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Select Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield (2024)

Author Image Written by Dana Getz + 1 other Reviewed by Jacquelyn Kfoury Updated 12/13/2024

Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield are both national home warranty companies available in most states. While Select Home Warranty offers cheaper plans and more optional coverage, American Home Shield offers more coverage plans, making it our top pick for comprehensive, reliable home protection.

We compare these two providers head-to-head on their cost, coverage plans, customer reviews, and more. Keep reading to determine which company provides the best home warranty for you and your home.


Our Take on Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield

  • Select Home Warranty has cheaper monthly premiums, lower service fees, and includes roof coverage in its plans. However, American Home Shield has more years of industry experience, more comprehensive plan options, and flexible service fees.

While AHS offers coverage in 49 states, excluding Alaska, SHW is available in 46 states, excluding Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Wisconsin.


Select Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield Overview

ProviderSelect Home WarrantyAmerican Home Shield

This Old House rating

3.7/5

4.8/5

Plan options

Bronze, Gold, Platinum, and optional add-ons

ShieldSilver™, ShieldGold™, ShieldPlatinum™, and optional add-ons

Monthly premiums

$44.42–$47.75 per month

$29.99–$89.99 per month

Service fee deductible

$60–$75

$100–$125

State availability

49 states (all except Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Wyoming)

49 states (all except Alaska)

BBB rating

B

B

Years in business

8

48


How Do Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield Compare For Coverage?

American Home Shield covers more appliances and systems than Select Home Warranty, but Select Home Warranty offers more optional coverage than American Home Shield. American Home Shield also offers coverage for items with undetectable pre-existing conditions.


What Are Select Home Warranty’s Plan Options?

There are three Select Home Warranty plans: Gold, Bronze, and Platinum. Gold Care covers six home systems, Bronze Care covers eight home appliances, and Platinum Care covers everything in the Bronze Care and Gold Care plans, plus garage door openers and plumbing stoppages.

Compare what each Select plan covers in the table below:

What Does Select Home Warranty’s Coverage Include?

PlansGold CareBronze CarePlatinum Care

AC/Cooling

Ductwork

Electrical system

Heating system

Plumbing system

Water heater

Cooktop

Dishwasher

Garbage disposal

Built-in microwave

Refrigerator

Stove/oven

Clothes washer

Clothes dryer

Garage door openers

Plumbing stoppages

What Are American Home Shield’s Plan Options?

There are three American Home Shield plans: ShieldSilver™, ShieldGold™, and ShieldPlatinum™. ShieldSilver covers major household systems. ShieldGold covers 10 essential kitchen and laundry appliances with all the systems in ShieldSilver, and ShieldPlatinum protects up to 23 home items with additional benefits that include coverage boosts and roof leak coverage.

Compare each American Home Shield plan in the table below:

What Does American Home Shield’s Coverage Include?

Systems and AppliancesShieldSilver™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

Rating:
Best Comprehensive Coverage

Select Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield Add-On Options

Compare the add-on options that Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield offer below:

Select Home Warranty Add-Ons

Select Home Warranty also offers 12 optional add-ons to purchase separately, including:

  • Plumbing fixtures
  • Well pump
  • Sump pump
  • Central vacuum
  • Septic system coverage
  • Refrigerator ice maker
  • Lawn sprinkler system
  • Pool and spa equipment
  • Lighting fixtures
  • Switches and outlets
  • Second refrigerator
  • Stand alone freezer

American Home Shield Add-Ons

In addition to its three standard plans, American Home Shield offers five optional add-ons:

  • Electronic extended warranty
  • Septic pump
  • Well pump
  • Pool and spas
  • Guest units up to 750 square feet

How Do Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield Costs Compare?

American Home Shield premiums start at a lower cost than Select Home Warranty but range higher in cost than Select Home Warranty premiums. Select Home Warranty has a lower service call fee range of $60–$75. American Home Shield allows you to choose a service fee of $100 or $125. The service fee you select with American Home Shield affects the cost of your monthly premium—the higher the service fee you select, the lower your monthly premium will be and vice versa.

Note: The optional add-on cost for each provider depends on the items you select and may add about $40 to $180 per year to your home warranty cost.

