As a homeowner, you want to be prepared when the unexpected happens. Your systems and appliances will eventually succumb to normal wear and tear. The problem is you never know when. A home warranty is a budget-friendly way to plan ahead.

Home warranties are also beneficial because you know exactly who to call when vital appliances fail. With an American Home Shield® Home Warranty, you know you’ll be getting an experienced contractor sent to your home promptly. 

American Home Shield has three plans with varying levels of coverage for homeowners. You’ll get access to home warranty benefits no matter which plan you choose, but our most comprehensive plan is ShieldPlatinum™. 

• ShieldSilver Plan™: This plan covers 14 major systems that are vital to your household, like plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling systems.

• ShieldGold Plan™: This plan protects all of the major systems in ShieldSilver™, with an added nine appliances that are instrumental to your home, including items like kitchen and laundry appliances.

• ShieldPlatinum Plan™: This plan is protection with a capital P, covering 23 essential systems and appliances. Plus, it has lifesavers like roof leak repair, unlimited A/C refrigerant, coverage for code violations and permits, and even a free HVAC tune-up. 

It’s a good idea to weigh home warranty benefits against the potential disadvantages (though we don’t think there are many). Here are some pros and cons of a home warranty.

Buying a Home Warranty: Pros and Cons

Though we highly recommend getting a home warranty, there are some things to consider when deciding to purchase a plan.

• You may end up paying for something you don’t have to use. Throughout your year-long contract, there is a chance that you may not need to submit a service request. But think of an American Home Shield warranty like a warranty for your car or other expensive items—it’s your protection when one of your appliances decides to break down. Our maintenance programs (like seasonal HVAC tune-ups) and service plans are great ways to ensure everything is running smoothly. 

• You have no control over who the warranty company sends. This is typically true of most home warranty companies. But what sets American Home Shield apart is that we have a network of 17,000 locally licensed contractors to service and diagnose any issue you may have. Our members routinely review them to make sure they’re qualified for the job, so you know your home item is in good hands. We also have a 30-day workmanship guarantee—if you have an issue with your completed repair within 30 days of service, we’ll send a contractor back out at no extra cost to you. 

Here’s what you get to look forward to with the benefits of an American Home Shield® home warranty:

• You get to choose your service call fee. When purchasing your one-year plan, you get to select the amount of the service call fee—$75, $100, or $125, plus applicable sales tax—giving you the freedom to decide whether you’d rather pay less monthly for the plan or less for service requests. 

• Experience shorter wait times for service calls. Being an American Home Shield® member saves you the hassle of finding someone to repair your home system or appliance. Simply submit a service request online—24 hours a day, seven days a week—or pick up the phone and give us a call. We make sure to address your issue as soon as possible. 

• No maintenance inspection or record of maintenance is required. If you have an appliance or system breakdown that's covered, we repair or replace it. The age or physical appearance doesn’t matter. Since American Home Shield covers items with undetectable pre-existing conditions, things that are improperly installed, and breakdowns caused by lack of maintenance, you can purchase or sell a home knowing we have your back.

Extended Home Warranty Benefits

Every home is unique, which is why we offer add-ons for extending your home warranty benefits to protect the extra items your house may have: pools and in-ground spas, guest units, electronics, and septic and well pumps. You know your home best, so we make sure you can customize your coverage to suit your needs. 

An American Home Shield® home warranty is more than just a backup plan. It’s a coverage plan that works just as hard as you do to protect your home. Shop plans and see how easily our home service plans can fit in your budget.