Best Extended Car Warranty 2024: Researched and Reviewed
Looking to extend the coverage for your car? We have expertly analyzed the best warranties for your car to help you make the right choice
Your car is one of the biggest investments you’ll make after your home. While many new cars will come with a manufacturer warranty, once this has elapsed, you could find yourself facing significant bills if your car needs a repair.
An extended warranty will offer peace of mind by extending protection for your car, so that you can keep driving without the worry of having to shell out for costly repairs. Extended warranties arrive in many forms. Some may cover just the basics, or you could get far wider coverage, meaning you just have to pay the deductible, rather than the entire cost of the repair.
There are plenty of providers on the market, offering different levels of cover, so finding coverage can be somewhat confusing. Helpfully, we’ve done the hard work for you by evaluating the options, looking at what these warranties cover (and what they won’t), the details of the contract, whether there are any breakdown options included, as well as the customer service and satisfaction. Read on to find the best extended warranty for your needs.
Best extended warranty: At a glance
| Best for high-level coverage | Endurance | Check prices |
| Best for older vehicles | Elite Auto Protect | Check prices |
| Best for cars with expensive parts | Select Auto Protect | Check prices |
| Best value cover for essentials | American Dream Auto Protect | Check prices |
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How we review extended car warranties
As mentioned, there are an array of options if you’re choosing a car warranty, with a lot of technical details and miles of small print to absorb. We’re interested in a few major big picture parts of an extended warranty:
- Warranty parts cover
- Contract details
- Breakdown cover
- Customer service options
The most important thing to consider is what parts of your vehicle will be protected. So, for example, if part of your suspension fails, will you be covered? Or will this depend on the tier you opt for? The answers can be found in the contract details, where any exceptions and differences will be stipulated. While all providers will cover your engine, some might have a longer waiting period before you can make a claim, or exclude parts of your vehicle based on the mileage. In our extended warranty reviews, we’ve looked into contract details, picking through the small print.
We’ve also noted the different levels of breakdown cover, if any at all, supplied with policies. With some warranties, you might be better taking out a third-party policy for breakdown cover.
Finally, we look at customer service. In the past, this has very much been available over the phone; but some firms are now offering app and web options too.
In the table below, we’ve outlined some important contract details for each provider in our roundup.
| Company | Total claim limit per contract | Waiting period | Coverage levels offered | |
| Best for high-level coverage | Endurance | NADA average trade-in value | 30 days and 1,000 miles | Basic to very comprehensive |
| Best for older vehicles | Elite Auto Protect | Total value of car | 30 days | Moderate to very comprehensive |
| Best for cars with expensive parts | Select Auto Protect | None | 30 days and 1,000 miles | Moderate to comprehensive |
| Best value cover for essentials | American Dream Auto Protect | Trade in value of car | 30 days | Moderate to comprehensive |
| Best for inexpensive cars | CarmaCare | $15,000 or cash value of car if <$15k | Less than 3 years/36k miles: none. Or 30 days and 1,000 miles | Basic to very comprehensive |
| Best for immediate coverage | Olive | Retail value of car at time of claim | None | Basic to very comprehensive |
| Best high-mileage vehicles | Toco | $15,000 | 30 days and 1,000 miles | Basic to very comprehensive |
The best extended car warranty, based on our expert research
1. Endurance Warranty: Best high-level coverage for modern vehicles
- Great for… high-tech cars, its mobile app
- Not so great for… the maximum claim limit
If you have a modern car of a higher value then an extended warranty from Endurance’s offering will likely be the best option for you. Endurance focuses on the customer experience, and also offers high claim limits on its top tiers. If you’re trying to protect your investment, then Endurance should be top of your list.
Covering vehicles up to 20 years old, the firm offers six tiers of coverage, from Secure to Advantage; but it’s at the higher levels of coverage that Endurance really excels. Those looking for basic protection might be better off with another provider: Endurance’s entry-level offering can be bettered elsewhere.