Select Home Warranty Pricing and Plans

  • Monthly cost: $44.42–$47.75
  • Service call fee cost: $60-$75 per claim
PlanMonthly CostService FeeCoverage Cap
Bronze Care$44.42$60-$75$500
Gold Care$44.42$60-$75$500 (HVAC: $3,000)
Platinum Care$47.75$60-$75Coverage caps remain the same

American Home Shield Pricing and Plans

  • Monthly cost: $29.99–$89.99
  • Service call fee cost: $100-$125 per claim
Plan$125 Service Fee Price$100 Service Call FeeCoverage Caps
ShieldSilver$29.99$39.99$5,000
ShieldGold$49.99$59.99Systems: $5,000
Appliances: $2,000
ShieldPlatinum$79.99$89.99Systems: $5,000
Appliances: $4,000

What Do Customers Say About Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield?

While these two companies received a B rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), we found that American Home Shield reviews on the BBB are more positive, on average, than Select Home Warranty reviews.

Home Warranty Reviews Comparison

ProviderSelect Home WarrantyAmerican Home Shield

BBB rating

B

B

BBB accreditation

No

Yes

Average BBB customer review rating (out of 5 stars)

1 star

2 ½ stars

Number of customer reviews on BBB webpage

772 reviews

6,198 reviews


Our Final Take on American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty

American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty are two of the best home warranty companies in the industry, offering comprehensive plan options across the country. If you want comprehensive coverage and a flexible service fee, we recommend choosing American Home Shield. If you want more affordable plans and a greater selection of optional coverage items, consider Select Home Warranty.

To determine the specific cost of each provider’s plans, request a free quote using the panel below.


Alternative Home Warranty Options Compared

If you still can’t decide between American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty, here is a table comparing some additional home warranty companies:

Company BBB Rating Monthly Cost Service Fee Visit Site
NR** $49–$59 $65–$125 VISIT SITE
B $29–$89 $100–$125 VISIT SITE
B- $44–$47 $60–$75 VISIT SITE
B $42–$82 $100–$125 VISIT SITE
B $35–$94 $75–$125 VISIT SITE
B+ $44–$58 $70 VISIT SITE
B+ $30–$56 $100–$150 VISIT SITE
A $27–$61 $65–$100 VISIT SITE
No results were found.
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Company Star Rating BBB Rating Monthly Cost Service Fee Link
Liberty Home GuardLiberty Home Guard LogoGet Quote
4.4/5
NR$49–$59$65–$125
American Home ShieldAmerican Home Shield LogoGet Quote
4.8/5
B$49–$109$100–$125
Select Home WarrantySelect Home Warranty LogoGet Quote
3.7/5
B-$44–$47$60–$75
Elite Home WarrantyElite Home Warranty LogoGet Quote
4.6/5
B+$44–$59$70
First American Home WarrantyFirst American Home Warranty LogoGet Quote
4.6/5
B$47–$87$75–$125
AFC Home WarrantyAFC Home Warranty LogoGet Quote
4.6/5
B$34–$92$75–$125
Cinch Home ServicesCinch Home Services LogoGet Quote
4.3/5
B+$30–$56$100–$150
2-10 Home Warranty2-10 Home Warranty LogoGet Quote
4.1/5
A$27–$70$65–$100

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a home warranty cover?

Home warranty plans cover major appliances and systems in your home like your refrigerator, air conditioning, and plumbing. Both American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty offer plans that cover appliances, systems, and a combination of both.

What is the waiting period for Select Home Warranty and American Home Shield?

Once you purchase your home warranty plan from Select Home Warranty or American Home Shield, you’ll have to wait 30 days before you can file your first claim.

Is a home warranty worth it?

Because a home warranty protects homeowners from expensive, unexpected repair bills, it may be worth it for valuable peace of mind and budget protection. For more information on these service contracts, read our article that explores how home warranties provide coverage.

How much does a home warranty cost?

On average, homeowners pay $25 to $60 per month for a home warranty plan, and the service call fees are between $60–$125.

What is the minimum contract length for American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty?

The minimum contract length for American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty is 12 months.

Do American Home Shield and Select Home Warranty offer promotions?

Yes. American Home Shield offers $50 off for new customers, while Select Home Warranty offers $150 off and two months free to new customers.


Our Rating Methodology

We back 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, cost, trustworthiness, plan transparency, customer support, and flexibility to arrive at a final score on a 5-point rating scale. 

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.