Select Home Warranty Vs American Home Shield

American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty are regularly quoted among the most popular players in the home warranty industry. Many potential home warranty customers may come across the names of these two companies in companies’ lists of various platforms. But a regular question that most customers may face is which company deserves their business more. In order to offer clarity on this subject, we’ve come up with a detailed comparative study to help you make an informed choice.

Based out of Memphis, Tennessee, American Home Shield is the pioneer of the home warranty industry. The company was founded in 1971 and has succeeded in acquiring 1.8 million customers to date. AHS provides home warranty services in all the US states except for Alaska. They also offer comprehensive home service plans and maintenance services to their customers.

A New Jersey-based company, Select Home Warranty, was founded in 2012. Despite its late entry into the home warranty scene, Select Home Warranty has won accolades and awards for its services. They offer services in 46 states in the US except for Nevada, Wisconsin, New York, and Washington.

SHW vs. AHS: A Comparison

Coverage Comparison of SHW and AHS

Take a look at how American Home Shield’s coverage compares to Select Home Warranty.

*Only Ceiling Fans are covered by Select Home Warranty.

**Roof Leak Repair is an optional add-on for ShieldSilver and ShieldPlatinum members and part of standard coverage for ShieldPlatinum members.

Select Home Warranty: Select Home Warranty’s standard coverage misses out on a few items covered by AHS, like the instant hot/cold water dispenser and attic or exhaust fans. However, they have the upper hand when it comes to optional coverage items.

The company offers three plans with varying levels of coverage – Bronze Care, Gold Care, and Platinum Care. The Bronze Care plan covers the appliances in your home, the Gold Care plan covers the systems, and the Platinum Care is the most comprehensive plan covering both systems and appliances.

American Home Shield: American Home Shield’s standard coverage is more comprehensive when compared to Select Home Warranty. AHS does not provide much variety when it comes to add-on coverage. It misses out on stand-alone freezers, lawn sprinkler systems, and sump pumps, all items that Select Home Warranty offers as optional add-ons.

AHS has three plans that offer different levels of coverage – ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. ShieldSilver only provides coverage to the systems in your home. ShieldGold offers protection to 23 appliances and systems in your home. Their most comprehensive plan, ShieldPlatinum, covers all the items mentioned above, provides coverage boosts, and extends the dollar limits on covered items.

Plans & Price Comparison of SHW & AHS

The pricing details are often the deciding factor when buying a home warranty. Afterall, the plan’s cost must be within your budget. Since we are doing a comparative analysis of American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty, we have compiled their pricing information in a table. The table depicts the monthly premiums, trade call fees, and item limits of both companies.

The trade call fee or deductible has to be paid to the service technician that visits your home for repair. As you can see, AHS offers three deductible options. You can choose to pay a higher deductible to reduce your monthly premium or choose the lower deductible to pay a higher monthly premium.

Special Features of Select Home Warranty & American Home Shield

This section will list any special offers, programs, discounts, and deals that Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield may offer. These special features are designed to attract potential customers and set their services apart from the rest. Take a look at what SHW and AHS have to offer.

Select Home Warranty

Select Home Warranty regularly runs discounts and deals on its website. The company is currently running a Memorial Day sale offering $150 off, free roof coverage, and 2 free months of coverage.

American Home Shield

American Home Shield is offering $50 off on all their plans to celebrate their 50th anniversary this year.

Recognizing the importance of technology, AHS offers Electronic coverage by partnering with a third party.

Unlike other home warranty companies, American Home Shield, as a part of their Shield Assurances, offers their services despite the following conditions –

Policies Of SHW & AHS

A careful reading of your home warranty policy is necessary to understand the details of your contract. Doing so can help you figure out the extent of your home warranty coverage, your company’s claims process, and other important details. Here is how a few policies of SHW and AHS compare with each other.

Select Home Warranty

We have listed how Select Home Warranty works, their claims, renewal, transfer, and cancellation policies in this section.

How Does It Work?

If you intend to go with Select Home Warranty, you need to shortlist one among the three plans offered based on your needs. You can also purchase any of the optional items by paying extra.

There is a 30-day waiting period at the beginning of the coverage term. After the initial waiting period, you can place a call to the company or file a claim online on their website whenever a covered item breaks down. The company then verifies the validity of your claim and proceeds to send a contractor to your home.

You will have to pay a trade call fee to the service contractor when he comes to diagnose and repair the broken item. If the broken item is beyond repair, it will be replaced by Select Home Warranty.

