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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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Frank A
9/3/2020
Every time I have contacted American Home Shield Warranty they has always completed the job through there subcontractors that they hire. I have been with the since August 1st, 2001 and have never once thought about changing service plans.


merdur4
9/3/2020
I’ve been using the service for at least 15 yrs. Although AHS is quick with the dispatch, the last time I needed the service, company they sent was subpar and I had so many issues getting them to come out. This time, service was GREAT. They sent a plumber out to diagnose the issue. It turned out that it was a HVAC issue and a company was sent out promptly the next day and my service fee was transferred. The tech sent was awesome. He diagnosed the exact issue and it was a simple fix to my furnace. I was afraid it would need to be replaced. I’m so happy.


J
Jeff B
9/3/2020
It can be a little hit or miss with which items are covered, but some coverage is waaaaay better than no coverage at all and coming out of pocket. Thus far, all service calls I’ve had have been straight forward and the contractors they’ve dispatched have been transparent and professional.


bailenforcer97
9/3/2020
We have been with this company for 12 years. Things were great until a couple of years ago. Something changed for the worse! This has become the most unprofessional, unpleasant company we have dealt with. They'll charge a trade service call fee and not deliver! No work will be done! We pay for the full Monty with our plan with includes everything. We put an order in for two faucets to be replaced, and they charged us 2 service trade fees on our card and no work was done at all! Then they closed the claim saying it was completed! We have tried to straighten out this mess on 7 different occasions to no avail! They haven't reimbursed us our money as Promised, so we are taking them to court!... Read More


D
Donna S
9/3/2020
This company is a rip-off. We have had coverage for many years. When our air conditioner broke, they would not replace the air conditioner. Instead, they are paying about $900 of the cost and we are paying $5,800. We are taking them to court, but I'm sure they have some caveat buried in the fine print. I don't understand how this falls into their advertisement that they will "repair or replace" for only the cost of the service call.


ltdan993
9/3/2020
Easy to set up a service call. Problem solved with few issues. Couldn't ask for anything more.


James P
9/2/2020
Great response and great service. My air conditioning broke and they had it fixed within a few hours.


Denise Y
9/1/2020
The contractors respond in less than 5 hrs. and they are reputable c Professional contractors that are tops in their field, they can find the problem and repair or replace .


sherrywessner73
9/1/2020
Terrible service, terrible response. This company used to be the best, but do not go with this company. I’ve waited 6 days without a working refrigerator. I’ve spent hours on the phone for a resolution, but nothing. Please go with another company. I pay $61 a month and I’m getting nothing for this service. Well, I don’t feel this company deserves a rating, but I’m not allowed to submit this unless I give them a rating.


B
Barbara F
8/31/2020
I have been a customer of American Home Shield for over 20 years but lately their service and providers are completely sub par. My air conditioner went out about 3 weeks ago and to date I still don’t have air. I live in the high desert where temperatures have been soaring well over 100 degrees daily. I have called repeatedly try to get this resolved and I have been on hold for over 5 hours just waiting to speak to someone regarding my repair. This extended wait time has happened for several days. When I get someone on the line, they have stated that the part is being ordered yet, I still have no air. The service provider, Seabreeze Heating and Air doesn’t answer their phone and I always... Read More



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  • 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