Best Extended Car Warranty Companies

Written by

Picture of Brogan Woodburn
Brogan Woodburn

Industry Expert

How we rank extended warranty providers

Advertiser Disclosure

In This Article

We rate Endurance as the best extended car warranty provider because it handles claims directly and offers six plans with many benefits.

Key Points:

  • You can find the best extended warranty coverage from Endurance, Toco, Everything Breaks, autopom!, and Olive.
  • Our ratings consider four main categories of coverage, cost/buying experience, reputation, and customer service.
  • An extended warranty can be worth it for cars with higher-than-average repair costs.

When your car is out of the factory warranty period, you’re on your own for repairs. The good news is you can extend warranty coverage through your manufacturer or get a vehicle service contract from a company like Endurance to help cover repairs. We’ll cover our picks for the best extended warranty companies below and help you decide if buying one is worth it.

Our Top Pick

endurance extended warranty review

After reviewing 20 companies, we’ve determined that Endurance is our preferred option for extended car warranties.

  • Unlimited Miles for Cars Under 20 Years
  • Maintenance Coverage Available
  • Salvage or Rebuilt Cars Are Covered
  • 24/7 Roadside Assistance
  • Direct Administrator of Claims
View Plans

5 Best Extended Car Warranty Companies

Below you can compare our auto warranty provider recommendations. We ranked 20 companies overall and chose 5 that rose to the top. Our rankings are based on the categories of coverage, cost and buying experience, reputation, and customer service.
Company Our Rating Our Award Coverage Levels
1. Endurance 4.8 Best Overall 6
2. Toco 4.6 Low Monthly Payments 4
3. Everything Breaks 4.5 Good for Older Vehicles 5
4. autopom! 4.5 Best Value 3
5. Olive 4.3 Easy Online Purchase 3
Note that manufacturers are technically the only entities that can offer extended warranties. If a third-party company offers coverage, it’s a vehicle service contract. This applies to our five picks which are third-party vehicle service contract providers. That said, vehicle service contracts can cover similar components as a factory warranty.

1. Endurance: Best Overall

  • Maximum mileage: Unlimited
  • Added benefits: Roadside assistance, rental car coverage, trip interruption, plus Elite benefits (tire repair, $500 in collision assistance, $1,000 in total loss assistance, and key fob replacement free for one year)
  • Sample quote: $138 for 29 months

Endurance offers a wide coverage selection with unique Endurance Elite benefits like tire repair and collision discount for one year.

Pros Cons
6 plans including the Advantage maintenance plan with sub-plans Not always the cheapest option
Direct provider—you only deal with Endurance for claims Elite benefits are only free for one year
Covers vehicles up to 20 years old with no mileage restrictions

Why Endurance Stands Out

Endurance makes the top of our list for many reasons. One of its standout features is that it’s a direct warranty provider, not a broker. This means you don’t have to work with a third-party administrator when filing a claim with Endurance. We also gave Endurance a 5.0 rating in the coverage category. It has six plans that range from basic to comprehensive coverage plus a plan that can cover maintenance services like oil changes and brake pad replacements.
Research Category Endurance Rating
Coverage 5.0
Cost and Buying Experience 4.8
Reputation 4.7
Customer Service 4.5
Overall Rating 4.8

Endurance Warranty Coverage

Endurance offers six main plan options:

  • Supreme: This is Endurance’s comprehensive plan that covers any breakdown except for a list of exclusions.
  • Advantage: This plan covers annual maintenance services like oil changes, diagnostic exams, alignment checks plus one-time services like brake pad and battery replacements (limits apply). It also offers three levels for breakdown coverage: Preferred, Plus, and Prime.
  • Superior: This plan covers the engine, transmission, turbocharger, drive axle, transfer unit, brakes, steering, electrical, air conditioning, suspension, fuel system, and cooling system.
  • Premier: You get coverage for the engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axle, air conditioning, electrical, luxury electrical, cooling, and fuel systems.
  • Secure Plus: This affordable plan covers the engine, turbocharger, transmission, drive axle, transfer unit, brakes, steering, electrical, and air conditioning.
  • Secure: This basic plan covers the engine, turbocharger, transmission, drive axle, and transfer unit.

