
No
24/7 Claims Department?
Waiting Period
30 days

Contractors & Service

Contractor Selection
In-Network Only
Contractor Network Size
14,000+ contractors
Number of Technicians
45,000 technicians
Service Recall Period
30 days

Claims Processing - 4.8 / 5

Consumers can submit a service request online 24/7/365. American Home Security does not require an inspection prior to purchase.

The company has a large network of service professionals and offers a 30-day workmanship guarantee on their services.

American Home Shield Reputation

Company Details

Year Founded
1971
NHSCA Membership
Number of Customers
1.7 million
Number of Employees
1,700
TrustPilot Rating
2.1 out of 5
BBB Rating
B
BBB Positive Reviews
392
BBB Neutral Reviews
50
BBB Negative Reviews
1,874
Date Collected
2023-07-24

Reputation - 5 / 5

American Home Shield has been in business since 1971, making it the oldest player in the industry. It has over 1.7 million customers.

In 1989, the company was acquired by ServiceMaster, an established firm that also owns Terminix and Merry Maids.

American Home Shield is accredited by the BBB and has a B rating. In this industry, negative customer reviews far outnumber positive ones.

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Company Phone
(888) 429-8247
Headquarters Address
150 Peabody Place, Memphis, TN, 38103
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 849, Carroll, IA, 51401
Year Founded
1971

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4138 Customer Comments & Reviews

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L
Larry
2/19/2018
My last service request the heating contractor showed up late. I requested an appointment in the morning and they agreed between 9am and 12pm. The tech showed up at 2:15pm. He could not troubleshoot the issue because it had warmed up that day. He agreed to come back on a cold morning to troubleshoot the heat strips. I have not heard from them as of today.


M
Martha b
2/19/2018
Im very disappointed in your service right now, it is hard to reach a live rep.ihave had repair on a microwave/hood 3 times already! Your repair office has failed to call me for appt until finally i called them.as of right now im still waiting on a part,so disappointed right now in the wait time its been.i have been out of a microwave since feb 3.


K
Kay C
2/19/2018
My heating unit would not come on...so I requested service for it. Technician came out and found the problem was not with the unit...but a breaker had gone bad. He promised to call in the problem to AHS right away to send an electrician out. He did not do so and I had to call AHS and stay on hold for 20 minutes. The agent put me on hold several times trying to reach the heating company that came out. Nothing had been done and I then got disconnected. Called back a second time and stayed on hold again...this agent procedded to tell me that AHS could not find anyone to do the repair and then hung up on me. Called back a third time and stayed on hold around 30 minutes. The third agent... Read More


E
Elaine G
2/19/2018
We were without an oven from Nov 27, 2017 to Feb 5, 2018. I understand there are contractors and sub contractors which sometimes makes it difficult to relay correct information down to the consumer. I believe some of these contractors are lazy and scammers. It took 4 contractors to finally have our oven up and running. Actually, the oven is a little deep than the cabinet since we could not get the same brand - it cost more. Anyway, there is a trend happening where you can't find decent help. The last contractor - appliances limited - was great. They came on the weekend and late evening due to my work schedule.


S
Sean G
2/19/2018
The plumber came out and said my faucet was freeze damage. The claim was denied. Upon further inspection I realized that the plumber was wrong. It was a poor solder by the prior home owner I believe. I don't know if that would be covered either. I spent 75 at home depot and fixed it myself.


Sharon S
2/19/2018
We have been with them 25 yrs. sand we are mostly pleased with all they do..somethings take a little longer but all and all it’s a blessing to have them. We are seniors now. So all their help with keeping our home in great condition..I recommend them to all our family and friends they are well worth having your home covered by them.


Jim P
2/18/2018
Hard to make phone contact. Let me change that to do not bother to try unless you are willing to wait on hold for a time longer than I am. I never got through. E mail works


T
Tonya
2/18/2018
We needed our washer replaced and had a technician out to see it within a day of calling in our request. Once we chose a payout, it was processed a day later and payment arrived within ten business days. We are pleased with the speed of service.


K
Klstew
2/18/2018
American home shield is great. The technician was professional and courteous and fixed my problem!


Sloane H
2/18/2018
Horrible customer service. I am shocked that you are still in business! I am still waiting for my dishwasher to be replaced and it is sitting in a warehouse because the delivery guys said they are not plumbers and upon leaving my home they told me they would hold my dishwasher in their warehouse for 10 days and good luck. THAT'S IT! Then NOTHING from the company 48 hours later. Now I am being told I need to pay ANOTHER $125 trade fee for a plumber. No communication from AHS at all!



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Limited Time Offer: $150 OFF All Plans*

  • Home Warranty Plans Starting at $29.99 a Mo.
  • Covering 2 Million Plus Members for 50+ Years
  • No Age Limits on Covered Systems & Appliances
  • No Inspections or Records Required