Overview
Sears Home Warranty
3
$75
N/A
N/A
12 Years
American Home Shield
3
$75
Annual
No
55 Years
Ratings
Sears Home Warranty
American Home Shield
Reviews
Sears Home Warranty
Reviews
American Home Shield
Reviews for Sears Home Warranty
Helpful Favorable Review
Doug Foerch
December 15th, 2021
Vernon Hills, IL
DETAILS
Edited December 16th, 2021
Review Source
We have used Sears for over 20 years. It was once a well worth the money for all the protection you receive. Lately, Sears has been cutting back on what they cover and how quickly they respond to your request for service. .
Helpful Critical Review
Becky Webb
February 26th, 2022
Augusta, MI
DETAILS
Edited March 30th, 2022
If there was a way to rate this contract NO stars, I would! Do NOT WASTE your money on this HORRIBLE contract!! FOuR MONTHS we went without a working washer. FOUR MONTHS!! EXCUSe after EXCUSE after EXCUSE!! We ended up paying for this garbage AND we bought our own NEW washer. This contract is GARBAGE!!!! BUYER BEWARE!!!!
Reviews for American Home Shield
Helpful Favorable Review
Heather Nuffer
January 18th, 2023
Pleasant Grove, UT
Mr. Mint, the Peppermint Lumberjack and Keeper of the Royal Peppermint Forest, is at the Licorice Castle. Let's play trivia! Question: What flavor of Pop Tart does Buddy the Elf use in his spaghetti? Ready for the answer? Here it is: Chocolate. Did you know that? I did! Their friends enjoy saying, "You can't buy happiness, but you can buy a video game, and that's pretty close." It's time to fix wiring and clear asteroids before the Imposter finds and kills me.
Helpful Critical Review
Paul Rivera
April 19th, 2022
Reno, NV
DETAILS
Stay AWAY!!! This company has the worst service in the world. Complete theft. Their policies are to keep billing you even when you sell your home and cancel. Then they tell you they can't do anything about refunding the money. They Keep auto-drafting because it's their policy. DO NOT GET American Home Shield.
The Final Word
Let’s take a closer look at how Sears Home Warranty and American Home Shield compare:
Service Fee
Home Warranty Cost
Contract
Basic Coverage
Combo Coverage
Add-On Coverage
Build-Your-Own Coverage
Waiting Period
24/7 Claims Service
Customer Reviews
Sears Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield: Which is Better?
Service Fee (Winner: Sears and American Home Shield)
Sears Home Warranty service fees range from $75 to $100 depending on your plan and appliance/system in need of repair.
American Home Shield has a service fee of $75, $100, or $125. It is worth noting that American Home Shield also has specific fees for rekeying or HVAC tune-ups — rekeying has a fee of $100 and HVAC tune-ups have a fee of $75.
Home Warranty Cost (Winner: N/A)
Neither Sears Home Warranty nor American Home Shield outline plan costs on their website. To view pricing, you will need to provide your address so that you can receive a more accurate price estimation based on your location.
Contract (Winner: American Home Shield)
Sears Home Warranty contract lengths are unclear, but the standard American Home Shield home warranty contract is 12 months.
Basic Coverage (Winner: American Home Shield)
Sears Home Warranty and American Home Shield both offer basic systems and appliances plans. Based on coverage alone, American Home Shield would be the better choice because its coverage options are more extensive, even for its basic plans.
American Home Shield’s ShieldGold™ plan covers everything that is included in the ShieldSilver™ plan. Sears Home Warranty plans cover either systems or appliances — both are covered only in its combo coverage plan option.
Systems
|
Sears Home Warranty Systems Plan |
American Home Shield ShieldSilver™ Plan |
|
|
Air Conditioner |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Heating |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Plumbing |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Water Heater |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Water Softener |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Faucets |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Toilets |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Garbage Disposal |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Electrical System |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Ceiling Fans |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Garage Door Opener |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Ductwork |
✘ |
✔ |
|
Built-in Exhaust, Vent & Attic Fans |
✘ |
✔ |
|
Main Breaker and Fuse Box |
✘ |
✔ |
|
Doorbells and Chimes |
✘ |
✔ |
|
Interior Electrical Lines |
✘ |
✔ |
|
Whirlpool Tub and Motor Components |
✘ |
✔ |
Appliances
Note: The American Home Shield ShieldGold™ plan covers all systems included in the ShieldSilver™ plan above as well as the following appliances.
|
Sears Home Warranty Appliance Plan |
American Home Shield ShieldGold™ Plan |
|
|
Refrigerator |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Dishwasher |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Clothes Washer |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Clothes Dryer |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Oven/Cooktop/Range |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Built-In Microwave |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Range Exhaust Fan |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Built-In Trash Compactor |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Instant Hot/Cold Water Dispensers |
✘ |
✔ |
Combo Coverage (Winner: American Home Shield)
The Sears Home Warranty Whole Home Plan covers everything in both the systems and appliance plans.
The American Home Shield ShieldPlatinum™ plan covers everything in the ShieldGold™ plan (which includes everything in the ShieldSilver™ plan) as well as roof leaks. The ShieldPlatinum™ plan also includes a free HVAC tune-up, unlimited AC refrigerant, and coverage for code violations and permits.
Add-On Coverage (Winner: Sears and American Home Shield)
Sears Home Warranty and American Home Shield offer the following add-on coverage options to any of their plans:
|
Sears Home Warranty |
American Home Shield |
|
|
Pool or Spa |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Septic Tank Pump |
✔ |
✔ |
|
Stand-Alone Freezer |
✔ |
✘ |
|
Sump Pump |
✔ |
✘ |
|
Well Pump |
✔ |
✔ |
In addition to these add-on options, American Home Shield also offers an Electronics Protection Plan that can be added to any plan, providing protection for all home electronic and entertainment products and systems.
Build-Your-Own Coverage (Winner: N/A)
Neither Sears Home Warranty nor American Home Shield offer a build-your-own coverage option — an option offered by other home warranty companies. Build-your-own home warranty plans can offer increased flexibility in price and coverage.
Waiting Period (Winner: N/A)
There is typically a 30-day waiting period before service can be requested after signing a contract with a home warranty company.
24/7 Claims Service (Winner: Sears and American Home Shield)
Both Sears Home Warranty and American Home Shield have a 24/7 claims service. Claims can be submitted online or over the phone.
Customer Reviews (Winner: American Home Shield)
Customer sentiment surrounding home warranty companies typically varies, with a larger amount of negative reviews than you might see in other industries.
Sears Home Warranty reviews are overwhelmingly negative and 96 percent of reviews are 1 star, whereas 71 percent of American Home Shield reviews are 4 or 5 stars.
Common Sears Home Warranty complaints include the following:
- Unresponsive customer service
- Frequent claim denials
- Difficulties in canceling policies
With 19,000+ reviews, customer sentiment surrounding American Home Shield varies, but the majority of reviews are 4 or 5 stars and highlight the following:
- Prompt claim response
- Professional service technicians
- Excellent customer service
Sears Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield: Which is Better?
While Sears Home Warranty does offer conventional coverage plans and competitive add-on options, the difficulty of working with the company expressed by many customers may be cause for concern. Thus, based on customer reviews and available products and services, we would recommend American Home Shield for your home warranty needs.
If you’d like to make the best comparison possible, we would recommend carefully reading customer reviews and weighing your home warranty needs.
