Extended Car Warranty Cost

This guide has details on car warranty costs, prices, and potential savings to help you decide if a car warranty is worth it. These numbers will give you a general idea of the pricing, but the best way to know for yourself is to get personalized quotes from companies you’re considering.

Extended car warranty cost information is not always easy to find. Many extended warranty companies can be unclear about pricing, especially those that deal exclusively through agents and dealerships. Even companies that are upfront about pricing do not have fixed contract costs. Extended car warranty costs are determined based on the vehicle that is covered.

How Much Does An Extended Warranty Cost?

An extended car warranty typically costs between $2,000 and $5,000. This range varies widely because numerous factors determine how much the specific cost you will pay. Along with these factors, the information below explains the particular car warranty costs you can expect with an extended warranty.

Our team surveyed 1,000 warranty customers on a variety of topics. Half of the respondents paid between $1,615 and $3,208 for their extended warranties, while the median cost was $2,458.

Typical Extended Warranty Costs

There are three types of costs to keep in mind when considering an extended warranty plan:

• Down payment: Some providers require that you pay an initial amount at the start of your contract.
• Car Warranty Monthly Payments: This is the monthly price, similar to an insurance premium.
• Extended Car Warranty Deductible: At the point of service, you’ll pay a set amount — rather than paying out of pocket for the total repair cost.

Extended Warranty Rates

Below are the rates you can expect for typical extended warranty costs:

• Down payment: $0 to $350
• Car Warranty Monthly Payments: $85 to $250
• Extended Car Warranty Deductible: $0 to $500

Average Cost Of An Extended Warranty

All in all, you can expect to pay about $3,025 for your plan on average, with about $300 of this coming upfront. Most people choose monthly payments that average around $100 until the plan is paid for, which usually takes a couple of years.

Our research team collected quotes for a 2017 Honda CR-V with 45,000 miles to give you a better idea of specific extended car warranty prices.

Warranty costs we obtained ranged from under $1,000 to over $6,000. The best extended car warranties from Endurance and CARCHEX were among the most expensive. Each plan had a $100 deductible except for autopom!, which required no money for a covered repair.

Car Warranty Cost: Factors That Determine Your Price

To be profitable, extended warranty companies must charge a large enough amount to cover all car repairs with money left over. To achieve this, most providers charge a monthly premium worth at least two times the amount of likely mechanical problems or repairs.

While this might seem unfair to drivers, it comes through careful calculation of the risks of coverage. To calculate the optimize extended car warranty prices, actuaries assess consumer data to find the most frequent repairs, complaints for certain vehicles, average labor costs, and how much consumers will pay for coverage. Factors used to calculate the cost of extended warranty coverage include:

• Your car’s age/mileage: Older cars and/or cars with high mileage are more expensive to cover due to the higher likelihood of component failure because of the increased amount of wear and tear on the vehicle.
• Your car’s make/model: Service needs and repair costs vary by vehicle make/model. Information providers like Kelly Blue Book, Carcomplaints.com, or Consumer Reports generally have reliable services when researching your vehicle’s history to predict service costs.
• Where You Live: Environmental and weather factors in some areas of the country can cause you to pay more for coverage.
• Level of coverage: Plans with more comprehensive coverage cost more than basic plans.
• Electronics: It costs more to cover vehicles with expensive, high-tech electronics (Bluetooth, seat controls, voice activation, GPS, complex fuel management) than cars without them.
• Deductible Policy: If you are required to pay a deductible on your plan, there are two ways deductibles are usually charged: per warranty service visit or repair. By service, you will have to pay two deductible charges if your vehicle needs multiple repair shop visits to get fixed. Additionally, a” disappearing deductible” means that the deductible is waived by the dealer who sold you the extended warranty contract if serviced there.
• Fees: On top of upfront costs, premiums, and deductibles, some plans have recurring or one-time fees.
• Maximum Payout Amount: The max payout amount is the full amount paid from an extended warranty contract, usually near the total loss amount. Make sure to factor in whether the cost is reasonable relative to your liability limits.
• Your driving habits: Driving more miles or in dangerous ways will cost you more.
• Your provider: Some providers are more expensive than others.

After conducting a thorough analysis, companies then base their warranty coverage plans on this information and charge accordingly. The pricing of coverage plans has to be strategic – it cannot be high enough for consumers to turn away, but it must be sufficient to pay out claims and establish a strong bottom line.

Extended car warranty companies then consider how much they’re willing to pay out, and they usually work with vehicle service contract administrators to process motorists’ claims.

Car Warranty Plans Cost

While the top aftermarket service contract companies offer a variety of plans, their coverage levels can be roughly split into two categories: bumper-to-bumper plans and powertrain plans. Bumper-to-bumper extended warranties, generally more expensive, are exclusionary contracts covering most vehicle parts.

