Best Extended Car Warranty Companies

The best extended car warranties reduce auto repair costs and provide peace of mind for vehicle owners. This means offering comprehensive coverage and a reliable claims process to customers.

We’ve conducted an industrywide review of numerous extended car warranty companies in order to find the best options overall. After carefully vetting a large number of extended car warranty providers, we determined the ones in this article to be the best in the industry.

Compare The Best Extended Car Warranties

The table below provides an easy comparison of ratings for each of the top 10 extended car warranty companies. We recommend reaching out for free quotes from top providers to compare your vehicle’s cost and coverage options.

How We Rate Extended Car Warranties

We carefully considered the following factors to determine the best extended auto warranty providers:

• Reputation: Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, longevity, and industry standing
• Coverage: Variety of plan choices, maximum mileage covered, and available perks
• Cost: Total cost, deductible options, and payment terms
• Transparency: Availability and transparency of each company’s contracts
• Customer Experience: Customer ratings from the BBB and Trustpilot, 30-day money-back guarantees, and customer service availability

While the brands shown above all offer exceptional coverage at competitive rates, the provider that’s best for you will depend on your needs. Endurance tops our list for the most comprehensive coverage options, but you may want to consider CarShield if you’re looking for cheaper basic coverage.

See below for a detailed breakdown of the top five extended car warranty companies.

#1 Endurance: Best Coverage

With an industry-leading 4.6-star rating from our extensive study of top providers, we’ve chosen Endurance as the best extended warranty company.

The table below highlights Endurance’s scores in each category used to determine the company’s overall rating:

We recognize Endurance for having the Best Coverage because of its wide range of plan options, including regular maintenance coverage and many other useful perks. Additionally, Endurance stands out for being a direct provider, which allows the company to provide strong customer service because it administers its own claims.

See below for a list of pros and cons for Endurance:

About Endurance Warranty Services

• Founded: 2006
• Headquarters: Northbrook, Illinois
• Provider type: Direct
• Availability: 50 states

Endurance Warranty Company Reputation

Endurance Warranty Services has provided extended car warranties to drivers since 2006. It offers vehicle service contracts in 49 states and mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) in California. It’s backed by an A-rated insurance company and is capable of meeting all claims obligations.

Unlike many aftermarket extended car warranty providers, Endurance offers direct-to-consumer extended warranties. This means it administers its own contracts and handles all claims and customer service with no middleman involved. This allows Endurance to deliver superior service to its customers.

Endurance Warranty Customer Reviews And Ratings

• BBB accreditation: No
• BBB rating: Not rated
• BBB customer review score: 3.7 out of 5.0 stars based on over 2,600 reviews
• BBB customer complaints: Over 1,900 in the last three years, with 1,000 in the last 12 months
• Trustpilot rating: Great
• Trustpilot customer review score: 3.8 out of 5.0 stars based on 7,000 reviews

Endurance has positive customer reviews overall, with many of these focusing on the excellent customer service received during the quotes and claims process. However, the company currently lacks a rating from the BBB unlike other providers on our list. In the past, Endurance received alerts from the BBB regarding its advertising, which stemmed from complaints about aggressive mailers the company had sent out.

Despite this, there is no significant pattern of complaints regarding Endurance claims or service. In addition, the company replies to each customer complaint posted on its BBB page and customer service representatives issue refunds to customers when needed. Endurance also conducts internal reviews based on these complaints to ensure that the same issue doesn’t happen to other customers.

Endurance Extended Warranty Coverage

Endurance offers six levels of extended warranty coverage that can last up to 200,000 miles, which makes it a good option for extended warranties for cars over 100k miles.

See below for a detailed breakdown of the five standard extended warranty plans offered by Endurance:

All Endurance plans come with rental car reimbursement, 24/7 roadside assistance, and trip interruption coverage as standard benefits.

Endurance Elite benefits set the company apart from others in the industry. These benefits are included in all Endurance warranties for one year. After that, you can pay $29 per month to add them to your protection plan. Endurance Elite benefits include:

• Total loss protection: Up to $1,000 reimbursement to replace your vehicle
• Collision discount: $500 per covered collision ($1,000 limit)
• Complete tire coverage: Reimbursement for up to two replaced or repaired tires per year

In addition, Endurance extended warranty plans allow customers to choose from any repair shop certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE^®). This makes it easy to find a repair shop that will help with covered repairs no matter where you experience a mechanical breakdown.