Be aware that plans don’t necessarily cover every component in a system. For example, some air conditioning components under the Secure Plus plan are only covered if other parts also fail. This isn’t uncommon in the industry, which is why it’s important to read and understand the contract.

Endurance Cost and Buying Experience

We received a couple of quotes from Endurance during our secret shopper analysis. The quotes range from $134 to $203 per month, which is slightly higher than average for our top five providers. Below are the quotes we received which apply to a 2017 Kia Sportage with 110,000 miles.
Plan Term Monthly Cost Down Payment Total Cost
Advantage Plus 4 years/75,000 miles $203.44 for 29 months $232.00 $6,132.20
Secure Plus 4 years/48,000 miles $138.24 for 29 months $167.24 $4,176.20
*Plans include a $100 deductible. Mileage begins from the date of warranty purchase. We found the Endurance representative was helpful overall on the phone. That said, they were a little pushy, which is to be expected from a salesperson. The representative did a good job of explaining what the plan did and didn’t cover. One nice thing about these quotes is you finish paying after 29 months and still have coverage through 4 years (or the maximum mileage). Some companies charge a monthly payment for however long you have coverage, which can increase the overall cost for long-term coverage.

Endurance Reputation and Customer Service

We consider ratings from the BBB and Trustpilot along with trends in customer reviews to rank providers. Endurance has a reliable reputation in the industry with an A- rating from the BBB and a 3.6-star rating from over 9,000 Endurance reviews on Trustpilot

It’s helpful that Endurance has skin in the game. Since it’s a direct service contract provider, it handles everything from quotes to claims. Many other companies are simply brokers that don’t deal with customer service after you buy a plan.

Learn more: Endurance Warranty Review

2. Toco: Low Monthly Payments

  • Maximum mileage: 250,000
  • Added benefits: Roadside assistance, rental car coverage (pays Enterprise direct), trip interruption
  • Sample quote: $79 month-to-month

Toco offers an easy plan structure that depends on your car’s mileage plus low monthly rates on average.

Pros Cons
Your monthly rate stays the same as the car ages and repairs become more likely Not as many plan options as some competitors
Customer service representatives are thoughtful and personable Month-to-month plans can become expensive over the long term
Covers up to 250,000 miles, which is more than many competitors

Why Toco Stands Out

Toco does a few things differently than many providers. First off, it’s a direct provider like Endurance, and it administers all its own plans except in Florida. Toco’s four plans are color-coded and apply to specific mileage ranges. Once your car reaches the mileage limit, you automatically move to the next available plan. You can cancel at any time until your car reaches 250,000 miles. Toco also has a partnership with Enterprise. The company will pay for a rental car directly if you use Enterprise (up to a limit). If you use another rental company, you can get reimbursed for the allowance.
Research Category Toco Rating
Coverage 4.3
Cost and Buying Experience 4.5
Reputation 4.7
Customer Service 4.8
Overall Rating 4.6

Toco Warranty Coverage

Here are Toco’s four plans and the mileage range for each:

  • Orange (Up to 100,000 miles): This comprehensive plan covers any breakdown except for exclusions. You may pay a surcharge for rideshare, commercial, or mobility van vehicles.
  • Yellow (100,000 to 150,000 miles): You get coverage for 18 systems including steering, brakes, suspension, and high tech.
  • Blue (150,000 to 200,000 miles): You get coverage for 12 systems including cooling, air conditioning, fuel, and electrical systems.
  • Green (200,000 to 250,000 miles): This covers 8 systems including the engine, transmission, drive axle, and optional hybrid components.

Toco offers benefits of roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and trip interruption, which are standard for most warranty providers. Through a partnership with Openbay, Toco can help you save up to 25% on repair and maintenance services. This is available even during the waiting period before breakdown coverage kicks in.

