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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

Loading Reviews ...
Sandy F
8/29/2017
Love the coverage but trying to contact customer service is a nightmare. Called them to cancel a repair a been on hold for more than 1 1\2 hours and still waiting as I am writing this. Customer help needs to be improved greatly. No since in this kind of wait.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Sandy, I would like to follow up with you regarding this matter. I apologize for the extreme wait time that you have experienced. Please provide your contact information to us at social@ahslink.com, attention, "Consumers Advocate" and we will be in touch with you. Thanks
Chad A
8/29/2017
One of the best decisions I've made. Peace of mind and hassle free. Always get a call from a licensed contractor within a day or two and so far I've had my fridge fixed multiple times Dishwasher replaced. Sewer snaked. It works !

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
We're delighted to read your wonderful feedback Chad. Thanks!
M
Michelle
8/29/2017
The ease of having a home warranty through American Home Shield (AHS) has been worth the price! As a new home owner, our realtor suggested AHS appliance and service warranties. Thankfully, we bought both and experienced within the first month issues with our plumbing, which these were not found during the home inspection. These repairs would have cost us a lot of money and time. Thankfully, the American Home Shield Home warranty kicked in right away and scheduling a service call between two difficult issues went very smooth. The first technician was very responsive to call us right away to schedule a convenient early-evening appointment. He arrived on time and was very helpful to... Read More

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks for sharing your service experience with us, Michelle. We're happy that you're pleased with your services.
Amber W
8/29/2017
AHS has paid for itself for the past 7 years. Our house is getting older and things break down. The money we have saved with these common age related fixes has been a huge relief.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Great feedback Amber. Thanks.
E
Eileen C
8/29/2017
I had a furnace with an extremely noisy fan. It was so noisy that I could hear it from outside of the house in the garage. The furnace specialist ordered a fan for $360, but AHS would not pay for it since the old fan still worked although it was so noisy. I had to pay for the fan. I am going to cancel AHS next year and get another company who is more reasonable. No one could live with the noise this fan made.Horrid policy.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hello Eileen, Please provide us with your contact information by emailing us at social@ahslink.com, attention "Consumers Advocate", and we will be in contact with you regarding this matter.
W
William H
8/29/2017
Placed a call to AHS for Service and got an immediate response. The Service company they assigned was prompt and my Service was performed in 2 days. I will continue to recommend AHS to all my friends.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
William, Many thanks for the great feedback.
Gail H
8/29/2017
The service person called immediately for appointment, arrived within the assigned time, and found the problem and performed the service expertly. Have had no further problems. As no one reads contracts as thoroughly as they should, I missed the part about the charge for additional Freon for the A/C being not included in the fee. I think you should put this in bold print or something to make it more apparent when reading over the contract. The previous Home Warranty service I had (HMS) did not charge extra for Freon and I only paid the deductible fee and only AFTER the service was performed. On your Website, I read several negative reviews. I hope I haven't changed from one service... Read More

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks you for providing feedback about your services, Gail. We appreciate the opportunity to improve our customer experience.
A
Annie
8/29/2017
American Home Shield gives nice piece of mind. However, some problems in your home are simple. I learned this lesson the hard way when I paid a $75 service fee to have a plumber come and literally tighten a connection to a spigot. I could have done it myself. I wish he would advised me of that. He was there for less than 10 minutes and it seemed like a monumental waste.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks for providing sharing your feedback with us, Annie. We will use it to improve our products and services.
Ed M
8/29/2017
The service is good but they are impossible to reach by phone to speak with representative. On hold over 30 minutes on average and have had to was it longer.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Ed, I offer my apologies for the extreme wait time that you have experienced and if you are still in need of assistance, please provide your contact information to us by emailing us at social@ahslink.com, attention, "Consumers Advocate", and we will be in touch with you. Thanks
M
Martha
8/29/2017
This company left us without a dishwasher for a month. Instead of just replacing the dishwasher they rebuilt it. A new tub, motor, soap dispenser. Also, they take forever to process your payments. I really don't know how they stay in business.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hello Martha, Your feedback is important to us, as we strive to provide excellent service for our customers. We are sorry for the inconvenience that you have experienced, and if we can be of assistance please provide your contact information to us by emailing social@ahslink.com, attention, "Consumers Advocate", and we will be in touch with you. Thanks
Our Partner

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
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