Endurance Warranty Plans

Below is a summary of each Endurance plan:

There are three levels of EnduranceAdvantage plans. They all offer the same maintenance benefits but differ in warranty coverage. Here are the basics about each level:

• Preferred: Exclusionary coverage for almost any mechanical breakdown
• Plus: High-level protection for all major systems of the vehicle
• Prime: Covers everything in Plus but only offers basic electrical system coverage

Endurance Mechanical Breakdown Insurance

Endurance recently began offering mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) to car owners in California. There are three levels of coverage offered instead of the usual six in all other states. The table below has details about the Elite Plus, Premium, and Standard plans:

Endurance also offers the following coverage add-ons to California drivers:

• Covered part cause of loss
• Emissions coverage
• Business use option
• Lift kit or oversized tires
• Snowplow option

In addition, all MBI plans from Endurance come standard with towing reimbursement, rental car coverage and trip interruption benefits.

Endurance Car Warranty Cost Estimates

While Endurance offers extensive warranty coverage, its prices aren’t the most competitive. Endurance warranty plans are sometimes cheap, but shorter coverage terms can negate this. That said, many car owners find affordable plans through Endurance.

Below are some extended warranty prices we obtained when mystery shopping with Endurance. Keep in mind that your costs will vary depending on the vehicle.

According to our research, Endurance plans range from $98 to $120 per month depending on the plan you choose. Overall costs were within the limits of what most people reported paying in our March 2022 survey. Additionally, we found that a reliable car still under its factory warranty can get six years of exclusionary coverage for about $2,850. That’s on par with quotes we received from other providers.

The company also offers four deductible options ranging from $0 to $200 which influence the total cost of the plan. A higher deductible will mean a lower premium. Endurance offers flexible, zero-interest terms with payment period options that include 12, 18, or 24 months. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee for customers who change their minds about purchasing an extended warranty.

Read more: Endurance warranty review

#2 Olive: Best Online Process

It’s important for companies to offer a good online experience. We rate Olive 4.5 out of 5.0 stars overall for having the best online experience out of any of our top picks.

See below how Olive scored in each of the major review categories:

Olive has been around since 2000 but recently began offering online warranties. The company provides an easy shopping experience that allows drivers to customize coverage and deductibles before buying a plan. Olive also partners with RepairPal to make it easy to find repair shops in your area.

See below for some of the pros and cons of purchasing an Olive warranty:

About Olive Warranty

• Founded: 2000
• Headquarters: Chicago
• Provider type: Broker
• Availability: All 50 states

Olive Company Reputation

Olive has an A+ rating with accreditation from the BBB. Another benefit of Olive is that it’s available in all 50 states. California requires warranty companies to sell mechanical breakdown insurance in the state, and not all companies on our list offer plans there.

Olive Customer Reviews And Ratings

• BBB accreditation: Yes
• BBB rating: A+
• BBB customer review score: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars from six reviews
• BBB customer complaints: 30 in the last three years, 15 in the last 12 months

Olive doesn’t have much of a presence in terms of customer reviews through the BBB, and it lacks a Trustpilot profile. However, Google reviews are largely positive, which stands as a testimony to the service this provider offers.

Olive Extended Warranty Coverage

Olive offers three different warranty plans: Powertrain, Powertrain Plus, and Complete Care. You can get an Olive warranty for a car up to 10 years old or with 140,000 miles on the odometer. Once you have a plan, you’re covered for up to 12 years or 185,000 miles.

Below are the details of what each Olive warranty plan covers:

Olive warranty plans come with two extra benefits:

• Towing: If you have a covered breakdown, Olive will reimburse you up to $100 for a tow.
• Rental car coverage: In the case of a covered breakdown, Olive will reimburse you up to $35 per day for five days for rental car costs. Olive will bump that up an extra two days if the company needs to inspect your vehicle.

One downside to Olive is that it doesn’t cover roadside assistance services like battery jump-starts or lockouts. It also doesn’t cover trip interruption services. This may be one reason why Olive’s warranty plans are more affordable than plans from many of its competitors.

Olive Warranty Plans

Below are summaries of each type of plan that Olive offers:

Olive’s mechanical breakdown insurance provides the same type of protection that its vehicle service contracts offer. Plans are backed by QBE Insurance Group, which holds an A rating from AM Best.

When you get a quote online, you can choose between different plans and see how much each will cost. Olive offers a good range of plans, from factory-level coverage down to basic coverage. However, some drivers may prefer more variety in their options from other companies.