Toco Cost and Buying Experience

Toco quoted $79.05 month-to-month for a 2017 Kia Sportage with 110,000 miles. This was the lowest quote out of our top picks. Coverage depends on the mileage of the vehicle. So, with the current mileage, the Kia was eligible for the Yellow plan. Coverage will change to Blue after 150,000 miles and Green after 200,000. The monthly price stays the same as long as the vehicle is eligible based on mileage.
Plan Term Monthly Cost Down Payment Total Cost
Starting at Yellow then Blue and Green by mileage 250,000 maximum mileage $79.05 None Varies
*Plans include a $100 deductible. Say we had coverage for four years. The total cost would be $3,794.40. This is cheaper than plans of similar lengths from some other providers. However, the affordability depends on your monthly rate. If you found a quote of $100 or $150 per month the price would increase significantly.

Toco Reputation and Customer Service

Toco has an A+ rating with accreditation from the BBB. The BBB rating scale shows how a brand responds to complaints on the platform, and Toco resolves complaints quickly. The company also has a high 4.4-star rating from Toco reviews on the BBB and a 4.7-star rating on Trustpilot.

Toco’s customer service representatives explain coverage thoroughly in our experience. We didn’t feel rushed or pushed into buying a plan on the phone. When we said we were shopping around, Toco checked to see if veteran or senior discounts would qualify.

Learn more: Toco Warranty Review

3. Everything Breaks: Good for Older Vehicles

  • Maximum mileage: 250,000
  • Added benefits: Roadside assistance, rental car coverage, trip interruption
  • Sample quote: $108 month-to-month
Everything Breaks offers four standard plans plus an auto club membership for repairs as a budget option.
Pros Cons
Offers standard and Elite plan versions to cover luxury models not all companies cover The monthly price is locked for 30 months but can change after
Covers up to 250,000 miles, which is plenty for most drivers Higher cost for long-term plans than Toco
Everything Breaks handles claims directly and administers its contracts

Why Everything Breaks Stands Out

Everything Breaks offers a good range of warranty coverage options with Topline, Deluxe, Enhanced Powertrain, and Powertrain plans. It also offers a unique option called Critical Coverage which is more like an auto club than a warranty. In exchange for a small monthly payment, the plan covers 50% of any breakdown up to $500 per occurrence and $2,000 per year. This plan doesn’t have a mileage limit.
Research Category Everything Breaks Rating
Coverage 4.7
Cost and Buying Experience 4.5
Reputation 4.6
Customer Service 4.2
Overall Rating 4.5

Everything Breaks Warranty Coverage

Here are the four standard vehicle service contracts you can get from Everything Breaks:

  • Topline: Covers any breakdown except for exclusions similar to a factory warranty (eligible under 125,000 miles, expires at 175,000)
  • Deluxe: Covers 125 major components in most systems of the vehicle (eligible under 150,000 miles, expires at 175,000)
  • Enhanced Powertrain: Covers 60 components on major vehicle systems (eligible under 200,000 miles, expires at 250,000)
  • Powertrain: Covers 15 components in the engine, transmission, and drive axle (eligible under 200,000 miles, expires at 250,000)

All plans above have Elite options with slightly different mileage eligibility for luxury vehicles.

We’ll cover the Critical Coverage plan separately since it isn’t exactly an extended warranty. The plan provides a few things:

  • Repair assistance: You can call a certified repair technician through Everything Breaks for advice on what to do about a certain issue or make sure a repair shop properly diagnoses your vehicle.
  • Repair discount: You save 50% on any repair up to $500 per occurrence or $2,000 per year.
  • Theft hit and run: Everything Breaks will pay a $1,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of anyone who steals your car.

