American Home Shield Review

American Home Shield

4.3out of 5 stars

Best Coverage Limits

Get Estimate

(833) 426-1216

Limited Time

$150 Off Any Plan

• Monthly Cost: $35–$75
• Service Fee: $100–$125
• Response Time: 24-72 hrs
• Coverage Limit: $6,000 per item
• BBB Rating: B
• Availability: 49 states (ex. AK)

• Affordable basic coverage plans
• Covers unknown preexisting conditions
• Electronics protection plan (add-on)
• High coverage limits
  
  
  

• Inconsistent customer reviews
• Low customer reputation score
• Pricing varies more than competitors

American Home Shield is a great choice for people looking for affordable home warranty rates or higher coverage caps. However, if you’re looking for reliability above all else, inconsistent customer reviews don’t paint a clear picture of the company’s performance, so I’d look elsewhere.

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If you want a warranty that covers big repair bills, American Home Shield is one of the best options out there.

It covers major home systems like plumbing and electrical with no dollar limit — meaning if something breaks, AHS is likely to cover the full repair cost. Appliances like refrigerators and ovens are covered up to $4,000 each—about $2,000 more than most competitors.

This makes American Home Shield it a solid choice for homeowners with older systems and appliances. While its high-end plans can be pricey, its lower-tier options start at $29.99 per month, offering good value overall.

I’ve ranked American Home Shield according to the most important factors to consider in a home warranty company, including specific plans, coverage, affordability, customer experience, company reputation, claims process, and availability. Read on to see what American Home Shield has to offer and why it is one of the best home warranty companies on the market.

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Best for Customization

Liberty Home Guard

4.6

$200 Off + 2 Months free

Best Coverage Limits

American Home Shield

4.3

$150 Off Any Plan

Best Claims Acceptance

Choice Home Warranty

4.3

$50 Off + 1 month free!

Best for Additional Benefits

AFC Home Warranty

4.3

Fall Sale: $250 Off + Free Roof Leak Coverage

American Home Shield: Best Coverage Limits

American Home Shield Bottom Line: 

8.6/10

American Home Shield has a great overall score and ranks second when compared to all the providers we researched, partially because of the higher coverage limits on its ShieldPlatinum plan. The limits are $5,000 for HVAC systems and $4,000 for appliances, while most other competitors top out at $2,000 per appliance. American Home Shield’s basic plans are some of the cheapest in the industry — as low as $7.49 a month, depending on your location and the current promotional discounts. While few companies can touch AHS’s basic coverage, the ShieldPlatinum plan is overpriced for most homeowners at almost $80 a month. If I could only pick one plan from American Home Shield, I’d choose the ShieldGold plan because it covers all major home systems and appliances for a reasonable rate. However, if you value affordability, I’d recommend the ShieldSilver plan because of its low monthly rate.

Despite all the company’s positives, American Home Shield has more negative reviews than the competition, specifically about denied claims. While this isn’t uncommon, customer reviews and prices vary much more than any other company I’ve researched, which makes me believe its service is much more unpredictable. For example, AHS’s reviews on Trustpilot are significantly more negative than on Google Reviews. And even within those two sites, there are a lot of mixed messages. Likewise, AHS’s prices rise or fall by $10 to $20 based on where you live, and promotional deals only add to that fluctuation. In short, it’s hard to get a read on some aspects of American Home Shield. If you’re looking for a company that’s known for its reliability, I’d recommend you look elsewhere.

American Home Shield Plans and Costs 

9.0/10

American Home Shield has the most affordable basic coverage out of every service provider I’ve researched, with its ShieldSilver plan reaching as low as $7.49 in certain areas of the country (with promotional discounts). Even at the full price of $29.99, it’s still a bargain that most competitors can’t get close to. However, the Shield Gold plan is my top choice at just under $50 a month. It covers most major systems and appliances for less than most competitors’ comparable plans, so it’s definitely worth getting a quote and seeing if it meets your needs. The ShieldPlatinum plan is pricey at $79.99 a month, so I don’t recommend it for most homeowners. It’s worth noting that American Home Shield’s online discounts and pricing change very frequently, so don’t be afraid to wait until a good promotion comes along before purchasing.

Editor’s Note: We sourced cost data in this article for a single-family, two-bedroom home under 5,000 square feet in [Philadelphia, PA]. The cost data presented was accurate at the time of writing.