Included in Endurance’s offering is comprehensive breakdown cover, no matter which tier you choose – and those who take out the top-level Advantage coverage also benefit from maintenance cover, while customer service is comprehensive with phone, email, and app and website options.
Read our full Endurance review for more details
2. Elite Auto Protect: Best coverage for older vehicles
Check prices at Elite Auto Protect
- Great for… older cars, a great claim limit
- Not so great for… contacting customer services
If your car is a little older, then Elite Auto Protect will cover vehicles up to 25 years old on its higher tiers – which is ideal now that so many people are looking to hang on to cars for longer. Elite Auto Protect offers three levels of coverage, with one of the most attractive features being that the maximum payout can match the full value of the car. There is a mileage limit of 150,000 miles, however.
Breakdown cover is included but there are some restrictions. However, parts coverage is great across all three tiers. Where Elite Auto Protect is lacking is in terms of an online customer portal; there’s no app or website coverage, just phone or email.
Read our full Elite Auto Protect review for more details
3. Select Auto Protect: Best coverage for vehicles with expensive parts
Check prices at Select Auto Protect
- Great for… claims because there’s no limit
- Not so great for… choice on the entry-level tiers
Some brands of car are expensive to repair because the parts are expensive, and this is something you’ll need to consider when taking out an extended warranty. Many providers will have a limit on the number of claims you can make, but Select Auto Protect is not one of them – which means extra peace of mind, knowing that you won’t exceed the allowances of your plan.
The firm offers excellent standard parts coverage and breakdown cover across all three of its tiers, with little difference between the entry-level Silver and mid-level Gold offering; but the top-level Platinum is more comprehensive.
However, access to Select Auto Protect is lacking in terms of an app or web portal, so you’ll be spending most of your time on the phone or emailing when trying to resolve your claim.
Read our full Select Auto Protect review for more details
4. American Dream Auto Protect: Best-value coverage for the essentials
Check prices at American Dream Auto Protect
- Great for… its entry-level plan
- Not so great for… high-tech parts coverage
There are plenty of options for comprehensive coverage of your vehicle, but if value for money is the priority, American Dream Auto Protect is up there on the list of options you should consider. Compared to other providers, the entry-level offering, or Silver Plan, is more comprehensive than you get from other providers. Effectively, you’re getting more for your money.
However, the downside is that some of the high-tech parts of your car won’t be protected; there’s no coverage for the displays, entertainment system, or cameras, for example. As American Dream Auto Protect is only available on cars from 2012 and younger (at the time of writing), there could be a lot of tech that isn’t covered.
Aside from that, you get a good level of breakdown cover and decent standard parts protection on the entry-level offering. It could just be the cover you need.
Read our full American Dream Auto Protect review for more details
5. CarmaCare: Best coverage for inexpensive cars
- Great for… lower value, older cars
- Not so great for… the claim limit of $15,000
While not everyone will own an expensive car, neither does this mean those folk will be happy to live without a warranty. CarmaCare offers a maximum claim limit of around $15,000, but will cover cars from 2005 onwards, so those with older vehicles can apply. Its offering will be equally appealing to those whose manufacturer warranty is close to expiry – because if your car is under three years old (or 36,000 miles), you get instant coverage with no waiting period applied.
Standard parts coverage is good, but it’s worth noting that CarmaCare’s entry-level offering only covers the powertrain; not the suspension, steering, or other elements. If you want coverage for those parts, the CarmaCare Plus level will be a better option, but that $15,000 limit will put off owners of expensive cars.
Read our full CarmaCare review for more details
6. Olive: Best for immediate cover
- Great for… instant cover as there’s no wait period
- Not so great for… breakdown cover
Few companies offer an instant warranty, with most policies applying a waiting period (typically 30 days or 1,000 miles) before you can make a claim. However, Olive isn’t one of them, making it a great option if you’re just coming to the end of the manufacturer’s warranty and are looking for instant coverage. Olive also offers excellent coverage that includes technology on the highest tier, CompleteCare.
