Offering home warranty plans that cover the systems and appliances we all rely on to keep our homes and lives running smoothly, American Home Shield (AHS) brings more than 50 years of experience and insight to protecting what matters most in the home—empowering homeowners with confidence and control.
With approximately 2 million members, AHS is one of the largest home warranty providers, with the largest network of qualified, independent Pros offering maintenance expertise and troubleshooting.
Doubling down on its commitment to help protect homeowners while making their lives easier, AHS continues to revolutionize the home warranty experience with its groundbreaking real-time video chat with an expert feature—available as a benefit with select plans through the AHS app.
Launched in February 2025, the app connects members in real-time through video chat with vetted experts (experienced in plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning, appliances and a generalist category who average 20 years of experience) to help solve their problems. The app also offers members a range of other benefits including DIY tips, discounts and more.
Providing members a new way to work through an issue, many of which homeowners can solve on their own without outsourcing additional help, according to Alison Bishop—director of public relations at Frontdoor, Inc.—video chat with an expert was developed in response to a consistent homeowner need for personalized guidance and assurance when issues arise.
And while early research has found that homeowners related the experience to calling your dad to say, “How do I fix this?” and putting him on FaceTime so that he can see what’s going on and then tell you what to do, Bishop notes that this highlights a desire for trusted, real-time guidance that traditional service models and static content simply can’t provide.
Video chat with an expert empowers homeowners through real-time support, guidance and education of their home matters.
“We’ve continually seen this experience dramatically boost homeowner confidence, especially in moments of uncertainty, by turning a stressful situation into a guided, collaborative conversation,” says Bishop.
“And when an issue cannot be resolved through video chat alone, homeowners can easily turn this session into in-home help from a contractor, knowing why, what’s required and what to expect next—resulting in a more transparent, empowering and ultimately human experience,” she adds.
With consumer behavior shifting decisively toward on-demand, mobile-first help—especially during moments of stress—and modern mobile technology having reached a point where live, expert-led guidance at scale is possible without compromising quality or trust, Bishop notes that consumer feedback repeatedly highlights moments where expert video chat delivered quick relief during high-stress situations.
“The AHS app can help reduce stress by replacing ambiguity with real-time, personalized clarity,” says Bishop, who goes on to explain that the on-demand, personalized experience isn’t something you can get from traditional channels.
“The ability to visually show an Expert what’s happening by simply opening the app and selecting Video Chat helps to remove guesswork and minimize the fear of ‘making it worse,’” she adds.
This real-time, visual access to expert guidance alleviates uncertainty while at the same time providing homeowners a sense of confidence and control as they tackle issues.
“The realization that help is right there at their fingertips is exciting, inspiring and empowering. We’ve seen our experts guide our members through everything from helping to find and shut off their water quickly, to providing guidance to fix HVAC units in the heat of summer,” says Bishop.
“This convergence of consumer behavior and platform maturity allows AHS to meet homeowners exactly where they’re at, emotionally and practically,” she adds.
A true differentiator in the home warranty category, video chat with an Expert complements a home warranty with a proactive support system.
Homeowners with select plans gain access to live experts who can explain and guide in real-time, which can help resolve issues that don’t require an in-person visit and provide guidance on small problems before they turn into major repairs. Identifying simple causes of recurring issues, like a breaker that keeps tripping, experts can offer solutions to those frustrating problems that may have an easy fix you just haven’t discovered yet.
“These benefits, in addition to our powerful home warranties, can truly help protect homeowners,” says Bishop.
But what does this shift toward self-service mean for the future of home repair and maintenance?
For Bishop, it signals a future where homeowners are empowered with personalized, on-demand knowledge at their fingertips, from real humans with years of real-world experience.
“Every home is different, and every issue is different. With expert guidance available in real-time, more homeowners can safely handle minor issues themselves, make better decisions about when professional help is truly needed and understand their homes more deeply over time,” she says.
Building on this real-time guidance, according to Bishop, the technology is poised to evolve—offering more personalized support and insights that help homeowners stay informed and in control.
“Looking forward, we see this technology continuing to deepen personalization and further empower homeowners with knowledge about their homes,” she says.
“The human touch and personalized face-to-face help from our experts is a game-changer,” concludes Bishop. “Adding these innovative technologies as a benefit to our traditional home warranties will continue to move toward the vision where experts are the ‘frontdoor’ to home care, helping homeowners solve problems faster, with less stress and more confidence.”
Video chat feature available as a benefit to AHS members with select plans. See https://www.ahs.com for hours and details.
See the plan agreement at https://www.ahs.com/contracts for coverage details, service fees, limitations and exclusions. Coverage limits and charges for non-covered items may apply. Terms and conditions subject to change.
For more information, visit https://www.ahs.com/realestate or https://ahs.com/video-chat/RE.
