Top 4 Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies

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Every year, millions of dollars are spent on extended auto warranties and car repairs. Before signing on the dotted line, it’s best to seek out reputable extended car warranty companies.

In this article, we’ll highlight four top-rated extended car warranty companies that stand out for their reputation, customer service, affordability, and overall quality. Keep reading to learn more about which car warranty companies are reputable and worth considering.

Our review team thoroughly researched and ranked the best extended car warranty companies currently available. Below are our top three picks. We recommend getting free, no-obligation quotes from several providers so you can compare customized pricing and coverage plans side by side.

What Makes an Extended Warranty Company Reputable?

There are several important factors our review team examines to evaluate the reputation of extended car warranty companies. These factors include:

1. Years in business: It is hard for any company to stay in business for a long time. In fact, Inc. magazine estimates that 96% of businesses fail within 10 years. Extended car warranty companies with many years in the business are more likely to have good coverage plans and excellent customer service.
2. Awards: Reputable extended car warranty companies often earn awards for their business growth, customer service, or treatment of their employees.
3. Partnerships: Many companies seek partnerships with other companies and individuals to promote their brand. When an extended car warranty company is able to secure a notable partnership, it is a sign that the company carries a strong reputation.
4. Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation and rating: Many companies choose not to become BBB accredited because of the cost involved, but those that do demonstrate a strong commitment to business integrity. And, if the company received a high rating from the organization, that is icing on the cake. A high rating demonstrates a company’s dedication to resolving customer issues and answering questions.

Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies

To select the four most reputable extended car warranty companies, we reviewed every leading provider in the warranty industry in areas like coverage, cost, transparency, the customer experience and, of course, reputation. Endurance, CARCHEX, CarShield and Protect My Car topped our list.

Reputable Warranty Companies	Superlative	Overall Rating	Coverage	Affordability
#1 Endurance	Best Provider	9.6 / 10.0	10.0	9.0
#2 CARCHEX	Best for High-Mileage Cars	9.4 / 10.0	9.5	9.0
#3 CarShield	Most Affordable	9.0 / 10.0	9.5	10.0
#4 Protect My Car	Best Long-Term Financing	8.7 / 10.0	9.0	8.0

#1: Endurance: Best Provider 

Endurance is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has offered extended warranties since 2006. The provider offers six different coverage plans: Select Premier, Secure, Secure Plus, Superior, Supreme and EnduranceAdvantage™. Here’s a brief overview of each warranty option:

• Supreme: Exclusionary bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage for total peace of mind
• Superior: Covers hundreds of stated components
• Select Premier: Coverage for high-mileage vehicles in mind and offers coverage powertrain, air conditioning, and electrical parts
• Secure Plus: Covers powertrain components as well as some electrical systems
• Secure: Basic powertrain coverage for the engine, transmission, and water pump
• EnduranceAdvantage™: Covers mechanical breakdowns as well as maintenance, which is uncommon for an extended car warranty

Endurance was named Best Provider by our review team for its excellent customer service, awards and direct-to-customer business model.

A downside to Endurance is that the company is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has a low rating. However, the company’s awards, years in business and partnerships speak to its excellent reputation as an extended car warranty provider.

Here are a few ways Endurance demonstrates leadership among its competition:

• Awards: Endurance appeared on the 2019 Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. The company also received a 2019 Stevie Award as a “Great Employer” for its impressive employee benefits.
• Partnerships: Endurance holds a partnership with Andretti Motorsports, one of the most successful auto racing companies in the world. 
• Years in business: Endurance has been in business for 13 years, making it one of the older companies in the car warranty industry.
• Direct business model: Endurance covers the entire warranty process itself for most of its plans without using third-party administrators.

To get a free quote from Endurance, click below. Get more details by reading our Endurance review.

#2: CARCHEX: Best for High-Mileage Cars 

A Baltimore-based provider, CARCHEX has been in business since 2004 and offers five different levels of warranty coverage: Titanium, Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Here’s an overview of each plan:

• Titanium: Exclusionary bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage much like the factory warranty
• Platinum: Stated-component coverage for hundreds of parts and systems
• Gold: Protection for all major systems and best suited for high-mileage vehicles
• Silver: Covers essential systems
• Bronze: Protects powertrain components like the engine and transmission

Our research team named CARCHEX Best for High-Mileage Cars for its industry leadership and availability. Cars up to 20 years old can be covered by CARCHEX. Here are a few reasons why this provider stands out among its competitors.

