WHAT IS A HOME WARRANTY?
Good question! Here’s the textbook definition: A home warranty is an annual service contract that covers the cost to repair or replace parts of home appliances and systems that break down over time.
What do home warranty plans cover?
We have plans that cover parts of up to 21 home appliances and systems when they wear out, no matter their age. If we can’t fix them, we’ll replace them, or provide an alternative solution. As a member, you know your budget, your time, and, let’s be honest, your sanity is all good.
WE KNOW HOME WARRANTIES — WE FOUNDED THE INDUSTRY.
For more than 45 years, our members have counted on their American Home Shield® home warranties to help them plan for the inevitable, so when their systems and appliances freak out, they can stay calm, cool and collected.
We've paid more than $2 billion in warranty claims over the past five years. We won't ask you for a home inspection before you purchase one of our home warranty plans and we don't ask you to provide maintenance records.
HERE'S HOW AN AMERICAN HOME SHIELD HOME WARRANTY WORKS.
Choose your coverage.
Our best plan is the one that works for you. Choose a plan to help protect major parts and components of your home's systems, a plan for just appliances or our Combo Plan, which covers both.
Set your Trade Service Call Fee.
As a member of American Home Shield, you set the amount you pay when one of our contractors comes to diagnose your covered item.
When a covered item breaks down, we’re here for you.
Request service.
When a covered item breaks, you can request service online or by phone — day and night. Pay your set Trade Service Call Fee when you request service.
We assign a pro.
We assign a qualified local contractor from our network to diagnose your covered item and offer a solution. Our network covers 49 states.
YOU’VE GOT A BUDGET. EVEN BETTER YOU’VE GOT A PLAN.
If there’s one thing homeowners know to expect, it’s the unexpected. That’s why we exist. Breakdowns will happen, and the cost of repairing or replacing them could really set you back. With an American Home Shield® Home Warranty, you pay a consistent monthly fee and a set Trade Service Call Fee when you request service.
Home Warranty Coverage
Typical cost range to repair or replace an air conditioner.
$150* - $3,800
Typical cost range to repair or replace a refrigerator
$200* - $1,500
Typical cost range to repair or replace >an oven
$150* - $800
Typical cost range to repair or replace a washing machine
$150* - $700
Typical cost range to repair or replace a furnace
$120* - $3,500
*Repair/Replacement costs ranges are the twentieth and eightieth percentile of U.S. costs as reported in A Study of Homeowners’ Appliance and Home Systems Service Experiences, a nationwide survey of homeowners conducted in 2019 by ClearVantage for American Home Shield. Further reproduction or use is expressly prohibited.
GOT QUESTIONS? HERE ARE THE ONES WE HEAR MOST.
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How does a home warranty work?
- When a covered item breaks down, request service online at MyAccount or call 888.682.1043.
- Pay your Trade Service Call Fee.
- Your contractor will contact you to schedule an appointment.
- Your contractor will diagnose your problem.
- Based on the contractor's diagnosis, we'll determine whether your problem is covered by your home warranty. If it is covered, the contractor will repair or replace your covered item subject to limitations and exclusions.
- You'll get a follow-up email to make sure your problem was resolved to your satisfaction.
If you have questions, read When to Request Service from Your Home Warranty on our Home Matters blog. -
What is a home warranty?
A home warranty is a one-year service agreement that helps with the cost to repair or replace covered home system components and appliances when they inevitably break down due to normal wear and tear. When you request service, you'll pay a Trade Service Call Fee to initiate the service request. A licensed, independent contractor will schedule an appointment with you to determine the issue. If the problem is covered by your home warranty, American Home Shield will direct the contractor will to repair or replace your covered item subject to the limitations and exclusions of the home warranty. If you'd like to learn more about what a home warranty is and what it can cover, check out our blog post on Home Warranty Basics and What It Covers .
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What does an American Home Shield® Home Warranty cover?
Our flexible plans cover components of up to 21 of the essential home systems and appliances you depend on every day, from your A/C to your refrigerator to your water heater. Optional add-on coverage may also be purchased to cover items such as your home's pool and spa, well pump, and/or septic pump. View a sample contract for a complete list of what our plans can cover.
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Is a home warranty worth it?
We think so. A home warranty can help protect your budget when a covered item like your A/C or refrigerator breaks down. You can have some peace of mind knowing you have a plan in place for inevitable covered break downs. And you have budget protection because you won’t have to pay the full retail cost of repairing or replacing a covered item.
Check out our blog article, Is a Home Warranty Worth It?, if you would like to learn more.
HOME WARRANTY VS. HOME INSURANCE
Don’t think of us as insurance. Think of us as a plan to keep your systems and appliances working like they should. Homeowner's insurance protects against things that might happen — like fires, theft or natural disasters.
A home warranty gets used more – in fact, you’re 28 times more likely to use it than insurance. It helps protect your budget from the cost of repairing or replacing things you count on to keep your home running every day.
View our general limitations and exclusions
| Homeowners Insurance covers things that might happen. |
Home Warranty covers things that will happen. |
|---|---|
| Theft | HVAC stops running |
| Fire damage | Water leaks |
| Storm damage | Dishwasher stops running |
| Floods | Toilet overflows |
