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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 ...
lovelylafay
5/7/2020
I have used this AHS a couple of times and highly recommend it. I’ve had it for twelve years and it provides me the peace of mind that comes with knowing my issue would be handled to my satisfaction and with professionalism.


gntmcneil
5/6/2020
Was so happy we decided to purchase a American Home Shield Warranty. We have had to use it a couple of times now and could not be more pleased with the services. Response time has been very quick and customer service was awesome. Have highly recommended this company to friends and family.


woosb87
5/6/2020
Make sure to check what they cover before signing with them. Very limited scope and you pay service fee even though the issues are not covered with the warranty. Found out later all of our issues were not covered by the warranty... but already paid annual fee. Wish I read their contract before, blindly and foolishly trusted real estate agent's recommendation. I would recommend going with another company.


Teresa T
5/1/2020
This company contacted me in a timely manner. The technician showed up between the hours he told me. My a/c unit was fine, but the technician told me there were some switches inside the thermostat that were in the wrong position.


gentlejoan3307
5/1/2020
We’ve used AHS for over 9 years and they’ve always worked hard to resolve every issue that came up. I just used them yesterday for an A/C issue and they called in a service providers immediately, who contacted me within about 5 minutes and scheduled a service call that very afternoon. The service provider came out as promised, they were very courteous , knowledgeable and had my A/C up and running in no time at all. Thanks again AHS for an awesome job.


andy.rodriguezdiaz1
4/30/2020
The technician came to our house 20 minutes late in a 2-hour appointment window. Therefore we were not able to see him work on the items because we had other plans. The problem was with the fuse that keeps tripping and he only looked at the AC unit even do the furnace and the AC unit are both connected to the same fuse. We paid another 70 dollars to have an electrician come out, per the AC technicians notes, to look at the wiring. The electrician came out, tested both units and the wiring and noted that the furnace is the one causing the fuse to trip not the AC (great job to that company for fully inspecting the issue). We called AHS again, and they are forcing us to pay another 70 dollars... Read More


Heidi V
4/30/2020
I have always been pleased with AHS. Helpful, kind, and willing to help! Customer service is the best!


ernie.thurston
4/30/2020
The service was good. The technician was professional and friendly. He kept me informed on everything he was doing or planning to do. He did a good job considering my heat pump unit is old. On that note, I have two disappointments. I thought that I would receive a new unit not just rebuild the one I have. This limits my warranty on the unit because I only get the warranty for the work performed not the warranty for the unit. Secondly, the ductwork was not included in the repair. I was told that insulating the ductwork would be an out of the pocket expense. So I paid $500 dollars for the repair to the unit plus the $100 service call fee. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting under a... Read More


fregoso72
4/29/2020
AHS washer and Dryer tech did not even open the washer and dryer. AHS took his word and didnt even try fixing either one. What a RIP OFF AHS Insurance.


boblindabbb4
4/29/2020
My Advise is read the reviews here. I was with AHS for 2 years and never used them until my renter in my renter home called on a Saturday Morning and was given the name of a company that would call me. I waited and called the pluming company 4 times on Saturday no one answered now one returned my call. Monday morning I called the pluming co, They had my info but informed me that someone would be out to loo at it on Wednesday . (Five day wait)? I said ok my renter was not happy and wanting me to pay for a hotel room for him and his family. But he said he would wait until Wednesday. I meet a guy from the pluming co. on wed, he looked at the hot water heater and said yes I needed a... 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