Everything Breaks Cost and Buying Experience

Plans from Everything Breaks work similarly to Toco’s—you can continue coverage with another plan after your car hits a mileage limit for one plan. The quote we received was $107.89 per month on a month-to-month plan with a $100 deductible. Initially, we received a quote of $119.88 monthly, but the representative lowered the cost when we said we were shopping around. This quote applied to a Topline plan for the 2017 Kia Sportage with 110,000 miles. Once the car reaches 150,000 miles, the plan would change to Powertrain.
Plan Term Monthly Cost Down Payment Total Cost
Topline until 150,000 miles, Powertrain after that 250,000 maximum mileage $107.89 $108.00 Varies
*Plans include a $100 deductible. Unlike Toco, Everything Breaks doesn’t lock in the rate for the entire plan. Instead, the customer service representative offered us a 30-month lock-in period. We assume the rate could change after that point.

Everything Breaks Reputation and Customer Service

Looking at Everything Breaks reviews, the company has an A+ rating with accreditation on the BBB and a 3.4-star rating on Trustpilot. Most positive reviews are about helpful agents during the signup process. We also found Everything Breaks agents to be courteous and helpful, but it was hard to get off the phone when we wanted to continue shopping around.

Learn more: Everything Breaks Review

4. autopom!: Best Value

  • Maximum mileage: Eligible up to 150,000
  • Added benefits: Roadside assistance, trip interruption, rental car coverage, plus tire repair and free maintenance on some plans
  • Sample quote: $110 for 24 months
autopom! stands out for offering great customer service plus the lowest cost per year of coverage out of our top picks.
Pros Cons
High customer ratings on Trustpilot and the BBB with a reputation for covering claims Only offers three coverage plans
Plans can come with extra benefits like road hazard tire repair Sample contracts aren’t easy to locate
Agents are very pleasant and helpful over the phone Lower mileage limit than competitors

Why autopom! Stands Out

autopom! has a low cost per year of coverage in our experience. Dividing the total plan cost by the number of covered years gives a result of $693.03, which is cheaper than any other company in our top picks. autopom! is also known for helping customers get their claims covered. Some positive reviews even mention the CEO stepping in to assist when the administrator first denied a claim.
Research Category autopom! Rating
Coverage 4.2
Cost and Buying Experience 4.2
Reputation 4.8
Customer Service 4.8
Overall Rating 4.5

autopom! Warranty Coverage

autopom! keeps things simple and offers three main plans:

  • Exclusionary: This plan covers any breakdown except for exclusions like maintenance items and wearable parts.
  • Mid-Level: This plan covers the engine, transmission, drive axle, air conditioning, steering, brakes, and electrical system.
  • Powertrain Plus: This basic plan covers the engine, transmission, drive axle, and air conditioning system.

Your car is eligible for coverage until 150,000 miles. autopom!’s maximum mileage can be higher than that depending on when you start the plan. The quote we received would cover up to 185,000 miles on the odometer, for example.

autopom! plans can come with different benefits, too. All include roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and trip interruption. Some plans come with road hazard tire repair and maintenance benefits depending on the contract and promotion.

autopom! Cost and Buying Experience

As we mentioned above, autopom! offered the best cost per year of coverage out of our top five picks. Here are the details for a quote on a 2017 Kia Sportage with 110,000 miles:
Plan Term Monthly Cost Down Payment Total Cost
Powertrain Enhanced 4 years/75,000 miles $109.73 for 24 months $139.00 $2,772.12
*Plans include a $100 deductible. Mileage begins from the date of warranty purchase. Dividing the total cost by the four-year term gives a cost of $693.03 per year of coverage. Notice how you finish paying after 24 months but the coverage continues for four years. While autopom!’s payment might be higher than Toco’s, the total cost is lower for this reason. When we were speaking on the phone with autopom!, the representative mentioned Omega Auto Care was the administrator. Omega Auto Care is a reliable warranty provider that we’ve also reviewed. It isn’t in our top five since it was difficult to get a direct quote, but the company is known for covering claims and providing maintenance benefits.

autopom! Reputation and Customer Service

autopom! stands out in the customer service category as a reliable warranty company. It’s got an A+ rating on the BBB with accreditation and a 4.4-star rating from autopom! reviews on Trustpilot. Positive autopom! reviews on Trustpilot mention the company covering claims and the CEO stepping in to help out when there’s an issue.

