It’s no secret that there’s more than one extended car warranty provider on the market. Sorting through the different companies can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Yet it’s a worthwhile effort because purchasing the right coverage for your used car can make all the difference during a breakdown and when dealing with an auto repair shop.

To make looking for extended warranty coverage easier, we’re detailing how Endurance Warranty and Phoenix American Warranty compare. We’ll explore how each company handles customer service and claims processing and dive into plan options, customer benefits, and transparency. Having all the facts can streamline the decision process, ensuring you get the best coverage for your needs.

Understanding Extended Warranties

The term “extended warranty” is often used to refer to coverage that kicks in after your original manufacturer’s warranty expires. You might also hear it called a “vehicle service contract” (VSC) or “auto protection plan,” as these terms are frequently used interchangeably. However, the specific coverage offered will depend on the coverage you choose and the provider handling your plan.

A Look at Company Fundamentals

Endurance and Phoenix American are well-established players in the extended warranty industry. Endurance has been serving car owners since 2006, while Phoenix American has been around since the 1980s. Both firms have paid hundreds of millions in claims over the decades.

Endurance is widely recognized for its broad range of company operations. In 2024, the Illinois-based Endurance was named a “Top Workplace” by USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. Endurance also received a Globee Golden Bridge Award for “Customer Service Department of the Year.” And, in 2023, The Business Concept Magazine named Endurance the “Best Vehicle Service Contract Provider (USA).”

Endurance is also active on social media, regularly engaging with its thousands of followers and explaining to customers and others how extended warranty coverage helps keep budgets in check during breakdowns.

In contrast, Florida-headquartered Phoenix Warranty is more of a behind-the-scenes operation. It doesn’t market its services directly to consumers; Phoenix’s customers are the auto dealers who resell the company’s extended auto warranties to car buyers. Specifically, Phoenix Warranty targets the dealer finance department managers who finalize car-buying transactions and encourage customers to purchase an extended warranty, tire and wheel coverage options, paint protection, and similar plans. Phoenix offers a wide range of these services that are sold only through dealers.

In addition, Phoenix offers a private-label program where its services are rebranded under different names for different dealers. This is done to make the plans appear more exclusive and harder to compare with competing products. A car owner can have a Phoenix American warranty and not know it unless they read the fine print.

Working with a go-between, a car dealer, makes it more challenging to assess the quality of Phoenix American’s warranty programs. The dealer interaction defines the purchasing experience while measuring the claims process, which requires more detective work.

Further, Phoenix American doesn’t have much of a social media following. For instance, its last Instagram post was in 2021, and the company doesn’t appear to have a Facebook page. This lack of presence reinforces that Phoenix American’s consumer outreach may be lacking.

Comparing Coverage Options

Endurance and Phoenix American follow standard industry practice by offering two types of extended warranties or vehicle service contracts: stated component and exclusionary plans.

As the name implies, stated component coverage protects specific parts. If the item isn’t mentioned in the contract, coverage doesn’t apply. An exclusionary plan takes the opposite approach. All components are covered unless specifically noted as exempt. Most exclusionary plans have a small list of parts that fall outside coverage.

An exclusionary plan is similar to an automaker’s new-car bumper-to-bumper warranty, making it appealing to car owners who want comprehensive protection. Exclusionary protection costs more because more components are covered.

When considering Endurance auto protection, car owners can choose from a wide range of plans that offer state component or exclusionary coverage:

Endurance Plans	Coverage Type	Summary
Secure	Stated Component	Essential powertrain protection (engine, transmission, and drive axles)
Secure Plus	Stated Component	Powertrain protection with coverage for major components (brake, air conditioning, steering, and core electrical parts)
Superior	Stated Component	Highest level of stated component coverage, including protection for additional electrical components, the fuel system, the cooling system, and the front and rear suspension.
Select Premier	Stated Component	Protection for high-mileage vehicles (up to 150,000 miles), including coverage for the powertrain, electrical system, air conditioning, cooling system, fuel system, and premium electric parts (like power window motors or electronic door lock actuators).
Advantage	Stated Component	Stated component coverage combined with a maintenance package worth up to $3,500.
Supreme	Exclusionary	Coverage for almost all vehicle components except as detailed in the contract. Protection similar to a factory bumper-to-bumper warranty
Supreme for Highline	Exclusionary	A unique exclusionary plan for select luxury models

