American Home Shield vs First American Home Warranty
Are you debating if you should be using American Home Shield, First American Home Warranty, or neither one of them? Want to compare American Home Shield vs. First American in a way that will help you make educated decisions based on the real offering of either of these companies? Please feel free to use our comparison chart below and Review Home Warranties as a whole to help you make the right decisions.
American Home Shield (AHS)
The biggest home warranty provider in the USA. Publicly traded. Dominates at least 50% of the market.
Covers: Air Conditioners, Heating Systems, Vacuums, Refrigerators, Ice Makers, Trash Compactors, Dishwashers, Ovens, Microwaves, Water Dispensers, Washers, Dryers, Plumbing Systems, Septic Systems, Pools, Well Pumps, Water Heaters, Electrical Systems, Ceiling Fans, Garage Doors, Doorbells, Alarm Systems, Garbage Disposals, and More.
Annual Premiums
$420-$720
Service Call Fee
$75-$125
Premiums and deductible costs depend on plan selection, state of residence, etc.
Website Address:
www.ahs.com
✓ Secure
Estimated Website Traffic: 1,120,000
First American Home Warranty
Operating since 1984. Employees 18,000 employees in the USA, with $200,000,000+ in annual revenues.
Covers: Air Conditioners, Heating Systems, Vacuums, Refrigerators, Trash Compactors, Dishwashers, Ovens, Microwaves, Water Dispensers, Washers, Dryers, Water Dryers, Plumbing, Plumbing Stoppages, Septic Systems, Pools, Spas, Well Pumps, Water Heaters, Electrical Systems, Ceiling Fans, Garage Doors, Garbage Disposals,
and More.
Annual Premiums
$300-$492
Service Call Fee
$75
Premiums and deductible costs depend on plan selection, state of residence, etc.
Website Address:
homewarranty.firstam.com
✓ Secure
Estimated Website Traffic: 231,560
| American Home Shield (AHS) | First American Home Warranty | |
|---|---|---|
| BBB Complaints (Last 36 Months) | 10,587 | 3,157 |
| Premiums | $35-60 | $28-$44,50 |
| Optional Coverage | $30-160 | $48-$180 |
| Service Call Fee | $75-125 | $75 |
| Free second opinion | If different | Unknown |
| Free reservice period (parts) | 60 days | 30 days |
| Company size | 1,500 | 755 |
| Covers | American Home Shield (AHS) | First American Home Warranty | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air conditioner | Optional Coverage | ||||||||
| Ceiling fan | |||||||||
| Dishwasher | |||||||||
| Disposal | |||||||||
| Dryer | |||||||||
| Expand Table | |||||||||
Looking for additional information for the First American vs American Home Shield?
There are plenty of similarities between First American Home Warranty and American Home Shield. Both are niche leaders in home warranties, and are owned by bigger companies that operate in other domains than home warranties. AHS is part of the ServiceMaster conglomerate that provides many residential services (as well as commercial). First American Home Warranty, officially named First American Buyers Protection Plan, is part of the AM corporation which mainly deals with insurance titles. As such the two companies are as credible as they come in the home warranty industry.
Credibility doesn’t necessarily mean impeccable services, though. Both companies have received a lot of client complaints over the years. First American Home Warranty has been ranking at under 2 stars (out of 5 available) on most client review websites, and AHS has 2.5 stars on average. That isn’t specifically bad in comparison to the industry averages, most home warranty companies have been receiving very poor client reviews online (online reviews are a tad skewed to begin with, it’s mostly disgruntled clients who would go above and beyond to leave a review) – but it of course indicates there are things to be improved. American Home Shield has also been sued more than once for a variety of reasons. Some of these lawsuits has to to do with the ethics of the real estate industry (paying kickbacks to real estate agents for client referral), but some actually deal with the essence of the service, claiming that American Home Shield rejects claims on a dubious grounds. All of these lawsuits were settled outside of court, but it’s still something to consider. First American also had it’s fair share of lawsuits. The one claiming they were sidelining women has been getting them with a lot of negative press.
When it comes to comparing First American vs American Home Shield in terms of plan offering, there are very subtle difference. The two companies have a lot of things going for them and against them. For instance, both companies have some of the highest coverage limits in the industry, with First AM covering several appliances up to $5,000 (no other company offers that!), while American Home Shield offers coverage of up to $3,000 on several items which is also very impressive. On the other hand, both companies have their cons. First American Home Warranty doesn’t offer an online chat, forcing you to spend valuable time on the telephone if you need support. American Home Shield is notorious for its payment delays based on client feedback. To summarize, there is no “one fit all” answer on which of the two companies is better. They are both very credible companies with mixed opinions online, and several obvious pros and cons.
Alternatives to the two companies?
ReviewHomeWarranties is so much more than reviews and comparison of American Home Shield vs First American! We review more than 20 home warranty companies in the USA. We have specific selections on a per-state basis, and a lot of informative articles. We even boast a fairly active blog section. Be sure to browse through out website before you make a decision on which home warranty to use (and whether you should use one at all). We have also created several more comparative pieces available here: Total Protect vs American Home Shield and Choice Home Warranty vs American Home Shield.
Below we have listed the home warranty companies that have received the best ratings on our website. Please feel free to read through these reviews or sign up with another company to get a “real feel” of the offering in comparison to American Home Shield or First American.
Majority of Client Reviews Online Are Positive
Clearest Terms and Conditions
Highest Contractor Professionalism
Best Gold Plan ("Platinum Care") Select Home Warranty Review
Clients from:
Most Comprehensive Coverage Available
Free Reservice Period for Parts
Emergency Service Available
Cheapest and Best Basic Plan ($34/m) Choice Home Warranty Review
Clients from:
Least BBB Complaints
Great Reviews on Google Places
Reservice for Failed Parts
1 Free Month Upon Annual Sign-Up Total Home Protection Review
Clients from:
Great Coverage Plans
Free Reservice Period for Parts
New and Exciting! Pride Home Warranty Review
Clients from:
Most Comprehensive and Affordable Plans
Biggest Add-Ons Selection Landmark Home Warranty Review