2023 American Home Shield Reviews And Overview

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Home warranties cover major appliances and systems in your home, but their most important job is protecting your finances. When a system or appliance malfunctions or needs replacement, homeowners insurance may not cover it, leaving you with the full bill. A home warranty can provide some financial relief by covering part or all of the costs to fix the problem.

When it comes to choosing among the best home warranty companies it’s important to work with a trusted experienced company. One such company is American Home Shield, a home warranty business that’s been helping homeowners for 50 years.

Read on to learn more about the company, the plans it offers and why we like this company. But don’t just take our word for it. We’re also sharing American Home Shield reviews from other reliable sources.    

American Home Shield Overview

American Home Shield (AHS) is the company that started it all – founding the home warranty industry back in 1971. One of the leaders in the industry, AHS has paid more than $2 billion in claims in the last 5 years alone. The company’s home warranty coverage includes three main plans as well as several add-ons to help tailor your coverage to your home’s specific needs.

Plans

AHS plans are tiered, with more appliances and systems covered as you move up. Prices increase as well. Keep in mind, you can also select different add-on plans or stand-alone coverage. Here’s what each plan offers.

ShieldSilver^TM

ShieldSilver is the lowest-priced plan and covers 14 major home systems, including:

• Heating and cooling systems
• Electrical systems and accessories
• Plumbing systems and accessories

This plan does not cover any appliances.

ShieldGold^TM

One step up, the ShieldGold plan covers all the systems in ShieldSilver as well as nine home appliances. These additional appliances include:

• Kitchen appliances
• Laundry appliances

ShieldPlatinum^TM

The most comprehensive and expensive home warranty plan of the three, ShieldPremium covers everything in ShieldGold as well as:

• Roof leak repairs
• Unlimited A/C refrigerant
• Code violations and permits

This plan also comes with a free HVAC tune-up.

Electronics Protection Plan

With the electronics plan, you can protect several home electronics including TVs, computers, printers, Smart Home products, video game consoles and more. The plan offers coverage for mechanical and electrical failure from normal wear and tear, power surges and poor workmanship or materials. It also provides tech support when needed. If you’re an AHS member, you can add this plan to your other plans. Currently, this plan is not available in California.

Add-On Options

Some homes come with a little something extra – or sometimes, homeowners want a little more coverage. That’s why AHS also provides add-on options. Along with an electronics protection plan, homeowners can choose any of the following add-on coverage.

• Heating, pumping and filtration systems for pools and spas
• Roof leak repairs (if you do not have the ShieldPlatinum plan)
• Guest units under 750 square feet
• Septic pumps
• Well pumps

Coverage

It can feel overwhelming trying to compare what each plan offers. To make it easier, we’ve included a helpful side-by-side comparison.

Whatever plan you choose, know that AHS will cover the appliance or system regardless of its age. Of course, there are exclusions and coverage limits. To learn more about how each appliance or system is covered, you can a sample contract and home warranty coverage explanation for each one on the compare plans page of the AHS website. Simply click on the icon next to the name of the appliance or system and more details will pop up.

Cost

The three main plans cost $35 – $75 per month, which falls in line with average home warranty costs

It’s important to keep in mind that pricing will depend on your location, your home warranty plan and any add-ons you choose.

The pricing will also depend on the trade service call fee you choose. This is the amount you pay for each service request. The more you pay for a service request, the less you pay for your plan each month. For example, if you choose to pay a $75 service fee, your ShieldSilver plan would cost $50 per month. If you choose to pay a $100 service fee, your ShieldSilver plan would cost $40 per month. And with a $125 service fee, you’d pay $35 per month for the same plan.