Available Add-Ons

American Home Shield offers the following add-ons for all plans:

• Electronics protection plan (all plans): $14
• Guest unit (all plans): $6.99
• Pool and built-in spa equipment (all plans): $18
• Roof leak repair limit (included in the ShieldPlatinum plan but available as an add-on for others): $10
• Septic pump (all plans): $5
• Well pump (all plans): $8

American Home Shield only offers six add-ons, which is low within the market, but the electronics protection plan is a rare option that I found useful. There are plenty of limitations (it doesn’t cover cell phones, preexisting conditions, theft, cosmetic damage, etc.), and it’s a bit pricey at $14 a month. But if you value your devices and aren’t bothered by the exclusions, the company is worth considering.

Exclusions

American Home Shield has the following exclusions for all plans:

• Acts beyond our control (earthquake, storms, mud, fire, etc.)
• Flues, chimneys, fireplaces, and exhaust lines
• Hazardous materials 
• Improper capacity
• Items covered by other insurance or warranty
• Known preexisting breakdown 
• Manufacturer or government recalls
• Misuse or accidental acts
• Multimedia centers
• Outdoor kitchens
• Power and fuel sources
• Routine maintenance
• Smart home systems
• Special systems (radon mitigation systems, gas detection systems, etc.)

Editor’s Note: While this article highlights certain exclusions, readers should review their contracts as the mentioned exclusions are not exhaustive, and additional exclusions may apply.

American Home Shield Affordability 

8.7/10

American Home Shield has some of the least expensive plans on the market, but because its prices vary more than those of competitors, we downgraded its affordability score to 8.7. In some cases, its rates rise or fall by more than $20, getting as low as $7.49 a month in some locations for the ShieldSilver plan. The ShieldPlatinum plan is also one of the most expensive in the industry. However, for budget-conscious buyers, I recommend waiting for a sale because AHS has a few solid promotional deals. If you plug in your email address and phone number for a quote, AHS will text and call you periodically with updates for promotional deals so you can jump on a plan when the price is right. Read the entire American Home Shield sample contract before you buy it. There are always fine print details about your coverage that can affect your overall expense.

American Home Shield Customer Experience

8.4/10

American Home Shield’s inconsistent customer reviews don’t provide a clear image of the company’s customer experience, but its responses to complaints eased my mind a bit. AHS representatives commented on almost all negative Trustpilot, Google Reviews, and BBB complaints, assuring customers that it was working on a solution. In the home warranty industry, these comments are often meaningless, but it’s nice that AHS responds to them, which many companies don’t. Most customers seemed happy with AHS phone representatives, which I can confirm based on the conversations I’ve had with them. However, the majority of complaints were about denied claims and incompetent service contractors. One customer on Google said:

“This company protects and sides with the sub-contracting company instead of siding with the customer.”

These are common complaints in a range of reviews, but it’s clear that American Home Shield cares about customer satisfaction. So, we gave it an 8.4.

American Home Shield Company Reputation

7.7/10

At a 7.7, American Home Shield has the lowest company reputation score of any of our top home warranty providers. Not all of its customer reviews were negative, but the inconsistency of reviews made it much harder to get a read on the company’s performance. Complaints were usually about denied claims, sub-par technicians, and logistical errors. One customer said:

“Each time you call, you get a new service rep who says completely opposite things. You have to fight them on everything and make sure the rep marks your issue as needing to be expedited. This puts them under a tighter timeline to assign and complete the job, and if they don’t find an available contractor, you can hire your own, and they must reimburse you. I use this tactic frequently, and it has always worked.”

However, reviews of AHS are wildly inconsistent. On Trustpilot, 78% of all AHS reviews were 1-star, but on Google, almost all reviews were 5-star. Another customer said:

“This company is really great. When I have a problem in my home, all I do is sign into my account, and within 24 hours, I have an appointment to get my problem fixed.”

While American Home Shield reviews don’t provide a consensus, the reviews tend to balance each other out, so we gave AHS a 7.7 since customers praised their friendly and efficient performance.

Editor’s Note: The ratings provided were accurate at the time of writing.

American Home Shield Claims Process

8.4/10

American Home Shield has an average score of 8.4 when it comes to its claims process. Because American Home Shield has coverage limits of $5,000 for HVAC and $4,000 for appliances (on the ShieldPlatinum plan), it pays out very well for claims. However, it also has more complaints about denied claims than the competition. Additionally, AHS has an average but unimpressive response time of 48 hours. One Google customer wrote:

“American Home Shield gave the job to the worst contractor ever. It took them more than a month to come to my house and do the first assessment.”

