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Extended warranty & insurance

What the cover is actually worth, what to check before you sign, and when it is worth pricing at all. No sponsored placements on this page.

Extended coverage

Worth pricing once the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty ends (usually 3 yr / 36k mi; 5 yr / 60k mi for Hyundai, Kia and Genesis). Get two quotes; prices for the same car vary widely.

Before you pay for one, check whether the manufacturer has already extended coverage on the part that worries you: every warranty extension and special-coverage program on file, with the term each runs to.

We do not currently recommend a specific provider. Get quotes from at least two, and price the same term and deductible at each — for the same car they routinely differ by hundreds of dollars.

Insurance

Premiums for the same car and driver vary widely between carriers, so re-shop at renewal rather than letting a policy roll over. A comparison service will quote several carriers at once.

Before you buy any plan

  • Check the deductible per visit vs. per repair.
  • Confirm the plan covers electronics and, for EVs and hybrids, the high-voltage components outside the federal 8-year battery warranty.
  • Read the exclusions list before the benefits list.
  • Any licensed shop should be allowed, not just the seller's network.

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