Similarly, Phoenix American packages its extended warranty programs under the stated component and exclusionary banners:

Phoenix American Plans	Coverage Type	Summary
Value Guard+: Powertrain	Stated Component	Core protection for the engine, transmission, and drive axle.
Value Guard+: Classic	Stated Component	Expands powertrain protection by adding coverage for core systems like the front suspension, brakes, steering, air conditioning, electrical, and fuel system.
Value Guard+: Premium	Stated Component	Expands the Classic plan with extra engine, transmission, electrical, and other components coverage.
Platinum Care+	Exclusionary	Exclusionary coverage but only for the engine, transmission, and drive axle.
Platinum Care+ Wrap	Exclusionary	Full exclusionary coverage for most vehicle systems, including the air conditioning, electrical, suspension, steering, and fuel system.

Not all Phoenix American dealers carry these plans, and private-label offerings may have different names or coverage levels. Some coverage may be sold under the Phoenix Extended Care brand.

Assessing Customer Service

An extended warranty is only as good as the company that stands behind it. A vehicle service contract may clearly define what is and isn’t covered, but top-notch customer service makes the process smooth and effortless, from sign-up to claims processing.

Buying an auto protection plan from Endurance means there’s only one task at hand: getting protection for your car. When you interact with a member of the Endurance customer service team, there’s no negotiating the price of the car or worrying about a trade-in—activities that are front and center at a car dealer also trying to sell Phoenix American coverage. It’s easy to get distracted by all this car-buying activity and not get the best extended warranty coverage for your needs and budget.

Try this exercise: visit the Endurance online store and request an instant quote for extended warranty coverage. Or, call (800) 253-8203 to speak with an Endurance Warranty plan advisor for pricing information. Either way, you’ll have the necessary details in a few minutes or less.

Now, try the same activities with Phoenix American, and you’ll be left with zero results for your efforts. Phoenix will direct you to a car dealer for pricing. In addition, most car dealers won’t be able to give you extended warranty pricing as quickly and easily as Endurance, and very few auto retailers will quote you a price over the phone (we’ll talk about this more later).

Understanding Claims Processing

The other half of the customer service equation involves how claims are handled. For the most part, the initial process is similar with both companies: bring your car to a licensed repair facility.

But things take a different turn at this point. With Endurance, the customer can find a local repair shop and have them submit the claim by phone. However, Phoenix American requires that a specified service center begin the claim, which can delay the authorization process if the shop is busy with other work.

The exclusive smartphone app truly streamlines the claims process for Endurance customers. Not only is help a button push away, but the app also provides status updates, so there’s no need to look for an email or wait for a phone call.

Endurance and Phoenix American share a common industry practice of allowing customers to use any licensed repair facility for covered repairs. However, Endurance offers the option of taking your car to any of the over 3,500 certified shops across the U.S. This resource is ideal if you don’t have a regular service center or are out of town when trouble hits. Every shop in the RepairPal Partner Network has to comply with strict customer service and skill requirements and warranty all work for at least 12 months or 12,000 miles. Endurance customer service can also help locate a RepairPal-certified shop.

Phoenix American takes a hands-off approach to repair shop referrals — the company doesn’t provide any resources, leaving customers to sort things out on their own. Perhaps the idea is that the customer will return to the dealer that sold them the extended warranty.

Examining Benefits

Many auto protection providers, Endurance and Phoenix American included, provide benefits that help customers during breakdowns. The towing, jump-starts, and other services that are part of 24/7 roadside assistance can make all the difference. Meanwhile, extras like rental car reimbursement and trip interruption protection lessen the burden of having a car in the shop. However, not every extended warranty provider delivers these benefits in the same way. Here’s a look at the difference between Endurance and Phoenix American.

Benefits*	Endurance	Phoenix American
Towing	24/7 roadside assistance included with all plans	$50 reimbursement per covered repair
Rental Car	$30 per day/$150 max	$30 per day/$150 max
Trip Interruption	$150 per day/$450 max (all plans)	$75 per day/$225 max (exclusionary plans only)

*See your service contract for coverage terms and requirements.

In addition, all Endurance customers receive access to a year of Elite Benefits. A small activation fee opens up services worth as much as $2,000, like tire repairs and replacements (up to four tires per year due to road hazards), key fob replacement, collision repair discounts, and total loss protection.