When we spoke with autopom!’s customer service rep, we found they took plenty of time to explain what was covered and how payments worked. We didn’t feel rushed or pushed to buy a plan.

Learn more: autopom! Review

5. Olive: Easy Online Purchase

  • Maximum mileage: 185,000
  • Added benefits: Rental car coverage and towing reimbursement
  • Sample quote: $120 for 36 months
You can buy an extended warranty from Olive with just a few clicks on the company’s intuitive website.
Pros Cons
Easy online process for shopping and purchasing a plan Only offers three warranty plan levels
A+ rating on the BBB Doesn’t include full roadside assistance or trip interruption
Wide range of deductible options to choose from

Why Olive Stands Out

If you want to avoid talking to a warranty salesperson altogether, Olive is the company for you. You can shop for a plan and purchase coverage entirely online. It’s easy to find the sample contract under Terms and Conditions on the website, and you can compare plans side-by-side.
Research Category Olive Rating
Coverage 4.0
Cost and Buying Experience 4.7
Reputation 4.6
Customer Service 3.8
Overall Rating 4.3

Olive Warranty Coverage

Olive offers three extended warranty plans:

  • Complete Care: This comprehensive plan covers all factory-installed parts except for exclusions.
  • Powertrain Plus: This option covers 10 systems including the engine, transmission, drive axle, fuel system, steering, front suspension, brakes, electrical, and air conditioning.
  • Powertrain: This covers the engine, transmission, drive axle, and fuel system.

All of Olive’s plans last for three years with a maximum odometer reading of 185,000 miles. You can get a new plan after three years if your car hasn’t reached the mileage limit.

One thing to note is that Olive doesn’t offer full roadside assistance on its plans. Instead, it offers towing reimbursement. This is somewhat uncommon for the industry since most companies include full roadside assistance. Olive also doesn’t offer trip interruption coverage.

Olive Cost and Buying Experience

Olive’s quote process was the easiest out of all our top picks. That’s because everything is done online. You simply enter information about your vehicle and receive instant quotes. Below are quotes for Olive’s three plans on a 2017 Kia Sportage with 110,000 miles:
Plan Term Monthly Cost Down Payment Total Cost
Complete Care 3 years/185,000 miles on odometer $171.40 for 36 months First month $6,170.40
Powertrain Plus 3 years/185,000 miles on odometer $128.55 for 36 months First month $4,627.80
Powertrain 3 years/185,000 miles on odometer $119.98 for 36 months First month $4,319.28
*Plans include a $500 deductible. Overall, Olive has average rates compared to competitors. Note that all plans above come with a $500 deductible. You can also pick a $250 or $100 deductible, but choosing a lower deductible increases the cost of the plan. Olive’s online system lets you see how different deductible options affect the price instantly.

Olive Reputation and Customer Service

Olive’s parent company, Repair Ventures, has an A+ rating with accreditation on the BBB. This means it responds to complaints on the platform quickly. The company has a 1.8-star rating on the platform but this comes from only 11 reviews. Olive is a newer warranty company in the industry and it’s in the process of building a reputation.

Learn more: Olive Review

Extended Car Warranty Buying Guide

In the sections below, we’ll cover what extended warranties are, how they work, how much they cost, and more.

What Is an Extended Car Warranty?

An extended warranty is an optional product that covers a range of repairs on your vehicle after the factory warranty expires. You can find extended warranties from manufacturers and vehicle service contracts, which are similar, from third-party companies. Extended warranties are also called aftermarket warranties.

How Does an Extended Warranty Work?

Extended warranties include contracts that outline exactly what is and isn’t covered. When you have a breakdown, you’ll take your car to an approved repair facility. The facility will work with the warranty administrator to see what’s covered. If your plan covers the repair, you’ll pay a deductible to the repair shop.

