When you are out on the road, there is nothing more valuable than peace of mind. Knowing that your vehicle will get you where you are going without any trouble can give you confidence and help you enjoy your time behind the wheel.

The best way to get that kind of assurance is to have a high-quality vehicle protection plan on your side. Your car most likely came with a factory warranty or manufacturer’s warranty when it was new. However, if that coverage has run out at 3 years/36,000 miles or 5 years/60,000 miles, a great investment could be dealership-level coverage through a third-party extended warranty or vehicle service contract (VSC).

There are all kinds of options available for used vehicles when it comes to your extended auto warranty, and it is important to pick a plan and provider that best suits your needs. In order to do that, though, you need to be aware of the details of each policy and provider you look at. By reviewing how to look at the terms and conditions of a vehicle service contract, you can make the right choice for yourself and your car.

Step 1: Begin with the Coverage Details

Every extended car warranty or aftermarket provider will have its own unique set of coverage details, all of which will be incredibly important factors in deciding if they are right for you. Knowing what will be covered under your contract is crucial if you want to be sure that the expensive repairs you need will be taken care of when they come up.

The last thing you want is to have a problem occur only to find out that the broken component isn’t covered under your plan. Going through your extended warranty contract and taking note of all the different parts that are included in a specific plan will help you decide if it will be worth it for what you need.

When shopping for an auto protection plan, be sure to understand the different levels of coverage that each provider offers. Most providers will have different tiers from which you can choose. These will range from the most basic powertrain protection all the way up to exclusionary bumper-to-bumper protection. These tier levels will also have different prices, so this is a great time to match them with your budget and what you think will get you the best value. Knowing what each of these coverage levels includes and, more importantly, what they don’t include will help you pick the best fit for the needs of your specific vehicle.

Step 2: Identify the Exclusions

Almost every auto protection plan will have exclusions to the coverage that you have to be aware of. These exclusions will tell you which components or vehicle repairs will not be covered and will usually consist of normal wear-and-tear items like brake pads, batteries, tires, and windshield wiper blades. However, some plans include these components, so you should be aware of what a plan covers so you don’t end up paying for things that would be included with your covered repairs.

Because of these exclusions, it is essential that you know what is in the fine print of your plan. Oftentimes, exclusions will be covered in the details of your contract, and if you are going to make the most of your extended coverage, you need to know what they are. Even if you have a bumper-to-bumper plan, there are likely going to be things that your plan won’t pay for, so a thorough understanding of the fine print is your best bet.

Step 3: Review the Claim Procedures

One of the most important things to be aware of when choosing a VSC is the claim procedure. Every provider has its own process for filing a claim, and it can be incredibly easy or difficult. If you don’t want to have to jump through hoops to get your car repaired, you need to know what to expect when the time comes to get covered repairs at the shop. Find out if there is any specific procedure that you have to follow or if it will all be taken care of by the provider’s customer service team. This ensures that you won’t have a claim denied because you skipped a step during the process.

To understand the claims process, you should know what goes into a repair authorization. This is how a provider determines if a repair is covered by your plan or not, so it is important to understand. With some providers, the service manager at the shop will get in contact with the provider and get an authorization number.

Other providers require you to send in the documentation after the repair has been made and then they do a reimbursement. Most of the time, it will be a safer bet to get authorization before the repair is done so you don’t get hit with a surprise bill once everything has been done.

Step 4: Examine the Deductibles and Out-of-Pocket Costs

While the purpose of a vehicle coverage plan is to protect you from repair bills, there may be some out-of-pocket repair costs that you will be responsible for. Depending on the provider, the plan you have chosen, and the specifics of that plan, you may have to pay a deductible when you take your vehicle into the shop.

A deductible can be as little as $50 or as much as $200, and you will have to pay it unless you have chosen a zero-deductible plan. The lower your deductible is, the more expensive your monthly payment will be for your VSC, so you should know what your options are so you can make the best financial choice.

You may also have to pay some other out-of-pocket costs when you take your vehicle to the shop for a repair. In some cases, things like diagnostic tests or taxes will not be covered by your plan. While this isn’t always the case, it will be in the fine print of your contract, so be sure to read through it thoroughly and know what to expect payment-wise when the time comes to have a repair done.

Step 5: Understand the Cancellation and Transfer Policies

One of the things that people are wary about with auto service contracts is their reputation for being difficult to cancel. Each provider has its own process for cancellation and it may be as simple as calling the customer service team or you may have to submit a written cancellation request.

Be sure to ask about the cancellation policy when you are shopping around for quotes, and pick the provider that is the most open and transparent about the process and how easy or difficult it may be. This will give you peace of mind, knowing that if your financial situation changes, you won’t be stuck making payments that you can’t afford.

Transferability is another important thing to look for in any vehicle service contract provider. Should you decide to sell your car at some point in the future, you want to be sure that you can offer the protection plan as an extra perk.

Having the plan in the first place is a great way to show potential buyers that you have taken good care of it, and being able to transfer it to the new owner is a fantastic incentive. Most auto protection plans will be transferable, but the cost of doing so will vary, so you should know what that price is and what the process of transferring is like so you can be prepared.

Step 6: Check the Provider’s Reputation and Support Services

Above all else, knowing that you are getting a high-quality product from a reputable provider should be your top concern when shopping for an extended car warranty. Before you sign up for a plan, read as many reviews as you can find to get a feel for how the company treats its customers, how likely they are to approve your claim, and whether or not there are any specific problems you should be looking for.

People who have had a good experience with a provider will be more than happy to share that, and they are usually even more willing to share when they have had a bad experience. This is a great way to find out if a company is reputable and if they will give you the help you need when you need it most.

Talking to the customer service team is another great way to decide if a provider is right for you as a car owner. By calling and speaking to a service representative, you can learn a lot about the communication skills of the provider, how they deal with requests, and how helpful the team will be when you have questions down the line. The more helpful and friendly a team is, the more likely they will be to offer great service throughout your relationship with them.

Protecting Your Vehicle with Endurance Warranty

Before deciding that an extended auto warranty is right for you, you should fully understand all the contract details. If you want to make the most of your coverage options and get the help you need when your vehicle breaks down, you’ll be glad you took the time to read the fine print, ask questions about the service agreement, and make a wise final choice.

Endurance is one of the leading auto protection plan providers on the market and takes care to offer transparency and reliability to drivers of all kinds. With a wide range of plans to choose from, ranging from basic powertrain coverage to complete bumper-to-bumper protection, you can be sure that you are making the right choice for your motor vehicle and your customer service expectations. Plus, Endurance has plans for vehicles that other providers simply won’t cover, such as Canadian Gray Market cars, vehicles used for rideshare or delivery, and cars that have a rebuilt or salvage title.

In addition, our plans come with extra perks that other providers may not offer. Standard benefits include 24/7 roadside assistance, towing, rental car coverage, and trip interruption reimbursement. You can also activate a year’s worth of Elite Benefits as an add-on for services like tire repair or replacement, key fob replacement, and more.*

In addition to robust coverage, Endurance’s award-winning customer service team is widely regarded as the best in the industry. With a high star rating on Consumer Affairs, many customers have specifically praised the customer service representatives for being friendly, helpful, and willing to go the extra mile to make sure questions are answered and concerns are addressed.

If you want the best protection for your vehicle, contact our top-notch service department at (800) 253-8203 for a FREE quote. You can also check out the online store for an instant price preview so you can make the best choice for your vehicle.

Check out the Endurance Warranty blog for comparisons with other providers like CarShield and CARCHEX, repair facility reviews, MBI information, FAQs, and much, much more.