CornerStone United offers vehicle service contracts through dealerships and agents across all 50 states. In this article, we’ll review the company’s plan options, cost, customer service and more to help you determine whether it could be a good option for protecting your vehicle.
If you’re unsure about having to go through a dealership to get extended coverage, we recommend considering an independent provider. We recently reviewed the best extended warranty providers on the market and compared CornerStone United’s coverage to our top picks above.
To see how much you would pay for an extended auto warranty, get a few free, personalized quotes.
CornerStone United Overview
CornerStone United has been in business for over 40 years and is currently based in Hickory, North Carolina. Along with auto warranties, the company offers coverage for RVs, marine vessels, powersport vehicles and mobile homes. All plans are backed by “A-” or better AM Best rated insurers, which means the company should be able to pay out any claim.
A big selling point for CornerStone United is that it offers coverage for automobiles that some warranty companies won’t cover, including luxury makes and vehicles that are lifted or have oversized tires.
All things considered, here’s how we score CornerStone United:
| Overall Rating | 7.0 / 10.0 |
|---|---|
| Industry Reputation | 6.0 |
| Coverage | 8.0 |
| Warranty Cost | See dealership or agent |
| Transparency | 5.0 |
| Customer Experience | 7.0 |
CornerStone United Extended Car Warranty Coverage
CornerStone United offers four standard coverage plans that range from basic powertrain protection to full bumper-to-bumper exclusionary coverage. Here’s a breakdown of the components each plan covers:
| Powertrain | Basic | Select | Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Turbo/Supercharger | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transmission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transfer Unit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drive Axle | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Electrical Components | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Suspension | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Brakes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Air Conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Engine Cooling System | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Sport Utility Features | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Speed Sensor | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Four-Wheel Steering | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Anti-Lock Brakes | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Fuel Delivery System | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Interior/Exterior Features | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Emissions System | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Exclusionary Coverage | ✓ |
The company does not have sample contracts online, so you’ll need to reach out to a CornerStone United dealer or agent to see exactly what parts are covered and excluded.
As far as coverage length goes, CornerStone United has a few different options for new and used vehicles:
- New vehicles: Terms range from 5 years/75,000 miles to 8 years/150,000 miles.
- Used vehicles: You can select a 12,000- or 15,000-miles-per-year term or a limit ranging from 3 months/3,000 miles to 5 years/75,000 miles.
Add-On Coverage Options
CornerStone United has a number of supplemental coverage options that you can add onto a plan to customize it for your individual needs.
- Tire and wheel protection: You can choose from three coverage levels – Basic, Select or Ultimate – that repair or replace tires and/or wheels if they are damaged by a road hazard or need cosmetic repairs.
- Luxury electronics: This coverage is automatically included with the Ultimate plan, but can be added for all other plans to cover your vehicle’s GPS, phone and entertainment systems.
- Snowplow protection: If your vehicle has snow plow attachments, you can cover them.
- Lifted or lowered suspension: This option covers vehicles that have modified suspensions and/or oversized tires.
- Consequential coverage: If a non-covered part is damaged due to a covered part failure, this add-on will extend coverage to that part, and vice versa.
- Rental reimbursement upgrade: You can increase the standard rental car benefit to $360.
- Mobility equipment coverage: If your vehicle has a chair lift motor, hydraulic ramp control or similar lift accessories, those can be covered with this add-on.
- Commercial use coverage: This add-on is required if you use your vehicle for commercial purposes, such as rideshare or delivery driving.
CornerStone United also offers what’s called “Ultimate Wrap” or “Ultimate Certified Wrap” protection. If your manufacturer warranty has longer term limits for powertrain coverage than it does bumper-to-bumper, this type of plan can help you avoid paying for overlapping protection on your vehicle’s powertrain. It includes coverage for all vehicle components except for the powertrain.
CornerStone United Benefits
With every contract, CornerStone United drivers get perks including:
- Rental car reimbursement: You’ll be eligible for up to $200 toward a rental car, or $400 during major component repairs.
- Trip interruption reimbursement: CornerStone United provides up to $200 for travel and lodging if you break down over 100 miles from your home.
- Roadside assistance: You can get up to $100 per occurrence to cover flat tire services, fuel delivery, lockout assistance, towing and battery service.
Cost of CornerStone United
Because CornerStone United is only available through dealers and agents, the company does not provide pricing on its website. The cost of your extended auto warranty will be heavily dependent on a few factors, including:
- Where you live: Plan costs may fluctuate based on what area of the country you’re located in.
- Your vehicle’s make and model: Higher-priced makes and models will be more costly to protect.
- Your vehicle’s age and mileage: The older the vehicle, the more likely it is that you’ll need a major repair, which means your premium will be higher.
