American Home Protect is based in Texas and has been in business for three years. The company claims to be dedicated to superior customer service, fast response times, and providing a personalized experience to its customers.
Before we dive into our review of American Home Protect, we want to disclose that multiple third-party customer reviews claim that American Home Protect is illegitimate. During the course of our research, we found a high volume of complaints that referred to the company’s negative reputation and lack of transparency and accessibility.
In this review, our team will go in-depth with American Home Protect plans, pricing, and customer reviews, and make our recommendation for the best home warranty company in the industry.
American Home Protect Plans and Coverage
American Home Protect has one plan listed on its website, which can be adapted when and if a homeowner should choose to incorporate add-on items.
Premier Coverage Plan
| Item | Covered? |
|---|---|
| Kitchen refrigerator | ✔ |
| Built-in dishwasher | ✔ |
| Built- in microwave | ✔ |
| Cooking Range/Oven/Cooktop | ✔ |
| Garbage disposal | ✔ |
| Clothes washer | ✔ |
| Clothes dryer | ✔ |
| Ceiling fans | ✔ |
| Home systems | ✔ |
| Water heater | ✔ |
| Central air conditioning/cooling system | ✔ |
| Central heating system | ✔ |
| Electrical system | ✔ |
The following items are available to add on to the Premier Plan at an additional cost:
- Freestanding freezer
- Freestanding ice maker
- Spa equipment
- Swimming pool
- Plumbing
- Central vacuum system
- Garage door opener
In comparison with other providers, the American Home Protect sample agreement is not very detailed and doesn’t mention when coverage kicks in. This agreement also doesn’t break down details about coverage limits or exclusions.
American Home Protect Pricing
No public information is listed on the American Home Protect website regarding plan cost.
Additionally, when we tried getting information through an online form, we received this error message: “Failed to send your message. Please try later or contact the administrator by another method.”
Though American Home Protect doesn’t provide pricing information of plans on their website, they provide this breakdown of average repair and replacement costs to help illustrate the value of their home warranty service agreements.
| Service | Repair Cost | Replacement Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Heating system | $280–$400 | $2,800–$4,000 |
| Air conditioning | $160–$500 | $300–$6,000 |
| Plumbing system | $150–$750 | $1,000–$15,000 |
| Refrigerator | $100–$400 | $800–$8,000 |
| Water heater | $200–$700 | $1,300+ |
| Washer | $100–$400+ | $700–$1,000 |
| Dryer | $130–$180+ | $400–$1,000 |
| Dishwasher | $100–$300 | $400–$700 |
| Oven/Stove | $160–$260+ | $650–$2,000 |
How to Make a Claim with American Home Protect
Information on where to submit a claim is not available on the American Home Protect website. However, there are some details regarding the claims process that are transparent.
Every time you submit a service request, you’ll pay a service fee, or what American Home Protect calls a “diagnostic fee.” The details of this fee will be in your individual service contract. This fee is paid to American Home Protect customer service representatives and will range between $36 and $65.
Note: American Home Protect states that it allows for an unlimited number of covered repairs, and that if the service contractor determines that your appliance or system cannot be repaired, it will be replaced.
American Home Protect Reviews
American Home Protect is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has a C+ rating. As with any home warranty company, American Home Protect has a mix of positive and negative reviews.
Here’s what customers have to say:
“Watch out for [predatory] sales tactics. Got a pink slip in the mail that alluded I already had a home warranty that had lapsed and that American Home Protect had attempted to contact me twice regarding this issue. In fact, I have never owned any home warranty product from anyone. These kinds of sales tactics prey on the elderly and other unsuspecting victims. American Home Protect, LLC should not be permitted to continue these tactics without legal [repercussion.]” — Brian B. on 2/26/2020
“I have received the “second notice” [letter] from American Home Protect, LLC. Both the first letter and this one scream scam at second look, if you do some easy research. Don’t be fooled by this or many other companies when buying or owning a house. Do your research first and keep full records of everything that relates to the house or personal assets!” — Kevin B. on 1/24/2020
Our Conclusion
The This Old House Reviews Team rates American Home Protect a 7.1/10. The company doesn’t have transparent pricing on its website, is difficult to contact, and doesn’t have the best reputation regarding customer service.
Our Preferred Provider: American Home Shield
We recommend American Home Shield as the best home warranty provider in the industry. In business since 1971, AHS offers coverage in 49 states, has a variety of flexible plans, and responds to customer service requests within 24 hours 98% of the time.
Here’s how our top choice stacks up against American Home Protect.
American Home Shield vs. American Home Protect
| Provider | American Home Shield | American Home Protect |
|---|---|---|
| Sample Contract Provided | Yes | Yes |
| Number of Plans | 3 | 1 |
| Lowest Annual Premium | $500.00 | Not provided |
| Optional Add-Ons | Yes | Yes |
| # of States Covered | 49 | Not provided |
| Excluded States | Alaska | Not provided |
| Waiting Period | 30 days | Not provided |
| Service Fee | $75–$125 | $35–$65 |
| Years in Business | 49 | 3 |
| BBB Accredited | Yes | No |
| BBB Rating | B | C+ |
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each provider. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts from each company, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys. We then score each provider against our review standards for coverage, value, trustworthiness and transparency, availability, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.