8 Best Extended Car Warranty Companies of 2023
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An extended car warranty can bring peace of mind to any car owner once the manufacturer's warranty expires, typically around three to five years after purchase or 30,000 to 60,000 miles of use. Warranty plans cover various mechanical and electrical faults and repairs, so you won't have to pay out of pocket if your vehicle breaks down even years after you've purchased it.
However, car warranties can be pricey. What's more, plans offer varying coverage and not all companies are transparent about what they include. Unless you're a car mechanic, the language in extended warranties can be confusing, so choosing the right one is no easy feat.
To avoid signing an extended car warranty you might regret, read more about our picks for the best extended auto warranty companies of 2023.
Our Top Picks For Best Extended Car Warranty Companies Of 2022
- Endurance Warranty – Best Coverage
- CarShield – Best For Options
- ProGuard – Best For Reliability
- olive – Best For Online Convenience
- Concord Auto Protect – Best Customer Satisfaction
- autopom – Best For Ease Of Use
- CARCHEX – Best Reputation
- Protect My Car – Best Financing
- ForeverCar, Zurich and Fidelity Warranty Services – Honorable mentions
Best Extended Car Warranty Reviews
Best Coverage: Endurance Warranty
First on our list is Endurance Warranty, thanks to its transparent contract terms and generous coverage at a good price. On average, you'll pay around $75 to $150 per month, which is below the industry average. We also love that you can create a custom plan if you don't like one of the company's predetermined ones.
Endurance Warranty policies protect vehicles up to 20 years of age with no mileage limit, which is longer than most competitors. The company clarifies terminology in the contract to ensure consumers are fully aware of their entitlements.
According to online reviews, Endurance Warranty is generous in approving claims as well. Customers don't have to negotiate with the company when they have a claim.
Below are the plans that Endurance Warranty offers:
- Secure Plus Plan: This is Endurance's best budget-friendly option. The plan protects your car's vital parts, such as the engine, transmission, water pump, fuel pump and timing belt. It has additional protections beyond vehicle repairs, including rental car coverage, 24/7 road assistance and trip interruption coverage. You'll also get one year of elite benefits, which include a collision discount, total loss protection, complete tire coverage and key fob replacement. The Secure Plus plan might be a good choice if you have an older car, as it covers cars up to 20 years old with no mileage limit.
- Superior Plan: If you drive a lot, you may prefer the beefed-up coverage of the Superior Plan. This plan includes everything the Secure Plan does but with more extensive component coverage. It includes electronics such as the drive axle, brakes and steering. You can also add on high-tech components like air-con, suspension and your fuel system.
- Extreme Plan: One of the most comprehensive plans in the industry, the Extreme Plan expands the Superior Plan with even more extensive coverage. It's similar to a car's exhaustive original warranty. It offers maximum breakdown coverage and covers almost all parts and components of your car, including gaskets, seals and high-tech elements.
Best for Options: CarShield
CarShield offers a range of protection options at a relatively affordable price. With CarShield, you'll pay around $100 to $130 per month in premiums. CarShield has a partnership with American Auto Shield and covers vehicles up to 300,000 miles.
Although each claim has to be pre-approved, its 24/7 assistance vehicle service ensures you can get support when you need it.
However, according to multiple online reviews, the layers of bureaucracy in CarShield's processes make cancellation hard. Consumers often find they can get help towing their vehicles easier than they can cancel the plan.
Below are CarShield's main plan options. Note that all of CarShield plans include roadside protection, trip interruption, breakdown coverage and rental transportation.
- Aluminum Plan: This plan covers electrical and computer-related parts like the starter, alternator, engine control module, electrical system and GPS.
- Silver Plan: We love this affordable powertrain policy that covers many parts, including the engine, transmission and water pump.
- Gold Plan: For even more coverage, try the Gold Plan. It has powertrain coverage that protects most major and minor vehicle parts and components that help the vehicle move. The plan includes all the Silver Plan does, plus the alternator, starter, A/C and electric windows.
- Platinum Plan: This plan is a good choice for older vehicles with higher mileage. The plan covers the engine, transmission, A/C, electrical system, starter, water pump and fuel pump.
- Diamond Plan: The most extensive coverage that CarShield offers is the Diamond Plan, which covers everything in the others and more. It's the plan closest to the manufacturer's warranty. There are only a few parts and conditions not covered, such as brake pads, wiper blades, headlamp bulbs and oil changes. Preexisting conditions are also not covered.