Olive Warranty Cost Estimates

We found that Olive offers affordable warranty plans overall. Our team compared multiple quotes from Olive and learned that prices range from $50 to $55 per month. Total costs for plans are very affordable compared to other options on the market. However, keep in mind that Olive’s warranty plans only last for three years, while other companies offer plans that can last for five, six, or seven years.

See below for quotes we got from Olive through secret shopping. Your exact price for an Olive warranty plan will vary.

We received quotes that included a $500 deductible, though the company offers deductible options of either $100, $250, or $500. If you choose a lower deductible, you’ll have a higher total cost and monthly cost.

Our secret shoppers found Olive’s quote process to be simple and easy. We also noticed that salespeople were friendly and didn’t use any pushy sales tactics. Overall, Olive provides good prices and a relaxed buying experience that can be completed fully online.

Read more: Olive warranty review

#3 CarShield: Best Monthly Payments

Earning a score of 4.5 out of 5.0 stars, CarShield is popular with many drivers because of its low-cost plans and easy shopping experience. The company offers affordable coverage options including month-to-month plans, which is why we recognized it as the provider with the Best Monthly Payments.

The table below highlights CarShield’s scores in the major review categories:

CarShield is a good choice if you want to take advantage of a month-to-month contract. The company also stands out for its specialty plans for recreational vehicles (RVs), all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorcycles, and vehicles with high-tech components. While CarShield may be a great option for those seeking the lowest rates possible, shoppers who value customer experience above all may want to consider another provider.

Below is a complete list of CarShield pros and cons:

About CarShield

• Founded: 2005
• Headquarters: St. Peters, Missouri
• Provider type: Broker
• Availability: 49 states (excluding California)

CarShield Company Reputation

CarShield has been in business for 18 years and has been featured on CNN, HGTV, and ESPN. It’s the most popular provider by far on our list of the best extended warranty companies and has provided coverage for over 1 million vehicles. In our extended warranty survey, over 56 percent of respondents said they had used CarShield, which was a higher number than for any other provider.

As an extended warranty broker, CarShield sells plans that are administered by American Auto Shield. While brokers like CarShield can often offer cheaper contracts than direct providers, there’s also a risk that they may not give as good of service. This is because they are less directly accountable to customers for coverage and claims administration.

Due to CarShield’s low ratings on some online platforms, the company doesn’t score as well as others on our list. For example, CarShield has a negative reputation with the BBB for sending aggressive marketing letters. However, it has a reliable claims service reputation based on reviews from other well-known platforms.

CarShield Customer Ratings And Reviews

• BBB accreditation: No
• BBB rating: D
• BBB customer review score: 1.4 out of 5.0 stars based on over 2,200 reviews
• BBB customer complaints: Over 3,400 in the last three years, with almost 1,100 in the last 12 months
• Trustpilot rating: Great
• Trustpilot customer review score: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars based on over 41,000 reviews

CarShield’s over 41,000 reviews on Trustpilot are a reflection of the company’s popularity. Positive reviews from customers often report satisfaction with the overall value of contracts in addition to excellent experiences with customer service representatives from CarShield.

While CarShield’s BBB complaints in the past three years are more than for any other provider on our list, this accounts for less than 1 percent of the more than 500,000 service contracts the company has sold over the same time period. Ultimately, these complaints represent a small number of CarShield customers.

The company’s low BBB rating is largely a reflection of customers having claims denied and facing difficulties with canceling policies. These are common reasons for customer complaints across the extended car warranty industry. In order to prevent this, it’s important to understand your coverage before committing to an extended warranty provider.

CarShield Extended Warranty Coverage

CarShield vehicle service plans can last up to 300,000 miles, which is the highest limit available in the industry. This makes the provider a smart option for drivers with high-mileage vehicles. Like Endurance, the maximum number of coverage years is not stated on the provider’s website.

Below are the components covered by CarShield’s plans:

All CarShield plans come with a waiting period of 20 days and 500 miles before becoming active. This protects the company from covering any preexisting mechanical issues. Additionally, CarShield extended warranties include the following perks:

• 24/7 roadside assistance: CarShield provides up to $75 per occurrence and $400 total for the life of the contract for towing, lockout services, fuel delivery, spare tire installation, battery jump-starts, and winching.
• Rental car reimbursement: You will be reimbursed up to $40 per day up to four days for rental car expenses in the case of a covered repair.
• Trip interruption reimbursement: CarShield will reimburse you up to $50 per day for three days for food and lodging if you experience a mechanical breakdown more than 100 miles away from home.

