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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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Linda
9/29/2017
Not worth my time... every single time I call, the wait time is at least an hour. The first time I call for service, I learn how restrictive the coverage is. The coverage for my well, will only cover the pump but not the tank, the bladder and the plumbing. The whole system has to work together. And then to find out that if I had chosen a different home warranty company, they would have covered the repairs that I needed, well, I guess I picked the wrong warranty company.


M
Michael
9/29/2017
Great company holds true to there name. at first I was having issues with my ice maker so I called American home shield and scheduled an appointment and Sears came to look at it and ordered new parts once they arrived sears came back to do the install once it was completed to tech came to the resolution that the Fridge was fried and I would need a new one. and American Home Shield took care of that for me from delivery to installation. thank you


L
Larry C
9/29/2017
service was good. the problem is the bill I keep getting for their 2nd visit to fix the same problem they fixed it on the 3rd visit. great service.......get the bill straight


J
JOHN P
9/29/2017
Every one involved in repairing our fridge exceeded all expectations.


J
jerry
9/29/2017
my only concern was to be without air conditioning as long as we were. had i not been traveling during that time it would have been most uncomfortable to wait as long as it took. other than time everything else went well. Very happy with the work done and the results.


J
Jeff r
9/29/2017
I’ve had American Home Shield for four years now on a condo that I am renting out. I've been pretty happy with the service up until the incident we had in May with the air conditioner. They sent a contractor who said that due to American Home Shield's policy, the first thing that they have to do was check the coolant levels. If they see those numbers are wrong, they would fill it and charge at a discounted rate. And so we did that. Then they said I should call them back if there’s any problem. Two months later, the air conditioner was not blowing cold again. I called and they came out, found that there was a bad part and they had to replace it. And then, I got a call and they were asking... Read More


Cici A
9/29/2017
Horrible experience every time! It takes 45+ minutes to get a representative on the line and God forbid you get Robyn, she IS RUDE, will hang up on you and not care. Do NOT use AHS, find out if your local electric/water company offer the same services, they are usually cheaper and NICER!


M
Meghan
9/29/2017
Helpful and efficient- turnaround time was fast and the vendor used was amazing. Would definitely recommend!! Such a relief knowing we are covered!


Caya A
9/29/2017
Overall very good service from the Home Warranty Company, although the individual contractors vary greatly in knowledge and customer service expertise. We have used them for more than 10 years on multiple properties.


T
Tiffany
9/29/2017
I has a wonderful and easy experience with AHS. I'm glad I decided to sign up.



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  • Home Warranty Plans Starting at $29.99 a Mo.
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