- Motorcycle and ATV Plan: This plan offers coverage for motorcycles including engine, transmission, primary drive assembly, drive axle, cooling system, electrical parts, steering, suspension and brakes.
- Electric Vehicle Coverage: EV coverage is ideal for electric vehicles and covers all major systems like electric drive units, A/C, cooling systems, steering and battery packs.
Best for Reliability: ProGuard
ProGuard has an A+ rating from the BBB, and insures all contracts by A-rated insurance companies that A.M. Best considers to be excellent in financial strength and their ability to pay claims. It has a network of seasoned mechanics in local areas, meaning you should not have to drive far to have your car fixed. ProGuard works with many dealerships to provide convenience to its members.
ProGuard offers a range of protection plans. You can also change coverage periodically to explore the effectiveness of each coverage plan. While plan prices are slightly higher than average, this is in exchange for more extensive warranty coverage and a broader service network.
However, ProGuard's plans don't cover general maintenance. Talk to an agent to establish what the contract includes to avoid misunderstandings in the future.
Here are ProGuard's plan options, all of which include 24/7 roadside assistance:
- ProGuard 1: This plan offers limited coverage of the main powertrain components. It includes the transmission, engine and differential, seals and gaskets. This plan is excellent for older cars with up to 200,000 miles.
- ProGuard 2: More comprehensive than ProGuard 1, ProGuard 2 includes powertrain components plus the cooling system, drive axle, fluids and turbo/supercharger. It also covers roadside assistance and towing.
- ProGuard 3: This is a comprehensive coverage plan that includes all of the items listed in ProGuard 2 plus ABS brakes, advanced electrical coverage like convertible tops or temperature sensors, advanced engine covers like flywheel or flexplate, A/C, electrical systems, fuel systems, fluids, EV/hybrid parts and suspension. It also includes trip interruption and rental car reimbursement. This plan is available for vehicles with up to 150,000 miles when purchased.
- ProGuard 4: This plan covers everything in plans 1-3 plus hundreds of additional components like manual and electronic locking hubs, air injection pumps, engine mount and alternator pulleys.
- ProGuard 5: The most comprehensive, this plan is the most similar to the manufacturer's basic warranty and covers up to 100,000 miles.
Best for Online Convenience: olive
This internet-based service provider is on our list because of its high-tech features. With olive, you can skip traditional appointments and register your vehicle online.
olive also has rental car coverage benefits. You can request almost all available services through its online system, making most car repair requests simple and quick.
olive's warranty plans cost between $30 and $80 per month. The company offers monthly installment plans that allow you to split up payments to ease your financial burden, should you need it.
However, it's important to know that olive has stricter-than-average terms of servicing, barring coverage for vehicles that are more than 10 years old. Generally, olive doesn't cover repairs and regular maintenance costs that older vehicles require.
Here are olive's plan options:
- Powertrain Plan: The best value of the plans, the Powertrain Plan covers the most expensive parts of your vehicle, like the engine and transmission. The plan covers the lubricated parts of the engine, cylinder block, cylinder heads, diesel injector pump, engine mounts, engine seals and gaskets, flywheel, harmonic balancer, manifold, oil pan, oil pump, timing belt, timing chain, turbo/supercharger, valve covers, valve actuators and water pump.
- Powertrain Plus Plan: This option offers everything in the Powertrain Plan plus additional coverage, including diesel high-pressure oil pumps and serpentine belt tensioners.
- Complete Care Plan: The most comprehensive of the plans, it covers all parts included in previous plans along with diesel high-pressure oil rails, oil filter adapter housing, thermostats, turbocharger wastegate actuators and variable valve timing solenoids.
Best Customer Satisfaction: Concord Auto Protect
This extended vehicle warranty company may be new, with less than a decade of experience, but it's already a standout. Concord Auto Protect's customer service focuses on assisting with processing claims as quickly and thoroughly as possible. With such a focus on customer satisfaction, the company has earned an A+ BBB rating and has above-average online reviews on sites like Consumer Affairs and Google.
Your premium payments go directly into your maintenance and repair costs, so you don't have to pay out of pocket on any occasion.
Concord Auto Protect's component coverage isn't as comprehensive as many competing companies. However, with competitive pricing at around $80-$150 per month and superior customer service, you may want to review their plan options to see if what you need is available.
