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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 is American Home Shield rated?

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

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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J
Janice J
7/2/2017
AHS operates in a professional and friendly manner. Ensuring that the customer is 100% satisfied with the service provided

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Janice, We genuinely appreciate it and we're glad to hear that you're happy with your services. Thanks.
A
Arnold L
7/2/2017
It took 4 visits and 2 fees to replace a faulty thermostat by two different contractors. I also paid to open an access to the unit that both contractor should have willingly done.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hi Arnold, We are sorry to hear about the experience that you have had with your services, your information is valuable to us in an effort to improve our products and services. Thanks
Simeone T
7/1/2017
Excellent professional came on time and knew what to do. He had a passion for appliances that impressed me

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks Simeone. When are customers are happy, we are happy.
Kiri W
7/1/2017
Came when needed. Only had to pay our deductable which we did ahead of time online. They handled setting up the visit and any charges.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Good to hear about your service experience. Thanks for sharing Kiri.
Kiri W
7/1/2017
Came when needed. Only had to pay our dictate which we did ahead of time online. They handled setting up the visit and any charges.

V
Vince
7/1/2017
Our air conditioner stopped working on the years hottest day in Arizona. Used internet to report our problem. We did have to wait one day for repairman to come out but that was expected. Once the repairman came everything went great. It took them 15 minutes and AC was up and working. The repairman, Scott was great and professional and didn't try to upsell, just did his job and left. AHS really did a great job when they referred the repair people. Way to go!!:

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks Vince. We aim to please our customers.
Ed B
7/1/2017
American Home Shield has provided excellent customer service

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
We appreciate the wonderful feedback Ed.
R
ranaroberts1
7/1/2017
We were a little disappointed with our first experience with American Home Shield. It was over 95 degrees and our air conditioning quit. The motor in the air handler had stopped working so no cool air could be pumped into the house. When we called to get a service tech out to our home we let them know what the problem was and asked if they could bring the necessary part with them. We offered model and serial numbers. They refused to carry the part on their truck for the initial visit. The tech was very nice, polite and professional and diagnosed the problem as we had originally stated it to them. They ordered the air handler motor, however, we were without air comditioning for 6... Read More

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hello, I am sorry to hear about this frustrating issue regarding your services. If you send your information to social@ahslink.com, attention, "Consumers Advocate", we will reach out to you to see how we can resolve this situation. Thanks
Ted K
7/1/2017
First repair contractor was an epic failure but AHS worked to get another contractor who did a great job.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Many thanks for the feedback Ted.
A
Angela B
7/1/2017
I had use the service to get my pipes fixed in my home and my hot water heater repaired. I have gotten busy with my job starting a new contract and realized that I had not heard back about when they would come out and fix it, 6 weeks had gone by. I called customer service to find out what happened and I was informed by the representative that I had been contacted two time by customer service informing me that there was a portion of the install I needed to pay for: the inspection, the modification, etc. Approximately $475.00. I informed her that I did not receive that call and no one left a message. She began to read me notes of what they stated happened when they contacted me. As... Read More

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hello Angela, We will be in contact with you regarding this matter, to help resolve the issues that you have concerning your services. 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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