AFC Home Club vs. American Home Shield

In this article:

• AFC Home Club vs. American Home Shield comparison

• AFC Home Club coverage

• American Home Shield coverage

• Coverage comparison

• Cost comparison

• AFC Home Club and American Home Shield reviews

• Our conclusion

• Frequently asked questions

AFC Home Club vs. American Home Shield comparison

	AFC Home Club	American Home Shield
Get a free quote	Visit site	Visit site
Superlative	Best plan variety	Best overall
Plan options	Systems Plan, Silver Plan, Gold Plan, Platinum Plan and optional add-ons	Appliances Plan, Systems Plan, Combo Plan and optional add-ons
Cost	$31–$46 per month	$50–$60 per month
Service fee	$75–$125	$75–$125
State availability	46 states (not available in Nevada, California, Hawaii, or South Carolina)	49 states (not available in Alaska)
BBB rating	B	B
Years in business	10	49

AFC Home Club coverage

AFC Home Club offers extensive home warranty coverage through four plans: the Systems Plan, Silver Plan, Gold Plan and Platinum Plan. In addition to its standard plans, AFC Home Club allows customers to purchase additional coverage for any selected plan. Here’s a look at the number of items covered under each AFC Home Club plan.

Number of covered items under AFC Home Club plans

	Systems Plan	Silver Plan	Gold Plan	Platinum Plan
Number of covered appliances	—	9	9	11
Number of covered systems	6	—	6	7

Customers who want additional protection outside of their selected coverage plan can purchase optional coverage for the following 12 items:

• Sump pump

• Double oven

• Septic system

• Hot water dispenser

• In-ground pool and spa

• Stand-alone freezer

• Tankless water heater

• Central vacuum

• Well pump

• Ice maker

• In-ground pool

• Built-in microwave

To receive a quote from AFC Home Club, call 678-335-2181 or fill out this quick form. Currently, AFC Home Club is offering MarketWatch readers a $150 discount.

American Home Shield coverage

American Home Shield provides homeowners with the choice of three coverage plans: an Appliances Plan, a Systems Plan and a Combo Plan. The Appliances Plan includes coverage for essential appliances like your refrigerator and dishwasher, the Systems Plan protects systems like your air conditioning and plumbing, and the Combo Plan covers a variety of systems and appliances.

Here’s an overview of the number of covered items under each American Home Shield plan.

Number of covered items under American Home Shield plans

	Appliances Plan	Systems Plan	Combo Plan
Number of covered appliances	10	—	10
Number of covered systems	—	11	11

Similar to AFC Home Club, American Home Shield provides optional coverage that can be added onto any plan. American Home Shield offers the following optional add-ons:

• Electronics extended warranty

• Pool and inground spa

• Well pump

• Septic pump

• Guest unit under 750 square feet

To receive a quote from American Home Shield, call 844-529-9298 or fill out this simple online form. American Home Shield is offering MarketWatch readers $50 off of a policy.

AFC Home Club vs. American Home Shield coverage comparison

While home warranty coverage from AFC Home Club and American Home Shield gives customers the ability to protect appliances, systems or a combination of both, the two providers don’t cover the exact same items. Take a look at the comparison table below to gain an understanding of the covered items under each company’s most comprehensive plan.

AFC Home Club and American Home Shield plan comparison

	AFC Home Club	American Home Shield
Air conditioner	✔	✔
Refrigerator	✔	✔
Clothes washer	✔	✔
Clothes dryer	✔	✔
Heating system	✔	✔
Electrical system	✔	✔
Plumbing system	✔	✔
Plumbing stoppages	✔
Water heater	✔	✔
Oven/range/cooktop	✔	✔
Dishwasher	✔	✔
Built-in microwave oven	✔	✔
Garbage disposal	✔	✔
Ductwork	✔	✔
Garage door opener	✔	✔
Exhaust fans		✔
Ceiling fans		✔
Trash compactor		✔
Free-standing ice maker	✔	✔
Built-in food center		✔
Instant hot/cold water dispensers		✔
Smoke detectors		✔
Central vacuum		✔
Doorbell		✔

Both AFC Home Club and American Home Shield limit the amount of money they’ll pay for a covered repair or replacement—this is known as a coverage cap. To help you make an informed purchasing decision, we’ve looked through both providers’ sample contracts and parsed out information where available regarding their respective coverage caps.