Here are Concord's main options:
- Powertrain Plan: Concord's most basic plan is substantial, covering the engine, transmission, drive axle, cooling, brakes, trip interruption, dead battery, parts and labor, towing, locksmith, rental car and 24/7 roadside assistance.
- Advanced Plan: The Advanced Plan covers all of the above, plus all-wheel drive (AWD) and steering.
- Premium Plan: The most comprehensive of Concord's plans, the Premium Plan includes all of the above, plus heating, air conditioning, fuel system, anti-lock brakes, high-tech electronics, turbocharger, rear suspension and front suspension.
Best for Ease of Use: autopom
One of the best things about autopom's extended car warranty is the freedom to choose your preferred auto repair facility. It puts no restrictions on your choice as long as the business is properly licensed.
autopom has a plan for every price range, catering to many warranty needs. Many online reviews also note the company's easy claims process and helpful customer service.
Check for availability in your state, as some plans are exclusively available in certain areas. You can consult with an agent to find out more details and see which plan is best for you. However, keep in mind that autopom is stricter than average about the cars that it will cover.
Below are autopom's plan options:
- Powertrain Plus Plan: This plan covers essential listed components and parts in the engine, drive axle, A/C and limited electrical items, which vary from plan to plan.
- Mid-Level Plan: With this plan, you'll have coverage for most systems like the engine, transmission, drive axle, steering, braking, A/C and electrical systems.
- Exclusionary Plan: autopom's most comprehensive plan includes everything a manufacturer's warranty would offer with a few listed exclusions, like brake pads, rotors, belts, light bulbs, oil and filter changes, mufflers and exhaust systems.
Best Reputation: CARCHEX
CARCHEX has become one of the most reputable names in the car warranty industry. It has a BBB rating of A+ and has the endorsement of car industry leaders like Edmunds and CARFAX.
CARCHEX safeguards vehicles under 25 years old or with less than 250,000 miles. No down payment is necessary, and you can choose monthly payment plans. There is also a 30-day money-back cancellation window.
CARCHEX plans are budget-friendly with a broad scope of services included. Thus, CARCHEX may be a good option for first-time extended car warranty users.
However, the claims process varies from plan to plan, so you should read your coverage details beforehand so you know what to expect. Many customers also note a lack of efficiency in the claims process, often requiring persistence to get reimbursements.
CARCHEX's plan options are as follows:
- Bronze Plan: CARCHEX's basic plan, the Bronze Plan covers repairs and major vehicle systems like your engine, transmission and drive axle components. It doesn't cover seals and gaskets.
- Silver Plan: This plan covers everything in the Bronze Plan along with some additional coverage, including components in fuel delivery, electrical and air conditioning. It also doesn't cover seals and gaskets.
- Gold Plan: This plan has flexible terms and comprehensive coverage of everything included in Silver plus braking and steering components. Seals and gaskets are covered.
- Platinum Plan: The Platinum Plan has extensive component coverage that includes everything in the previous plans plus suspension components, enhanced electrical components and heating and cooling components.
- Titanium Plan: This plan offers the ultimate coverage for any breakdown scenario, with only a few excluded elements, including contamination repairs or pre-existing issues.
Best Financing: Protect My Car
Protect My Car directly administers all of its plans, which avoids the obstacles of unnecessary hierarchies in the claims process and offers a range of financing options. The company offers a 30-day grace period that lets you get a refund if you're not satisfied with their services.
Protect My Car's coverage is extensive, and it has one of the most generous installment plans in the business, allowing you to spread out payments to fit your budget.
However, Protect My Car's coverage is significantly more expensive than that of other companies, averaging at around $75 per month. Also, many customer reviews have noted that the company may make you jump through hoops to end your plan, should you decide to do so.
Here are Protect My Car's main plan options:
- Driveline Plan: Great for high-mileage vehicles with up to 300,000 miles, this plan covers solid foundations and basic repairs. It also pays 100% of covered repairs after the $200 deductible. The plan includes coverage for your engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axle, differential, cooling system, air conditioning, electrical and timing chain. The plan also includes free towing and roadside assistance, rental car costs, oil changes and tire rotations.
- Select Plan: This is a robust mid-range plan that covers vehicles with average mileage and pays 100% of covered repairs after a $100 deductible. Repairs include the same as the Driveline Plan with additional coverage of front and rear suspension and brake system components. Unfortunately, this plan does not include roadside assistance.
