Whether you’re nearing the end of your new vehicle coverage or want to protect an older car, an extended auto warranty from a company like Vehicle Assurance can give you peace of mind. But what kind of coverage does Vehicle Assurance offer, and is it right for your vehicle and budget?
In this review, we at the MarketWatch Guides team break down Vehicle Assurance extended warranty plans. We’ll look at the company’s available coverage options, benefits and what you can expect to pay for this type of coverage. We’ll also recommend the best extended car warranty providers to ensure a well-rounded warranty buying experience.
Vehicle Assurance Review
Through our research, Vehicle Assurance earned an overall rating of 7.9 out of 10.0. While this isn’t the highest rating of the providers we reviewed, Vehicle Assurance is one of the few that scored a perfect 10 in our transparency category. The company also has solid scores for reputation and plan cost.
See how the company scored in all of our review categories below:
| Overall Rating | 7.9 |
| Reputation | 8.4 |
| Coverage | 7.3 |
| Cost | 8.3 |
| Transparency | 10.0 |
| Customer Experience | 6.6 |
While Vehicle Assurance has a strong industry reputation and stands out as a transparent warranty broker, the company may fall short when it comes to delivering what it promises. Customer feedback for Vehicle Assurance is mixed, with notably poor reviews on its Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile.
We reached out to Vehicle Assurance for a comment on poor reviews, but we haven’t yet received a response.
Since Vehicle Assurance operates as a warranty contract broker, contracts purchased through the company are administered by third parties. For this reason, reviews and ratings for Vehicle Assurance may reflect experiences with other companies.
Vehicle Assurance Pros and Cons
Offers several coverage and payment options
Customers can visit any ASE-certified repair shop in the U.S. or Canada
Repair facilities are paid directly
Plans are backed by top vehicle service contract administrators
Contracts are transferable
A significant number of consumer complaints prompted the Better Business Bureau to issue an alert to the public
Coverage only available in 48 states
About Vehicle Assurance
Vehicle Assurance has been in business for over a decade. It offers extended warranties that may pay for repairs your manufacturer’s warranty doesn’t cover, and can keep you protected after your original warranty has expired. Its plans are backed by several leading administrators and give customers a range of coverage options at affordable prices. See what we learned about the company below, then compare free quotes between several providers to find the best price.
Each plan is renewable and pays for parts, labor and sales tax, if applicable, for covered repairs. Most service contracts include 24-hour roadside assistance, towing and car rental. If you have multiple vehicles you want covered, you’ll need multiple vehicle service contracts, as each plan covers one car.
Is Vehicle Assurance Legit?
Yes, Vehicle Assurance is a legitimate extended warranty provider. Even though top administrators back Vehicle Assurance’s extended warranties and the company says it’s committed to providing customers with peace of mind, many consumers have complained that they were contacted repeatedly and pressured to purchase coverage. Some customers who bought plans said the company denied claims they believed should have been covered.
We reached out to Vehicle Assurance for a comment on these complaints, but we haven’t yet received a response.
Whether or not you want a quote from Vehicle Assurance, we recommend comparing several quotes from different extended warranty providers.
Vehicle Assurance Coverage
Vehicle Assurance partners with leading vehicle service contract administrators in the U.S. to offer affordable plans. The company’s partnerships and available contracts change, but Vehicle Assurance is brokering contracts from United Car Care, Inc. and Omega Auto Care in 2024.
