5 Best Car Extended Warranty [Top Companies for 2022]

Geoff Cudd

Extended warranties can help you protect your car (and your wallet) from unforeseen repairs.

Many manufacturers offer extended warranty options, but these tend to come with huge markups from the dealership. Furthermore, you can only purchase a manufacturer warranty while your vehicle is still under factory warranty.

That’s why third-party extended warranty providers can be such a great option.

Today we’ll compare five of the most well-known and highly regarded extended warranty providers: Endurance, YAA, Olive.com, CARCHEX, and CarShield.

Best for Extra Benefits

• Administers its own policies, from quote to claim
• Advantage Plan includes vehicle maintenance

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Best Coverage Options

• Save a minimum of $1,000 for the same coverage as a dealer warranty
• Coverage plans protect the newest technology features

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Disclosure: I sometimes receive compensation from referrals to companies I mention, but that does not impact my opinions and helps keep this website going. And I only recommend providers that will genuinely benefit my readers.

Best Auto Extended Warranty Provider Comparison

Best Extended Warranty for Overall Coverage: YAA

Our best car extended warranty for overall coverage is YAA.

We chose them because all of their plans include a YAA membership for repair coaching, and their plans also cover the latest technology features. YAA provides additional coverage for EV batteries.

YAA values a customer-centric approach so you will never receive any spam calls. They only apply a flat $500 markup to all plans, which means you can save thousands of dollars when comparing against a dealership warranty.

Learn more in our comprehensive review of YAA extended auto warranty >>

Best Extended Warranty for Additional Benefits: Endurance

Endurance is our choice for the best car extended warranty for additional benefits.

Endurance directly provides warranty coverage, and every plan includes one year of Elite benefits.

You can also opt for the Advantage level for ongoing benefits that include vehicle maintenance (which many other providers do not provide), roadside assistance, and other one-time services.

Learn more in our comprehensive review of Endurance extended auto warranty >>

Best Extended Warranty for Customer Support: Olive.com

Our choice for the best car extended warranty provider for customer support and claims is Olive.com.

Olive.com, a digital warranty company, focuses on addressing the common concerns with the lack of transparency in the industry. They are one of the few providers that offer vehicle protection in California, commonly known as an MBI.

Despite being a relatively new company, they have a strong A+ rating on the BBB and 4 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews.

Learn all about Olive.com car warranties and what sets them apart in our full Olive.com extended warranty review >>

Best Extended Warranty for High Mileage Used Cars: CARCHEX

For high-mileage used cars, we recommend CARCHEX.

CARCHEX offers five different extended warranty plans to choose from, several of which are geared toward vehicles with over 60,000 miles. For example, their Gold Plan is meant for vehicles with over 60,000 miles, and it covers all powertrain systems.

CARCHEX offers different coverage options for vehicles with up to 250,000 miles, while most other providers cap it at 200,000 miles.

We tell you everything you need to know about CARCHEX in our honest review >>

Most Affordable Extended Warranty: CarShield

CarShield earns the spot as the most affordable car extended warranty available.

CarShield offers 6 different levels of coverage as well as a Roadside Protection Bundle.

While the cost will vary depending on the plan, length of coverage, and your vehicle, they are well-known for being an affordable option. They offer month-to-month contracts as well.

We break down everything you need to know in our CarShield review here >>

Availability & Coverage Comparison

• YAA: YAA extended warranties are available in all states except California or Massachusetts.
• Endurance: Endurance extended warranty plans are available for cars with up to 200,000 miles in all states except California.
• Olive.com: Olive.com extended warranties are available in the entire US including mechanical breakdown insurance in California for vehicles up to 10 years old.
• CARCHEX: CARCHEX extended warranties are available for vehicles with up to 250,000 miles and in all 50 states.
• CarShield: CarShield extended warranties cover vehicles with up to 300,000 miles in all states except California.

Plans Comparison

• YAA: YAA offers 4 plans with varying levels of coverage.
• Endurance: Endurance has 6 different plans to choose from including an exclusionary plan that closely matches the manufacturer’s bumper-to-bumper warranties.
• Olive.com: Olive.com has 3 different plans to choose from including a Complete Care that is similar to the factory warranty.
• CARCHEX: They offer 5 customizable plans with options for older/high mileage vehicles.
• CarShield: They have 6 different warranty plans available.