- Supreme Plan: This plan offers extensive coverage for low-mileage vehicles with 50,000+ miles. It pays 100% of covered repairs after a $100 deductible. Coverage includes the same as the Select Plan but with turbocharger coverage and optional navigation coverage.
Other Companies We Considered
- ForeverCar: With a range of pricing and plan options, ForeverCar offers flexibility when finding coverage that matches your budget. However, customers have noted long waiting periods for receiving assistance.
- Zurich: This is a great choice to cover high-performing sports cars and mountain vehicles, but the company is not Vehicle Protection Association (VPA) certified.
- Fidelity Warranty Services: With over 6,000 service centers, Fidelity offers prompt and high-quality service nationwide, although some clients found the coverage confusing.
Best Extended Car Warranty Guide
What Is An Extended Car Warranty?
Whenever you buy a new car, you get a warranty administered by the manufacturer. These typically only cover the first three years to five years (or a set mileage), which is also the period you are least likely to encounter any issues. The real trouble starts when your vehicle gets older.
An extended car warranty is meant to cover vehicle repairs after your manufacturer's warranty expires. These are offered by third parties and extend your original coverage or even provide supplemental coverage that wasn't included with your original warranty.
Types Of Extended Car Warranties And Costs
Typically, there are four main types of extended car warranties.
- Bumper-To-Bumper Warranty: Considered the most comprehensive extended car warranty, this will cover any mechanical issue from the front to the back bumper. It typically includes repairs of powertrain components like the engine or transmission, and electronics such as A/C, audio systems and suspension parts. Some companies include roadside pickups, as well.
- Powertrain Warranty: This type of warranty primarily handles the internal parts of the vehicle that make the car move. That includes the engine, transmission, differentials, transfer case, drive box, axles and driveshafts. As a car accumulates more miles, these parts are more likely to falter, so this is typically a plan for cars with more than 150,000 miles.
- Drivetrain Warranty: Drivetrain warranties cover many of a car's mobility parts, but not the engine. For example, it could include components like the drive axle, driveshaft, transmission and wheels. It's unlikely you'll need only a drivetrain warranty, as it covers limited parts.
- Named Component Warranties: With these types of warranties, car owners and service providers can negotiate the terms and specific parts to be covered, allowing greater flexibility for car owners.
The costs for any of these warranties vary drastically depending on your vehicle type and condition. Expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $300 per month, depending on your level of coverage and the company you decide to choose. And be aware that bumper-to-bumper warranties will cost the most due to the comprehensive plan coverage.
You also have to factor in your deductible (the amount you have to pay before coverage kicks in,) which will vary from plan to plan.
Are Extended Car Warranties Worth It?
Whether an extended car warranty is worth the cost depends on your particular situation and preferences. Some car owners argue that the benefits are not worth the relatively high premiums, while others stand firm in their opinion that you can't pay too much for peace of mind.
The Arguments For:
- No matter how careful you are and how diligently you keep to your maintenance schedule, wear and tear will eventually mean repairs.
- Repairing your car can average around $1,000 for each visit... and this amount compounds over the years. While it might be more cost-effective to just buy another car if you need expensive repairs, not everyone can do so. An extended car warranty can be a more affordable way to lengthen your car's life.
- Good service plans can help you cut down on costs, not just for replacement parts, but labor, too. Some extended warranties can even include roadside pick-up and vehicle rental costs while yours is in repair.
If you want the peace of mind that you have coverage for any breakdown or repair, a warranty may be just the thing.
The Arguments Against:
Extended car warranties are helpful, but they may not be worth what you pay since many plans don't cover multiple components. If your warranty plan doesn't cover a specific part and it breaks, you'll have to pay out of pocket. Some people think it's actually more cost-effective to focus on buying a highly reliable car and investing in regular maintenance.
Extended car warranties can also be expensive. For comprehensive coverage, you may need to pay up to $3,000 per year. Although the cost depends on your specific vehicle, your premiums could end up higher than your original manufacturer's warranty. Likewise, a less expensive plan can have high deductibles or limited coverage that doesn't offer protection from the costliest auto repairs.
Whether or not extended car warranties are worth it depends on your particular circumstances and how much you expect to spend on car repairs, plus your car's value. Research monthly premiums and deductibles and consider whether these costs will be worth it when you need to service your vehicle.