• Awards: CARCHEX is an eight-time Inc. 5000 Hall of Fame honoree as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. CARCHEX was also awarded the Top Workplaces Award by the Baltimore Sun for seven consecutive years.
• Partnerships: CARCHEX holds partnerships with several auto industry leaders such as CARFAX, Edmunds.com and Kelley Blue Book. 
• Years in business: CARCHEX has been in business for 20 years, which is much longer than most providers in the industry.
• BBB accreditation and rating: CARCHEX is BBB accredited and holds an A+ rating from the organization.

To get a free quote from CARCHEX, click below. You can also read our CARCHEX warranty review for more information.

#3: CarShield: Most Affordable

Based in Saint Peters, Missouri, CarShield has covered over one million vehicles since its establishment in 2005. CarShield offers various plans and coverage for specific vehicles and high-tech equipment.

CarShield is able to offer several plan options because it is a vehicle service contract broker, meaning that CarShield’s offers are carried out by another administrator. Because of this, CarShield plans are not defined by one administrator, and the company is able to offer six more tailored levels of coverage, including:

• New Car Diamond: Exclusionary bumper-to-bumper coverage
• Platinum: Protects the engine, transmission, air conditioning, electrical system, and more
• Gold: Middle-tier coverage for essential components and some accessory parts
• Silver: Affordable, no-frills powertrain coverage
• Aluminum: Covers electronic and computer-related issues
• Motorcycle and ATV: Protects motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles

CarShield was named Most Affordable by our research team for its low-cost coverage plans that include great perks, such as roadside assistance. Possible downfalls to CarShield include mixed customer reviews and some non-transferable contracts.

Here are a few ways that CarShield stands out amongst its competitors:

1. Awards: CarShield has been named as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. by the Inc. 5000 and as a 2020 Top Workplace by the St. Louis Dispatch.
2. Partnerships: CarShield maintains a partnership with American Auto Shield, one of the industry’s top administrator that provides contract holders with top-notch security. CarShield also partners with Mepco and Paylink Direct, two distinct payment processors.
3. Years in business: Founded 15 years ago, CarShield is one of the more established auto warranty companies in the industry.
4. BBB accreditation and rating: While CarShield’s BBB rating may be lower than competitors, customers are overall pleased with the company’s professionalism and customer service.

To get a free quote from CarShield, click below. You can also read our full CarShield review before signing on the dotted line.

#4: Protect My Car: Best Long-Term Financing

Protect My Car is based in Saint Petersburg, Florida, and has been in business since 2005. Known for its wide array of five-star customer reviews on the BBB website, Protect My Car offers three different extended warranty coverage plans with flexible payment terms.

Protect My Car plans cover:

• Supreme: Offers bumper-to-bumper coverage for most mechanical and electrical parts, including the turbocharger and hi-tech equipment
• Select: Best suited for cars over 50,000 miles and covers essential components like the steering, front- and rear-suspension and brakes
• Driveline: Protects the engine, transmission, and fuel system

In addition to its three vehicle protection plans, Protect My Car also offers Ambassador maintenance plans. These plans combine an extended warranty with prepaid maintenance and can cover most car repairs with the three different plans offered (Ambassador Elite, Ambassador Pro and Ambassador Platinum).

Our research team recognized Protect My Car to have the Best Long-Term Financing for its discounts and flexible monthly payment plans. On the other hand, Protect My Car does not offer a basic powertrain plan and is not available in all states.

Here are a few ways Protect My Car stands out among competitors:

1. Awards: Protect My Car was named as a Fast 50 honoree in 2019, recognized as one of the 50 fastest growing privately held companies in the Tampa Bay area.
2. Partnerships: Protect My Car has partnered with The ACVPP (Association of Certified Vehicle Protection Professionals) and the Contact Center Compliance (CCC) to ensure the professional training of sales representatives and accurate compliance across the industry.
3. Years in business: Protect My Car was founded 15 years ago and is an enduring company in the auto warranty industry.
4. Rating and reviews: Protect My Car is not currently rated by the BBB but has several positive customer reviews, as well as a 3.7-star rating on Trustpilot.

Our Top Recommended Extended Car Warranty Providers

Because warranty prices are heavily affected by your vehicle make, model, mileage and more, what’s best for your neighbor may not be best for you. We recommend reviewing sample contracts online and getting quotes from the industry’s most reputable providers so you can compare your options and better understand what the warranty covers.

Here’s an overview of our choices for reputable extended car warranty companies:

• Endurance: Best Provider
• CARCHEX: Best for High-Mileage Cars
• CarShield: Most Affordable
• Protect My Car: Best Long-Term Financing

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.