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American Home Shield Reviews

7.8

bestfor-icon Home warranty protection

stevenwalters
Written by Steven Walters

About American Home Shield | Read More

8

LS Score

6

Credibility

9

Support

8

Accessibility

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Opening Hours Opening Hours drop-down-btn
Mon-Sun 24/7
Contact Information Contact Information drop-down-btn
  • Help@proconnectsupport.ahs.com
  • (888)-682-1043
  • Headquarters: 150 Peabody Pl Memphis, TN 38103-3700
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American Home Shield Home Warranty Review

American Home Shield offers home warranties designed to protect consumers from the costs associated with most major home appliances and systems. They have a fair fee structure that makes coverage affordable and generous caps on coverage. Clients can choose between three base service fees that are paid to the contractor. Lower service fees increase the monthly premium but decrease the amount paid on individual service calls. This type of coverage does not cover cosmetic defects, routine maintenance, system upgrades, or items still covered by a manufacturer or builder warranty. It is very helpful in covering basic wear and tear for appliances and systems, complementing the usual homeowners’ insurance coverage.

American Home Shield Home Warranty Highlight

$75-$125

Service Fees

$0 – $6,000

 

Payout Cap

$50 off multiple properties

Promotions

3

Coverage

Over 17,000 in-network contractors

Contractors

Not Required

Home inspection

No

Other Fees

None

Origination Fee

None

Prepayment Fee

Per system or appliance

Benefit Limit Type

B

BBB Rating

No

NHSCA MEMBER

24 hours

Response Time

12 and 24 months

Contract Length Available

Pros & Cons

drop-down-btn
  • con-icon No home inspection required
  • con-icon Members can choose their own contractor in special cases
  • con-icon Large network of 17,000 contractors
  • con-icon Not available in Alaska
  • con-icon Plan prices vary depending on size of home and location

Plan Types

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  • ShieldSilver
    Pricing from $29.99 monthly/$360 yearly
  • ShieldGold
    Pricing from $49.99 monthly/$600 yearly
  • ShieldPlatinum
    Pricing from $69.99 monthly/$840 yearly

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Optional Add-Ons

  • Pool or Spa
  • Guest Unit
  • Septic Pump
  • Well Pump
  • Electronics Protection Plan
  • Roof Leak Repair

Promotions

$50 off multiple properties

Exclusions

Exclusions are based on the state of residence and can include:

  • Abuse
  • Natural disasters
  • Routine maintenance
  • Flues, venting, chimneys, and exhaust lines
  • Repair or remediation of cosmetic defects
  • Electronic, computerized, or home management systems
  • Radon monitoring systems, fire sprinkler systems, and solar systems and components
  • Repair, replacement, installation, or modification of any component or part thereof, that has been, or is, determined to be defective by the Consumer Product Safety Commission or for which a manufacturer has issued, or issues, a warning, recall, or determination of defect
  • System or appliance upgrades, or repairs or replacements required
  • When the malfunction is due to missing components, parts, or equipment
  • Audio/video/computer/intercom/alarm or security wiring or cable
  • Telephone wiring
  • Circuit overload
  • Face plates
  • Lighting fixtures
  • Outside or underground piping well pump, and well pump components
  • Window a/c units
  • Fuel storage tanks
  • Bathtubs, Sinks and Showers
  • Shower enclosures and base pans
  • Toilet lids and seats
  • Septic tanks
  • Water filtration/purification system
  • Holding or storage tanks
  • Saunas or steam rooms
  • Garage door or door track assemblies
  • Lock picking
  • Lock-out service

Plans & Pricing

American Home Shield plans:

Plan Monthly Yearly
ShieldSilver $29.99 $360
ShieldGold $49.99 $600
ShieldPlatinum $69.99 $840

American Home Shield Coverage:

Item Covered/Plan ShieldSilver
$29.99 monthly/$360 yearly		 ShieldGold
$49.99 monthly/$600 yearly		 ShieldPlatinum
$69.99 monthly/$840 yearly
Air Conditioning ✓ ✓ ✓
Clothes Washer – ✓ ✓
Clothes Dryer – ✓ ✓
Refrigerator – ✓ ✓
Plumbing Stoppages ✓ ✓ ✓
Plumbing System ✓ ✓ ✓
Electrical ✓ ✓ ✓
Heating ✓ ✓ ✓
Ductwork ✓ ✓ ✓
Water Heater ✓ ✓ ✓
Oven/Range/Cooktop – ✓ ✓
Dishwasher – ✓ ✓
Built-in Microwave Oven – ✓ ✓
Garbage Disposal – ✓ ✓
Garage Door Opener ✓ ✓ ✓
Whirlpool Bathtub ✓ ✓ ✓
Ceiling and Exhaust Fans ✓ ✓ ✓

Pricing is available by requesting a quote on the company website. Each quote is specific to the property being covered. Plans are available nationwide (excluding Alaska, New York City, and some zip codes in Hawaii). No home inspection is required for any of the plans and buyers can choose between 12-month or 24-month contracts. Note that the pricing above is based on a 2,000 sqf new construction home in Williamson County, Texas.

Service Fees

American Home Shield uses a flat service fee structure and buyers can select their own service fee from $75, $100, or $125 per service call. The lower the service call pricing, the higher the monthly premium.

Payout Caps

Appliances have a payout cap of $3,000 per appliance for the ShieldGold plan and $6,000 per appliance for the ShieldPlatinum plan. There are no payout caps on covered home systems.

American Home Shield : How to Get Started

Applying for a new warranty through American Home Shield is a simple, quick process. It starts at the American Home Shield website, where you can enter your zip code to begin the quote process. You will then be asked for your physical address and contact. This ensures that you get the best, most accurate pricing.
Screen 1

Quote

Screen 2

Select a plan

Screen 3

Optional coverage

Once you fill in the requested information and click the button “Shop Plans” you will be presented with the monthly cost of each plan tier, the systems and appliances covered, and be able to adjust the service call fee if you like (it defaults to $125). You can also scroll down to compare the coverage for each level of service.

Selecting a plan opens up the next page of the quote, where you are able to select any optional coverages you’d like.

Clicking next from this page will take you to the payments page where you enter all your details, add a payment method, and elect your home warranty coverage.

American Home Shield : How to Get Started

Because we don’t have a coverage plan with American Home Shield we was unable to go through the process of filing a claim. However, the claim process is clearly detailed on the AHS website.

Once your coverage begins, you can request service 24/7 online. You can also call 833-706-2863 to request service.

The online portal makes it easy to find your warranty and create a new service request. It also allows you to manage and check the status of any service request.

State Availability

Available - Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming,

Not Available - Alaska,

stevenwalters
Written by Steven Walters facebook-icon linkedin-icon

Steve has been writing in the financial products space for over a decade, with interests ranging from personal loans to investing. He is also deeply into the blockchain space. In his free time, you can find him in the kitchen preparing delicious meals, or outside hiking and biking.

faq-icon

FAQ’s

Is there a limit to the number of repairs you can request during your coverage period?

There is no limit on the number of repairs you can request, however there may be caps on the dollar amounts of individual claims.

Can I cancel my coverage at any time?

Yes, coverage can be canceled at any time.

What’s the difference between a home warranty and homeowners insurance?

Homeowners insurance covers events that might happen such as theft, fires, and natural disasters. A home warranty covers the components and appliances in your home that might break down from normal wear and tear.

Customer Support

Customer support at American Home Shield is handled via telephone or through the member portal. Those with accounts are able to submit any questions or requests after logging into the electronic systems at AHS. There are also several telephone numbers available for different needs (service, sales, etc.).

In order to determine the effectiveness of the customer support staff at American Home Shield we contacted them via telephone. Once we made it through the simple menu system we were quickly connected with a customer service representative. This person answered our questions in a friendly, professional manner and took the time to enquire if there was anything else they could do for us. Overall it was a very positive customer service experience from our perspective, and the support person seemed very knowledgeable.

The online reviews for AHS are not quite as positive. At the Better Business Bureau the company has a rating of 2.25 out of 5.0 stars on 10,963 reviews as of Oct. 14, 2022. Also, over the past 12 months there were 9,232 complaints against the company resolved. The primary complaint against them is that customers have had issues with the contractors used to make repairs. In some cases the repairs are too slow, in others they are done in a shoddy manner, and in the worst cases the subcontractor attempts to charge more, even though the customer believes the repair should be covered by the home warranty.

Over at Trustpilot the situation is the same. AHS has a 1.8 out of 5.0 stars on 3,294 reviews as of October 14, 2022. Complaints are similar to those at the BBB and 84% of the reviews left are 1 star reviews.

Privacy & Security

As expected of a company as renowned as AHS, customer privacy and security is taken seriously. Similarly, this is no different with AHS ProConnect. A thorough Privacy Policy on the ProConnect website details what information is collected and how that information is stored. The policy states your rights, how you can opt-out at any time, and how to access the information held about you. Finally, the policy outlined how your data is retained securely and safeguarded correctly.

In Conclusion

American Home Shield is one of the premier home warranty organizations, serving 49 of the 50 U.S. states (excluding Alaska). While they do seem to have a number of customer complaints, it appears in a number of cases these are down to the contractors sent out to cover claims. The company has a solid customer service team, and over 50 years of experience in providing home warranty services. Clients can choose from a number of service plans and add-ons, and can get a quote online, over the phone, or by mail.