Types of Plans

A warranty contract can cover repairs in one of two ways. An exclusionary plan covers all breakdowns except for a list of exclusions. An inclusionary (also called stated component) plan only covers the exact parts written on the contract. There are more options besides this distinction, too:
Plan Type Description
Comprehensive Also called a bumper-to-bumper extended warranty, this exclusionary plan type covers thousands of parts on all systems of the car.
Mid-level Mid-level stated-component plans can cover hundreds of parts on systems like the electrical, air conditioning, steering, brakes, transmission, engine, and drive axle.
Powertrain A powertrain warranty is a stated-component plan that covers parts in the engine, transmission, and drive axle.

Exclusions

All extended warranty contracts have a section on exclusions, which may also be called “what is not covered”. We can’t overstate how important it is to read this section. Extended warranties have limitations on what parts and situations are covered. For example, any powertrain plan or better will cover the engine. However, no plan would cover engine damage from improper use like racing or lack of maintenance. Here are a few exclusions that are common to most car warranty plans:
  • Regular maintenance parts and services
  • Damage from collision or the environment (that’s what car insurance is for)
  • Repairs to improve the appearance of paint, interior, etc.
  • Pre-existing conditions Unauthorized repairs
Wear and tear is an important concept. Most warranties only replace a component after it completely fails or degrades beyond manufacturer tolerances. Here’s a clause from Toco’s sample vehicle service contract as an example:
“This vehicle service contract provides no coverage or benefits for any repair or replacement of any covered part if a breakdown has not occurred or if the wear on that part has not exceeded the field tolerances allowed by the manufacturer.”
Now, this is where warranty companies differentiate themselves. Some do advertise that they cover breakdowns due to wear and tear over time. This means you get a higher level of coverage.

Extended Warranty Benefits

Extended warranties usually come with extra perks. From reviewing many warranty providers, we found most include rental car coverage, roadside assistance, and trip interruption with their plans. Some also include extras like road hazard tire repair and free maintenance, but these are less common.

  • Rental car reimbursement: You get reimbursed for a rental car during a covered claim up to a limit per day and in total.
  • Trip interruption: You get reimbursed for food and lodging up to a limit if you have a covered breakdown over 50 to 100 miles from home.
  • Roadside assistance: You get an allowance or reimbursement for roadside services like towing, battery jump-start, lockout assistance, spare tire installation, and fuel delivery.

Other Warranty Terms and Conditions

Here are a few more things to be aware of before you purchase an extended warranty:

  • Length: An extended warranty lasts for a specified time or mileage, whichever comes first. The limits may be counted from the warranty purchase date or the car’s in-service date.
  • Waiting period: Almost all warranties have a waiting period before coverage is available. This is so the warranty doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions. A common waiting period is 30 days and 1,000 miles.
  • Cancellation: Reputable extended warranty companies offer 30- to 60-day money-back guarantees. You can cancel for a full refund within this time. If you cancel later, you’ll get a prorated refund based on time and paid claims.
  • Transfer: You can usually transfer a warranty to a secondary owner if you sell your car. Sometimes, warranty companies also let you transfer coverage to a new car you’ve bought.

Can Extended Warranties Cover Luxury Cars?

Extended warranties can cover luxury cars in many cases. However, it’s important to research the specific provider your shopping from. Everything Breaks has Elite plans for luxury vehicles, for example. Endurance is also known to cover performance models.

Who Sells Extended Warranties?

As we mentioned above, the only entities that can offer true extended warranties are manufacturers. However, many consumers think of manufacturer and third-party plans as the same product. Vehicle service contract providers often use the term extended warranty to describe their coverage options, too.

To make things more confusing, some manufacturers use third-party companies to administer their extended warranties. This means a third party approves the claim and pays for the covered repairs. You can read about the administrator in the fine print for these plans. Safe-Guard Products International is a popular administrator that works with manufacturers like GMC and Cadillac.

Warranty Broker vs. Direct Provider

You’ll find two types of companies when shopping for coverage: brokers and direct providers. Brokers only sell plans. Once you purchase the warranty, you’ll work with a separate administrator to file claims.

Direct providers sell plans and administer their own contracts. These companies often provide better customer service because their reputation depends on the claims experience.

