How to find the best vehicle protection plan (2021)

The vehicle protection plan pays for expensive repairs.

Make sure to get multiple quotes when shopping for extended coverage.

Our top-recommended extended car warranty providers offer high-quality vehicle protection plans.

A vehicle protection plan is one way to safeguard yourself against the often unexpected costs of car ownership. Vehicle protection plans work similarly to new car warranties by promising to pay for vehicle repairs or replacement parts in the event of a mechanical breakdown.

But how do you find the right vehicle protection plan? There are dozens of extended auto warranty providers on the market, including many known for shady business practices and aggressive marketing campaigns. But not every company engages in such practices, and many providers offer valuable contracts.

In this article, we’ll help you understand what a vehicle protection plan is and how to find the right plan for your needs and budget. We’ll also introduce you to the top five best extended car warranty companies on the market.

If you’re interested in seeing what a vehicle protection plan would cost for your car, get free quotes from our top recommended providers by clicking below.

Featured Extended Warranty Companies

We reviewed the industry’s top extended auto warranty providers, and here are our featured picks.

Best Overall

Best for Used Cars

Low-Cost Plans

Endurance

CARCHEX

Select Auto Protect

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(866) 990-3410

(866) 950-7122

(860) 294-4933

What Is a Vehicle Protection Plan?

Vehicle Protection Plan Exclusions

How Does a Vehicle Protection Plan Work?

Are Vehicle Protection Plans Worth It?

Manufacturer Extended Car Warranties

How Much Should I Pay for a Vehicle Protection Plan?

Top 5 Vehicle Protection Plan Providers

More on Our Top Recommended Provider: Endurance

What Is a Vehicle Protection Plan?

A vehicle protection plan is a way to budget for your vehicle’s repair costs. Customers purchase contracts that list a number of vehicle parts (such as the engine, transfer case, and air conditioning), and when a covered part is damaged or stops working, the contract administrator will pay to have it repaired or replaced.

Vehicle protection plans are offered at a number of different levels ranging from powertrain warranty coverage for just the engine, transmission, and drive axle to exclusionary coverage, which covers nearly all mechanical and electrical components, minus a short list of non-covered parts.

Vehicle Protection Plan Exclusions

Even the most comprehensive vehicle service contracts have their limitations. Although specific exclusions will vary from contract to contract, there are a few items that are commonly left out of vehicle protection plans, such as:

Interior upholstery

Doors and door handles

Emissions system components

Damage caused by improper maintenance

Exterior damage including dents, scratches, and dings

Damaged caused by an accident, collision, or act of nature

Wear-and-tear items like brake pads, wiper blades, and lightbulbs

How Does a Vehicle Protection Plan Work?

Vehicle protection plans can be purchased at most dealerships and through many third-party providers.

When a covered component needs repairs, drivers will need to take their vehicles to an appropriate service location. Typically, providers allow customers to visit any dealership or repair shop certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE

®

). Either the plan holder or the repair shop will then contact the contract administrator, and if a repair is approved, administrators usually pay the repair facility directly.

Some contracts hold deductibles, which drivers will be responsible for paying out of pocket for each repair. It is common for vehicle protection plans to include deductibles between $0 and $200.

Are Vehicle Protection Plans Worth It?

Vehicle protection plans can be worth it for many customers. To determine whether extended coverage would be right for you, consider these benefits and drawbacks:

Benefits of Vehicle Protection Plans

Drawbacks of Vehicle Protection Plans

You’ll be protected from sudden and costly repairs.

You may end up not needing all of the coverage you pay for.

You can budget for repairs by paying a fixed monthly cost.

Not all components of your vehicle will be covered.

Your plan can increase the resale value of your vehicle.

Repairs may take longer if your provider is slow to approve claims.

With many plans, you’ll get additional benefits like 24/7 roadside assistance.

You’ll enjoy added peace of mind on the road.

Before purchasing a vehicle protection plan, be sure to research your vehicle’s reliability. Try to estimate how much you’ll pay for repairs per year and compare this against the cost of coverage. Also, be sure to shop around to find the best value contract for your needs.

Manufacturer Extended Car Warranties

Most manufacturers offer extended car warranties at the dealership. These function similarly to vehicle service contracts – they are promises to pay repair costs for covered components – but there are several important differences between a manufacturer extended warranty and a third-party vehicle protection plan.

While a manufacturer extended warranty typically provides more extensive and reliable coverage, third-party vehicle protection plans tend to be less expensive. Here are some other benefits to third-party providers:

They offer longer coverage terms and higher mileage limits.

Vehicles can be repaired at a number of facilities rather than exclusively a

They can be purchased at any time, whereas extended factory coverage usually must be purchased when you buy your car.

How Much Should I Pay for a Vehicle Protection Plan?

There are several factors that are usually taken into account to determine the final price of a vehicle protection plan, including:

Location: Contract prices differ by city and state.

Coverage level: Comprehensive coverage costs more than a basic plan.

Vehicle age and mileage: Newer, low-mileage vehicles are cheaper to cover.

Deductible: Most vehicle service plan providers offer several deductible options. A higher deductible means a lower price.

Vehicle model: Cars with more expensive components and those that cost more to service also cost more to protect.

We’ve reached out to get quotes from many vehicle protection plan providers. The average cost of a full-coverage plan on a relatively new vehicle is $607 per year of coverage. This means that a five-year contract costs around $3,000. Of course, these prices can fluctuate greatly by vehicle. The best way to find the lowest-cost vehicle protection plan is to compare quotes from multiple providers yourself.

Top 5 Vehicle Protection Plan Providers

Our review team examined every major extended vehicle protection plan provider in the industry, taking a look at protection plan cost, coverage, customer reviews, and more. Based on our research, we’ve determined the following warranty companies to be the best choices for vehicle protection plans:

Endurance: 5.0 stars

CARCHEX: 5.0 stars

CarShield: 4.5 stars

Protect My Car: 4.5 stars

autopom!: 4.5 stars

Here’s a look into how we rated each provider:

#1 Endurance

#2 CARCHEX

#3 CarShield

#4 Protect My Car

#5 autopom!

Industry Standing

5.0

5.0

4.0

4.0

4.5

Coverage

5.0

5.0

5.0

4.5

4.0

Price

4.5

4.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

Customer Service

4.5

4.5

4.0

4.5

4.5

Award

Best Overall

Best for Used Cars

Most Affordable

Best Maintenance Benefits

Best Customer Service

Number of Plans

6

5

6

3

4

Roadside Assistance

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

Trip Interruption

✓

✓

✓

Rental Reimbursement

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

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Prices can be difficult to compare between providers, because different providers will offer you plans with different term lengths. The easiest way to compare costs is to look at the cost per year of coverage. We do this by dividing the total plan cost by the number of years you would be covered for, but keep in mind that coverage term lengths come in both years and miles. If you hit your maximum mileage before a certain number of year’s passes, your warranty will expire.

Here is the cost per year of coverage for a bumper-to-bumper plan for a 2018 Toyota Camry with 28,000 miles for each of the providers listed above. Keep in mind that your own prices will vary depending on your vehicle make, model, age, mileage, and more. These prices are only representative of what we were quoted for the Toyota.

Endurance

CARCHEX

CarShield

Protect My Car

autopom!

Price Per Year of Coverage

$546.58

$490.21

$358.81

$1,067.73

$366.00

You’ll notice that Protect My Car’s vehicle protection plan price is significantly higher than other providers. Protect My Car actually offers one of the lowest monthly costs, but because of its long financing terms, plans can end up being more expensive in the long run. If you’re looking for a low monthly payment though, the provider can be a good bet. It also offers excellent maintenance contracts, which aren’t priced here.

More on Our Top Recommended Provider: Endurance

Endurance offers some of the most comprehensive coverage of any extended warranty provider. The six levels of Endurance coverage are broken down as follows:

Supreme: An exclusionary, bumper-to-bumper warranty with coverage for most mechanical and electrical parts, minus a short list of non-covered parts

Superior: A named-component plan for hundreds of listed parts, including the cooling system, suspension, and fuel system

Secure Plus: A mid-level plan that has slightly more coverage than the lower-tier Secure plan, including coverage for the air conditioning, brake components, gaskets, and steering

Secure: A basic powertrain plan that covers the engine, transmission, and drivetrain

Select Premier: A plan specially designed for high-mileage vehicles, offering coverage mostly for powertrain components

EnduranceAdvantage

TM

: A combination plan that offers maintenance and warranty coverage

Endurance Benefits

Although Endurance and CARCHEX both received perfect 5.0-star ratings from our review team, Endurance came out on top because it offers much more extensive benefits, including:

Courtesy towing

Identity theft protection

Repair financing loans

24/7 roadside assistance

Trip interruption coverage

Rental car reimbursement

Tire repairs and replacements

Key fob repairs and replacements

Access to a personal concierge service

$250 in vouchers for shopping, dining, and hotels

Get a free, personalized quote from Endurance to see how much you would pay for coverage.

Best Overall

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(866) 990-3410

Industry veterans who directly handle your plan, from Quote to claim