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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

Loading Reviews ...
Robin H
12/21/2020
AHS contacted a plumber to look at my waste disposal. The plumber was professional and courteous. He diagnosed the problem within one minute. He replaced my waste disposal and 15 minutes later he was done!


Bill G
12/20/2020
I am very pleased with the service that AHS has been providing us over the 20 years that we have been in this house. Their response times have been excellent and the repairs or replacements from the technicians have been prompt. I highly recommend them as a warranty company.


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Peggy L
12/19/2020
I put in a service request on 12/11/20 and on 12/12/20 I was contacted by service provider to schedule an appt. 12/14/20 contractor came diagnosed what the issue was. He called into warehouse for the part for my refridge and came back later that same day to install the needed part. I am very pleased.


M
Mary K
12/18/2020
I am not happy with your service. Three times someone has been out here to fix my refrigerator and it's still not fixed. My food is ruined and here it is another wee-end with nothing done to repair this. I am very frustrated. I am about to cancel my contract and report to BBB about the bad situation I've had with American Home Shield unless I get a replacement refrigerator immediately.


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D E
12/17/2020
I was totally satisfied with the results of my interface with the company assigned ... they did an exceptional job and responded quickly to my request for service ... I am a very satisfied customer ... I also appreciated American home shield’s website and responsiveness to the order request that I submitted ...


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Alice
12/16/2020
I am terrible disappointed with the service and the customer service that I have had over the pass year. Getting my accounted refunded $75.00 because the technician took down the wrong address. A technician did not complete a garbage disposal job and I could not get in touch with vendor doing the repair nor could AHS. I had to get it repaired by another company on an emergency bases. AHS putting inferior replacement parts. I have been with AHS for a number of years and the service has continued to deteriorate.


M
Martha e
12/16/2020
very happy with the service, they always answer right away and solve my problem with a lot of professionalism and efficiency


D
Dan D
12/14/2020
Everytime I put in a service request, I get a response from a professional company within a couple of hours and within 2 to 12 hours the problem is taken care of without a hastle or any further problems. I have tried other home warranty companies and American Home Shield is the only one I have been 100 percent satisfied with.


D
Diana G
12/12/2020
I put in a request on August 6, 2020 to repair my ice maker. I called back 2 weeks later since I had not heard anything from the contracted company. AHS put in another request with the same contractor as they said this is the only one who can repair my ice maker. An appointment was set for September, over one month after my original request. The repairman came said he needed to order parts and set up an appointment for October. The next repairman came and stated he needed additional parts and set up an appointment for November. I received an e-mail from the contractor that a part that was needed in on back order and that they would call me to reschedule. I called AHS the week before... Read More


shawnballard1972
12/10/2020
Fast and easy service they get the job done no hassle. I highly recommend American Home Shield.



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