The Home Service Club vs American Home Shield
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Need to compare The Home Service Club vs. American Home Shield? These top-rated home warranty companies offer plans that protect major systems and appliances when they unexpectedly break down. In this article, we examine coverage plans, cost, customer reviews, and more so that you can decide which company best fits your home protection needs.
How Does The Home Service Club vs. American Home Shield Compare Side-by-Side?
| Provider | The Home Service Club | American Home Shield |
|---|---|---|
| This Old House rating | 9.15/10 | 9.5/10 |
| Get a free quote | Not available through This Old House | Visit site |
| Coverage options | Standard, Comprehensive, and optional add-ons | Systems, Appliances, Combo, and optional add-ons |
| Monthly premiums | $45.95–$60.95 per month | $39.99–$57.99 per month |
| Service fee deductible | $95 | $75–$125 |
| State availability | 47 states (excluding Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin) | 49 states (excluding Alaska) |
| BBB rating | C | B |
| Years in business | 11 | 49 |
What Are the Pros and Cons of The Home Service Club?
The Home Service Club offers two coverage plans that protect a variety of home systems and appliances. This provider also offers 12 optional add-ons that allows customers to further customize coverage.
What Are the Pros and Cons of American Home Shield?
American Home Shield has been in the home warranty industry since 1971 and has a contractor network of over 16,000 independent professionals. Because of how popular American Home Shield is, nearly one out of every two home warranty customers purchases their home warranty from the company.
To get $50 off of a new plan, call 844-529-9298 or submit this form.
How Does The Home Service Club vs. American Home Shield Coverage Compare?
- The Home Service Club offers two plans and optional add-ons, while American Home Shield offers three plans along with extra coverage options.
Keep reading to compare coverage details between the two providers.
The Home Service Club Coverage
The Home Service Club offers two coverage plans: a Standard Plan and Comprehensive Plan. The Standard Plan covers 18 home appliances and systems, and the Comprehensive Plan covers 30 home appliances and systems. The Home Service Club includes more in its base plan than American Home Shield.
Here are the items covered in each Home Service Club plans:
Home Service Club Plans
| Plans | Standard Coverage | Comprehensive Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioners | ✓ | ✓ |
| Heating system (including heat pumps) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plumbing system | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water leaks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water heater | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electrical system | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ceiling fans | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central vacuum(s) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Garbage disposal | ✓ | ✓ |
| Garage door opener | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microwave oven (built-in) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dishwashers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Refrigerators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ovens, ranges, and cooktops | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trash compactors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Food centers (built-in) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clothes washer/clothes dryer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Freestanding ice makers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ductwork | ✓ | |
| Gas leaks | ✓ | |
| Sump pump | ✓ | |
| Whole house exhaust and attic fans | ✓ | |
| Instant hot/cold water dispenser | ✓ | |
| Pest control | ✓ | |
| Telephone wiring | ✓ | |
| Alarm warning | ✓ | |
| Smoke detectors | ✓ | |
| Doorbells | ✓ | |
| Whirlpool motor and pump assemblies | ✓ | |
| Plumbing stoppage coverage | ✓ |
American Home Shield Coverage
American Home Shield offers three plans: ShieldSilver™, ShieldGold™, and ShieldPlatinum. ShieldPlatinum combines ShieldSilver and ShieldGold and adds extra perks like coverage boosts and roof leak coverage. In contrast to The Home Service Club, kitchen and laundry appliances aren’t covered in the base plan.
Here’s what each American Home Shield plan covers:
AHS Plan Options
| Systems and Appliances | ShieldSilver™ | ShieldGold™ | ShieldPlatinum™ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Heating System | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ductwork | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electrical | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Doorbells | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smoke Detectors | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ceiling Fans | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plumbing and Stoppages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water Heaters | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water Dispensers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Central Vacuums | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Refrigerators | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ranges, Ovens, and Cooktops | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clothes Washer | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clothes Dryers | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dishwashers | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-In Microwave | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trash Compactors | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Freestanding Ice Maker | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Garage Door Opener | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-In Food Centers | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage Boost | – | – | ✓ |
| Roof Leak Coverage | – | – | ✓ |
American Home Shield vs. Home Service Club Add-on Options Compared
American Home Shield and The Home Service Club offer these add-ons to customers:
- Septic pump
- Pool and spa
- Well pump
- Electronic extended warranty
- Guest units up to 750 square feet
- Jetted bathtub
- Well pump
- Roof coverage
- Sewage ejector pump
- Pool or spa
- Water softener
- Freestanding freezer
- Spa and spa heater
- Sprinkler system
- Freestanding additional refrigerator
- Refrigerator built-in units with dual compressors
- Utility line coverage
How Does The Home Service Club vs. American Home Shield Cost Compare?
