If you want to keep driving your car for many more years, an extended warranty (or vehicle service contract) that can protect you from high repair costs can be a good idea. We’ve put 1,475 hours of research into reviewing the best car warranty companies to make it easy for you to find the right provider. Our expert team surveyed past customers, mystery shopped providers, and combed through hundreds of online reviews along the way.
You’re likely familiar with Allstate’s auto insurance, but the company also offers an Extended Vehicle Care program. Below, we explain Allstate Vehicle Service Contract coverage, trustworthiness, cost, customer service, and ease of use. We will also compare it with leading providers like Endurance, which is rated highly in our recent review of the best car warranty companies.
Our Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Review And Methodology
Allstate Extended Vehicle Care is currently available only to current Allstate customers or through select dealerships. Allstate customers can get low rates on the company’s long-term protection plans, including a discounted price for buying online. The company does not sell its extended vehicle car products in California and Massachusetts.
How We Rated Allstate Vehicle Service Contracts
To give you the most up-to-date information, we update our review standards several times each year. Our warranty research evaluates providers in the following categories:
Industry Standing
We consider things like how long a company has been in business and how many states it serves when we rate for industry standing. Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings also contribute to this rating. Allstate has been in business since 1931. The company’s insurance policies are available in all 50 states, but its vehicle service contracts aren’t available in Massachusetts or California. The company also holds an A+ rating from the BBB, although it isn’t accredited by the organization. Overall, we give Allstate 4.1 out of 5.0 stars for its standing in the warranty industry.
Coverage
Allstate Extended Vehicle Care plans are designed to stretch basic limited and powertrain warranties, giving you up to seven years and 100,000 miles of protection. There are three customizable levels of coverage: Powertrain, Core Systems, and Comfort & Tech. You can also choose from protection plans that cover tires and wheels, paint, interior fabrics, and more. These coverage options can vary by dealership, state, and lender.
Every Allstate vehicle service contract comes with roadside assistance, trip interruption benefits for covered breakdowns far from home, and reimbursement for rental cars and rideshares. All things considered, we give Allstate a 3.5-star rating for Allstate Extended Vehicle Care coverage.
Cost
It’s tough to get a read on the cost of Allstate’s vehicle service contracts because they’re sold at select dealerships. Prices vary according to your vehicle type and mileage, the coverage level you choose, and the various deductible options you might have (Allstate policyholders are locked into a $50 deductible). We give Allstate vehicle service contracts a 3.5-star rating in this category, recognizing that plan costs will vary widely.
Transparency
For this category, we consider whether a provider offers a money-back guarantee and how easy it is to find sample contracts on its website. It’s tough to get concrete information from Allstate on either of these counts. With that in mind, we give Allstate vehicle service contracts a 2.5 out of 5.0-star rating for transparency.
Customer Service
Allstate’s mobile app has strong ratings on the App Store, with most positive reviews focusing on ease of use and overall convenience. The company offers an online quote tool on its Extended Vehicle Care website. You just have to enter your VIN number, current mileage, and home state to get a quote. We give Allstate a solid 4.2-star rating for vehicle service contract customer service.
Are Allstate Vehicle Service Contracts Legit?
Allstate is one of the biggest publicly held personal lines property and casualty insurance companies in the U.S. Though Allstate Insurance is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), it has an A+ rating from the organization. Allstate Motor Club, Inc, which provides standalone roadside assistance services and roadside assistance for Allstate’s warranty and insurance customers, also has an A+ rating on the BBB.
Allstate Vehicle Contract Customer Reviews
As Allstate is primarily an insurance provider, it can be tough to find reviews for its vehicle service contracts. In general, those who post positive reviews of Allstate’s Extended Vehicle Care are longtime policyholders. Negative reviews typically focus on a slow claims process or certain repairs not being covered. Of course, it’s always important to study your service contract carefully to understand your specific coverage.
Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Coverage
There are three coverage levels under the Allstate Extended Vehicle Care umbrella: Powertrain, Core Systems, and Comfort & Tech. You can customize the terms of each plan.
Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Plans
Here’s a breakdown of what each type of Allstate Extended Vehicle Care plan:
| Allstate Extended Vehicle Care Plan | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Powertrain | Engine, transmission, drive axles, and some related components |
| Core Systems | A vehicle’s main mechanical and electrical systems, including brakes, steering, suspension, fuel system, and engine cooling (powertrain elements not covered) |
| Comfort & Tech | Comfort features like air conditioning and heating systems, technology such as cruise control, power windows, and blind spot warning systems |
Other Allstate Vehicle Protection Plans
There are several other protection plans available through Allstate, although you’ll need to check with your dealership or Allstate representative to make sure they’re available in your area. Here are the other service contract types Allstate offers:
- Tire & Wheel Protection: Pays for repair or replacement of tires and wheels damaged by road hazards.
- Paint & Fabric Defense: Covers damage from spills, stains, rips, and minor dents.
- Excessive Wear & Tear Protection: Ideal for leased vehicles and protects against surprise charges for dents, dings, and other minor damage.
- GAP: This stands for guaranteed asset protection, which pays the difference between an insurance settlement and what you owe on your vehicle in the event of a total loss.
- Complete Protection: Several customizable packages that replace things like key fobs and repair interior and exterior cosmetic damage.
Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Benefits
Every Allstate Extended Vehicle Care plan comes with the following benefits:
- Towing coverage: Up to $100 per covered breakdown
- Roadside assistance: Up to $100 per occurrence
- Rental car and alternate transportation coverage: Up to $40 per day for up to seven days when your vehicle is in a repair facility
- Trip interruption benefits: Up to $500 per day for up to three days when you have a covered breakdown more than 100 miles from home
What Does an Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Not Cover?
Like other extended warranties, Allstate Extended Vehicle Care plans don’t cover damage from accidents, wear and tear items like brake pads, or parts that fail due to lack of routine maintenance. Damage incurred from unauthorized repairs also isn’t covered. Allstate’s vehicle service contracts are designed to cover specified components against breakdowns that occur through normal use.
Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Cost
The cost of an Allstate Extended Vehicle Care plan depends on the following factors:
- Vehicle make and model: Older cars, luxury vehicles, and brands with low reliability cost more to cover.
- Mileage: Vehicles with higher mileage are more expensive to cover than those with lower odometer readings.
- Contract length: Longer service contracts typically cost more than shorter ones.
- Coverage level: The more comprehensive the coverage, the more you can expect to pay.
- Deductible: Allstate policyholders pay a $50 deductible for their vehicle service contracts. Select dealerships may offer options between $0 and $200 or more. The higher your deductible, the lower your monthly payments.
In March 2022, our team surveyed 1,000 people who had purchased extended warranties. Some respondents bought coverage from automakers, while others opted for third-party providers. The chart below shows how much these people paid for extended warranty coverage. As you can see, the majority of respondents paid between $1,500 and $3,000.
Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Reviews: Conclusion
Allstate is an established company with decades of experience and different coverage options to suit different vehicle needs, but is it the right warranty provider for you? That’s not so easy to answer.
To start with, Allstate doesn’t sell vehicle service contracts in California or Massachusetts. If you live in these states, you will have to buy your extended warranty coverage from another company. Also, Allstate sells service contracts only to existing customers or through select dealerships. This rules out many people who are looking to buy coverage independent of a dealer and aren’t current customers.
Our Recommendations for Extended Warranty Providers
If you decide to explore third-party extended car warranty providers, we suggest that you compare quotes from multiple companies. We recommend that you include Endurance and CarShield, two of our highest-rated providers, in your search.
Endurance: 4.6 Stars
We give Endurance our Best Coverage award and rate it first among all independent warranty companies. Unlike its competitors, Endurance is a direct provider of extended warranties. That means it handles claims in-house rather than going through administrators, which in turn means less hassle for you. We also like that Endurance offers six coverage options and a free year of Endurance Elite benefits including tire repair, key fob replacement, and total loss protection with every plan.
Read more: Endurance warranty review
CarShield: 4.5 Stars
CarShield is known for offering higher mileage limits with its coverage plans, making it an ideal choice for a used car warranty. The company also covers high-tech cars, luxury vehicles, and even motorcycles and ATVs. CarShield also offers competitive rates, which is why we give it our award for Best Monthly Payments.
Read more: CarShield review
Allstate Vehicle Service Contract Reviews: FAQ
Below are some common frequently asked questions about Allstate vehicle service contracts: