Stay away from American Home Shield

Another message about being taken by an insurance company (American Home Shield - AHS) ...

My husband and i bought a condo that had some old appliances and thought that purchasing an appliance insurance would help us defer unforseen expenses in the event of an appliance faliure. This is where we went wrong.

When our AC stopped working 2 months ago, we called them with a service request.

  1. the contractors they assigned to us, never showed up! they kept making appointments and then nothing. this went on for 3 weeks! (in comparison, when we called an independent company, a technician from their company was ready to come out the next morning)

  1. we had to keep calling AHS to tell them that the contractor was not sending a technician and had to fially request that they assign us a new contractor

  2. a technician from the new contractor came and told us that the damage we had would not be covered by AHS and that we needed to pay him for his visit (5 times the theoretical service charge of ) and sort it out later with AHS

  1. when we spoke with AHS they informed us that they were not going to cover our repairs because the unit had not been maintained properly -- it said nothing of this on the report that the technician had left with us. They said this was the analysis provided to them by the contractor (different than what had been provided to us!).

So, basically it is our word against their assumptions. We are in the hole over $2000 and are NEVER going to use this company.

Reply to
SM
Loading thread data ...

In article , snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com says... (sad story snipped)

This is par for the course with AHS (based on my own experiences, as documented in this newsgroup previously, and several other stories I've seen here).

For the record, I was pretty happy with them years ago, but of late they do not seem to be a good deal.

The best thing to do is bank the amount of money you would spend on the warranty each year in a household repair account.

But I do wonder: why did the guy try to charge you for 5 times the service charge fee? If it won't be covered by AHS, that's their call, but it should not cost you more than the service charge for him to give an opinion. I hope you didn't pay him... unless of course he was the independent contractor and not affiliated with AHS. I have found that the decent contractors won't work for AHS, since AHS forces them to cut too many corners.

Marc

Reply to
MAG

SM wrote: ...

For the most part, it would be good never to use any such insurance. Let's face facts, they are all in the business of making money by charging you more than it cost them to run their business and the cost of all the payouts they are going to have for you.

Most people are going to pay more in than they receive back, enough more to pay all the cost and profit of the insurance company.

For some people that added cost is worth the secure feeling, for them, let's hope they choose a better company.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

"SM" wrote

First off, home warranty companies are a scam. Second, just out of curiosity - how often did you have the unit professionally maintained?

- Robert

Reply to
American Mechanical

Sometimes con victims are innocent. More often they are suckered by the thought that they were getting something for nothing.

The Brooklyn Bridge is not for sale, and appliance failure is not an insurable risk. It is not like you just picked the wrong company.

Reply to
Richard J Kinch

No, they are in the business of collecting up-front from every sucker, and delivering to all those who never make a claim, and ignoring everyone else.

Reply to
Richard J Kinch

This is Turtle.

Well all I can say is get in line for the Bitching Department about AHS and others. You and about 200,000 others have been had by them this year alone and you are just going to have to just get over it and not fool with them or the other Scam insurance company any more. Your probley the 200,001 th sucker they have Zipped this year alone.

In the HVAC Business you can tell the Crooks, Scammer, and rip off artist by if they will do the HVAC work for American Home Shield or not. 99% of all Respectiable HVAC contractor will not work for AHS and most of the other Scam Artist Insurance companys.

Sorry to hear it and I am truely Sorry for your losses , but Them's the Gritts.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

This is Turtle.

Crooks Work with Crooks. I think it is a Team Approach thing.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

Well,

Just think, $300/year to cover house full of old appliances, roof, HVAC, plumbing, structural defects, etc, etc etc

They would have to be charging $400/month for a year to break even. You know it just can't be legit business.....

M

Reply to
Mike J

How did you come up with that number of "$400/month for a year to break even?"

The Ranger

Reply to
The Ranger

You shouldn't hafta 'think' about the issue. The details should be spelled out in the contract you signed. You should be able to read exactly how any claims will be handled.

How many contractors? Did you document all the appointments?