Extended Warranty Company List

Below are all 20 warranty providers we’ve ranked in order.
Warranty Company Our Rating
Endurance 4.8
Toco 4.6
Everything Breaks 4.5
autopom! 4.5
Olive 4.3
Omega Auto Care 4.2
American Dream Auto Protect 4.0
Alpha Warranty 4.0
1800Warranty 4.0
Assurant 3.8
EasyCare 3.7
Route 66 3.7
CNA National 3.7
Ally Premier Protection 3.6
Safe-Guard 3.5
Zurich 3.4
Fenix Protect 3.4
Fidelity Warranty 3.3
Concord Auto Protect 2.9
Select Auto Protect 2.5

What’s the Best Extended Warranty for a High-Mileage Vehicle?

Endurance is our pick for a high-mileage extended warranty. The provider doesn’t have a mileage limit, so you can get coverage for 300,000 miles and beyond as long as your car is less than 20 years old.

How Much Do Extended Warranties Cost?

Quotes we received ranged from $79.05 to $203.44 per month with an average of $132.29. You can use this to gauge quotes you get shopping around. The average total cost for a plan was $4,699.67, while plans ranged from $2,772.12 to $6,170.40. Below is a summary of the quotes we received.
Company Warranty Plan Term Monthly Cost Cost Per Year of Coverage
Endurance Advantage Plus 4 years/75,000 additional miles $203.44 for 29 months $1,533.05
Endurance Secure Plus 4 years/48,000 additional miles $138.24 for 29 months $1,044.05
Toco Plan depends on mileage Up to 250,000 miles $79.05 month-to-month $948.60
Everything Breaks Plan depends on mileage Up to 250,000 miles $107.89 month-to-month $1,294.68
autopom! Powertrain Enhanced 4 years/75,000 additional miles $109.73 for 24 months $693.03
Olive Complete Care 3 years/up to 185,000 miles on odometer $171.4 for 36 months $2,056.80
Olive Powertrain Plus 3 years/up to 185,000 miles on odometer $128.55 for 36 months $1,542.60
Olive Powertrain 3 years/up to 185,000 miles on odometer $119.98 for 36 months $1,439.76

Fixed-Term vs. Month-To-Month Contracts

There are two main types of warranty payment terms: fixed and month-to-month. The autopom! quote above is an example of a fixed-term contract. You make 24 payments and then are done paying. Month-to-month contracts require payments every month no matter how long the plan lasts. These can be convenient and affordable in the short term but can become expensive for long plans.

How Do You Use an Extended Car Warranty?

Using an extended warranty requires knowing where to take your car for repairs and knowing how to submit a claim.

Repair Network

Reliable vehicle service contracts let you take your car to any ASE-certified repair facility. This includes dealers and independent shops. However, shops can refuse to work with certain companies if they have poor reputations for paying claims. This is why it’s important to pick a reliable warranty company.

Claims Process

Once you take your car to the shop, the first step is to have the shop contact the administrator. This could be the warranty provider or a third party listed on the contract. Plans only cover authorized repairs, so this step is important. Good warranty companies pay the repair shop directly for covered claims.

Is an Extended Warranty Worth It?

Whether a warranty for your vehicle is worth it depends on your financial situation, the car’s reliability, and what’s important to you. You can use resources like RepairPal and Edmunds to look up your car’s reliability and expected repair costs. In general, a warranty is more likely to pay out for vehicles with higher repair costs.

A warranty might not be worth it if you already have savings set aside to cover emergency repairs. However, you might still enjoy having peace of mind that some repairs are covered without affecting your monthly budget.

What To Look for in an Extended Warranty Provider

When shopping for an extended auto warranty company, look for sample contracts online. Some providers are transparent with all coverage options while others only provide written details after you sign up for a plan.

Also consider the company’s reputation on the BBB and Trustpilot to see if it has a history of covering claims. Watch out for providers that only have positive reviews about the purchase process but not coverage.

