American Home Shield has been offering comprehensive home warranty plans since 1971 and is on our list of best home warranty companies for 2025. The Forbes Home editorial team gathered general home warranty industry consumer sentiment survey results based on over 10,000 verified customer reviews. Though the overall sentiment in this analysis is negative—consumers point to issues like a lack of customer service resources, prolonged hold times and difficult claims processes—the positive sentiments reflected clarity in plan options, professionalism and cost-effective options. American Home Shield offers some of the most budget-friendly options on the market, especially the ShieldSilver plan.
We analyzed dozens of data points, collected an in-depth consumer sentiment analysis based on over 146,478 insights and mystery-shopped to evaluate American Home Shield and determine its ranking against other home warranty companies. After meticulous review, we awarded American Home Shield 3.6 out of 5 stars.
Pros
- Affordable lowest-tier plan option
- High coverage limits available on each tier
- Many pre-existing conditions covered
Cons
- Can’t use your own technician without preapproval from the company
- Doesn’t cover Alaska or D.C.
Table of Contents
- Our American Home Shield Review
- American Home Shield Availability
- American Home Shield Customer Reviews and Experience
- How Much Does American Home Shield Cost?
- American Home Shield Covers and Plans
- What We Like About American Home Shield
- What We Didn’t Like About American Home Shield
- American Home Shield vs. Other Home Warranty Providers
- Bottom Line: Who Is American Home Shield Good for?
- Methodology: How We Rated Home Warranty Companies
Our American Home Shield Review
American Home Shield is one of the longest-legacy companies in the home warranty industry, having been in the industry for 54 years. The company offers three broad plans to Americans in 49 states (excluding Alaska and Washington, D.C.). The home warranty provider prefers that its customers utilize its list of contractors but will potentially allow a customer’s choice of technician after an approval process. This may be a drawback for some consumers, but the company compensates with its affordable coverage options.
If you have a condo, manufactured home, mobile home or rental property, American Home Shield also offers specific coverage for these home types, which could be of interest to these groups of homeowners. American Home Shield has three plan options, ranging from $29.99 to $89.99, covering several appliances and over 14 major home systems, depending on your needs.
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Select Home Warranty
Plans Available
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Number of States
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American Home Shield
Plans Available
3
Response Time
Excellent
Number of States
48 + District of Columbia
American Home Shield Availability
American Home Shield is available in every U.S. state except for Alaska. This home warranty company also doesn’t serve D.C, Mexico or Puerto Rico.
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American Home Shield Customer Reviews and Experience
According to our Consumer Sentiment Index, involving over 146,000 customer insights for the entire home warranty category, American Home Shield consumers reported negative experiences overall, though many consumers also reported professional and efficient service and better-than-expected repair timelines.
More negative sentiments include poor claim resolution, vague contract terms and various issues with the company-selected contractors. In many categories, such as service response time and coverage and exclusions, American Home Shield ranked 8 out of the 10 total companies listed in our home warranty best-of-ranking for 2025, making customer experience an area of concern.
How Much Does American Home Shield Cost?
The home warranty provider boasts three plans, with home warranty costs starting at $29.99 for the lowest-tiered plan for major appliances—the highest-tiered plan starts at $79.99 per month and offers coverage for major appliances and systems, plus a raised appliance cap. Service fees are $100 or $125.
| SHIELDSILVER | SHIELDGOLD | SHIELDPLATINUM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Per Month | $29.99 - $39.99 | $49.99 - $59.99 | $79.99 - $89.99 |
| Service Fees | $100 - $125 | $100 - $125 | $100 - $125 |
American Home Shield Covers and Plans
American Home Shield offers three plan choices, including a systems-only plan and two systems-and-appliances plans with added benefits. Plans are available at two price points, depending on the chosen service fee level, and increase based on the chosen add-on coverage options.
- ShieldSilver: Offers coverage for 14 major home systems, including heating and AC, electrical, and plumbing systems. The coverage cap is $5,000, and discounts are available on home maintenance services.
- ShieldGold: Offers ShieldSilver coverage as well as kitchen and laundry coverage, including a $2,000 per appliance repair or replacement coverage cap.
