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American Home Shield Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.7 / 5 (Excellent)
4,124 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 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
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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4124 Customer Comments & Reviews

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C
curtis p
4/12/2018
I am very happy with AHS and the local repair associates they choose. I have had my fridge and heating system worked on during this past year. I have used online webpage, online chat and phone to contact AHS - all were quick to respond to me and very helpful and easy to deal with so that my problems were quickly resolved. AHS was quick to dispatch repair persons who were excellent and courteous and very quick to resolve my problems. I could not be happier with AHS and recommend them highly. Thank you AHS!


C
Cathy
4/11/2018
I would suggest everyone who buys an AHS warranty to not rely on the contract wordage, but check to see if your problem is also included in the H. Column - Additional Flexplan options. As we were so blaringly referred to, because our clothes dryer is no longer covered. Or could it be we had two claims last year?? Hum-I guess a zombie apocalypse makes good sense!


J
Joe
4/11/2018
AHS has great customer service, the contractors they use are pro's and the repairs are done in a timely manner. I highly recommend this company for their coverage, customer service & contractors.


B
Brian
4/11/2018
Recently we had our AC unit stop working. Filed a work order through american home shield to make repairs done. Technician showed up, spent three hours at home only to leave AC unit "condemned" and shut off. Said we had hazardous leakages and needed a new coil in the AC unit plus thousands of dollars of refrigerant replacement. He went on to have his company call us multiple times to approve the work without giving us any solid numbers on an estimate. As it turns out, AHS only covered $100 of a "needed" (not needed) $1400 bill. This technician was obviously showing signs of being dishonest while in our home so we decided to have our own trustworthy AC tech come in and diagnose... Read More


D
Dino c
4/11/2018
Sometimes the service is pretty good but other times below average. Response time, and customer service too slow. Some providers have to come several times to fix the problem


M
Melissa G
4/9/2018
They've found reasons to not cover a single thing. They won't replace moldy sheetrock if you remove it yourself instead of waiting for a repairman to do it. This company is a rip-off.


W
William B
4/9/2018
Subscriber for over 15 years and couldn’t be more satisfied. Major fixes and replacement TS over the years and most importantly when things were complicated or there was a conflict, resolution was ALWAYS well resolved in conversation with staff and supervisors!!


D
Dandridge
4/8/2018
How can you be penalized for only using a product one should not be responsible for the lack of quality a product is made.


V
Vince
4/7/2018
This rating would not allow me to select a lower number of stars. They found a way to reject my claim despite my pointing out the language in their contract. Would NOT recommend them to any user!!!


Philip J
4/7/2018
I highly recommend AHS. Used them 3 or 4 times and I've been satisfied. Thanks



Top Rated
Our Partner
  • Plans & pricing to fit every budget
  • No age limit on systems & appliances
  • No inspection or maintenance records required
  • If a covered item can’t be repaired, they replace it
  • 30-day workmanship guarantee