American Home Shield has earned a reputation for being one of the better companies to offer home warranties, but it’s important that you learn all you can about it. There are a number of questions you will want to get answered before selecting a certain business to provide you with one of these plans. A solid home warranty can potentially help you save a ton of money over time, but only if you make the right decision.
What kind of reputation does American Home Shield have?
The reputation of the company you get your home warranty from is crucial. When you do some research online, you’ll discover lots of positive American Home Shield reviews. There are many people who are saying good things about this company. It currently has a B rating from the Better Business Bureau, which is not ideal but far from terrible. Most people who take advantage of this company’s home warranty plans seem to be fairly happy with them. There aren’t a ton of complaints against American Home Shield.
What Plans do they Offer?
You will have numerous home warranty options to choose from with American Home Shield. You can select a plan that is exclusively for appliances and one that is just for systems. If you want coverage for your clothes washer and dryer, trash compactor, stove/oven and dishwasher, the Appliance plan is the best way to go.
The Systems plan that this company offers covers major home systems like plumbing, electrical, and water heaters. This is one of the more popular plans, simply because these things typically have the most expensive repairs when they break down. You can also choose a third option, which combines the appliance and system plans so you get full coverage.
If you only want certain items in your house covered, the Build-Your-Own-Plan option is perfect. This option allows you to pick 10 out of the 21 covered items for coverage. A custom home warranty will mean that you don’t end up spending any money to cover items you don’t want protection for.
How Much Does a Warranty Cost?
The total amount that you pay for an American Home Shield warranty will depend on the plan you select. You will be able to get a quote on the company’s website within a matter of seconds. The total value of the appliances/systems you are getting coverage for will ultimately determine how much you pay. The process for getting a quote is very simple and straightforward, so you shouldn’t have any problems whatsoever.
There is also a service fee that you will have to pay when filing a claim. This fee also varies depending on the plan you have. Some people only pay $75 while others pay $100 for this fee. You can choose to decrease your monthly payment, but this fee will increase. The service fee is basically the equivalent of a deductible with traditional insurance policies.
How Long Will I be Covered for?
There is a term of 12 months for all warranty plans from this company. You have the option of canceling your plan at any point after the initial 30 day waiting period.
What Isn’t Covered?
American Home Shield has certain exclusions that you should be aware of before getting one of these warranties. One example of this is that when plumbing repair work is needed, you won’t be covered for stoppages that are caused by a foreign object of any kind, such as roots. This company also won’t cover repairs that are caused by negligence. If you fail to maintain your water heater and it breaks, you will have to pay for the repairs completely out-of-pocket.
How Easy is it to File a Claim?
When you have some appliance or system in your home break down, you’ll find that filing a claim with this company is pretty easy. You can choose to call the company’s toll-free number or go online to fill out the necessary form. It will take a total of 24 hours for the company to assign a contractor to do the repairs you require.
You will receive a phone call from a contractor to arrange a day that they can come by. Since the contractor cannot give you a specific time, you’ll need to make yourself available all day. When the contractor arrives at your home, they will diagnose and fix the problem with your appliance or home system.
What are the Advantages of choosing American Home Shield?
American Home Shield does offer certain advantages that other companies do not, including the ability to build your own custom plan. You will find that most of these companies just have two or three different plans to choose from. There is also the fact that you will be able to choose from numerous service fee levels so you can find one that is right for your budget. You won’t need to get a home inspection to get one of these warranties either.
How can I Purchase an American Home Shield Warranty?
It is possible to purchase a warranty from this company by going to their official website. Once you have taken the time to look through their plan options, you will select the one that matches your needs. You will be required to pay for the first month and wait thirty days before the plan becomes active.
The Bottom Line
When you want to get a home warranty, you will first need to do as much research as possible. Considering all of the positive American Home Shield reviews and benefits this company offers, it is certainly worth looking into before making a final decision. Those who have a home warranty don’t have to worry about expensive repairs coming out of nowhere. If you want to save all the money you can on these repairs throughout the years, a home warranty is a great investment to make. American Home Shield is an excellent choice for most people who want this sort of protection.
