American Home Shield

Back in the 90s, I decided to engage in a bit of real estate enterprise and bought my first property. A quaint, one-bedroom condominium was perfect for a young person just starting out. During preliminary sales negotiations, I let my real estate agent do all of the work. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing — except that I was buying property. So, I put all of my faith in the agent and let her do all of the work. She suggested that I purchase an American Home Shield policy after a walkthrough because I was less than thrilled with the refrigerator left by the previous owner. She suggested including an AHS policy in the property purchase. So, that is exactly what I did.

After the sale went through, I completely forgot about replacing the refrigerator. I immerse myself in the task of setting up shop, dashing to every fancy home decorating store within a 50-mile radiance. In fact, I shopped myself right out of budget! That is when good ole’ Murphy’s Law happened. My inherited refrigerator conked out — and I did not have the immediate funds to replace it. Thankfully, I had taken my real estate agent’s advice. I began the process of using my AHS policy to get a new refrigerator.

The coverage I selected was the equivalent of the current “Combo Plan” within the Home Buyers Warranty. Back then, attempting to process a claim was little arduous. Snail mail and paper trails were the main communication modes. Although I was eventually successful in replacing the refrigerator, the paperwork process was circuitous and clumsy. Therefore, it took a bit more time than I preferred to replace the unit. Honestly, that was the worst part for me. Today, the virtual benefit of internet access expedites and streamlines the process — which is fantastic. Policy coverage can be submitted online and speeds up the how and when of replacement and repairs.

Home appliances, installations and systems are not eternal. AHS is worthwhile because things break down. Waiting was frustrating, but my replacement refrigerator more than made up for that wait.

Pros: Insurance is never a bad thing. Therefore, the product is beneficial on that premise.

Cons: It was difficult to navigate the plan when I needed to replace the refrigerator. However, that was back in the late 90s. I am sure the process is much more efficient now.

AMOUNT PAID: $125

Purchase Date: March 1996

Online or In-Store: Store

Final Notes: The Internet is wonderfully convenient for products such as AHS. Take advantage of familiarizing yourself with different coverage options prior to purchase. That way, you know exactly what you are getting when you pay for it.

Recommended: Yes

Overall Rating: 3 stars