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American Home Shield vs Guaranteed Home Warranty

Thursday, June 1st

2023 Home Warranty Company Reviews

American Home Shield Review 2.5 Star Rating

American Home Shield

2.5 Star Rating
  • Accredited by the BBB
  • In business for over 50 years
  • Millions of customers
  • All plans cover older items and those without maintenance records
  • Choose your trade service call fee

American Home Shield is one of the biggest home warranty providers in the nation, with over two million clients and a history spanning 50+ years. You've got three plan levels to choose from, depending on how much coverage you need and your budget. Add-ons for electronics, pools/spas, septic/well pumps, and even guest buildings are available. Unfortunately, AHS has received over 10,000 complaints at the BBB alone, and customers say that the service here is disappointing at best. Consider a higher-ranked home warranty company before signing up with American Home Shield.

Guaranteed Home Warranty Review 1 Star Rating

Guaranteed Home Warranty

1 Star Rating
  • Parent company is "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB
  • Refers you to other home warranty services

Unless you like sending your contact information out into the world and hoping that you'll be matched with a good warranty company, don't use Guaranteed Home Warranty. This site is for lead generation only, and when you give them your details they simply pass it along to an undisclosed list of providers who pay to get prospective clients. It makes much more sense to go directly to one of the top-rated services in our review. Don't bother visiting Guaranteed Home Warranty.

Where Can You Get the Best Home Warranty Protection?

Maybe you're a landlord trying to mitigate your operating expenses. Or you're trying to sell your home in a tough market and want to set prospective buyers' minds at ease. Then again, you could be like the average homeowner who wants some protection against those unexpected expenses like a failing air conditioner or a leaky bathtub.

In all of these situations, a good home warranty is a wise choice that can make the difference between a quick, inexpensive fix and a huge repair bill. How do home warranty plans work? Most providers give you several plans to choose from, ranging from basic coverage of appliances or systems, to premium packages that cover just about every component of your home. There are usually add-on services for an extra fee, like coverage of your electronics, sump pumps, septic systems, pools/spas, and so on.

The Best Home Warranty Companies Compare Home Warranty Companies Compare Home Warranty Company Reviews What are the best Home Warranty Companies Best Home Warranty Company Reviews

Home Warranty Company FAQ

Home warranties protect your home's appliances and systems in the event of a malfunction. Normal wear and tear takes a toll on all systems in your house, so a home warranty saves you from having to spend the hundreds or thousands of dollars it takes for even the smallest of repairs. By purchasing a home warranty plan, you're able to call a technician to repair or replace your faulty appliances when needed.
Having a home warranty provides peace of mind. It usually comes as a surprise when your heating system stops working, your dryer breaks, or your air conditioner goes out. When your systems and appliances need a repair, it is an urgent matter and you want to make sure you're able to afford the cost of getting them fixed. If you have a plan that covers the item that malfunctions, you'll have it paid for minus the cost of any applicable deductible or service fee.
When purchasing a home warranty, you'll be able to select from different plans depending on what you want covered. They might include a kitchen plan (fridge, range, oven, dishwasher, garbage disposal, etc.), heating and cooling (air conditioning, interior electrical system, central heating, etc.), plumbing systems, pool pumps, garage door opener, TVs, laptops, and more. You can buy as many plans as you want or bundle and save!
Home warranties are usually billed monthly and range from about $30 - $100/month depending on what you want covered, how many plans you buy, if you bundle your plans, and so on. On top of this, the company you use might charge service fees or have a deductible set up that you'll need to meet before they cover the rest of what it takes for repairs. Either way, having a home warranty will likely save you thousands of dollars in the long run since appliance repairs can be so expensive.
Home warranties cover the effects of normal wear and tear on systems and appliances. After running your dishwasher a couple hundred times, it might need maintenance, which would be covered by your warranty (if you selected a plan that included it). Home insurance protects you financially from unexpected major events like a fire, flood, or weather damage. It allows you to get a lump sum of money to replace items in the home or the house itself when disaster strikes. However, if your air conditioning goes out in the middle of summer, you're out of luck if you have home insurance without a home warranty.
A home warranty lasts as long as you choose to pay for it! Many people just budget for it long-term and pay year after year just like they make their house payment. You can pay monthly or make a yearly payment on the type of coverage you select. As long as you are subscribed to a home warranty plan, you'll be able to have a repairman come to your home to take care of your appliances and systems when problems arise.
There is no limit to the number of repairs you can call in during your home warranty contract. If there is a service fee, you'll need to pay that each time a technician comes out. If you have a deductible to meet, you'll pay for each repair until you hit your deductible and can be fully covered by the company. It's reassuring to know that regardless of how many things go wrong in your home, as long as your contract includes the repairs, you'll be able to have them taken care of!
Every home warranty service might do things a little differently. Most of the time you'll be able to call in and let them know your issue and get a timeframe for a technician to come make repairs. Some companies have an online form you fill out and then they contact you back and dispatch their workers. It's easy to get the help when you need it within a reasonable timeframe when you're dealing with home warranty companies.
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Continued from above...

All home warranties have limits, exclusions, and caps on the amount your policy will pay over the life of the contract: this is one of those times where it's essential to read the fine print and understand what's covered and what's not.

You should also expect a 30-day waiting period before your coverage takes effect. In other words, don't think you can hurriedly throw a warranty plan on your broken fridge and expect it to get fixed - unless you want to wait a whole month. Many home warranty companies use this time as a money-back guarantee period, in case you change your mind or discover something in your policy that you weren't aware of when you signed up. One such "surprise" is often the trade call service fee: what you'll pay per service call, similar to a copay you'd have on a medical insurance plan or a deductible with your car insurance. Be aware that you could have multiple fees for a single repair, if the fix requires different tradespeople to get it taken care of (both a plumber and an electrician).

You've got a lot of companies to consider for your home warranty, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. How can you tell which ones will deliver what they promise? Here are the most useful criteria to guide your decision:

  • Reputation. First and foremost, what do homeowners say about their experience with the home warranty provider? Are claims handled quickly, with repair technicians dispatched in a timely manner? Does the company approve claims easily, or should you expect to fight to get them approved and paid for? How many complaints have been registered, in comparison with any positive feedback?
  • Coverage. What will you get for what you pay? Can you select a tier of service that doesn't make you spend money on coverage you don't need? What's included and what's not?
  • Value. What will you spend on your home warranty? How much will you pay for trade service call fees? Play with the numbers and see what your annual premium totals and fees might be, compared with what you'd spend out of pocket to take care of the repairs on your own.

To help protect your home (and your savings), TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked today's most popular home warranty providers. We're sure this information will help you choose the right plan for your property!

Compare Home Warranty Companies

Select any 2 Home Warranty Companies to compare them head to head

best-home-warranty-plans
  • American Residential Warranty
  • Elite Home Warranty
  • First American Home Warranty
  • Cinch Home Services
  • Select Home Warranty
  • Home Warranty of America
  • Choice Home Warranty
  • American Home Shield
  • Guaranteed Home Warranty
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