- ShieldPlatinum: Offers ShieldSilver and ShieldGold coverage and a higher appliance cap ($4,000 per item), plus $1,000 for roof leak coverage, $250 for code compliance issues, free HVAC tune-ups and unlimited AC refrigerant coverage.
| FEATURE | SHIELDSILVER | SHIELDGOLD | SHIELDPLATINUM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating and air conditioning systems | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air exchanger | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ductwork | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plumbing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Electrical | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water heater | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sump pump | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Garage door opener | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Refrigerator | No | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in microwave | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dishwasher | No | Yes | Yes |
| Garbage disposer | No | Yes | Yes |
| Range/oven/cooktop | No | Yes | Yes |
| Washing machine | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dryer | No | Yes | Yes |
| Water dispenser | No | Yes | Yes |
| Roof leak | No | No | Yes |
Optional Add-Ons
Choosing a home warranty plan is incredibly personal, and add-ons help to tailor a specific plan for your home, making a home warranty worth its cost. Though American Home Shield doesn’t have a particularly long list of add-on options, it does offer the following:
- Roof leak repair coverage: $10 extra monthly unless you already have the ShieldPlatinum plan
- Pool and spa coverage: $21 to $24 extra monthly, depending on the need
- Septic pump coverage: $5 extra per month
- Well pump coverage: $8 per month
- Home electronic plan: $14 extra per month and covers computers, tablets, smart home products, video game components, TVs, headphones, printers and even home theaters
- Guest units up to 750 square feet: Starting at $10 extra per month
What We Like About American Home Shield
One of American Home Shield’s biggest positive aspects is its higher-than-average coverage caps—$5,000 for home system items is an available limit for even those who opt into ShieldSilver, its lowest-priced plan. Those with different home types, like condos and rental properties, can find comprehensive home warranty coverage in American Home Shield’s plans and add-on options. Plus, its ShieldSilver plan costs less than $30 per month, well under many other competitors’ lowest-priced plans on our list.
What We Didn’t Like About American Home Shield
American Home Shield doesn’t offer as many add-ons as competitors, which is important if you need extra customization for your home. You’re also not easily able to use your own contractor, as the company prefers you go through its network of contractors or wait for it to approve your contractor.
American Home Shield vs. Other Home Warranty Providers
Bottom Line: Who Is American Home Shield Good for?
American Home Shield is great for those who have unique home types like mobile homes, condos, manufactured homes or rental homes, as they will find ample coverage under the company’s three plans. Also, those who don’t prefer to customize too much and want a well-priced, comprehensive plan that covers the majority of their appliances or home systems will likely find a plan that works for them in American Home Shield’s repertoire.
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Methodology: How We Rated Home Warranty Companies
To determine the home warranty companies ranking, the Forbes Home editorial team analyzed 52 companies, with each company’s star rating determined by evaluating a variety of metrics and subcategories, including years of experience, signup and restrictions, plan pricing, fees and discounts, coverage features, property coverage, consumer sentiment insights, customer support options and nationwide availability.
You can find out more about how Forbes Home rates home warranty companies on our detailed methodology page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does American Home Shield not cover?
Though American Home Shield offers broad coverage for over 14 appliances and systems in your home across its three plans, its protections don’t extend to structural damage or repair needs due to weather-related or natural disasters. If you’re looking for this type of coverage, what you really need is home insurance.
It’s also important to note that American Home Shield will not cover any repairs done by a technician or contractor outside of the company’s network that AHS did not preapprove.
How long do you have to have American Home Shield before you can use it?
As with many other home warranty companies, American Home Shield’s contracts require you to wait 30 days before filing your first claim or making your first service request. If you don’t, you may have to pay the full cost of whatever repair is needed.
Does American Home Shield cover preexisting conditions?
American Home Shield covers preexisting conditions in your home’s appliances and systems if they don’t raise any flags before your coverage date. Good examples of this would be rust or corrosion. The contract with American Home Shield states that you do not need documentation for this pre-existing condition when you make a related claim.
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