Choosing the best extended car warranty provider is an important and often time-consuming decision. In this article, we’ll make it easier for you to decide if a National Auto Care warranty is right for you.
Our team conducted extensive research on National Auto Care’s coverage options, costs, and customer ratings to bring you up-to-date information on this provider. Supported by over 1,475 hours of warranty research, we’ve awarded National Auto Care with 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Our National Auto Care Warranty Review And Methodology
National Auto Care has been a provider of insurance, warranties, and asset protection products in the automotive industry since 1984. However, our research team found it challenging to contact customer service to get a quote for the company’s extended warranty plans. You can only purchase National Auto Care coverage at authorized dealerships and financial institutions, making the sales and claims process more difficult for drivers.
How We Rated National Auto Care Warranty
To give you the most up-to-date information, we update our review standards multiple times per year. Our warranty research evaluates providers across the following categories:
Industry Standing
National Auto Care has been in the automotive industry for almost 40 years and holds an A+ rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). In addition, it’s received a Dealer’s Choice Award from Auto Dealer Today for seven consecutive years as of 2022. For these reasons, we’ve awarded National Auto Care 4.3 out of 5.0 stars for its industry standing.
Coverage
We give National Auto Care 4.2 out of 5.0 stars for its coverage options, as it offers a solid lineup of both stated-component and exclusionary plans. In addition, the Pre-Owned Plus vehicle service agreement (VSA) allows drivers to extend or terminate their plans at any time. National Auto Care recently rolled out an Electric VSA as well.
Cost
National Auto Care received its highest score for costs with a score of 4.7 out of 5.0 stars. Based on market research, National Auto Care’s prices are usually lower than the average cost of extended car warranties from other companies. On top of this, National Auto Care warranty plans offer disappearing deductibles along with standard deductibles of either $200, $100, $50, or $0.
Transparency
We award higher transparency scores to companies that provide consumers with plan details, sample contracts, and money-back guarantees. We found none of these components on the National Auto Care website, so we gave the provider only 2.5 out of 5.0 stars.
Customer Service
National Auto Care receives 3.6 out of 5.0 stars from our review team for its customer service. We had difficulty reaching representatives when calling about the company’s coverage options, warranty prices, and affiliated dealerships and financial institutions. However, nearly every complaint filed through the BBB has either been resolved or answered by National Auto Care, with most customers being satisfied with the company’s response.
Is A National Auto Care Warranty Worth It?
National Auto Care has been around for almost 40 years, earns multiple awards for its services, and offers a variety of coverage plans with perks. However, you can only purchase a plan through a dealership or a financial institution such as a bank or credit union. National Auto Care’s customer service standards also leave much to be desired. We suggest getting quotes from other extended car warranty companies to find the right coverage for you.
National Auto Care Warranty Quick Facts
- Founded: 1984
- Headquarters: Westerville, Ohio
- Coverage options: Six VSA plans with multiple coverage levels
- Coverage terms: Up to 10 years or 100,000 miles
Is A National Auto Care Warranty Legit?
National Auto Care is a legitimate provider of extended warranty coverage for both new and pre-owned vehicles. It has been in the auto industry for almost four decades and has received awards from Auto Dealer Today for seven consecutive years.
National Auto Care Warranty Customer Reviews
The online reviews for National Auto Care warranties are mixed. Below are positive and negative online reviews regarding National Auto Care:
National Auto Care Positive Reviews
“As soon as National Auto Care received all of their required documents they needed to process my claim, they paid my vehicle balance off within five days. And, they quickly sent me a refund check for the amount that I had overpaid.”
– Anonymous via BBB
“The warranty [from National Auto Care] more than paid for itself, the warranty company was easy to deal with and overall it worked out well, so I would recommend it.”
– Anonymous via MyThreeCents.com
National Auto Care Complaints
“Recently my 2012 Kia Sorento’s engine seized and had to be towed to the dealership. After a while, waiting on the engine to be torn down and an investigator to be sent out, the claim was denied. During this process, I never once heard from the warranty company or the person handling my claim.”
– Anonymous via BBB
“I had a mechanical issue with my vehicle. When I contacted National Auto they advised me that it wasn’t covered yet when I purchased the plan I was told everything was covered. I feel like I was deceived and misinformed when purchasing the plan.”
