America's First Choice Home Club Review (2021)

America’s First Choice Home Club (AFC Home Club) is one of the top home warranty companies for comprehensive coverage and personalized service. Not to mention, they have one of the best reputations for customer service in the industry.

Below you’ll find House Method’s 2021 review of America’s First Choice Home Club. We’ll discuss the types of plans offered by the company, answer commonly asked questions about AFC Home Club, and dissect reviews and ratings from customer feedback sites to help you determine whether AFC is the right home warranty for you.

AFC Home Club plans, coverage, and cost

AFC Home Club offers four coverage plans—Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Systems—at a starting cost of $43.18 per month. AFC also offers coverage for optional items, like your sump pump and pool, for an additional cost. Here’s a general overview of what the four plans cover:

Platinum Plan: $59.09 per month ($625.00 for an annual plan). The Platinum plan offers the most comprehensive coverage to customers, protecting your home’s major systems and appliances.

Gold Plan: $52.27 per month ($550.00 per year). This is the second highest level of coverage, providing protection for most home systems and appliances, minus a few offered in the Platinum Plan.

Silver Plan: $43.18 per month ($400.00 per year). AFC Home Club’s Silver Plan covers nine major home appliances.

System Plan: $43.18 per month ($450.00 per year). Under this plan, six home systems are covered.

America’s First Choice also offers optional coverage for your sump pump, septic system, hot water dispenser, pool and spa, stand alone freezer, central vacuum, well pump, and tankless water heater.

*Note: No matter the cost of the repair or replacement, warranty holders are charged a service fee of $75–$125 per service call. Customers have the option to choose their own service fee depending on the amount of service they anticipate needing. That means homeowners can pay a higher service fee for a lower premium or vice versa.

Ultimately, the cost of an AFC home warranty will depend on the type of plan you choose, where you live, and which add-ons you include with your coverage. Here are the quotes our team received:

Get a free quote on the AFC Home Club plan coverage page.

Price of AFC Home Club vs. competitors

Warranty coverage details for standard systems and appliances

To truly understand what “comprehensive coverage” entails, our team at House Method surveyed 1,000 homeowners and asked them which systems and appliances are the most important to them. Once the results were in, we determined that the top systems and appliances that mattered most included the electrical, plumbing, and air conditioning systems and the refrigerator, washer/dryer, and oven/stove/range.

Here’s how those findings compare to America’s First Choice Home Club coverage:

Refrigerator

Your refrigerator must be located in the kitchen to be covered. While the major parts of your refrigerator are covered, such as the control board, condenser, thermistor, compressor, and temperature sensor, there are some components that aren’t covered. These include leaks of any kind, touch panels and displays, and the icemaker.

Oven/stove/range

All components and parts of a gas or electric oven, stove, range, and cooktop are covered. However, glass and failure due to the “self-cleaning” function are not covered. 

Clothes washer and dryer

These two items are covered under AFC’s Platinum Plan. Note: customers will receive up to $1,500 per item per membership term for diagnosis, repair, or replacement.

Electrical

With AFC electrical coverage, the interior wiring, panel and subpanels, circuit board, and circuit breakers are all covered. Compare this to First American Home Warranty electrical coverage, which includes extra protection for plugs, junction boxes, telephone wiring, and switches.

Plumbing

Visible interior leaks; breaks of water supply pipes, drain, vent, and waste lines; toilet tanks and bowls; flush valves; and other components are covered under an AFC plan. For a more detailed look at what’s covered under plumbing, read the fine print of your home warranty contract.

Air conditioning

Coverage is limited to two units up to a five-ton capacity designed for residential use. Note: AFC will pay up to $25 per pound for refrigerant with a maximum limit of 10 pounds for a one-time occurrence. Members are responsible for paying anything over $25 per pound. This is $15 more per pound than American Home Shield pays.

Coverage length

There is a 30-day waiting period before AFC home warranty coverage begins. After the first 31 days, coverage will continue for a year.

Coverage limits

America’s First Choice recently updated its list of exclusions. Pay-out limits on appliances have increased to $2,000 per appliance.

The company also lifted the cap on HVAC systems, which was previously limited to $2,000. That means that the cost of your covered HVAC repair or replacement is completely on the house, courtesy of AFC. All you would have to pay is the standard service fee.

It’s important to note that AFC Home Club will not cover any pre-existing conditions in your home, even if you’re unaware of them. 

For a complete list of coverage limits, consult an AFC sample contract.