CarShield Warranty Plans

The table below contains a summary of CarShield’s extended warranty plans:

The difference in coverage between the plans above has most to do with the exclusions. The Diamond level of coverage has the fewest exclusions, while the Aluminum level has the most.

CarShield Car Warranty Cost Estimates

Based on quotes from our research team, CarShield extended warranty prices range from $110 to $140 per month depending on the plan you choose. CarShield offers unlimited contracts, so the total cost depends on how long you have the plan. Know that it can be more expensive than with other companies for long-term plans of over four years.

See below for quotes we received when mystery shopping for CarShield. Your costs will likely vary depending on the car make and model.

CarShield warranties come with low or $0 deductibles, meaning customers have to pay either nothing or very little for covered repairs. Also, since CarShield pays repair facilities directly, you won’t be required to wait for a reimbursement. In order to make its plans as financially flexible as possible, CarShield offers month-to-month contracts that provide rolling coverage and don’t lock customers in for long periods.

Read more: CarShield review

#4 CARCHEX: Best For Used Cars

Earning a 4.4– out of 5.0–star rating, CARCHEX provides a wide range of coverage options and is one of the best extended car warranty companies.

Below are the review scores for CARCHEX in each of the major ratings categories:

Along with earning the highest reputation score in our comprehensive review, CARCHEX is also recognized as having the best used car warranty. While a few providers offer plans for high-mileage vehicles past 200,000 miles, CARCHEX can cover cars up to 250,000 miles. This is one of the longest coverage terms on the market, right behind CarShield.

Below is a list of pros and cons for CARCHEX:

About CARCHEX

• Founded: 1999
• Headquarters: Baltimore
• Provider type: Broker
• Availability: All 50 states

CARCHEX Company Reputation

CARCHEX has a reputation score of 5.0 out of 5.0 stars, which is the highest awarded in our industrywide review. This warranty provider has been in business for over 20 years, and it’s one of the few providers that covers cars in California. Our March 2022 car warranty survey, which polled 1,000 consumers, found that 19 percent of those surveyed had a CARCHEX warranty. This made it the second most popular provider overall.

The company’s extended warranties are endorsed by industry leaders like Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, CARFAX, and RepairPal. It has also received several awards recognizing its customer service, including:

• Golden Bridge Awards^®: “Silver Status” for customer service (three consecutive years)
• TopConsumerReviews.com: 5.0-star rating (six consecutive years)
• ThoroughlyReviewed: Top Pick (2017)
• BestReviewsHub.com: Best Choice Award (four consecutive years)

CARCHEX Customer Reviews And Ratings

• BBB accreditation: Yes
• BBB rating: A+
• BBB customer review score: 1.9 out of 5.0 stars based on over 160 reviews
• BBB customer complaints: Over 170 in the last three years, with 60 in the last 12 months
• Trustpilot rating: Poor
• Trustpilot customer review score: 2.5 out of 5.0 stars based on over 1,500 reviews

With its No-Haggle, Low-Price, Everyday Guarantee™, CARCHEX aims to provide the best possible customer experience by eliminating high-pressure sales tactics and making coverage and pricing clear. This experience is unlikely to be found across the board in the extended car warranty industry.

CARCHEX reviews often mention the company’s helpful customer service representatives, smooth claims process, and ability to resolve issues quickly. The company has a relatively low number of complaints for its size, and 84 percent of the over 1,500 reviewers on Trustpilot gave it a rating of either four or five stars.

While CARCHEX does have customer complaints, it responds to many of them. No company is perfect, but with its reputation, CARCHEX will likely work with you to resolve any issues.

CARCHEX Extended Warranty Coverage

CARCHEX offers five levels of extended warranty coverage, one of which protects the critical components outside of your vehicle’s powertrain. See below for a comprehensive list of parts covered with each plan:

Here are some additional features that come with CARCHEX warranty coverage:

• Extra benefits: CARCHEX warranties include 24/7 emergency roadside assistance, trip interruption reimbursement, and lockout and lost key services.
• Claims paid directly to repair shops: Instead of paying for your car’s repairs directly and being reimbursed later, CARCHEX pays for repairs itself.
• Choice of repair shop: With CARCHEX, you won’t be limited to a specific repair shop or dealership–you can go to any licensed repair facility in the country.