The downside of its offering is the minimal breakdown cover. Nevertheless, if you’re after immediate cover, and you’re looking for comprehensive coverage rather than just the essentials, then Olive is a great choice.
Read our full Olive review for more details
7. Toco: Best for very high mileage vehicles
- Great for… high-mileage cars
- Not so great for… choice, because tiers are limited
Toco’s offering is rather mixed, but it will appeal most to those with high-mileage cars – the firm will cover vehicles in the 200-250k mile range, where most others only cover vehicles up to 150k miles. There’s less flexibility with Toco’s warranty, though, since the tiers are linked to mileage bands; so high-mileage cars get less cover than low-mileage cars.
In addition, coverage only runs to $15,000 and note that the contract isn’t transferable to another person (except in Florida).
Read our full Toco review for more details
How to choose the best extended car warranty for you
What types of warranty are there?
Car warranties differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and may come in different forms. Bumper-to-bumper warranties, which cover the whole vehicle, often cover you for three years or 36,000 miles; a powertrain warranty may be for five years and 60,000 miles. That’s the standard offering for most new cars, including from brands such as Toyota, Ford, or Chevrolet.
There will be some brands that arrive with a 10-year or 100,000 mile powertrain warranty, or a five-year, or 60,000 mile, bumper-to-bumper coverage, such as Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis – one of the reasons such makes are so popular. If you buy Certified Pre-Owned, you’ll often get a warranty extension from the manufacturer.
Extended warranties are what you turn to once the term of the manufacturer’s warranty comes to an end. Note that for an extended warranty to be valid, you’ll need to have serviced your vehicle as per the manufacturer recommendations, while also meeting a range of other criteria.
These are some of the things you should consider when hunting for a policy to suit your needs:
- The premium – The price you’ll pay for it
- Limit of liability – The maximum compensation you’ll get from your warranty
- Waiting period – The length of time you have to wait before you can make a claim
- Mileage limit – The miles your car has driven and will do during the warranty period
- Age limit – The maximum age your car can be to qualify for cover
- Parts coverage – The parts of your car that the warranty actually covers
- Breakdown cover – Do you want this included, or do you have a separate policy for this already?
- Customer service – The means by which you make a claim; do you have to make contact via email or over the phone, or is there an accompanying app.
Making a decision of which policy you choose will come down to identifying the type of extended warranty that suits your vehicle. Does it cover the value of your car? Is your car young or old? Beyond that, the coverage itself is important: are you looking for basic coverage (usually focused on the powertrain), or would you like the policy to include high-tech parts such as digital displays?
What doesn’t an extended warranty cover?
Extended car warranties are designed to protect you from parts failure that arise as a result of a manufacturing defect. An extended warranty will not cover wear and tear of parts such as brake pads and tires, for example.
While some extended warranties might include breakdown cover, equally, others might not. If you already have breakdown cover, for example, then it won’t be a make or break feature of your extended warranty. If it’s included, though, you might need to look into cancelling an existing policy.
Finally, an extended warranty isn’t the same as car insurance. An extended warranty won’t be of help if you’re in a collision with another vehicle.
How does an extended car warranty work?
When you take out an extended warranty, you secure a particular level of cover for specific parts of your car. In most cases you’ll pay a monthly premium, however with some providers you may have the option to pay annually. You’ll have a deductible to pay when you make a claim.
If your car requires repair, you’ll need to inform the warranty provider about the work that needs to be carried out and its cost. This information will either be passed on via an approved mechanic, or the owner of the vehicle.
Once any work is complete, the car owner will pay the deductible to the repair shop and the warranty provider will pay the repair shop directly. In other cases, car owners will pay the repair shop and claim for reimbursement from the warranty provider.
