When an issue arises with your vehicle, being able to get the repairs you need is essential. Whether you depend on your car for work or you simply don’t like being without reliable transportation, timely car repairs can be a lifesaver. When you buy your car new from the dealership, it will come with a factory warranty provided by the manufacturer, but this is only valid for a few years. Once the manufacturer’s warranty ends, vehicle owners may want to consider a vehicle service contract from a reputable provider to help manage unexpected repair costs. That is why it is so important to have a protection plan in place.

An extended warranty from a third-party warranty company, which is more accurately called a vehicle service contract (VSC), is a great way to get the help you need when repairs come up. If your claim gets denied, though, you still might end up having to pay out of pocket to get your car fixed. Knowing some of the most common reasons why warranty claims are denied and how Endurance gives you the tools to get your claim approved will help you make the right choices so you can rest easy.

Common Reasons Warranty Claims Are Denied

Auto warranty claims can be denied for a wide variety of reasons. One of the most common, though, is a misunderstanding on the customer’s part when it comes to what is covered. When you get a vehicle service contract, it will be very specific about what parts of the car are included and which ones are not. If you make a claim for a repair on an uncovered component, your claim will most likely be denied. This is why it is so important that you read the fine print of your coverage plan and fully understand the breadth of your protection.

Sometimes, claims will be denied because of how the vehicle was treated between repairs. Most warranty plans have a stipulation that you need to stay on top of regular maintenance in order for a claim to be approved. If you regularly skip oil changes or transmission fluid flushes, your chances of having a claim denied get much higher. You may also get denied if the payment on your plan is not up-to-date, which is why it is so crucial to make your vehicle and its protection a priority, even when it is running smoothly.

Understanding Your Endurance Contract

When you sign up for an Endurance Warranty plan, it is incredibly important that you fully understand what is covered. Endurance offers a wide range of plan options with different levels of coverage for different needs. This means that they all have their own sets of components and systems that are included, and if you don’t know what those are, your claim could be denied.

If, for example, you take your car in to have its air conditioning compressor replaced and you only have powertrain coverage, your claim is not likely to be approved. Having a thorough understanding of your plan and everything that comes with it will help you navigate the repair process effectively.

Pre-Existing Conditions and Claim Eligibility

One of the things to keep an eye out for when signing up for a VSC is a pre-existing condition on your vehicle. If your vehicle is already experiencing issues before coverage begins, those problems are generally considered pre-existing and are not eligible for reimbursement under most vehicle service contracts.

While Endurance does not require an inspection to get a plan, there is a 30-day waiting period before any plan can be used. This benefits both you and the provider since it gives you time to decide if the plan is right for you, and it helps the provider avoid claims due to problems that already existed before signing up. By making sure that your vehicle is in good condition before you sign up for a protection plan, you can get peace of mind, avoid denied claims, and ensure that you are in good standing with the provider.

Maintenance Requirements and Their Role in Claims

Maintenance is perhaps the most important factor when it comes to coverage claims. When you have a VSC in place, you need to be sure that you are staying on top of your routine maintenance according to the schedule laid out by the manufacturer. Things like oil changes, tire rotations, alignments, and transmission maintenance are key to keeping your vehicle covered.

Maintenance is important because most warranty providers will not cover repairs that come up due to neglect. If you want to keep your car running smoothly for a long time, you have to do all the required maintenance tasks. Should a problem occur despite proper maintenance, this will usually be covered by the warranty services. If you fail to do your routine maintenance or you don’t keep the documentation that shows you have kept up on it, there is a good chance that your claim will be denied.

Unauthorized Repairs or Diagnoses

One of the main ways that customers get their claims denied is by having a repair done before getting approval from their vehicle warranty coverage provider. While it may seem best to address an issue as soon as possible, if there is any kind of violation of the terms of your protection plan, you could end up on the hook for the repair. Getting your repairs approved before any work is done is always going to be your best bet and will ensure that there won’t be any issues with approving your claim. Plus, you can rest easy knowing that everything is already taken care of and you won’t get a surprise bill.

How Endurance Works to Help You Get Approved

When you get a protection plan from Endurance, you get the benefit of an easy, straightforward claims process. All you have to do is take your vehicle to a certified shop and present your Endurance coverage contract to the service manager, and they will take care of the rest. Before any work is done, the shop will make sure that the repair is covered under your plan and that everything is already approved. Then, all you have to do is pay your deductible and wait for your repair to be finished.

Endurance customers may benefit from the RepairPal network, which includes certified shops committed to quality service. RepairPal has a rigid vetting process for finding the best repair facilities all over the country with an emphasis on ASE certification, high-quality equipment, and top-notch customer service. Plus, Endurance has teamed up with RepairPal to ensure that customers can have the most streamlined claims and repair process possible. With a wide range of plans available, Endurance gives you the tools to feel more confident about your coverage when unexpected repairs come up.

Support from the Endurance Claims Team

When you work with Endurance for your vehicle protection plan, you also get the benefit of an award-winning customer service team. Endurance’s customer service team members are highly regarded by clients who have needed help with the claims process or their payments. They will be more than happy to help you navigate any questions you might have about documenting your maintenance, finding the right repair facility in your area, or the claims process in general. By taking advantage of Endurance’s well-earned reputation for high-quality service, you can be sure that your claim will go smoothly and have the best chance of being approved.

What to Do If Your Claim Is Denied

If you submit a claim and it is denied, there are a few steps you can take. One of the most important things is to go back over your claim and make sure you included all the relevant information. Reviewing the documentation and ensuring that you submitted everything that was required will help you see if you missed anything crucial or if there was something you needed to include that wasn’t there. Endurance’s customer service team can help you go over everything and point out any problems with the claim so you can resolve them.

It may also be a good idea to go back over your coverage and familiarize yourself with what is actually covered. The issue could lie in the fact that you thought you had coverage for a specific component when you didn’t. These instances are when it is so important to use a certified repair shop that will confirm your coverage with Endurance before any work is done.

Get Great Coverage Every Time With Endurance

When you have an Endurance vehicle protection plan, you can take advantage of the simple claims process and the straightforward wording of your contract. Endurance has a wide range of different plans that are designed to cover everything from older high-mileage cars to top-of-the-line luxury vehicles. Endurance will even cover cars that other providers won’t, such as Canadian Gray Market cars, vehicles with a rebuilt or salvage title, and cars used for commercial purposes like rideshare or delivery. Endurance offers multiple plan options to help you find coverage that aligns with your vehicle’s needs and gives you a better chance of meeting claim eligibility requirements.

In addition to excellent coverage, Endurance customers also get a large suite of standard benefits with every plan. These include things like 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and travel interruption coverage. For a small activation fee, you can also access Elite Benefits, which include tire repair or replacement, key fob replacement, windshield repair up to $500, and much more.

When you are ready for comprehensive, simple coverage for your vehicle, call our phone number at (800) 253-8203 for a FREE quote. You can also shop online to see your price and make the right decision for your car and your bank account.

For more auto expert resources, be sure to check out the Endurance blog. There, you will find helpful articles like this one, plus DIY tips and tricks, warranty provider comparisons, and more.

Claims eligibility and coverage vary by plan. All repairs must meet the terms and conditions outlined in your vehicle service contract.