On the other hand, extended powertrain warranties cover only the essentials needed to make a vehicle run and are the most expensive to repair. Powertrain extended warranties are a lower-cost option that is often an excellent choice for used cars. Comprehensive inclusionary plans and powertrain plus plans are mid-range coverage tiers in the middle of these primary options. Below are the prices for both of the main types of warranty plans.

Bumper To Bumper Warranty Price

Below are prices for bumper-to-bumper extended car warranties from top providers:

Average Cost Of Bumper To Bumper Warranty

The average cost of a bumper-to-bumper warranty is $3,124 from the most popular companies. Average monthly payments are about $120, but these depend on the payment terms available.

How Much Does A Powertrain Warranty Cost?

Below are the prices for powertrain extended warranties from top providers:

Truck Warranty Cost

Like every other vehicle type, factors like a vehicle’s age, mileage, and coverage level and period are the most significant factors in determining the cost you will pay for an extended warranty. Truck warranties can sometimes be more expensive because some parts, like the suspension and steering, may wear more quickly with larger trucks. This is especially the case if you have a 4-wheel drive truck or live in a region of the country where it is colder.

The cost of an extended warranty from used car warranty companies increases as a vehicle has higher mileage and age. The reason for this is simple, even though the bumper-to-bumper plan has a much more comprehensive level of coverage, it is still less costly if the vehicle has less age and mileage because there is a lower chance of major repairs for the newer vehicle.

Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles Cost

You can get an extended warranty for cars over 100k miles from nearly all the top aftermarket providers. Generally, the coverage for high mileage car warranties is focused on the powertrain and costs more. While this means you will likely pay over $500 per year for coverage, many providers have affordable powertrain plans for cars with high mileage, which can go a long way in protecting you from paying for the most costly repairs as your vehicle ages.

CPO Warranty Cost

A certified pre-owned warranty comes with a vehicle you purchase as a part of an automaker’s CPO program, which generally charges you more for used cars that have passed a rigorous inspection from the automaker to ensure quality. Much like a new car warranty, the cost of a manufacturer-certified used car warranty is challenging to determine because the cost of coverage is built into the price of the vehicle itself. This is usually a good deal if you can find a CPO vehicle that fits your budget. Remember that this is a much less flexible option. You can purchase an aftermarket extended warranty at any point and won’t be restricted to servicing the vehicle at a dealership.

Warranty Company Cost Comparison

To give you a better idea of how much an extended car warranty costs, we’ve listed quotes we’ve received from the industry’s top providers below. For personalized quotes, you’ll need to contact these companies yourself.

Endurance: Best Coverage

Endurance offers the industry’s best extended warranty coverage with five comprehensive plans and benefits: tire repairs and replacements, key fob replacements, and a personal concierge service.

Endurance Extended Car Warranty Cost

Here are two quotes we received from Endurance:

CARCHEX: Best for Used Cars

CARCHEX offers plan lengths up to 250,000 miles, making it the best provider if you have an older vehicle. The company is an excellent choice for new vehicle owners, too. CARCHEX has an impeccable industry reputation, partnering with leaders like Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com, and five comprehensive coverage plans.

CARCHEX Warranty Cost

These are the quotes we received from CARCHEX:

CarShield: Best Monthly Payments

CarShield plans are among the lowest-priced in the industry, and financing terms are generous.

CarShield Cost

Below are two examples of what an extended car warranty costs with CarShield. Note that plans are month-to-month, so you would pay as long as you have a plan. Compared to contracts from other companies, this can become more expensive in the long run.

Protect My Car: Best Maintenance Benefits

Along with standard vehicle service contracts, Protect My Car offers coverage for routine maintenance that can be especially beneficial for older vehicles that don’t qualify for standard coverage.

Protect My Car Cost

See examples of Protect My Car extended warranty pricing below.

In addition, the article reviews how contracts are typically priced, and list sample quotes that our research team gathered while evaluating the best extended car warranty companies. The best way to determine how much an extended car warranty will cost you is to get free, personalized quotes from multiple companies. You can start comparing quotes from our top recommended providers below.

Extended Warranty Cost Estimate

When shopping for extended warranties, comparing personalized quotes from multiple companies is always a good idea. Finding cost information can be a hassle, but the process can move along smoothly if you keep the following tips in mind:

• Have your information ready: To provide the most accurate quote, most companies will need you to provide your vehicle year, make, model, mileage, and vehicle identification number (VIN). Having this information on hand when you call can make the quotes process quicker over the phone.
• Contact local dealerships: Some extended warranty companies do not sell directly to consumers but work through dealerships. Call local dealerships and ask about warranty pricing for your vehicle.
• Negotiate: Contract prices may not be set in stone, and many providers regularly run promotions. Ask about any available discounts, and don’t be afraid to try and drive your price down or ask for additional coverage to sweeten the deal.
• Sleep on it: An extended car warranty can be a significant investment. Be wary of any sales agents who pressure you into making an immediate decision. If you don’t have a good experience purchasing an extended warranty, you’ll have even more significant issues when filing claims.