Another customer said on Trustpilot:

“AHS denied my claim, stating it was due to a manufacturer defect. A coil failure after 11 years was deemed to be a manufacturer defect, even though the expected life of the part was between 8 to 12 years.”

These kinds of complaints are common in the home warranty industry, and some blame falls more on the contractors than the warranty provider. On the other hand, AHS’s online portal is easy to use, which adds to its overall claims process score. We interviewed one of our team members who owns an AHS plan and has filed a claim using the portal. He said it was intuitive and took less than three minutes to complete. Because of this, we raised American Home Shield’s claims process score to 8.4.

American Home Shield Availability

10/10

American Home Shield operates in the continental United States, so we gave it a perfect availability score. Nationwide availability isn’t the most important aspect of a company, but it can point to the company’s legitimacy as a business.

American Home Shield vs. The Competition

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Company	Rating	Monthly Cost	Service Fee	Response Time	BBB Rating	Link
Liberty Home Guard Get Quote	4.6	$50-$60	$75	12-48 hrs.	NR	Get Quote
American Home Shield Get Quote	4.3	$35–$75	$100–$125	24-72 hrs	B	Get Quote
Elite Home Warranty	4.3	$44.99-$58.99	$70	48 hours	A+
Choice Home Warranty Get Quote	4.3	$46–$55	$85	24-48 hrs.	B	Get Quote
Select Home Warranty Get Quote	4.2	$52–$58	$75-$85	24-48 hrs.	B	Get Quote
AFC Home Warranty Get Quote	4.3	$38–$62	$75–$125	48 hours	B	Get Quote
First American Home Warranty Get Quote	4.3	$72–$87	$75–$125	48 hours	B	Get Quote
2-10 Home Warranty Our Review	4.3	$17–$60+	$65–$100	24 hrs	A-	Our Review
Cinch Home Services Get Quote	4.1	$28–$68	$100–$150	2–24 hrs	B	Get Quote

American Home Shield vs Liberty Home Guard

Liberty Home Guard is my No. 1 pick for a home warranty provider. In most categories, American Home Shield can’t compete with Liberty’s performance. The only area where American Home Shield outperforms Liberty is in customer experience, primarily because Liberty has such a long waiting period (30 to 60 days) and because Liberty doesn’t cover known or unknown preexisting conditions. In every other category, Liberty wins.

In fact, the primary areas where Liberty shines are in its plans, coverage, and company reputation. Liberty has more add-ons than any other competitor, and its plans are reasonably priced for the coverage they provide. Likewise, Liberty’s customer reviews are unmatched, giving it a higher company reputation score than any of our other top providers.

While American Home Shield may be a better option for customers who want the most affordable rate possible, I trust Liberty Home Guard more because of its positive reviews and overall reliability.

American Home Shield vs Liberty Home Guard Review

American Home Shield vs. First American Home Warranty

First American Home Warranty ranks close to American Home Shield in its overall score but has a few crucial differences in performance. Both have solid appliance coverage, but while AHS only offers the best overage limits on its most expensive plan, First American covers up to $3,500 per appliance in all its plans, making it one of the best home appliance insurance companies. Likewise, First American has a much better company reputation score, which goes a long way toward peace of mind when purchasing a policy.

The biggest downfall for First American Home Warranty is that it’s only available in 34 states (not available in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont or Wisconsin). American Home Shield is available in 48 states. 

First American also has affordable plans, but American Home Shield has cheaper basic coverage, which may appeal to budget-conscious homeowners. If you’re looking to save money, AHS may be the right choice for you. But if you’re looking for a more reliable option with better coverage limits throughout, I highly recommend First American Home Warranty.

American Home Shield vs. First American Home Warranty Review

American Home Shield vs. Cinch Home Services

One thing American Home Shield and Cinch Home Services have in common is generous coverage limits. While AHS boasts $5,000 HVAC and $4,000 appliance limits on its most expensive plan, Cinch offers an annual coverage limit of $10,000 (with a few exceptions). Depending on how many covered items malfunction during your home service contract, each plan has its unique benefits. If fewer items break, Cinch is a better bargain because you have the whole $10,000 to pull from, aside from their expensive service call fees of $100 to $150. However, if more than a few items break, AHS is a better bargain because their limits are higher for individual items.

