American home shield is among the widely known home repair insurance companies in the US. This insurance company makes you pay a certain amount monthly so that they can repair or replace any home appliance that your insurance policy covers. The home appliances here may include an electric cooker, air conditioners, refrigerator, TV set, etc. AHS gives very competitive rates and fewer exceptions in its policy. One unique feature it has is that it covers damage caused by neglect or disrepair. Many home insurance companies do not do so.
However, you may pay a set service fee per repair. But if you don’t want to pay a set service fee, you can do the maximum payout of $3,000.
American Home Shield
works with independent contractors who attend to the repairs and replacements. The insurance company guarantees the same features for the replacement but not the same brand and quality. You may end up with cheaper or inferior replacements.
Moreover, AHS often allows their customers to take cash in lieu of repairing or replacing their damaged appliances, and they, in turn, pay you what you spent. But many of their customers had an unfair deal in the end as they were not properly paid for this. Also, their customer care service is very poor.
To be on the safer side, always specify what you want the insurance to cover. This is because AHS covers only what you specify while signing up. It separates the items you list into 2 areas: Systems and Appliances. You can choose any of the two or do a ‘’combo plan’’ if you want to.
Systems: No dollar coverage limit
Rekeying Door lock
Central vacuums
Instant hot/cold water dispenser
Garbage disposals
Water heaters
Plumbing
Smoke detectors
Doorbells
Electrical
HVAC with ductwork
Appliances: covered for repair or replacement up to $3,000 per item
Refrigerators
Ranges/ovens/cooktops
Washers and dryers
Built-in microwave ovens
Trash compactors
Freestanding ice makers
Built-in food centers
Garage door openers
Optional AHS Coverage Options
Well pump
Septic pump
Guesthouse
Hot tub
Swimming pool
DAMAGES COVERED BY AMERICAN HOME SHIELD
- Unknown pre-existing conditions
- Improper installations or previous disrepair
- Poor maintenance, rust, or corrosion
- Normal wear and tear
Exclusions
- Manufacturer’s defect
- Lightning, fire, or earthquake
- Neglect and misuse
- Cosmetic damage, items still under a manufacturer’s warranty, or routine maintenance
When it comes to customer satisfaction, AHS is poor here. Many customers complain of the followings;
- They hire independent contractors that lack expertise
- A lengthy delay caused by a disagreement between AHS and the contractors
- Their customer care line holds a call for long
- AHS website has technical issues an often not accessible.
- Most times, the contractors they work with are not available.
However, a few customers gave positive reviews such as getting a high quality good for a replacement. Lastly, their charges are relatively affordable when compared to other home insurance companies.