American Home Shield Review

American Home Shield Ratings at a Glance

A home warranty is a yearly renewable service contract that gives you peace of mind and protection if any of your important household systems or appliances break down. The significant expense of repairing or replacing numerous home systems and appliances can be greatly reduced by purchasing a home warranty. A home warranty supplements your home insurance by covering risks that your standard homeowners policy doesn't.

American Home Shield is a home warranty company that has been around for 45 years and counting. It was the first company in the country to offer homeowners protection for repairs for normal wear and tear that homeowners insurance doesn’t cover. The high cost of repairs to home systems and appliances not protected by insurance can be covered through home warranty plans. The Memphis, Tennessee-based firm provides three home warranty options and three real estate warranty plans across the United States.

AHS provides three types of home warranty plans: the ShieldPlatinum Plan, the ShieldGold Plan and the ShieldSilver Plan. You can also create your own strategy. If you create your own warranty plan, you can select from all available options for systems, appliances and combo plans. Options for trade service fees are $75, $100 and $125.

AHS offers three real estate plans in addition to its home warranty coverage: ShieldEssential, ShieldPlus and ShieldComplete. For all real estate plans, the trade service fee is $75. 

Homeowners Plans

Real Estate Plans

American Home Shield is a recognized firm with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), earning a B rating since 1997. With 5,412 positive reviews and 11,359 negative ones, the company gets a 2.75-star rating overall. Billing and collections problems top the list of consumer complaints.

You can contact customer services at 888-682-1043 anytime, day or night, to report a claim or submit a service request. To locate your warranty, simply enter your ZIP code, address or contract number; if you have already registered, just sign in. In addition, there is a live chat option available.

A technician will be dispatched to your location within 48 hours if you report a service claim to AHS. If a repair is deemed an emergency, the company will do what it can to get to it as soon as possible. For an extra cost, you can have nonemergency repairs completed quickly by a service contractor.

For all states, trade service-call fees are $75, $100 and $125. (A greater trade service-call fee reduces your monthly payment.) The trade-call fee is the cost of a service call.

The monthly rates for the homeowners plans are listed below (prices vary by state). The quote Benzinga obtained was for Louisiana.

• ShieldPlatinum Plan: $119.99
• ShieldGold Plan: $89.99
• ShieldSilver Plan: $69.99

The yearly plan rates for real estate plans are listed below (prices vary by state). The quote Benzinga obtained was for Louisiana.

• ShieldEssential: $525 per year
• ShieldPlus: $725 per year
• ShieldComplete: $950 per year

The yearly rates for the optional coverage for real estate plans are listed below (prices vary by state). The quote Benzinga obtained was for Louisiana.

• Roof leak repair: $100 per year
• Electronics: $216 per year
• Guest unit: $200 per year
• Pool and built-in spa: $285 per year
• Saltwater pool and built-in spa: $400 per year
• Septic pump: $75 per year
• Well pump: $100 per year

AHS provides coverage all around the country and has claims representatives available around the clock. AHS has three alternative options for its trade service-call fees ($75, $100 and $125). The ShieldPlatinum Plan is the most cost-effective and all-encompassing home warranty option American Home Shield offers. It covers 23 different appliances, systems and components. The organization has been around for nearly 45 years, and its track record in customer service is excellent. AHS allows you to create a plan with exactly the options you desire, which is a distinct advantage. Compared to its competitors, AHS has fewer payment caps for covered repairs.

Customers of AHS can design their own home warranty coverage plan with only the options they need and 24/7 customer service and claims. The 30-day workmanship guarantee and optional coverage for electronics are other customer perks. One negative is that you may be charged multiple service-call fees if multiple repairs are required during the same service call.

American Home Shield Versus Competitors

American Home Shield has a few similar competitors like Choice Home Warranty and Cinch Home Services. The table below compares the similarities and differences of home warranty companies. Use this comparison to start your search for a home warranty protection plan. 

The ShieldPlatinum Plan is American Home Shield's most extensive home warranty option for the best value. A total of 23 systems and appliances, plus roof leak coverage are included. The organization has been around for almost 45 years and has an excellent track record with clients. The flexibility to customize your own plan to include only the services you need sets AHS apart. When compared to other home warranty providers, AHS has lower payment caps. American Home Shield is an excellent option for homeowners looking for repair coverage because of its adaptable plans and stellar reputation.

American Home Shield Video Tutorial

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