Long-time home warranty company excels in offering personalized plans tailor-made to the homeowner
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Reviews.com rates American Home Shield a 3.75 out of 5, based on monthly price, coverage, service fees, and more.
AHS has three comprehensive home warranty plans for repair or replacement of appliances and systems.
AHS provides broad and flexible options to customize and add special services to its plans.
American Home Shield was established in 1971 as the first company to provide homeowner protection against home appliances and major systems breakdowns. The company has grown steadily since that inception and now offers its services in 49 states.
American Home Shield offers three plans which can be customized and enhanced with other options such as coverage for electronics and swimming pools and provides access to over 17,000 contractors to serve its customers.
When rating American Home Shield against other home warranty companies, we reviewed the companies’ applicable service fees, the extent of coverage, service capability, and company reviews.
AHS Home Warranty Overview
Reviews.com Score
3.75
Starting Monthly Price
$39.99
Service Fee
$75-$125
States Served
49 states
BBB Rating The BBB rates companies based on trustworthiness and performance. The company uses a variety of factors, including how the company handles customer complaints.
B
In awarding American Home Shield a B rating, the Better Business Bureau has found that the home warranty company meets the BBB’s accreditation standards, demonstrating a commitment to resolving customer disputes with a good faith approach.
By leveraging its century and a half of experience and knowledge of the home warranty industry. American Home Shield is able to offer a broad range of plans to fit your needs. Noted for its flexibility in offering many options, American Home Shield is a good company or those who want to create their own customized plans.
PROS
No pre-sign up inspection:AHS takes your home “as is” and won’t adjust coverage based on its condition.
Choose desired service fee:Customers can select $75, $100, or $125 service fee balanced with monthly premium sliding scale.
Customizable plans and add-ons:Three different plans with broad selection of specialty services are available to customize.
Extensive network of contractors:The original home warranty service, AHS has acquired and cultivated a team of over 17,000 contractors.
CONS
Limited guarantee of 30 days:Competitors’ guarantee periods are as long as six months, but AHS only offers 30-day guarantees.
Slow to replace old appliances:AHS may prefer to require repetitive repair services rather than replace an item.
Not nationwide:As one of the largest home warranty companies, its lack of presence in Alaska stands out.
No choice of contractor:AHS customers do not typically have any say in the selection of the servicing contractor.
AHS Home Warranty Highlights
Coverage & Plans
Guarantees
Before You Buy
AHS customers may select one of three plans for the repair or replacement of everyday use appliances with the Appliance Plan, major home electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems ( through the Systems Plan, or both appliances and systems in the Combo Plan. American Home Shield monthly fees range roughly from $35 to $80 depending upon the service fee per visit ($75, $100, or $125) selected, but it varies by ZIP code.
Each AHS Plan can be liberally customized with various add-on services including an electronics plan, as well as coverage for pools and spas.
American Home Shield warrants that it will repair or replace items covered by its plans when they break down as a result of normal wear and tear. Once a repair is completed, the AHS workmanship guarantee provides that if there is an issue with the repair within 30 days of completion, a contractor will be sent to fix it.
Always read a contract’s fine print before purchasing any company’s home warranty to assure the coverage and pricing is right for you. AHS does not conduct an inspection before contracting and does cover pre-existing conditions. However, conditions that should have been detectable by visual observation or use or result from poor maintenance may not be covered. Also, determine if items are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty as this supersedes AHS’s obligations.
Pool / Spa Well Pump Sump Pump Central Vacuum Limited Roof Leak
Information accurate as of April, 2021
*Prices may vary moderately depending on location and customization of plans.
American Home Shield vs. Landmark Home Warranty
While American Home Shield has three comprehensive warranty plans and Landmark has two, both companies’ plans are robust and competitive. AHS is an older company and offers service in all states but Alaska. On the other hand, Landmark was established in 2004 and in fact acquired by AHS in 2016 and only serves customers in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Utah.
Both companies offer a wide range of plans and extensive coverage areas. AFC serves every state except California, South Carolina, Hawaii, and Nevada. AFC Home Club differs from American Home Shield in two notable ways. AHS allows its customers to select their own service technicians. AHS offers a lifetime guarantee on certain parts and labor.
American Home Shield offers three plans with a number of options to add to and customize each plan. Choice Home Warranty offers two plans. Each covers systems and appliances and Choice offers options for adding limited roof leak coverage. The companies are available in most states though Choice’s warranty is not available in California and Washington.
The most comprehensive Combo Plan home warranty by American Home Shield can cost up to $84 per month if you select the lowest $75 service visit fee. There are also $100 and $125 service fee options. With the $100 service fee, the monthly plan costs decrease. Extra services such pool or spa repair can be added at an additional cost.
American Home Shield is a leader in the home warranty industry with nearly 50 years of experience. Serving over 2 million households, AHS has a large network of contractors spread across the country and a B rating for customer service from the Better Business Bureau.
Unlike many home warranty firms, American Home Shield does not require a home inspection to initiate its warranty coverage and the age of your appliances and systems will not prevent coverage.
Yes, you can cancel an AHS warranty plan at any time for any reason. If a contract is cancelled during the first 30 days of coverage, contract fees less incurred service and claims will be refunded.
Methodology
We evaluated American Home Shield based on customer experience, customer satisfaction, monthly cost, trade service fees and coverage to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best home warranty reviews. To compare home warranty companies with other providers across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:
Starting Monthly Price: The lower the cost of a home warranty company’s monthly contract, the higher the score. Inversely, the higher the cost of the monthly contract, the lower the score in this metric.
Trade Service Fee: We awarded higher scores to home warranty companies with lower trade service fees.
Customer Satisfaction: Reviews.com utilized the Better Business Bureau ratings to assign customer satisfaction scores to home warranty companies.
Customer Experience: Using the Better Business Bureau, we reviewed rating of customer complaints lodged and resolved with BBB.
Coverage: We compared available coverage and add-ons offered by home warranty companies to assign Reviews.com scores.
Rick Hoel is an international business attorney and legal and insurance writer for Reviews.com. Over the last several years, he has covered topics dealing with personal and commercial insurance and technology and the law.
