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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.
 
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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
https://www.ahs.com/
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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David s
9/20/2017
Very hard to wait long enough to talk to them on the phone but agents are pleasant once you get through. When an appliance needs replacement, the compensation is for such low quality appliances that you always have to upgrade. I had an AC evaporator that needed replacement but they didnt provide the cost of the ducting it needed for installation. But overall the program is worth the cost. They excel at getting equipment repaired - and that means a lot.

G
Glen
9/20/2017
The warranty program is one of the best investments homeowners of pre-owned homes can make. While I can't speak for all service members, the technicians that serviced my AC unit were extremely courteous, knowledgeable, and prompt. More to the point, they saved me hundreds of dollars!

G
Glen
9/20/2017
The warranty program is one of the best investments homeowners of pre-owned homes can make. While I can't speak for all service members, the technicians that serviced my AC unit were extremely courteous, knowledgeable, and prompt. More to the point, they saved me hundreds of dollars!

R
R. C
9/20/2017
Great turnaround on service call. They were able to restore my kitchen light and dining room ceiling fan light quickly. This was the best decision I could have made to get a home warranty. I also suggested them to my friends. American Home Shield is the best!

Ian G
9/20/2017
When my heat pump died AHS quickly dispatched an HVAC repair technician, who was able to diagnose the issue quickly and recommended a new unit be purchased. AHS handled the recommendation within days and a new unit was installed with very little effort on my part.

A
analina M
9/20/2017
Awesome service, very timely and professional.

A
Anne
9/20/2017
Normally, I would rate this company with 5 stars as I've contracted with AHS for 3 different properties, in three different states. However, I am currently experiencing difficulty resolving an issue so, I have to hold my praise. Overall, it's a solid company with just a few areas for improvement re: timely communication.

Bree C
9/20/2017
American Home Shield so far is a good company overall. Things I would like to see an improvement on is response time due to extenuating circumstances; i.e. If your air breaks, and the temp is in the 90's and senior citizens are in the home; response time should be that day. Someone should have the authority to expedite the situation as needed. Also, it takes to long to speak with a person, hold time for me average around 30 minutes or more. I would like to see a faster response time. Otherwise, my experiences have been pleasant.

Jeff W
9/20/2017
Very happy I have the HomeShield Warranty. Never any problems, always easy to deal with.

S
Shari Y
9/20/2017
I have been waiting over a month for my Electrical Panel to be replaced. American home shield sent out a Electrical company of their choosing and they determines it was burnt and needed replaced especially since it was malfunctioning, old and had already burnt. It is imparive that it get replaced immediately. It is old and my Insurance company is going to cancel my home policy if not replaced due to it being a older unsafe Electrical Panel. The only factor holding up this process is that American Home Shield is refusing to pay The Electrical company they chose the money to fix it, I guess mine is the exception??? So why do they state they fix all major repairs if they really do not??... Read More

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  • No Age Limits on Covered Systems & Appliances
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