'Was ready' is no better than the ones that didn't come out. You can't use that as a comparison.

Above, you say many contractors.

Many people get lulled into this trap. In the future, keep this fact in mind...

You do NOT hafta pay a contractor on the spot. Simply tell him that you will not pay...and that you will sort it out later with the insurance company...and/or with him. If he refuses to leave without payment, call the police and have him removed.

This is not to say that he might not have legal recourse in the future. But he cannot FORCE you to pay. And don't be shy about not paying...if you feel you shouldn't be paying.

In this particular case, you did not order the service call...the insurance company did. You have no obligation to pay him...although he will have the right to file a mechanic's lien against your property later if no one pays him.

Now...take them to court...either with your attorney...or to small claims court. I strongly suggest that EVERYONE have a family attorney. They can often be more valuable than a family doctor.

Check your policy. If it looks like you've been wronged, sue the bastards! lol

Good luck.

Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde? A golden retriever.

Reply to
Trent©

AHS does, and they always claim its not covered due to lack of service.

Not always...there are days we are slammed up, and if someone calls and we have someone around the corner, they just MIGHT get service faster..

My comments exactly..

Nope...that is NOT how its supposed to be. Simply make a complaint with AHS, and in this case, you can refuse payment, since the tech, can not make the diagnosis for payment....unless its a VERY obvious lack of service....like 2 inches of fuzz on the evap coil...

Umm...thats a blanket statement, and in many areas, would be wrong. IF the tech installed a part, or parts, and now you refuse to pay, the tech has EVERY right to remove the part, and tell you to call who you want. Of course, that seems not to be the case with this posting, but I think that there are things that the OP is leaving out.

Liens, small claims, and such, can indeed FORCE them to pay.

That is automatic in some areas.

What WAS provided to you? What you see, and they see, altho written the same, and means the same, can be taken different particularly when you want something for nothing.

Agreed.....but AHS has been sued...doubtful that they can win, particularly if they have covered all the bases for a declination of payment.

Reply to
CBHVAC

Probably. And I was only referring to the service call...assuming no work was done by the tech. It doesn't sound like the OP ordered the service cal...AHS did. The tech needs to collect from AHS.

Liens do not FORCE payment. They do COLLECT payment...but only when the property is sold...and only if you (plural) remember to renew the lien when legally required.

Small claims certainly don't force payment. If successful with a small claim, all you get is a judgment. Payment is never guaranteed. In many (most?) cases, its simply an additional waste of money.

I've never heard that before. I know that you have the RIGHT to file a lien...usually within 30-90 days of the last work done on a site (varies)...and that you can give up that right by signing a waiver of lien. But I never heard of automatic liens being filed. The clerks of court must be pulling their hair out in those areas!

If the liens are filed automatically, I wonder how they're canceled.

Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde? A golden retriever.

Reply to
Trent©

service....like 2

Now this can get murky... IF AHS was called about a non cooling problem, the OP EXPECTED a tech to show up. The tech knows its an AHS call, and he is torn between making the unit run, and staying within standards for AHS. So, the units not running for a dirty evap. AHS wont pay for that, but the unit wont run with that either...so hes got to make a call..... Clean it, and get it running, or say screw it, leave it to the customer, but the customer has to pay the AHS fee at least. Now, what *I* do is simple. I am NOT an AHS contractor. They dont want me. LOL... If I get a call, and the customer says they have AHS I tell them up front, that I am going to get paid, for whatever I do, and THEY can get with AHS and fight it out. If they say no, then I dont do the work...period.

Well...force is the wrong word of course, but, most times when you state its lien time, they pay.

Ah...but the insurance company WAS called, and its their job to dispatch the tech...regardless of the actual final outcome. When this happens, and the company will not pay, normally its cheaper for the customer to have called someone themself.

CA for example. It is on the work order you sign. You fail to pay, there is a mech lien. No paperwork to file unless you want to really go after them. Only used it a couple of times, and for CA, its amazingly simple.

