What is the Waiting Period for an American Home Shield® Home Warranty?

Key Takeaways

What is the American Home Shield waiting period?

A home warranty waiting period is the short span of time between when you purchase your plan and when your coverage officially begins. For American Home Shield members, that period is 30 days. During this time, you can’t yet request service for covered repairs—but once it ends, your protection is in full effect.

Waiting periods exist to help keep coverage fair for everyone. Without them, people could sign up only after something breaks, then cancel right after a repair—driving up costs and slowing down service for long-term members. A short waiting period helps ensure that coverage is used as intended: to protect your home from the unexpected, not the already broken.

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Are there any exceptions to the 30-day waiting period?

There are a few exceptions to the 30-day waiting period to begin your home warranty coverage:

Real Estate Transaction Exemption

You may receive a home warranty plan as part of a real estate transaction as a gift from the seller or their agent, or you may negotiate a home warranty plan as part of the transaction. If this is your situation, there is no home warranty waiting period and you can begin using your home warranty plan upon closing.

A visual inspection will not always illuminate any issues with your home systems or appliances. Similarly, a mechanical inspection (does it turn on and off?) will not always indicate that a system or appliance is malfunctioning. Older homes, systems, and appliances often have hidden defects. After moving, the last thing you want to do is pay out of pocket to repair or replace something in your new home. That’s why buying or receiving an American Home Shield® home warranty as part of a real estate transaction is an especially good idea.

If you didn’t buy or receive a home warranty plan as part of your real estate transaction, be sure to look into buying a warranty after closing; though, in this case, the 30-day waiting period won’t be waived.

Plan renewal exemption

Another exemption to the 30-day home warranty waiting period is if you’re renewing a home warranty plan. If you renew your home warranty plan at the end of the standard 12-month plan agreement, your coverage will continue without a break, meaning you don’t need to be concerned about a 30-day waiting period at the beginning of your renewed plan agreement.

Maintaining your coverage over time is the best way to protect your budget from the sudden, unexpected costs of covered breakdowns. So, if you’re nearing renewal time, be sure to log in to your account and renew your plan to avoid an accidental lapse in coverage. If you set up automatic payments, we’ll send next year’s agreement at least 30 days before your current plan agreement expires.

Do I need service records or a home inspection to qualify for service?

While one of the most pressing questions is how soon you can use a home warranty after purchase, it can also be confusing to know what paperwork—if any—you need to justify your repairs. We’ll break down exactly what’s required (and what’s not) so you can request service with confidence.

Service records

We understand that you can’t always have a pulse on everything malfunctioning in your home—particularly if you bought an older house with unknown pre-existing conditions. American Home Shield sets itself apart from some other home warranty companies by not requiring homeowners to produce maintenance records for their home’s systems and appliances to qualify for home warranty coverage of those items.

Home warranty coverage with American Home Shield specifically includes coverage for items that break down due to prior insufficient maintenance. We also provide coverage for the breakdown of items due to rust or corrosion, sediment accumulation, incorrect installation, or mismatched indoor and outdoor units—either in capacity or efficiency for proper operation.

Home inspections

Home inspections can be expensive and time-consuming. Since we value your time and money, we don’t require that you have a home inspection before signing up for one of our home warranty plans—even though it may be a requirement with other home warranty companies. Our plans include covered breakdowns caused by normal wear and tear after the 30-day home warranty waiting period.

However, you are welcome to get a home inspection to fully cover your bases and verify that your appliances and home systems are in good working order before your coverage begins. That will provide you with evidence that the system or appliance you’re requesting service for was working or had an undetectable condition when your coverage began.

Don’t wait to get a home warranty

A home warranty with American Home Shield covers parts of up to 23 of your home’s systems and appliances. Even though home breakdowns might be inevitable, that doesn’t mean you should stress about them. With comprehensive coverage and flexible home warranty costs, our plans can provide budget protection and give you peace of mind in your home—these are just a few of the reasons for getting a home warranty. For more information about choosing a plan, check out our Home Warranty Guide.

Now that you understand the American Home Shield waiting period, check out more answers to frequently asked questions, like what a home warranty is and the difference between homeowners insurance vs. a home warranty.

AHS assumes no responsibility, and specifically disclaims all liability, for your use of any and all information contained herein.