How To Choose An Extended Car Warranty That Fits Your Budget
An expensive price tag doesn't necessarily mean high quality. We covered several major extended car warranty types above. Car owners should evaluate their current needs before investing in a long-term plan.
- Check your car's performance. Capping your budget is essential to making the right decision about a warranty. Have your vehicle inspected before you purchase additional warranty coverage. A complete inspection will give you an idea of your car's health. A seasoned service technician can tell you the likelihood that your vehicle will break down and the different reasons for it, allowing you to budget accordingly.
- Evaluate your options. Based on the inspection, you can choose a plan that gives you the best options for coverage with the most affordable price tag. More expensive plans typically cover more components, but you are unlikely to utilize all aspects of the policy. While you can't predict you will break down, you can check car reliability ratings to understand the likelihood of certain parts breaking down and choose an appropriate plan.
- Get quotes. Get a quote from a few extended car warranty companies and see which has the most detailed overview. An opaque contract with vague terms will put you at a disadvantage in the future. Therefore, choose companies with more transparent policies, making the contract terms more understandable.
- Focus on your needs. There is no such thing as a best extended car warranty for everyone. Because every car owner has their own concerns, it's important to choose based on your needs rather than blindly upgrading because the agent tells you it's a better policy.
- Consider the perks. Some service providers offer additional perks aside from component repair and replacements to attract more customers. These benefits can include anything from roadside assistance to generous payment plans.
Best Extended Car Warranty FAQs
What Does An Extended Car Warranty Cover?
An extended car warranty covers many aspects of car maintenance and repair. Some are related to car systems, while others focus on internal maintenance. Typically, extended warranties cover repairs or replacements for crucial parts like the engine, transmission and roadside assistance.
Depending on how comprehensive your coverage is, it can include other components from brakes and suspension to your A/C or electric windows. Most warranties will cover labor costs, but not all do. Some parts of the brakes system, like brake pads, are not always covered.
What Does An Extended Car Warranty Not Cover?
Depending on the type of warranty you purchase, you'll get different parts and systems covered, as we explained above. Aside from that, there may be additional limits.
The warranty contract sometimes states a number of times that service providers will replace specific units. Once you exceed that limit, the company won't pay for more repairs or replacements. You'll need to check and compare coverage caps for the various car warranties you're comparing.
In addition, service providers and your local mechanics may not use official parts for the major systems. Those parts could be exclusively available in official repair shops. If having an official brand for replacement parts is important to you, you should only look for plans from your car manufacturer.
Finally, be aware that while an extended auto warranty insures your car, it's not the same as having car insurance. Car insurance protects you against unexpected damage and incidents, like road accidents, natural disasters and theft.
You'll want car insurance for these events because an extended car warranty won't cover them. A few car warranty companies may extend the coverage, but it's rare. Any repairs caused by a collision don't fall into regular maintenance needs.
How Much Does An Extended Car Warranty Cost?
An extended car warranty can cost anywhere between $700 to $3000 per year, depending on the state of your vehicle, license records, manufacturer's factory warranty and if your car has high mileage.
Thankfully, many extended car warranty providers will offer you a free quote, which makes the comparison shopping process easier. Generally, newer, well-maintained and popular car models receive cheaper quotes.
How We Selected The Best Extended Car Warranty Companies
We considered many factors when deciding which companies should be on this list of the best extended car warranties.
First, we considered the value-to-price ratio as a crucial determinant of how good each car warranty company is. We compared the coverage and specifications offered in different plans. We also selected companies with competitive pricing and comprehensive coverage options.
Reputation was another critical factor we considered. We considered customer reviews on trusted platforms like BBB and TrustPilot and independent ratings from reputable comparison sites.
Additionally, we considered the expanse of each company's service networks. When we compiled the list, we examined how diverse and extensive the service network is, if each state is covered and how many repair shops it has.
Summary Of The Best Extended Car Warranty Companies of 2023
- Endurance Warranty – Best Coverage
- CarShield – Best For Options
- ProGuard – Best For Reliability
- olive – Best For Online Convenience
- Concord Auto Protect – Best Customer Satisfaction
- autopom – Best For Ease Of Use
- CARCHEX – Best Reputation
- Protect My Car – Best Financing
- ForeverCar, Zurich and Fidelity Warranty Services – Honorable mentions