Vehicle Assurance Warranty Plans
Here is an overview of vehicle service contracts available through Vehicle Assurance:
| Plan Name | Plan Coverage |
| Platinum Plus Protection (United Car Care) | All components and parts, except those specifically excluded in the contract |
| Diamond Protection (United Car Care) | Engine, transmission, transfer case, front and rear drive axle, front and rear suspension, steering, brakes, electrical, air conditioning and heating, engine cooling, fuel, high tech, luxury electronics package and seals and gaskets in pre-owned vehicles |
| Gold Protection (United Car Care) | Engine, transmission, transfer case, front and rear drive axle, air conditioning, electrical, fuel and seals and gaskets |
| Omega New Exclusionary | All assemblies and parts, except those specifically excluded |
| Omega Used Stated Component | Engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axles, air conditioning and heating, suspension, steering, cooling, fuel system, brakes, electrical, seals and gaskets and hybrid components |
| Omega Powertrain Enhanced | Engine, transmission, transfer case, drive axles, seals and gaskets, hybrid and additional coverage options |
Like factory warranties, extended warranties offer coverage for a limited amount of time or vehicle miles. Vehicle Assurance doesn’t list contract terms on its website, and these limitations may vary by warranty administrator.
Some extended warranty companies offer month-to-month warranty contracts and others will offer terms of up to 10 years. However, most will offer coverage periods of two to five years.
Depending on the level of coverage you choose, your mileage limitations could range from 60,000 to 200,000 miles. Some providers offer extended warranties that cover vehicles for up to 300,000 miles, though this is rare.
Finally, if you’re looking for coverage for an older high-mileage vehicle, your coverage options may be limited to stated component or basic powertrain coverage.
Vehicle Assurance Warranty Benefits
Since Vehicle Assurance works with different warranty administrators, benefits available through its contracts may vary.
United Car Care Warranty Benefits
All three levels of United Car Care coverage available through Vehicle Assurance carry these benefits:
- Roadside assistance: This benefit pays for towing, flat tire assistance, lockout service, fuel delivery and battery jumpstarts.
- Rental car reimbursement: United Car Care will pay for rental car coverage while your car is in the shop for repairs. This benefit provides $35 per day for a maximum of six days per repair.
- Trip interruption coverage: In the event of a mechanical breakdown 200 or more miles from home, this contract will pay a maximum of $75 per day for three days for food and lodging expenses.
The United Car Care Platinum Plus contract also offers tire repair and replacement coverage. The maximum for this benefit is $25 per occurrence for repair or $100 per tire for replacement, with a maximum of $400 per contract. Tires must be well-maintained to be eligible for this coverage.
Omega Auto Care Contract Benefits
All Vehicle Assurance protection plans administered by Omega Auto Care include the following roadside assistance perks:
- Towing
- Flat tire assistance
- Lockout service
- Fuel and fluid delivery
- Battery jumpstart service
This protection covers a maximum of $100 per occurrence paid directly to the company providing the service.
Vehicle Assurance’s Omega Auto Care contracts also offer tire replacement and repair services. This perk includes up to $20 per occurrence for flat tire repair or a maximum of $100 per tire or $400 per contract for tire replacement. Tires must be well-maintained to be eligible for this coverage.
What Isn’t Covered by a Vehicle Assurance Warranty?
Vehicle Assurance offers six warranty contracts in total from two well-known warranty administrators. However, even the most comprehensive of these contracts won’t cover everything.
As with all warranty coverage, Vehicle Assurance plans aren’t designed to cover routine maintenance or wear-and-tear repairs. For this reason, you’ll need to budget to cover oil changes, air and oil filters, wiper blades and other critical upkeep items.
Vehicle protection plans also won’t cover cosmetic damage to the car’s upholstery, body panels or trim. None of Vehicle Assurance’s contracts offer coverage for damages caused by:
- Vehicle misuse
- Improper vehicle maintenance
- Aftermarket modifications or parts
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Severe weather
Can I Cancel My Vehicle Assurance Warranty?
You may cancel Vehicle Assurance warranty coverage at any time. Since the company’s contracts are administered by different providers, cancellation policies may differ between contracts.
If you have a United Car Care warranty contract, you can cancel at any time during the company’s 20-day “Free Look” period to receive a full refund. After this period, United Car Care will prorate or deduct a cancellation fee of $50 from your refund amount.