– Anonymous via BBB
National Auto Care Warranty Coverage
National Auto Care offers several types of warranty plans for vehicles as well as various related services. You’ll find both stated-component coverage and exclusionary coverage plans. In addition, National Auto Care has no mileage or year restrictions for its used car warranties.
It’s good to keep in mind that coverage options can vary by state and lender. Along with standard auto coverages, National Auto Care warranty plans cover recreational vehicles (RVs) and powersports vehicles such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and boats. National Auto Care also recently rolled out coverage for electric vehicles (EVs), a rarity among providers.
National Auto Care Warranty Plans
The National Auto Care website provides information on its primary coverage options. These include Core, Elite, Pre-Owned Plus, High-Tech, P+6, and Electric VSA plans.
National Auto Care Core VSA
The Core VSA from National Auto Care provides you with the choice of five coverage options, and all are considered stated-component coverage except for the Pinnacle plan. Core VSAs are available for vehicles less than 15 years old with fewer than 156,000 miles on the odometer.
The table below has a detailed breakdown of your choices within the Core VSA:
| Core VSA Tier | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Powertrain | Components relating to the engine, turbo/supercharger, automatic or manual transmission, drive axle assembly (front and rear), transfer unit, and seals and gaskets on listed components. |
| Medallion | All Powertrain Plan parts along with brakes, steering, electrical components, air conditioning and heating, front and rear suspension, fuel system, cooling system, and additional seals and gaskets. |
| Preferred | All Powertrain and Medallion Plan components in addition to extra brake parts, extra electrical components, more seals and gaskets, and extra fuel system parts. |
| Pinnacle | Top-level comprehensive coverage that covers all parts and components not listed in the exclusions section of your vehicle service contract. |
In addition to the Powertrain, Medallion, and Preferred plans, Powerwrap/Dieselwrap coverage allows you to “wrap” it around your manufacturer’s powertrain warranty or diesel engine warranty for almost-complete protection. These wrap coverages are only available for vehicles five years old or newer with 60,000 miles or less.
We recommend looking at a detailed contract on National Auto Care’s website to ensure that the stated components are what you’re looking for. Remember, a part won’t be covered after a mechanical breakdown if it isn’t mentioned in the contract of a stated-component plan.
National Auto Care Elite VSA
The Elite VSA has three main options to choose from: Powertrain, Standard, and Premium. There’s no information online about age or mileage caps, so you’ll need to ask your chosen dealership or financial institution for this information.
You’ll find details about the three Elite VSA options below:
| Elite VSA Tier | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Powertrain | Various engine, turbo/supercharger, automatic and manual transmission, drive axle assembly, and transfer unit parts. |
| Standard | All Powertrain Plan components in addition to various heating, fuel, brake, steering, front and rear suspension, electrical, and cooling system parts. |
| Premium | All Powertrain and Standard plan components in addition to extra air and heating, fuel, brake, electrical, and cooling system parts. |
Online information for Elite VSA plans states that these are just some of the parts covered by these service contracts. National Auto Care requests that you refer to your service agreement for a more exhaustive list.
National Auto Care Pre-Owned Plus VSA
The Pre-Owned Plus VSA from National Auto Care offers motorists their choice of four plans, three of which have stated-component coverage and one that’s exclusionary. Further details about each of these tiers can be found below:
| Pre-Owned Plus VSA Tier | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Engine | Parts related to the engine, turbo/supercharger, and seals and gaskets related to other listed components. |
| Powertrain | Engine plan components in addition to automatic and manual transmission, front and rear drive axle assembly, transfer unit, and seals and gaskets related to other listed parts. |
| Powertrain Plus | All components under Engine and Powertrain plans in addition to brakes, steering, electrical parts, air conditioning and heating, front and rear suspension, fuel system, cooling system, and seals and gaskets for covered components. |
| Exclusionary | If a part isn’t listed in the exclusions section of your Pre-Owned Plus VSA, then it’s covered here. |
Pre-Owned Plus VSAs are available for vehicles of any year or mileage, making them great as extended warranties for cars over 100,000 miles. