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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.
 
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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
https://www.ahs.com/
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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Cherylann H
8/31/2017
I really did not have any problems with home shield itself, but with the last company they choose to come out and fix my AC unit. The last company they used took little over a week before they came out to do the repairs. That is not easy in texas summers of nearly 100.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks for making us aware of this matter, Cherylann. Thanks for the feedback. If you are still experiencing issues with this matter, please let us know by emailing your contact information to social@ahslink.com, attention, "Consumers " .
J
jgenovese
8/31/2017
My first experience with American Home Shield was good. I called in and they said I would receive contact from the technician within 24 hours, I did. I then looked up reviews on the company and cannot say I was impressed with the reviews of the company they chose to set me up with. Thankfully the technician they sent out was nice, fixed the job and all is now well. I do wish American Home Shield would choose more quality companies with to contract out to, but thankfully I had a good experience.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
We are happy to hear about the good experience that you had with your services. We certainly appreciate the feedback.
Judy S
8/31/2017
Pipe was fixed. The process to get there was not so easy.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hi Judy, Thanks for providing feedback about your services. We appreciate the opportunity to improve our customer experience.
Ken H
8/31/2017
Called in for broken dishwasher and they made appointment for next day. Fixed it right the first time (a piece of glass I missed from a broken glass had jammed the pump/motor) and billed me via their website for the service call. Couldn't be happier.

AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks for sharing your services experience with us Ken. We appreciate the feedback.
J
Janet
8/31/2017
Great job from my customer service rep. She was extremely personable and courteous. Treated me like family. She deserves a big raise. What a gem!!

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks for the great feedback, Janet.
B
Byron R
8/31/2017
I always have piece of mind because of my years with AHS. Questions are answered, service is timely, and AHS will handle issues if any if repairs service is an issue. 20 years of piece of mind and courting.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
We are glad to hear that you are satisfied with your services, Byron. Thanks for your feedback.
J
Jonathan H
8/31/2017
Service is not amazing just depends on who you get to do the work. I've been chasing Tom hagans appliance repair to correctly fix my dishwasher for almost six months.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hello Jonathan, We would like to reach out to you to help resolve this matter. If you can please provide your contact information to us by emailing it to social@ahslink.com, attention "Consumers Advocate", we will be in touch with you regarding this matter. Thanks
S
Sherri G
8/31/2017
It's contractors are always prompt and knowledgeable,

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Thanks Sherri, we really appreciate the great feedback.
J
Joe
8/31/2017
AHS is clearly a money making scheme. They will do the bare minimum to "patch" a broken appliance rather than truly fix or replace the appliance. Many of the appliance repair services will be the lowest priority of the contractor that AHS partners with for the repairs. You would likely get faster service, with a holistic assessment of the appliance rather than just a replaced, fan or sensor, if you contacted the contractor directly rather than going through AHS.

A
AHS A  
Official Response

Company Rep of American Home Shield
Hi Joe, I am sorry to hear this. If you are experiencing any issues with your services, please provide us with your contact information by emailing social@ahslink.com, attention, "Consumers Advocate" and we will be in touch with you. Thanks
H
Henry S
8/30/2017
Have used AHS on several occasions, only had one problem getting service which was resolved with a phone call. AHS allowed me to find a provider outside their network, approved the repair and reimbursed me for the repair.

T
T. W  
Official Response

AHS Rep of American Home Shield
I am so glad to hear you have had positive experiences with AHS. We hope to continue to shield your home for years to come, Henry!
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
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