America’s First Choice Home Club provides coverage in every state except Hawaii, California, South Carolina, and Nevada. If you live in one of these states, read our reviews on the best home warranty companies in Hawaii, the best home warranty companies in California, the best home warranty companies in South Carolina, and the best home warranty companies in Nevada to find the right home protection plan for you and your home.

Our take

America’s First Choice Home Club is one of our top home warranty picks for a variety of reasons. Not only do they provide four different coverage plans to meet the specific needs of each individual customer, they offer the longest work guarantee in the industry and excellent customer service.

While most companies offer 30–60-day guarantees on the work done by technicians, AFC Home Club guarantees parts and labor for the life of your membership term.

Not to mention, AFC has a completely in-house team that’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which makes it easier for the customer to get help and have an open line of communication with the company.

Speaking of getting help, the claims process is also easy. You can file a claim online or over the phone, and a customer service representative supposedly follows up with you every step of the way, though some customer reviews express that this isn’t always the case.

To take personalization to the next level, AFC also allows members to choose their own service technician. If you don’t have a preferred service technician, AFC provides one for you through a local screening process.

What’s more: AFC does more for its customers than just protecting their home. Regardless of which plan you have with the company, you get to enjoy free credit monitoring, special discounts for over eight million maintenance-related parts and supplies, discounted rates for ADT-monitored home security and alarm services, family protection packages with the Emergency Alert Network, and savings through DealCash.com.

Though monthly premiums are slightly higher than the industry average, we think it’s worth it, especially with all of the benefits that come with each plan.

What others are saying

As a consumer, you probably don’t have the time to sit around and sift through the hundreds of reviews left by AFC customers. That’s where we come in. At House Method, we go through user complaints, reviews, and ratings of each home warranty company and compile that information in a chart that’s easy for you to read.

Below, we’ve included America’s First Choice Home Club ratings compared to the industry average.

America’s First Choice Home Club reviews

America’s First Choice Home Club has a B rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and an average of 3 stars from 109 customer reviews.

Here are a few BBB reviews from AFC customers:

Lynn J. on May 12, 2019, said:

Timely, accurate, professional, and always follows through. I never had to worry about whether an administrator or technician would not perform their job. Whenever I placed a work order, AFC walked me through the process and ensured if there were any concerns that they were addressed appropriately.

Richard L. on March 3, 2019, said:

After switching warranty companies twice, I finally have the one that works for my rural location. I have excellent plumbers and AC/heating contractors, and they allow me to bring them in with no delays. They will also find someone if I ask, as well. The review and payment is fast and trouble-free. I have a multi-year contract and look forward to renewal soon.

Teresa C. on March 3, 2019, said:

One of your service techs tried to rip me off for $80.00 above [the] service call. I contacted AFC, and they agreed that was improper, and I did not accept this company’s bid. Be aware not all of their subcontractors are honest. I’ve only put in for three minor claims, and two of the three were honest and very proficient.

Final thoughts

House Method gives America’s 1st Choice 4.5 out of 5 stars. We love that the home warranty company allows customers to choose their own contractors, provides unique benefits, and has an award-winning customer service team. AFC Home Club also has four home warranty plan options, which is twice as many as most home warranty companies.

America’s First Choice Home Club is a great option for you if…

• you want a variety of customizable home protection plans.
• you want additional benefits on top of home warranty coverage.
• you want to choose your own pre-approved service contractor.

An AFC home warranty might not be the best option if…

• you’re on a budget.
• you’re a homeowner living in a newly built home. New construction should be protected already by a builder’s warranty, which might negate the need for a home warranty for the first couple of years.

Compare home warranties

Compare America’s 1st Choice Home Club to the competition.

Methodology

At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader. That’s why we took the time to create an objective rating system and score each home warranty provider according to our methodology. Our team spent hours on the phone speaking to representatives from each home warranty company to get information right from the source.

Our rating system involves a weighted, 100-point scale that scores home warranty companies on plans offered, coverage, state availability, cost, trustworthiness, customer service, and unique benefits.

For more details, check out our affiliate disclosure and rating methodology.

Company information

• Company name: America’s First Choice Home Club
• Company type: Private
• CEO: John B. Craddock
• Founding date: 11/9/2009
• Years in business: 10 years
• Telephone: 877-755-1115
• Address: 1337 Canton Rd Suite B
• State/province: Marietta, GA
• Postal code: 30066
• State availability: 46 states
• Service fee: $75–$125
• BBB rating: B
• Number of BBB complaints closed within last 3 years: 184