Pricing Comparison

• YAA: The average cost of a YAA extended warranty plan is often under $100 per month.
• Endurance:  On average the total cost for an Endurance extended warranty plan ranges from $2,500 to $3,900. The average monthly cost is around $86-  $124.
• Olive.com: The average monthly cost of an Olive.com extended warranty plan is $30 - $80.
• CARCHEX: CARCHEX plans cost around $3,000 on average. This breaks down to  $100 - $160 per month depending on the details of the plan.
• CarShield: CarShield plans costs roughly $89 - $129 per month.

Customer Satisfaction Comparison

• YAA: YAA extended warranties are fairly new,  and do not have many reviews. They do have 5 stars on Yelp for 16 reviews, and they share Success Stories on their website.
• Endurance: Endurance has 4.4 stars on Trustpilot and 3.36 stars on the BBB. Customer reviews praise customer service and the easy claims process.
• Olive.com: Despite being a newer company, Olive.com has many positive reviews. They have 4.5 stars in Consumer Affairs.
• CARCHEX: CARCHEX has many positive reviews about their customer service and they have an A+ BBB rating. However, they do only have 3.1 stars on Trustpilot.
• CarShield: Overall, CarShield has a good reputation. They have 4.1 stars on Google Reviews and 4.0 stars on Trustpilot. Many reviews praise the simple, easy claims process. However, other reviews state the opposite.

Additional Benefits Comparison

• YAA: With a YAA extended warranty, you receive car-buying advice and resources, towing for up to 150 miles, roadside assistance, and trade-in value assessment.
• Endurance: All Endurance extended warranties come with one free year of Endurance Elite Benefits. These benefits include tire repair & replacement, $1,000 of total loss replacement, a $500 collision discount for up to two accidents, $500 key fob replacement, and 24/7 roadside assistance.
• Olive.com: Olive.com extended warranty benefits include towing and rental car reimbursement.
• CARCHEX: CARCHEX plans come with some key additional benefits including rental car reimbursement, trip interruption, and roadside assistance.
• CarShield: CarShield's additional benefits include roadside assistance. You can also purchase a roadside protection bundle for an additional fee.

Methodology: How We Determined Our Picks

How did we determine our picks for the various categories of the best extended car warranties?

We did a careful analysis of the top providers out there. We looked at their coverage plans, including the number of plans and what each covered, the websites, their transparency/ease of use, customer reviews, and any additional benefits. We analyzed this key information for each of the car warranty providers, compiling individual reviews before performing our comparison.

At every step of the process, we made sure to use an unbiased approach and prioritize the best interest of you, the customer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best third-party extended warranty provider?

YAA, CarShield, CARCHEX, Olive.com, and Endurance are top-rated third-party extended warranty providers. There is no one answer for the best provider; it depends on your needs, budgets, location, and more. We recommend you obtain quotes from these providers to learn which is best for you. But if we had to pick, YAA and Endurance offer the best plans and benefits.

What is the best third-party extended warranty for used cars?

Several third-party extended warranty providers offer plans for used cars. We recommend CARCHEX for high-mileage used cars, as they have several options catered to high-mileage vehicles. Still, you should get quotes from several sources before making a decision.

Which car manufacturer has the best extended warranty?

Many car manufacturers offer compelling extended warranties on their vehicles. In 2022, Genesis, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi offer the two best extended warranties with coverage for 5 years / 60,000 miles and a Powertrain warranty of 10 years / 100,000 miles.

Who has the best powertrain warranty?

Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Genesis offer the best powertrain warranties with coverage of up to 10 years / 100,000 miles. All of the third-party warranty providers also offer powertrain coverage.

What extended warranty providers are available in California?

Many extended warranty providers are not available in California due to strict laws and regulations. However, there are a few Mechanical Breakdown insurance providers available in that state, including Olive.com, CARCHEX, and autopom!.

What is a good price for an extended warranty?

The price of an extended warranty can vary immensely depending on several factors. In general, the average cost of an extended warranty comes in at a little under $2,500 for the total plan. Based on the costs of the providers we reviewed, the monthly cost may vary from $50-$175 per month.