Paid...::)

Reply to
CBHVAC

My house came with a AHS warranty. The fridge wasn't working right. They sent out a guy - he changed a part and charged me $45. It didn't help much. Needless to say I didn't renew the warranty at the end of the year. I've also gotten to like soft ice cream. Funny how these things work out.

I think AHS makes a ton of money from warranties that are included with home sales. Probably most buyers forget they even have a warranty and never use it.

Mort

Reply to
Mort Guffman

service....like 2

Nope, the policyholder is made aware of a deductible right from the start 9 times out of 10 when dealing with these scam warranty companies.

You don't want a lein against your property any more than the next guy, they usually get results.

Of course there is the petition to the court to allow garnishment of a checking account, savings account or other asset of the person whom the judgement is against. Laws vary by state and jurisdiction so I would be hesitant to say that small claims is moot, some states believe debtors should actually pay their debts.

Like CB said, they get paid.

- Robert

Reply to
American Mechanical

I've not seen the paperwork. But I'd bet its simply giving notice to the consumer that filing a lien MAY be filed by the contractor if he fails to pay, i.e., a legal notice.

Then that's not a lien. A lien MUST be filed. How else can you give notice to any prospective buyers that you've encumbered their property?

Again...it doesn't need to be recorded?...made a part of the deed? I simply can't imagine how that would work.

In my county, you have the right to file a mechanic's lien within 30 days of the last day any work was done on the project. Once filed, you must renew it every 10 years.

If I didn't get paid by day 29, I used to call the customer and ask if I could come out and do some preventative maintenance/investigation. That's starts the 30 day process again. On day 15 of THAT go-round, I went down to the county clerk's office with the lien. lol

lol

What I meant, of course...how would the county know which liens were paid?...and which were still open?...if they ALL become liens automatically.

I really think you mean to say that the OPTION is always automatically there. FILING the lien would be quite another matter.

But I don't mean to put words into your mouth. I know nothing about the CA system.

Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde? A golden retriever.

Reply to
Trent©

Generally...(my opinion)...anything that falls into the small claims category isn't worth the effort. I can get enough monetary reward from my tax return...rather than chase around for such a small amount.

Sure...you can do what you said. But, usually, you don't know his bank(s). So you've got to petition for a disclosure hearing...to get the info. Then, if you DO get account numbers, etc. you've got to file the garnishment, etc....all trips to the county seat.

I would just file the lien...then sit back and wait.

But who keeps TRACK of what liens are paid?...and which ones aren't paid?...if they're not recorded?

How do they encumber the property?...how do they become part of the deed?

In my county, I can check the deed for a property...and it'll tell me if any liens have been filed on the property. If actual LIENS were automatic, they'd be levied just because of an account receivable...which I find inconceivable.

I think you guys have the RIGHT to file a lien confused with the actual filing of the lien.

Have a nice week...

Trent©

What do you call a smart blonde? A golden retriever.

Reply to
Trent©

I had same issue with my water heater, imagine without hot water for 3 weeks, and AHS still didnt care about it.

American Home Shiled is the most crooked company, don't buy their home warranty!!!. Example, they will make you wait for three weeks before they even make a call on what to do about emergency issues such as water heater! Imagine without water heater for three weeks, and they dont really care about it. Every time you call in a new person answers and you have to start over every time. Contact me i have all the audio recorded from their customer support team it is clear how rude they are and how pathetic their customer service is.

Reply to
krsdutt

Probably you are one of the 10000's, i had very bad experience with this crooked company, all they want is to pay u for years without asking for service once u ask for service they will start treat u like crap.

American Home Shiled is the most crooked company, don't buy their home warranty!!!. Example, they will make you wait for three weeks before they even make a call on what to do about emergency issues such as water heater! Imagine without water heater for three weeks, and they dont really care about it. Every time you call in a new person answers and you have to start over every time. Contact me i have all the audio recorded from their customer support team it is clear how rude they are and how pathetic their customer service is.

Reply to
krsdutt

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.