AFC Home Club vs. American Home Shield coverage caps

	AFC Home Club	American Home Shield
Appliance coverage cap	$2,000*	$3,000
Air conditioning coverage cap	$2,000	$1,000
Heating system coverage cap	$2,000	$1,000
Plumbing system coverage cap	$500	$1,000

*While most appliances have a coverage cap of $2,000, coverage caps will vary by item.

AFC Home Club vs. American Home Shield cost comparison

AFC Home Club coverage starts as low as $31.25 per month, while American Home Shield is more expensive, with plans starting at $50 per month. On average, AFC Home Club plans range between $31 and $46 per month, while American Home Shield plans range between $50 and $60 per month.

Both providers allow customers to select their deductible, known as a service fee. This fee is paid any time a contractor is dispatched to your home to repair or replace a covered item. AFC Home Club and American Home Shield’s service fees range between $75 and $125, with a lower service fee increasing your monthly premium and a higher service fee decreasing it.

Note: The overall cost of your home warranty plan will vary depending on the type of plan you choose, where you live, the selected add-ons you include in your plan and your chosen service fee. We recommend getting quotes from both providers before buying a home warranty to compare pricing in your area.

AFC Home Club and American Home Shield reviews

AFC Home Club and American Home Shield are both accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and each hold a B rating with the organization. Both providers have hundreds of customer reviews, but AFC Home Club holds a higher customer rating.

Here are a few customer reviews for AFC Home Club and American Home Shield:

AFC Home Club reviews

“AFC allows you to select your own company. Just that in itself is worth the money. I’ve received shady work from contractors with other home warranty companies, and I will not let somebody else pick a contractor for me. It just doesn’t work out. Beside[s] the ability to use my own contractors, AFC has been professional and willing to help.” — Eric

“Pleased with the technician and service. Had a blockage in the dishwasher air hose, which was fixed but recurred a few days later. Technician returned and repaired it again. Don’t understand why the issue repeated itself, but AFC covered the repairs. My only criticism is that it took four days to get an appointment.” — DLH

American Home Shield reviews

“We have used AHS ever since we purchased our home, and we have always experienced a prompt response, respect, honest answers about the problems, and resolutions to the problems. We appreciate AHS and highly recommend them to homeowners.” — Shanae B.

“Prompt service and easy to file a claim. Recently became a customer after major water damages occurred. Once everything was fixed, I wanted it to stay that way. American Home Shield has been very helpful so far.” — David C.

Our conclusion: AFC Home Club vs. American Home Shield

AFC Home Club and American Home Shield both offer numerous home warranty plans that provide homeowners with customizable coverage for major home systems and appliances. While both providers are some of the best in the industry, each company offers unique benefits suitable for particular homeowners.

We recommend AFC Home Club if you’re looking for comprehensive coverage at an affordable rate. If you’re looking for rare benefits like coverage on items damaged by rust or corrosion or protection for undetectable pre-existing conditions, American Home Shield could be a good option.

To get a free quote from AFC Home Club, call 678-335-2181 or fill out this form. For a free quote from American Home Shield, call 844-529-9298 or fill out this quick form.

Frequently asked questions about home warranties

How does a home warranty work?

Homeowners pay a monthly payment to their home warranty company to receive coverage for systems and appliances that unexpectedly break down. When a covered item breaks down due to normal wear and tear, you can file a service request with your home warranty provider over the phone or online. Both AFC Home Club and American Home Shield offer customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to field your service calls and questions.

Once your claim is processed and approved, your home warranty provider will send a technician to evaluate, repair or replace your broken appliance or system, at which time you’ll pay the set service fee, which typically ranges between $75–$125.

When does home warranty coverage begin?

Coverage for both AFC Home Club and American Home Shield begins 30 days after signing your contract. This period of time is known as the waiting period and is common within the home warranty industry.

What’s the difference between homeowners insurance and a home warranty?

Homeowners insurance covers liability, property loss and short-term housing costs when unexpected events like fire or theft occur. A home warranty covers repair and replacement costs on major home systems and appliances that break down due to normal wear and tear.