CARCHEX Warranty Plans

Here’s a summary of each CARCHEX extended warranty plan:

Easy-to-read sample contracts are found on the company’s website, and a representative from CARCHEX can assist you with any further questions about what is and isn’t covered.

In addition to the standard coverage options, CARCHEX offers a few add-ons:

• Luxury electronics package: This option covers features such as GPS systems, display screens, backup cameras, and voice activation systems.
• Emissions package: This package covers emissions system components such as the air/fuel ratio sensor, fuel tank pressure sensor, and intake air temperature sensor.
• Market labor rate option: Standard CARCHEX plans limit the hourly labor rate coverage for repairs to $100 per hour. With this option, CARCHEX will cover the labor rate for the repair shop or dealership above $100 per hour.

While CARCHEX offers coverage in California, the company doesn’t list it as mechanical breakdown insurance. You’ll need to reach out to a company representative for clarification about whether it’s a true vehicle service contract or not.

CARCHEX Car Warranty Cost Estimates

On average, CARCHEX extended warranties cost between $167 and $222 per month depending on the plan, deductible, and payment type you choose.

See below for quotes we gathered from CARCHEX during our secret shopping experience:

Overall, we found the company to offer competitive rates for all of its contracts. CARCHEX offers a 30-day money-back guarantee that provides a full refund to customers who are unhappy after the first 30 days.

Read more: CARCHEX review

#5 Protect My Car: Best Customer Service

Protect My Car is our fifth pick for the best extended car warranty. We rate the company 4.4 stars overall.

Below, you can see how Protect My Car scores in each of our review categories.

Protect My Car (PMC) stands out for having great customer service. The company holds high ratings on both the BBB and Trustpilot, which is rare for an extended warranty company to do. Protect My Car offers three plans that cover a range of breakdowns. Plus, plans cover routine maintenance items like oil changes and tire rotations. This makes it easy to keep your car in the best condition.

See below for the pros and cons of getting a warranty from Protect My Car:

About Protect My Car

• Founded: 2005
• Headquarters: St. Petersburg, FL
• Provider type: Broker
• Availability: Not available in California, Washington, or Canada

Protect My Car Company Reputation

Protect My Car has been in business since 2005. At this time, it has a C rating from the BBB. That said, it has a 4.2-star rating from over 3,500 reviews on Trustpilot. Overall, the vast majority of customers have positive experiences with Protect My Car.

Protect My Car Customer Reviews And Ratings

• BBB accreditation: No
• BBB rating: C
• BBB customer review score: 3.3 out of 5.0 stars based on 577 reviews
• BBB customer complaints: 548 complaints in the last three years, with 358 in the last 12 months
• Trustpilot rating: Great
• Trustpilot customer review score: 4.2 out of 5.0 based on over 3,500 reviews

Reviewers on Trustpilot say Protect My Car covers the parts and repairs they expect. Many also talk about taking their cars to get routine maintenance and having that covered by Protect My Car. That said, a few customers reported issues resolving claims in a timely manner and had to speak with a few different reps to get their claims handled. Most of the time, claims are handled quickly and PMC pays the repair shop directly.

Protect My Car Extended Warranty Coverage

Protect My Car offers three extended warranty plans: Ultimate, Deluxe, and Essential. The Ultimate plan is a high-level contract that covers hundreds of components, while the Essential plan covers the powertrain plus a few other important systems.

The table below has an in-depth breakdown of coverage plans offered by Protect My Car:

All Protect My Car warranty plans come with the added benefits of roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and trip interruption. Here’s what these benefits cover:

• Roadside assistance: Covers up to two calls per year for towing, flat–tire assistance, fluid delivery, lockout assistance, and battery assistance
• Rental reimbursement: Covers up to $30 per day for seven days if your car is in the shop for a covered repair
• Trip interruption: Covers up to $50 per day for three days for food and lodging if your car breaks down over 150 miles from home

Protect My Car Warranty Plans

Find a summary below of each Protect My Car plan and what makes them different:

All plans come with three oil changes and two tire rotations per year. You can redeem these in a couple of ways. First, you can give your PMC contract number to the oil change operator and have them register online with Protect My Car. The company has already partnered with Jiffy Lube, Pep Boys, AAMCO, Valvoline, and Take 5 to make this process easier. The repair shop should be able to collect payment from PMC over the phone.