- The plan you choose: You’ll pay more for increasingly comprehensive coverage.
- The deductible you choose: All CornerStone United plans come with a standard $100 deductible, but $0, $50 and $200 options are also available, as well as a $100 disappearing deductible. Your premium cost will generally go up if you opt for a lower deductible and down with a higher deductible.
How to Get a Quote and File a Claim
As CornerStone United only sells coverage through dealerships or agents, you’ll need to reach out to the company either through its website or by calling 877-667-1762 to find a retailer near you that can give you a quote. When getting a quote, you’ll need to provide your vehicle’s make, model, year, mileage and vehicle identification number (VIN).
If you’re having second thoughts after purchasing coverage, all contracts include a 30-day money-back guarantee. After those 30 days, you are free to cancel whenever you’d like, and you’ll receive a prorated refund.
In the event of a breakdown, you can take your vehicle to any repair facility certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Give your policy information to your technician, and they will contact CornerStone United to get pre-authorization before starting any work on your vehicle.
If your claim is approved, a CornerStone United claims adjuster will pay the repair facility directly. You’ll just need to pay your deductible, and you can get back on the road.
CornerStone United Extended Warranty Reviews
CornerStone United holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but it does not have accreditation. This isn’t unusual and should not be held against CornerStone United, as companies have to pay for accreditation and some simply choose not to.
CornerStone United has just over a 2.0-star customer rating with very few BBB reviews, which is also not atypical when you consider that most people only write reviews for truly negative experiences. The company has a 3.1-star rating from Google with more than 80 reviews.
Here is what some customers had to say about CornerStone United:
“I had my starter replaced and some wiring redone. Both times, they responded quickly to the mechanic and let the work begin the same day, and then paid them directly. They reimbursed me quickly for towing and were easy to deal with.”
– Angela C., BBB
“I bought the top-of-the-line warranty. Every claim I have made was denied or reduced.”
– Chad W., BBB
Conclusion: Is CornerStone United Worth It?
If a CornerStone United warranty is offered to you at a dealership, it may be a solid choice for coverage. But we wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to find a dealer that works with this company. It would be much easier (and probably cheaper) to get a quote from a reputable provider with more availability.
CornerStone United may be one of very few choices for extended coverage if you have a lifted vehicle, but you won’t have trouble finding a warranty company that covers high-mileage cars. In fact, our top three recommended warranty providers all cover vehicles up to 200,000 miles or more.
Our Picks for Best Extended Car Warranties
In our review of the 12 top extended warranty providers in the industry, Endurance, CARCHEX and CarShield all proved to be well worth considering, especially if you’re looking to cover an older vehicle with more miles on it.
It’s always smart to get quotes from more than one provider so you can compare coverage and cost. See how much you would pay for an extended car warranty by getting a few free quotes.
Endurance: 9.6 out of 10.0 Stars
We rated Endurance as the overall Best Provider because of its high-quality coverage and extra perks you get through the Endurance Elite Benefits. The company offers six different vehicle service contracts that range from basic powertrain protection to bumper-to-bumper exclusionary contracts. You can purchase coverage for up to 8 years/200,000+ miles.
CARCHEX: 9.4 out of 10.0 Stars
CARCHEX was named Best for High-Mileage Vehicles, so if your vehicle has seen a lot of road but still has life left in it, CARCHEX might be your best bet. It offers the highest term limit we’ve seen from a reputable provider: 250,000 miles.
CarShield: 9.0 out of 10.0 Stars
CarShield offers plans for vehicles up to 300,000 miles. The provider was our pick for Most Affordable coverage thanks to its month-to-month contracts that can be canceled at any time. CarShield offers six plans, including one specifically for ATV or motorcycle coverage.
| CornerStone United Extended Warranty | Endurance Extended Warranty | CARCHEX Extended Warranty | CarShield Extended Warranty | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Length of Coverage | 8 years /150,000 miles | 15 years /200,000 miles | 10 years /250,000 miles | 300,000 miles |
| Number of Plan Options | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Deductible | $0 – $250 | $0 – $200 | $0 – $200 | $0 – $100 |
| Repair Network | ASE-Certified® repair facilities | ASE-Certified® repair facilities | More than 30,000 facilities nationwide | ASE-Certified® repair facilities |
| Availability | From local dealer | Free online quote | Free online quote | Free online quote |
Methodology
The Detroit Bureau collects data from every major car warranty provider to formulate rankings of the best warranty companies. Our in-depth rating system takes into account coverage, pricing, transparency, customer satisfaction and ratings from industry experts. Each provider is given a weighted score in five categories, as well as an overall score out of 10.0.
We recommend auto warranty companies based on these rankings, but we also encourage you to perform your own research and compare quotes to find the best coverage.