Similarly, Omega Auto Care contracts can be canceled within the first 30 days for a full refund. After 30 days, you’ll receive a prorated refund minus an additional cancellation fee of $75.
Do Vehicle Assurance Warranties Transfer?
Omega Auto Care contracts offered through Vehicle Assurance transfer to subsequent vehicle owners for a fee of $50 for most drivers. United Car Care Contracts transfer during vehicle sale for a fee of $75.
Vehicle Assurance Claims Process
Vehicle Assurance’s extended warranty plans cover repairs performed at any ASE-certified automotive repair shop in the U.S. or Canada. If your car needs repairs, ask an employee at the facility to call the claims department. Vehicle Assurance will pay the repair shop directly. If your car requires multiple repairs simultaneously, you will only have to pay your deductible once.
How Much Does a Vehicle Assurance Warranty Cost?
Vehicle Assurance offers multiple payment options that allow customers to spread out the cost of a service contract and make affordable monthly payments with no fees. Its plans also have a variety of deductibles.
Because costs for warranty contracts vary based on a number of factors, Vehicle Assurance does not list contract costs on its website. However, our team conducted a survey of 1,000 auto warranty customers in 2023 to provide perspective on what drivers pay for this type of coverage.
Most respondents in the survey indicated that they paid between $1,500 and $3,000 in total for their extended warranty plans. The median reported warranty cost in our study was $2,500, meaning of the 1,000 people in our survey, half paid more than this amount and half paid less.
When exploring your extended car warranty options, your quotes may vary based on the following factors:
Is a Vehicle Assurance Warranty Worth It?
Looking at the costs above may make an extended vehicle warranty seem expensive. However, because these plans typically offer coverage for a number of years, annual costs are actually much lower. While you pay between $1,500 and $3,500 overall for a contract, this often translates to paying only a few hundred dollars per year of coverage.
According to RepairPal, the average annual repair cost across all vehicle makes and models is $652. However, actual maintenance costs vary based on the age, make and model of a vehicle. For example, RepairPal estimates the annual repair cost for a Toyota RAV4 at $429. However, the cost of a fuel injector replacement is estimated at $553 to $615 and an engine oil cooler replacement could cost as much as $1,189. Many of these parts are covered by an exclusionary extended vehicle warranty.
Additionally, as a vehicle ages, it becomes both more expensive to repair and more likely to need repairs. According to Edmunds’ True Cost to Own calculator, maintenance and repair costs for a 2022 Toyota RAV4 increase from $433 in year two to $2,595 in year five. If you’re interested in keeping your car in good shape as it ages, an extended vehicle warranty is a smart investment.
Vehicle Assurance BBB
Vehicle Assurance has a C+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The BBB posted the following statement on its website:
“Better Business Bureau is urging consumers to use caution when considering doing business with Vehicle Assurance, an extended Auto Service Contract company. BBB has received a pattern of complaints alleging consumers receiving unsolicited phone calls and mailers, misleading sales tactics, failure to honor the contract and poor customer service.”
This statement reflects the customer reviews on the platform, and few of the 21 reviews are above one star. The overall customer rating is currently 1.2 out of a possible 5.0 stars. If you’re interested in an extended warranty from Vehicle Assurance, we recommend doing extra research and evaluating your customer service experience before signing the contract.
When and How To Buy a Vehicle Service Contract
Despite what you may have heard, you’re not required to purchase an extended warranty from the dealership when you buy a car. Even though it may be convenient, you’ll spend less and have more options for repair facilities and payment plans if you buy a vehicle service contract from a third party.
The original manufacturer’s warranty may have exclusions and gaps in coverage, even if it’s a “bumper-to-bumper” warranty. An extended warranty can fill those gaps and provide additional coverage, such as roadside assistance and car rental.
Buying a vehicle service contract early can help ensure that you have coverage once the manufacturer’s warranty expires. If you wait until the original warranty expires to purchase an extended warranty, you’ll pay more. To ensure you have coverage when you need it, Vehicle Assurance recommends buying a service contract while your manufacturer’s warranty is still in effect.