If you have issues with this process or have already paid for an oil change, you can get reimbursed through PMC’s website. You’ll receive a prepaid Mastercard for the oil change or tire rotation amount.

Protect My Car Warranty Cost Estimates

Protect My Car offers reasonable rates for its warranty plans compared to other companies. Monthly quotes we received ranged from $110 to $116 per month. This range is cheaper than many competitors.

See below for quotes we got from mystery shopping with Protect My Car. Remember, your costs will likely vary depending on your vehicle along with other factors.

Our quotes included a $100 deductible, but Protect My Car also offers $50 and $200 deductibles. If you raise your deductible, your monthly payment will decrease and vice versa. For these quotes, the plans above are good for 4 years or unlimited miles. That means you wouldn’t have to worry about driving too many miles in a year and having the plan expire sooner than expected. Overall, Protect My Car is a good choice for extended warranties, especially considering its maintenance coverage.

If you want an extended warranty to help out with the cost of car repairs, don’t settle for the first company you come across. To find reliable coverage, it’s important to compare options from the most reputable extended car warranty companies.

Good extended warranty companies are out there, and you can find them if you know where to look. You can use auto industry review sites or resources like Consumer Reports to locate legitimate providers.

Reputable Extended Car Warranty Providers

Due to common perceptions about the extended car warranty industry, perhaps the most important ratings category for many customers is industry reputation. For this reason, we’ve also ranked our top five providers in terms of which is the most reputable extended car warranty company.

While CARCHEX doesn’t score as well in some of the other categories, we found that it’s the most reputable extended auto warranty provider. This is something to consider if company reputation is near the top of your wish list for an extended warranty company.

Types Of Extended Car Warranty Plans

There are typically three main types of extended car warranties: bumper-to-bumper warranties, powertrain–plus plans, and powertrain plans. Understanding the difference between each type of extended warranty can help you decide which level of protection is right for you:

• Bumper-to-bumper: This term refers to the highest level of vehicle protection available, providing coverage for most vehicle components. Ironically, these plans do not cover the physical bumpers of your vehicle, but rather protect most parts in between the front and rear bumpers.
• Powertrain–plus: Some providers also offer mid-tier extended warranties that cover powertrain components as well as select vehicle systems like the air conditioning, suspension, and brakes. 
• Powertrain: The most basic level of coverage, these contracts only protect the parts of your vehicle that make it move such as the engine, transmission, and drive axles.

Keep in mind that some providers offer plans that fall in between these three types of coverage. Make sure that you fully understand the types of car warranty plans being offered by the provider you choose.

Extended Car Warranty Benefits

A huge benefit of extended auto warranties is that you can better plan out your monthly and yearly budgets. Many car owners avoid paying $1,000 or $2,000 for out–of–pocket repairs with extended warranties.

In addition to paying for repairs or replacements of covered components, the best extended car warranty companies also provide a number of additional benefits such as:

• 24/7 roadside assistance for services like fuel deliveries, battery jump-starts, and lockouts
• Trip interruption coverage if you break down far from home and have to stay the night while your car is being repaired
• Rental car reimbursement while your vehicle is in the shop
• Towing coverage if your vehicle becomes inoperable and needs to be transported to a dealership or repair shop

Extended Car Warranty Exclusions

To be an educated shopper, you should know what extended warranties don’t cover. Even contracts that offer comprehensive coverage for most major systems typically have some exclusions. Below is a list of items and repairs that an extended car warranty doesn’t cover:

• Damage to normal wear and tear items like brake pads and windshield wiper blades
• Regularly scheduled maintenance like oil changes, alignments, etc.
• Preventive maintenance
• Unauthorized repair costs
• Damage due to lack of maintenance, neglect, misuse, or use of improper fuel or fluids
• Damage due to environmental factors, chemicals, or extreme weather conditions
• Damage from theft, vandalism, or an accident-related collision
• Cosmetic items

We recommend that you compare sample warranty contracts and weigh the pros and cons of extended car warranties before deciding on a provider and plan. Sample contracts give you detailed information on what exactly your warranty would cover in case of a needed repair.