Examining Reputations and Reviews

Trust is an essential element of the extended warranty purchasing process. One way to determine a provider’s reliability is to look at reviews. After all, who knows a company better than its customers?

On ConsumerAffairs, William from Statesboro, GA, gave Endurance a thumbs up for claims handling, stating, “They’re good people, and we get no hassle whenever I have a claim. I had a claim for the radio, and Endurance took care of it. They’re the real deal. I have already got four of my family members signed up with them.”

Angela from Waxahachie, TX, had a similarly good experience, remarking, “I had a policy with Endurance and signed up again. They explained the plan that I picked, and I was pleased. I’ve recommended them to several people.”

This feedback and thousands more give Endurance an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 on ConsumerAffairs (as of September 2024). Under the Phoenix Extended Care brand, Endurance’s competitor doesn’t fare so well. ConsumerAffairs users give Phoenix an average rating of 1.9.

Similar results are revealed through Google Reviews, which gives Endurance an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 across almost 14,000 individual reviews. One comment from Ken V shared, “Endurance has backed up all of my claims with payment and fast courteous service. In three (3) years I had in excess of $3,000 in claims and they paid all of them, I only paid my $100 deductible per claim. I highly recommend Endurance, and we will use them again.”

Another Endurance customer, Sandra H., summed up her experience by commenting, “I had a wonderful experience with the service department today. The service person was very professional and supportive of my stressful state of needing service for my car. Endurance ease of putting in a claim blew my car dealership manager away. He could not believe that in less than 15 minutes he had approval of my repair.”

In comparison, Phoenix American’s reputation on Google Reviews suffers, with an average rating of 1.4 across 140 reviews. Notably, the company received only three 5-star reviews during the past year. This contrasts sharply with the dozens of top reviews Endurance has received in recent weeks.

Consumer Disclosures, Resources, and Pricing

Knowing what you’re buying is fundamental to any satisfactory purchase. Endurance embraces this concept by making sample contracts available online for review. This way, you can start the buying process fully informed. You can review the information at your leisure and ask any questions before selecting Endurance Warranty. Meanwhile, Phoenix American only posts non-specific marketing materials, which are more likely to create questions than answer them. You’ll need to contact a participating dealer to review a Phoenix American extended warranty.

Endurance’s spirit of transparency continues with an extensive FAQ section on its website that addresses common concerns and areas of interest. Phoenix American doesn’t have a similar offering because its website targets the company’s actual customers (car dealers), not the end users of its products (consumers).

Further, the Endurance blog reinforces a consumer-friendly approach to providing information. Here, readers will find a vast library of hundreds of articles written by repair shop owners and expert mechanics that explore on-target subjects like extended warranty tips, DIY repair advice, car repair and maintenance tips, and more. Again, Phoenix American doesn’t provide any consumer-oriented resources.

Being upfront about extended warranties is especially vital regarding pricing. With Endurance, a car owner can learn their options and costs via instant online pricing. Enter a few basic details, and in no time, you’ll know exactly how much you’ll pay for extended warranty protection. Endurance plan advisors are available to review custom options and answer questions.

Pricing for a Phoenix American plan comes only from a car dealer. This requires in-person interaction or a lengthy phone call—nothing instantaneous. Also, keep in mind that buying an extended warranty through a dealer means paying a marked-up price for coverage. The dealer pays Phoenix American for the underlying coverage (the service contract) and then adds pure profit to the transaction.

Resource	Endurance Warranty	Phoenix American Warranty
Sample Contracts	Yes	No
Expert Blog Articles	Yes	No
FAQs	70+	No
Online Pricing	Yes	No

Purchasing directly from Endurance eliminates the middleman, helping to keep your costs to a minimum. Compare Endurance’s upfront business model to Phoenix American or its car dealer agents’. Endurance makes all the details available in advance, ensuring an easy and clear-cut experience.

Drive Confidently With Endurance

Discover all the advantages of an Endurance Warranty and a no-surprises buying approach. Visit the Endurance online store for instant plan recommendations and pricing, or request a FREE quote. Receive personalized help by calling (800) 253-8203. Our plan advisors are ready to answer your questions and explore coverage options tailored to your needs!

Read more extended warranty comparisons with CarShield, CARCHEX, and other providers on the Endurance blog.