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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

Loading Reviews ...
jzzyjeff2002
9/18/2020
As of today no complaints!!!! They sent out a company for leaks the guy lied to us and American Homeshield. Customer service asked if I'd like a second opinion..yes of course. The second company was AWESOME! Fixed in less than 10 minutes. Thanks AHS .


Mark D
9/18/2020
Get job done in timely manner. Company notify when techician was on the way.


Toyia G
9/18/2020
Gets the job done in a timely manner and always gave me a heads up when my technician was on the way


77lady20
9/18/2020
Very happy with services and professional people you send out for the repairs


C
Cassandra H
9/16/2020
My experience with this company was horrible. I was without a refrigerator for over a month. I was on hold for hours. Several of their vendors aren't even in business or they don't contact you. They apologized but never offered a solution except just to wait. My Realtor made a call and complained and said they wouldn't use their services anymore. I surprisingly received a phone call from a Supervisor who refunded my deductible. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. Unfortunately I have to deal with them for a year.


J
Jim F
9/16/2020
We had American Home Shield for 12 years in Arizona and had a very good experience. We moved to Southeast Kansas and are very concerned about providers here. Our stove has an electrical problem and after more than 48 hours we still don't have any provider contact us. I have phoned customer service and was on hold twice for an hour or more. Check and recheck providers in the area where you live before engaging this company.


Cathy P
9/16/2020
I can't for the life of me figure out why this company would be highly rated unless you enjoy doing nothing FOR HOURS on end waiting to talk to a representative. And then if you enjoy waiting further hours waiting for another department. They are nothing if consistent. If this is what makes you happy, this is the company for you! They are IMPOSSIBLE to get hold of. How about a chat feature or email? I have heard these things can be done on the internet (heavy sarcasm). I cannot tell you how many times I've spoken to someone from the Philippines, who, although nice, had a heavy accent and the phone line was totally substandard. I don't think they provided me with anything more than any... Read More


M
MAMIE r
9/15/2020
Compared to the last warranty American Home Shield is awesome they are quick in setting up for your problem and have a fast response setting up your appointment I highly recommend them


lcw1243
9/15/2020
I recently had American Home shield.....worst experience I've ever had with a home warranty company! I teied to call them to book an appointment for service of my air conditioning unit. Could never reach anyone in customer service department, so I booked on line and paid the $125.00 service fee at time of booking! A few days later, my son came by and inspected the unit. I think he said "he simply flipped a switch" and everything began to work normally! I, then, tried to reach First American Home Warranty to cancel the appointment (no one called or emailed me to actually set an appointment date) having noticed that they had already charged my credit card! Must have tried at least 10-15... Read More


D
Doctor P
9/14/2020
These guys are the worst. Rip Off...scam. I paid them over 10000.00 for 14 years. Every time something went wrong like a water heater leaking the took a month to approve the fix. The last straw was my drains were starting to clog up and they refused service. So I cancelled them and now they say I have to pay them for the rest of the contract period. I never signed a contract and the contract says I pay them and they provide service. Not the way they look at it! They don’t provide service and you still pay.....nightmare!



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