Best Extended Auto Warranty: Recap

At the end of the day, we think Endurance offers the best extended car warranty plans on the market. You can choose from six options including the Advantage plan to cover maintenance services plus mechanical breakdowns. That said, Toco, Everything Breaks, autopom!, and Olive are also good options. Compare quotes from a few companies to find the right one for your vehicle.

Our Top Pick

endurance extended warranty review

After reviewing 20 companies, we’ve determined that Endurance is our preferred option for extended car warranties.

  • Unlimited Miles for Cars Under 20 Years
  • Maintenance Coverage Available
  • Salvage or Rebuilt Cars Are Covered
  • 24/7 Roadside Assistance
  • Direct Administrator of Claims
View Plans

Extended Car Warranty FAQs

Here are a few frequently asked questions on extended warranties:
Endurance offers a wide selection of coverage options and clear transparency about what each plan covers. It also has strong customer service ratings. These reasons are why it’s our recommendation for the best car warranty company.
An extended warranty can be worth it if you get a good deal or if you have an older car that’s prone to breakdowns. A warranty can also be worth it for peace of mind that repairs are covered.

You can cancel an extended warranty at any time. Reputable companies offer full refunds within a period of time like 30 or 60 days. After that, you’ll get a prorated refund.

How We Rank Extended Warranty Providers

We take a methodical approach to rating warranty companies. Here’s what that includes:

  • Coverage: We consider things like the number of plans, mileage limit, maintenance coverage options, and added benefits to score companies in this area.
  • Cost and buying experience: We get quotes from providers and pay attention to the experience with customer service. We also consider a company’s transparency during the buying process through sample contracts and clear coverage descriptions.
  • Reputation: This category includes a company’s longevity plus its rating on the BBB and whether or not it has BBB accreditation.
  • Customer service: To rate customer service, we look at BBB customer ratings plus Trustpilot scores. We also note whether the company is a direct warranty provider.
Picture of Brogan Woodburn

Brogan Woodburn

Brogan Woodburn has been a professional writer for six years and was an auto enthusiast before that. He enjoys breaking down complex topics and helping people understand categories like warranties and insurance. To date, Brogan has contributed to sites like MarketWatch, USA Today, Motor1.com, Oregon Live, and more. Brogan’s favorite car was a Hyundai Sonata Limited with a wine leather interior and turbo engine. He was also thankful for having a warranty when Kia replaced the engine on his Sportage just before the powertrain warranty expired. Brogan graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2013 and is based in Prineville, Oregon. He enjoys performing jazz guitar around Central Oregon and exploring the outdoors with his family.

Advertiser Disclosure: Consumer Review Center might earn compensation from the companies featured on this page. This compensation could affect the placement, order, and visibility of products, but it does not affect the recommendations made by the editorial team. Not every company, product, or offer has been reviewed.

Related Resources

everything breaks warranty reviews

Everything Breaks Review

Brogan Woodburn November 18, 2024

In our Everything Breaks review we rate the company 4.5 stars overall and take a close look at the company’s coverage, cost, and service.

Read More »
endurance auto warranty logo

Endurance Car Warranty Review

Brogan Woodburn October 30, 2024

Endurance is the nation’s leading provider of extended auto warranties. They administer their own contracts and have clearly defined coverage options. There is never any secret as to what coverage you have purchased.

Read More »
Toco Warranty Company Reviews logo

TOCO Warranty Review

Brogan Woodburn October 14, 2024

We rate Toco warranty 4.6 overall and recognize it for having low monthly payments compared to other vehicle service contract providers.

Read More »
omega autocare warranty logo

Omega Auto Care Review

Joann H. May 1, 2019

Omega Auto Care warranty has three types of vehicle service contracts that cover everything from new to older cars with less than 250k miles. Each coverage plan comes with many benefits, including roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption, at no additional charge.

Read More »
Consumer Review Center logo

Companies displayed may pay us to be Verified, when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. Our content is meant solely for general information. Before making any investment decisions, it's crucial to conduct your own analysis considering your personal situation and seek advice from your financial, investment, tax, and legal advisors.

Top Categories
Resources

2024 © Consumer Review Center, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.