Based on the quotes we received, monthly premiums from The Home Service Club are roughly the same as premiums from American Home Shield. Note: The Home Service Club doesn’t offer flexibility with its service fee, but American Home Shield allows you to choose a service fee between $75–$125—the amount you choose impacts your monthly premium.
Home Warranty Cost Comparison
| Company | The Home Service Club | American Home Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Premium Cost | $45.95–$60.95 per month | $39.99–$57.99 per month |
| Service Call Fee | $95 | $75–$125 |
How Do The Home Service Club vs. American Home Shield Reviews Compare?
The Home Service Club is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and received a lower rating than American Home Shield from the organization. However, The Home Service Club reviews have been more positive, on average, than American Home Shield reviews.
Home Warranty Customer Reviews Comparison
| Provider | The Home Service Club | American Home Shield |
|---|---|---|
| BBB rating | C | B |
| BBB accreditation | No | Yes |
| Average BBB customer review rating (out of 5 stars) | 4.5 stars | 2.5 stars |
| Number of customer reviews on BBB webpage | 1,483 reviews | 6,198 reviews |
Who’s Our Top Pick?
- American Home Shield and The Home Service Club both offer home warranty plans with unique strengths. American Home Shield offers coverage for damage due to rust or corrosion, while The Home Service Club covers more items in its plans and offers more optional add-ons.
Because of its reputation as an industry leader, comprehensive plan options, and flexible service fees, we recommend American Home Shield over The Home Service Club for most homeowners. That being said, The Home Service Club is still a strong choice and should be considered by homeowners who need quick protection, as it doesn’t require a home inspection before coverage begins.
Before buying a home warranty, we recommend getting a free quote from The Home Service Club and American Home Shield in the panel above. You can also learn more about both of these companies by reading our The Home Service Club review and our American Home Shield review.
FAQ About Home Warranties?
Is a home warranty worth it?
A home warranty, also known as a home service contract, protects your home systems and appliances from expensive repairs caused by normal wear and tear. Homeowners who have a home warranty pay a relatively low premium that costs about $25 to $60 per month. Whenever service is needed, they pay a service call fee between $75–$125. Without a home warranty, common repairs and replacements could cost thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Do home warranties cover pools and spas?
Most home warranty companies offer coverage for pools and spas as an optional add-on, which can be purchased separately from the company’s pre-packaged plans.
Is there a waiting period on a home warranty?
After a home warranty plan is purchased, most home warranty companies have a waiting period before a homeowner can submit their first claim. American Home Shield and The Home Service Club have a waiting period of 30 days.
Our Rating Methodology
We back up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to score each provider objectively. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys.
We score each provider against our review standards, which include four comparison categories: coverage, value, trust and transparency, and availability and service. We rate each provider across 31 factors within these categories. Each factor is assigned a point value based on its importance to a homeowner, totaling 100 points. We then convert the final scores to a 5-star rating.
Here’s a breakdown of our weighted factors:
- Coverage (40%): We scored coverage based on included home systems and appliances, add-on options, and unique benefits. We also compared coverage caps and policy exclusions.
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- Additional coverage items
- Annual coverage cap
- Home systems coverage
- Major appliances coverage
- Obstructed wall coverage cap
- Value (30%): We compared the coverage level received to monthly pricing to determine plan value. We considered premium pricing, service fees, and flexibility in customizing plan costs.
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- Average monthly cost
- Cost flexibility
- Lowest service fee
- Trust and Transparency (16%): We evaluated each company’s reputation using the Better Business Bureau ratings and customer reviews on third-party review sites. We read through plan change policies, workmanship protections, and sample contract availability.
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- Brand reputation
- Policy change flexibility
- Sample contract availability
- Workmanship guarantee length
- Availability and Service (14%): We award higher scores for faster claim processing and response times. We also considered service technician policies, including options to choose your technician.
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- Claims process
- Guaranteed response time
- Service flexibility
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