Start comparing extended car warranty cost information from top providers immediately by getting a few free, personalized quotes.

After getting a quote, you can calculate the cost of an extended car warranty. The best way to create a reasonable approximation of a cost estimate so you can understand if an extended car warranty is worth it is to calculate the prices you were quoted from the provider’s estimate, look for any hidden fees in the sample contract, and replace your expected yearly vehicle maintenance costs with the price of your deductible.

How To Calculate Extended Warranty Cost

Essentially, it would help if you multiplied your monthly deductible by the number of months your extended car warranty payment is. Then, add the down payment and the deductible for the times you’d need a covered repair. While this method isn’t exact, it is a rough estimate that allows you to know how much an extended warranty will cost, especially if you understand your vehicle maintenance costs (below).

Vehicle Maintenance Costs

It’s no secret that the cost of auto repairs adds up. According to AAA, the average annual cost of owning a car is $8,469. The average vehicle owner keeps their vehicle for 6.5 years, but factory warranties rarely last that long. Typically these only last for three years, which means that without an extended warranty, your car is unprotected for more than half of the time you have it. We selected a few common car repairs and found what they cost. An extended warranty could cover these repairs and save you hundreds of dollars.

Car Warranty Period

The period of an extended car warranty, or how long you are covered, is a significant factor in estimating the cost of an extended car warranty. Generally, the longer you are covered, the more the coverage will cost. Conversely, while more extended coverage periods cost more overall, they also tend to be cheaper per month of coverage. When inquiring about the costs for various coverage periods, many drivers are interested in how much car warranties cost for shorter timeframes. Below are our estimates of the cost of a car warranty for various periods:

• 12-Month Car Warranty Cost: Expect to pay $1,188 total.
• 2-Year Car Warranty Cost: Expect to pay $2,376 total.
• How Much Is A 3-Year Car Warranty: Expect to pay $3,564 total.

While the short coverage terms above aren’t standard, some aftermarket service contract providers offer month-to-month coverage options. This is helpful for those who want flexible coverage and can cancel their protection at any time. Keep in mind that short-term contracts and warranties month-to-month rolling payment plans are generally more expensive than longer-term plans.

Average Warranty Costs Per Industry

To help better understand how cost factors work for warranties, the chart below has prices for auto, home, and computer (laptop) warranties. Car warranties generally last longer, with a higher likelihood that you will need to make a claim. For this reason, they cost more than home warranties which are shorter and have fewer claims. Contracts for computers, which are also shorter, cost less mainly because they cover a product that doesn’t cost as much.

How much is a car warranty worth?

Extended car warranty services — also known as vehicle service contracts (VSC) — protect you when your vehicle breaks down. The cost associated with it varies but is ultimately a cost-saving measure. After all, you aren’t stuck paying thousands of dollars when your car needs an unexpected repair! Instead, you’ve spent a reasonable monthly fee that protects your wallet when the time comes, in the same way, that auto insurance does.

Moreover, extended auto warranties pay for themselves after just one major repair — It has the potential to save you a lot of money! Ultimately, an extended warranty’s value depends on your car’s reliability and the cost of the repairs it needs. We recommend getting a minimum of three quotes to compare pricing for your specific vehicle, location, and more. Below are some additional factors that make an extended warranty worth the money:

• No surprise repair bills. Breakdowns rarely happen at a convenient time. An extended car warranty allows you to be financially prepared.
• Save money. Did you know the cost of an extended warranty is cheaper than many common car repairs?
• Get more life out of your car. People often drive their cars longer than manufacturer warranties last. An extended warranty protects you for years to come.
• Get peace of mind. Knowing you’re covered and not having to stress about out-of-pocket repairs puts your mind at ease.

In this article, we provided specific details for the cost of extended car warranties and prices for multiple coverage levels from industry-leading providers.

FAQ: The Cost Of An Extended Warranty

Below are some frequently asked questions about the cost of an extended warranty:

Methodology

In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of extended auto warranty companies to formulate rankings of the best providers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.

• Industry Standing: Warranty providers with a history of strong business practices and endorsements from experts receive the highest scores in this category.
• Coverage: This rating is based on types of extended warranty plans available, coverage terms, and added benefits like roadside assistance.
• Cost: Our research team reviews sample quotes for a variety of plans and vehicles. Companies with lower prices per year of coverage receive the best scores.
• Transparency: This score takes into account contract transparency and the availability of a money-back guarantee.
• Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and perform our own shopper analysis to get a sense of the responsiveness and helpfulness of each warranty company.