In our 2022 extended car warranty survey we found that half of the 1,000 respondents reported paying between $1,600 and $3,200 for their extended warranty. Here’s a complete breakdown of what people reported paying in our survey:

Average Cost Of An Extended Car Warranty

Our secret shopper analysis shows that the average cost of an extended car warranty is $3,026 in total. The table below has a more comprehensive cost breakdown based on type of coverage:

Keep in mind that we calculated these averages based on costs from our top eight extended warranty providers. Your specific cost for an extended car warranty will depend on a variety of factors, including:

• Your vehicle’s make, model, age, and mileage
• Existing coverage
• The provider you choose
• The coverage level of the plan you choose
• The deductible you choose
• How long your contract lasts
• Your payment plan, the length of the payment period, and the amount you pay upfront

Extended Car Warranty Quotes

Top providers allow you to get free quotes for your vehicle online, giving a better idea of what you would be paying for coverage. The easiest way to find the most coverage for the best price is to shop around and compare personalized quotes from a number of top providers. Once you get a few new or used vehicle warranty quotes, you’ll see what prices and monthly payment options are available to you.

How Do Extended Auto Warranties Work?

Every extended warranty company has its own claims process, but most work similarly. After a mechanical breakdown, drivers must take their vehicles to an approved repair facility.

If you purchase an extended warranty from your vehicle manufacturer, repairs must be made at a dealership. In contrast, third-party vehicle protection plans usually allow customers to have vehicles serviced at any ASE-certified repair shop.

The repair shop will perform a diagnosis and contact your extended car warranty company with the results. Your provider will then consult your contract and authorize covered repairs. After repairs are completed, reputable warranty administrators will pay the repair shop directly and you’ll only be responsible for your deductible.

Direct providers work with vehicle repair shops to cover the costs without an administrator. Some companies, however, will have you pay the full price of repairs upfront and send you a reimbursement check.

Typical extended warranty deductible options are $0, $50, $100, and $200.

Are Extended Car Warranties Worth It?

Whether or not an extended car warranty is worth it depends on your preferences and lifestyle. Drivers who can cover unexpected repairs may not need an extended warranty, but those who prefer to make small monthly payments will find value in extended protection.

In addition, an extended warranty could pay out significantly more for repairs than the initial cost of the warranty. You may want to have an extended warranty simply for the peace of mind it can bring.

If you’re on the fence about purchasing an extended car warranty, we recommend honestly assessing your vehicle’s reliability and your personal financial situation. If you want to guarantee you aren’t paying for unused coverage, a savings account set up exclusively for mechanical breakdowns is one way to save for repair costs.

Extended Car Warranty Pros And Cons

Here are some benefits and drawbacks to consider when deciding whether to purchase coverage:

Should I Buy An Extended Car Warranty?

If you’re still wondering whether to buy an extended warranty, consider some of the reasons below. You’ll have an answer if you find yourself agreeing with one set of reasons over the other. 

Reasons To Purchase An Extended Warranty

• You can’t afford the cost of repairs that are sudden and unexpected.
• You want to plan for repair costs by financing them over a longer period of time.
• You are offered a low-priced plan from a reputable extended warranty provider.
• You expect your car to require frequent repairs.
• You drive a luxury vehicle that will require expensive repairs.

Reasons Not To Purchase An Extended Warranty

• You can easily pay for costly repairs out of pocket as they arise.
• You don’t anticipate the cost of vehicle repairs to be more than the cost of an extended warranty.
• You have an exceptionally reliable or new vehicle.

You plan on trading in your vehicle before or shortly after its factory warranty ends.

There are many reputable warranty companies, but we think Endurance has the best extended auto warranty overall. The company offers a wide range of coverage plans that last for many miles. Endurance is also a direct provider, which means you’ll work with the same company the entire time.

In general, we recommend getting online quotes and comparing prices from several extended warranty providers to find the best fit for your car and budget.

Below are some frequently asked questions about the best extended car warranties:

Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of extended auto warranty providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a warranty company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:

• Reputation: It’s important that an extended car warranty company is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) score well in this category. Established providers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
• Coverage: Our team of experts looks at the number of extended warranty plans available, as well as term limits, exclusions, and added benefits like roadside assistance. Ratings also take into account the availability of maintenance coverage.
• Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between providers because so many factors impact vehicle service contract pricing. To determine our cost score, we perform a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and plans and consider available deductibles.
• Transparency: Our team evaluates the availability and transparency of each company’s contracts, as well as whether each provider offers a money-back guarantee.
• Customer Experience: We listen to real customer sales calls and comb through reviews on sites like the BBB to learn about customer experiences. Warranty companies with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the availability of mobile apps and chat features.

*Data accurate at time of publication.