You can fill out an online form to request a quote and receive a call from a Vehicle Assurance representative, typically within 24 hours. The representative can help you choose a plan with the coverage you need and a cost and deductible that fit your budget.
Vehicle Assurance Warranties: The Bottom Line
Vehicle Assurance partners with reputable warranty administrators to offer six coverage contract options. Coverage levels range from essential powertrain coverage to exclusionary plans that work like bumper-to-bumper warranties.
Vehicle Assurance’s contract terms and benefits vary by warranty administrator. For more coverage and pricing options during your extended warranty search, consider comparing quotes for Vehicle Assurance coverage against other reputable providers.
Top Options for Extended Warranties
We reviewed several extended warranty providers to help you understand it all. Below is some information on Endurance, CarShield and Carchex as options for an extended warranty.
We also recommend you request quotes from a few companies before deciding.
Endurance: Most Comprehensive Coverage
Endurance is a direct-to-consumer provider of extended car warranties. This company is recognized for great customer service, coverage for high-mileage vehicles and its six tiers of coverage plans.
New members have free access to Endurance Elite Benefits for one year, which include key fob replacements, ID theft protection and tire repairs.
Read more: Endurance warranty review
CarShield: Affordable Monthly Payments
Since 2005, extended warranty plans from CarShield have covered over a million vehicles. The company serves as a middleman, offering plans from several providers for new and used cars.
Customers may choose month-to-month contracts, low or no-deductible plans and towing and rental car coverage. In addition, CarShield pays repair facilities directly rather than requiring consumers to pay upfront and wait for reimbursement.
Read more: CarShield warranty review
Carchex: Great Industry Reputation
Carchex has been selling vehicle extended warranties for over 20 years and has earned a reputation for providing quality coverage and top-notch customer service. It has also received several awards and endorsements from industry leaders and an A+ rating from the BBB.
Carchex offers five coverage levels and provides sample contracts online for customers to review before buying. Consumers appreciate the company’s No-Haggle, Low Price, Everyday Guarantee™. When you call Carchex, an auto warranty expert will clearly explain what each plan covers and how much it costs.
Read more: Carchex warranty review
Vehicle Assurance: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about Vehicle Assurance warranty coverage:
Vehicle Assurance has high scores in our transparency, cost and reputation categories. However, the company’s scores fall short in our customer experience category though it has changed warranty administrator partnerships over time. For this reason, we recommend comparing coverage and quotes from Vehicle Assurance with options from other providers.
Vehicle Assurance offers six coverage options ranging from basic powertrain to comprehensive exclusionary plans. Powertrain coverage provides protection for critical systems like the engine, transmission and drive axles. Exclusionary plans work like bumper-to-bumper warranties and cover most parts and repairs.
An extended car warranty, otherwise known as a vehicle service contract, is an agreement offered by a warranty company to cover a specific set of vehicle parts, repairs and other services.
A vehicle service contract is a smart investment for drivers looking to mitigate the cost of potential repairs or increase the resale value of their vehicle.
Vehicle Assurance’s warranty partners allow plan cancellation. Cancellation policies vary by warranty administrator, so check your contract for specifics before committing.
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best extended car warranty companies. We collected data on dozens of auto warranty providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.
Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Coverage (30% of total score): Companies that offer a variety of choices for warranty coverage, long contract terms and added benefits are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Cost (30% of total score): Auto warranty companies with affordable rates and multiple deductibles score highest in this category.
- Transparency (20% of total score): This score is based on contract transparency and the availability of a money-back guarantee.
- Reputation (10% of total score): Our research team considers availability, ratings from industry experts and years in business when conferring this score.
- Customer Experience (10% of total score): Based on customer satisfaction ratings and our extensive shopper analysis, we consider the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each warranty company’s customer service team.
Our credentials:
- 500+ hours researched
- 40+ companies reviewed
- 2,000+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
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