american home shield
Posted on September 12, 2006 - Filed Under Rant |
Today, the topic of home-warranty insurance falls within my field of vision.
This is how home-warranty insurance works. Something in your house breaks whether it is the hot water heater, the gas furnace, what not. A phone call to the insurance company produces a "technican" at your door. Their assignment: fix whatever ails you. Upon their arrival, you must also pay a fee each repair. This was $45 in my case. Furthermore, if it is an emergency a technician will be dispatched within four hours. What is an emergency? Per the insurance company, an "emergency" repair is something required when your house is uninhabitable.
This is my story of american home shield.
Back in the day, I was thrilled to discover this insurance. As a former apartment dweller, I had never heard of such a thing. Since this discovery, every time my fingers started dialing their phone number, disappointment always ensued.
Let’s look at the most recent failure.
The plumbing problem. The tenant’s house was uninhabitable and I called american home shield. A represenative called within 20 minutes of placing the request. She understood completely the gravity of the situation. She assured me that a "technician" would be out within four hours. Six hours later, a technican was not standing at my door. An irritated phone call to the insurance company revealed that he had gone home for the day. It would have to wait. Actually it had to wait 5 days.
So much for fast response time.
When the plumber arrived, he told me that my insurance would not cover the work he had to do. Much to my chagrin, the the insurance company verified this. He told me he would do it but it would cost $100. I had no choice. He was there; the tenant was staring at me; so I paid him. Nothing worked after he left.
One month later, a bill arrived from american home shield. Forty-five dollars was due for plumbing services. I immediately called their accounting department. I was not paying $45 for something that wasn’t covered under my insurance.
Get this -
I must pay $45 if the work is covered by the insurance policy or not. I already pay $400/year to have American Home Shield cover my houses but I also have to pay $45 whether or not they do the work? Please notice how I phrased that: Whether or not they do the work. As a matter of fact, the technican will not even start until you’ve paid the $45.
The question I asked american home shield was simple: I asked them, per the contract, what was the penalty if they didn’t provide emergency service within 4 hours? There was no response.
Now I’ve stated "american home shield" many times in this entry. Why? I’m glad you asked. I want this burned into your heads. If you ever receive a piece of mail from these scam artists, I want you to shred it; I want you to burn it. If you are into voodoo, make a voodoo doll out of scraps and stab it many times. Stab it once for me, s’il vous plait. If you’re thinking of getting into voodoo, now’s your chance to practice. If american home shield ever calls you, please feel free to say "Clifford said you’re a bunch of poop-heads." and hang up. Then build your voodoo dolls.
Now you’re asking yourself, "Why isn’t Clifford capitalizing american home shield?" Simple. Their company is not worth the effort to move my pinky finger over to the shift key on my keyboard.
Take a peak at what Google.com says about american home shield.
You’ve been warned.
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6 Responses to “american home shield”
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So I have to ask… Have you cancelled your insurance with them and joined another blood sucking insurance company? Or, will you hold out until these homes are sold and not use them for your next project?
Don’t get me started!! I have a couple of ahs stories! But I have to tell you, I got a new refrigerator out of them once… an american one!
Matt, as fate would have it my renewal notice came in the mail just a few daysa before I received this “bill”. I was already comtemplating not renewing my insurance just because of the bad experiences. Now it’s for sure.
Paty, you got an “Frigo Americain”? That’s perfect! Consider yourself the lucky one.
Same crap from AHS and I think the other is Old Colonial or something. Had serveral policies, and they weasal out of most things. Hey, my friends and I got them back finally with old “over the stove microwaves”… had 2 replaced !!! We are totally justified and got them back. Never again scam, scam scam !!!!
http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0300-fraud/0200-invest-division-overview/index.cfm
That’s why it pays to have a handy woman you can trust…
I had a similar problem. I even confirmed with the plumber that the proceedure was not covered and we had agreed on the price. When the plumber arrived he tried to collect the $50 and I informed him that was not what I had agreed to. He did the work and AHS tried to collect the 50. I to them I wanted to cancel because I was not happy (Satifaction Gurenty) - they said No and I said take your Insuarance and Plumber and put it where the sun doesn’t shine. These people are so dense that they are still sending me request to come back. I am saving too much money without them.