Another area where American Home Shield rivals Cinch is in its coverage of unknown preexisting conditions, along with rust and corrosion coverage. Both companies cover the previously mentioned conditions, which is rare in the industry. Despite their similarities, American Home Shield has more affordable basic plans, while Cinch has better deals on comprehensive coverage. Additionally, Cinch has a better company reputation score, so if you want reliability and affordable comprehensive coverage, I’d recommend Cinch. If you’d rather have the most affordable plan possible, American Home Shield may be more up your alley.

American Home Shield vs. Cinch Home Services Review

Who is American Home Shield Best For?

American Home Shield is best for:

• Homeowners who own older HVAC systems: We like that American Home Shield covers your home’s essential systems and appliances regardless of their age — some providers enforce age limits. In addition, AHS is one of the few providers that covers items with rust, corrosion, or sediment damage.
• Homeowners who own high-end appliances: American Home Shield offers the same coverage limits for pro-grade and standard-grade appliances without increasing premium costs. Due to its high appliance limits, AHS will likely cover most luxury appliance repairs in full.
• Homeowners who value convenience: If you prefer easy claims filing, you’ll appreciate that American Home Shield has multiple avenues to accept claims, such as an online portal and a mobile app. Most providers we’ve reviewed don’t have their own mobile app.

American Home Shield is not for:

Homeowners who need flexible coverage: One of our biggest gripes with AHS is its lack of optional add-ons. If you need coverage for unique items, we suggest Liberty Home Guard.

Homeowners who prefer using their own technician: American Home Shield doesn’t allow you to use your preferred service provider when a breakdown occurs unless there aren’t in-network technicians near you.

For more information on the benefits of home warranties, consult the Federal Trade Commission’s home warranty consumer alert.

How To Use Your American Home Shield Plan

To maximize your American Home Shield plan, we suggest understanding how home warranties work before purchasing one. Below is an overview of the best way to use your AHS plan.

Read Your Sample Contract

We recommend reading American Home Shield’s sample contract as part of your research. While secret shopping, I found that AHS provides a sample contract directory based on your state. Ensure you select the correct sample contract, as it may contain state-specific clauses.

File a Claim

AHS has a 24/7 claims hotline and an online portal for filing service requests. Before filing a claim, I recommend reading American Home Shield’s contract again. Knowing what it covers and excludes can reduce the likelihood of a claim denial.

Once AHS approves your claim, a representative will schedule an appointment with an in-network service provider within 24 business hours. According to AHS’ sample contract, you’ll likely have a delayed response from AHS if you file a claim outside normal business hours.

How Long Does Your Coverage Plan Last?

American Home Shield has a 30-day initial coverage waiting period. In addition, AHS provides information on policy cancellations in Section 15 of its sample contract. It offers a 30-day free cancellation period, during which you’ll receive a full refund if you cancel your plan. If you cancel after the free cancellation period, AHS refunds a prorated portion of your total payment minus an administrative fee.

How Should You Handle a Dispute With American Home Shield?

If you have a contractual dispute with American Home Shield, you can take several steps to increase your chances of a resolution:

• Confirm your coverage details: When in doubt, read your contract once more. Many reviews complaining of claim denials were from customers who requested service for items AHS excludes in its contract. Ensure AHS covers your issue before starting the dispute process.
• Contact American Home Shield: Contact AHS after confirming your issue is a covered malfunction. You may experience longer hold times if you call during peak summer or winter months. Pierce Haley, Esq., executive director of the National Home Service Contract Association (NHSCA), said, “In the dead of summer and in the dead of winter, when everybody has their problems, is when [providers] get the most calls.”
• Document everything: When you speak with a representative, keep a record of who you spoke with and the date of your conversation. Also, save any emails you exchange.
• Contact the NHSCA or your state’s consumer protection agency: If you need to escalate an issue, you can file a complaint with the NHSCA. Since AHS is a member, it can expedite your complaint directly with American Home Shield’s upper management. You can also file a complaint with your state’s consumer protection agency if you don’t want to go through the NHSCA.

Best Coverage Limits

American Home Shield

4.3out of 5 stars

833-426-1216

Get Quote

Limited Time

$150 Off Any Plan

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This site receives compensation from the companies featured in this listing, which may impact where and how products appear. This listing doesn’t feature all companies, products, or offers that may be available.

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