Protect My Car Warranty Review

Who It Would Be Good For

• Customers who want to buy plans that will protect their cars up to 300,000 miles
• People who want the extra benefit of free oil changes and tire rotations with their plan
• Car drivers who expect emergency roadside service included with car breakdown and mechanical failure coverage

Who It Would Not Be Good For

• Someone whose car is older than a 1998 model
• Car owners with vehicles that have more than 300,000 miles on them
• Vehicles that have preexisting conditions

Eligible

• New or used vehicles
• Cars with less than 300,000 miles on them
• Cars that are model year 1998 or newer

Not Eligible

• Cars older than the model year 1998
• Vehicles with 300,000 or more miles
• Cars with modifications such as aftermarket parts, performance upgrades, and cosmetic changes
• Exotic vehicles
• Salvage title vehicles
• High-performance vehicles

The Buying Process

Start by completing an online form or calling the company directly at 800-253-2850. When you complete an online form, a representative will contact you to complete the process. Buying a vehicle warranty with Protect My Car means that you get a warranty directly from the company. It is not a broker shopping warranty customers around, so you’ll deal exclusively with Protect My Car at all times.

Claims

If you’ve ever had an insurance claim, you’ll understand how simple it is to file a claim with Protect My Car. First, bring your car to a repair facility. The facility will provide an estimate of repairs and contact Protect My Car to get approval for the repairs.

File claims directly with customer service by calling 800-556-4762 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Depending on your plan and the type of repair your vehicle needs, make sure that Protect My Car covers the needed repair before starting. Most warranties don’t cover car parts like airbags and catalytic converters, although your auto insurance policy may cover these items instead.

Approved repairs only require that you pay the $100 to $200 deductible; Protect My Car will pay for the rest of the repairs up to your limit. Deductibles vary based on the plan that you have.

Plans

Protect My Car has three plans with varying coverage. Plans are distinguished based on the mileage of the car. We spoke with a representative who said that mileage amounts used to determine the plan type change on a regular basis, so you’ll need to call an agent to get a quote for your vehicle.

What’s Covered by Protect My Car

• 24/7 roadside assistance that covers things like a jumpstart, tow, or flat tire change
• Trip interruption coverage of $50 per day for up to three days that you can use for stays at a hotel or motel when the car is in the shop under a covered repair
• Rental car reimbursement of up to $30 per day, capped at $210, so that you can rent a car while the mechanic is repairing your vehicle
• Parts and labor plus taxes

What’s Not Covered by Protect My Car

• Repairs made without prior authorization from the claims department
• Abused or neglected vehicles
• Breakdowns that are the result of a policyholder’s failure to protect the vehicle from further damage
• Preexisting conditions or repairs you need during the waiting period of 30 days
• Vehicles with broken odometers
• Repairs resulting from failure to maintain a vehicle per the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule
• Breakdowns caused by modifications intended to raise the vehicle’s engine compression or to stop excessive oil consumption
• Breakdowns resulting from overheating
• Electrical or mechanical modifications
• Liability damages
• Air/fuel filters, air bag systems, alternative fuel systems, batteries, belts, body and trim items, body frame, brake drums, brake pads, brake rotors and shoes, bulbs, catalytic converters, collision damage, convertible tops, electric-powered or hybrid fuel parts, exhaust pipes, fasteners, fluids, glass, headlight assemblies, hoses, key fobs, keys, light bulbs, lubricants, clutch assemblies, mufflers, nuts, paint, sealed beams, seat belt assemblies, seat frames, sheet metal, shocks, spark plug wires, spark plugs, struts, sun/moon roofs, tail light assemblies, upholstery, washers and bolts, weather strips, wheels and tires, and wiper blades

Protect My Car falls just above the average cost of vehicle warranties. The average annual cost is $5,195, and Protect My Car averages $5,462, or about $455 per month.

Keep in mind that a car warranty is priced based on your vehicle’s year, make, and model, which means that your warranty may be above or below the average warranty price. The minimum monthly cost is $374, and the maximum is $536. Call the company to get an exact quote based on your vehicle and the plan you wish to select.

Discounts

Protect My Car advertises two discounts on its website. Those in the military and students can get discounts when they call and sign up for policies. When you call, a policy specialist will review the discount with you, as it is not a flat rate off the policy’s price.

Money-Back Guarantee

Protect My Car offers new warranty owners a 30-day free look period that lets you read the contract with no obligation to keep it. This free look corresponds with the waiting period, which is 30 days and 1,000 miles driven.

Cancellation Fee

If you cancel during the free look period, you will receive a refund of the premium that you paid. After the free look period, you can cancel anytime, but will not receive a prorated refund. Policies are transferable if you are selling the vehicle.

Depending on the type of service help that you need, you can call one of the three numbers for Protect My Car.

• Customer service: 800-253-2850
• Roadside assistance: 888-676-4762
• Claims: 800-556-4762

Customer service is only available via phone lines.

Better Business Bureau

Protect My Car is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, but it does have an A+ rating. It receives 4.07 stars out of five stars in customer reviews and has had 281 complaints filed in the past three years.

Reviewers like that the company was pleasant, professional, and ready to answer any questions. Representatives seem to care about clients and their needs. Customer complaints stem from uncovered claims and policyholders being upset with not getting the coverage they thought they had.¹

Trustpilot

Protect My Car has more than 3,392 reviews on Trustpilot. It receives an “Excellent” rating on the platform with a 4.4 out of five-star rating. Customers who love the company talk about how smooth the claim process is and how satisfied they are with the service.

Those who provided one-star reviews noted that the company was difficult to reach during claims and that there were limitations to the mechanics covered by the warranty.² Not every shop is ASE-licensed and accepts warranty plans.

Some vehicle warranty companies have a smartphone app to make processing claims faster and easier. Protect My Car does not have an app on the App or Google Play stores.

Protect My Car started as Precision Auto Protection in 2005 in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Precision Auto Protection rebranded for a short time in 2015 as Solace before becoming Protect My Car in August 2015. Crestview Partners purchased the company in September 2018.³

We consider several factors when reviewing vehicle warranty companies.

Eligibility

We take a look at the types of vehicles a company covers along with the maximum age. In addition to what companies cover, we consider the exclusions and look for companies with as few restrictions as possible.

Claims Process

The claims process should be smooth and easy. We look for companies with dedicated claims numbers and that offer multiple ways to file a claim.

Coverage

We prefer companies that offer different plans with extensive coverage of vehicle components. While coverage varies from company to company and plan to plan, we prefer companies that offer roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption protection.

Pricing

The industry annual average price for extended warranties is $5,195. We prefer companies that fall below this average.

Customer Service

Customer service is an important aspect of any company to ensure policyholders have a positive experience. We prefer companies with multiple ways to contact them, including phone numbers and email addresses.

Ratings

Third-party ratings tell you a lot about how a company is delivering on its promise to help clients in need. We look at BBB and Trustpilot ratings to see what real customers like and dislike about the company. We seek out companies that have high third-party ratings.