Claims & Customer Service

Reviews of many Select Home Warranty customers suggest that the service offered by the company is commendable. Customer support is available 24/7. You should file a claim for repair or replacement within three days of discovering the malfunction. Here is how Select Home Warranty’s claims process works –

• Call Select Home Warranty’s phone number or go to the website to submit your claim.
• Select Home Warranty will assign an independent service technician to come over and repair your system/appliance within two business days and four business days over the weekend.
• If you want to acquire the services of a private technician unrelated to Select Home Warranty, you must get prior authorization from the home warranty company.
• Select Service Call fee will have to be paid by you to the company or contractor. However, the cost of repair or replacement will be borne by them.

Renewal

For renewing your contract, you need to get in touch with a Select Home Warranty representative before your coverage period ends. The representative will inform you of any new rates or terms of coverage. You should note that it is up to the company’s discretion whether they renew your contract or not.

If you chose the monthly payment option and Select chooses to renew your home warranty contract, they’ll inform you of the rate and coverage terms during the tenth month of your contract. SHW automatically renews your contract in the case of annual coverage unless you notify the company in writing 30 days before the contract expiration.

Transfer & Cancelation

You may call 855.267.3532 to inform the company and find out further information on transferring your contract.

If you cancel your contract within the first 30 days, you will be eligible for a full refund. If you choose to cancel your contract after the first month, you will get a prorated refund at the non-discounted annual plan cost. You will also be charged a $75 administrative fee and any service costs incurred by the company because of you.

American Home Shield

We have listed how American Home Shield works, their claims, renewal, transfer, and cancelation policies in this section.

How Does It Work?

If you decide to go with American Home Shield, you will have to identify one of their three plans based on your home needs. Once you select your plan, you have to choose your deductible option. If you choose a higher deductible, you can pay a lower premium and if you choose a lower deductible, you have to pay a higher premium.

Similar to other home warranty companies, American Home Shield has a 30-day waiting period. After the waiting period ends, you can place a service request to the company whenever a covered item falls into disrepair.

After processing your claim, the company will send a service contractor to diagnose and repair the problem. You will have to pay a trade call fee to your service contractor. If the contractor fails to fix the device in question, it will be replaced by the company.

Claims & Customer Service

Customers can file claims through the American Home Shield website or phone number. As the largest home warranty company, AHS warranty customer service has paid out claims worth $2 billion since 2013.

To file a claim with AHS, follow the below-mentioned steps:

• Call the AHS helpline number to schedule a service visit or submit a claim online
• You are required to pay a service call fee for the service visit
• A contractor would be assigned to visit you

Many customers report that American Home Shield lives up to its reputation by ensuring satisfactory customer service. They offer 24/7 customer support and have a vast network of over 15,000 service contractors. Their service technicians generally receive positive reviews for keeping up with appointments and attending emergencies on short notice.

Renewal

When it comes to renewing your AHS contract, the decision lies with the company to renew the service contract or not. If they decide to renew, you will be notified of the terms within 60 days prior to the expiration of the contract. As the contract renewal is automatic, you don’t need to do anything if you intend to extend your contract term.

Transfer & Cancelation

The company may terminate your AHS contract in case of fees, nonpayment or fraud, or misrepresentation. You can cancel the contract at any time for any reason. If you cancel the agreement within the 30-day waiting period, you will be eligible for a full refund. After the waiting period, you will receive a pro-rata refund of the contract fees for the remaining term upon cancelation. The amount will be minus an administrative fee equal to your monthly premium. In some cases, you may have to pay AHS upon cancelation if the service costs provided by the company are more significant than your contract fee.

The policies of both companies are comprehensive and can provide you with all the information you require. We recommend carefully reading the service agreement to understand policy exhaustions, exceptions, and other necessary details.

Pros and Cons of Select Home Warranty & American Home Shield

We recommend weighing the benefits and drawbacks of home warranty policies, so you can decide if it’s worth purchasing. For this article, we have compiled a short pros and cons list for Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield below.

Standout Features of Select Home Warranty

Standout Features of American Home Shield

Who Wins? Select Home Warranty or American Home Shield?

The difference between Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield is negligible in some cases but very apparent in others. Both companies have a good reputation for their responsive customer service and skilled contractor network.

With years of experience and a reasonable track record in customer service, both the companies are worthy of consideration for prospective customers. But, be informed that for making the most of home warranty services, your selection of a home warranty company and offers must be based on your requirements. Be upfront with your requirements with whichever company you decide to choose, and make sure to read your contract in detail before making a commitment.

Make an informed decision based on what you have read and based on what appears to be a worthy investment at the end of your research. In the end, you should go for a company that is the right fit for your needs and offers the best coverage to your home.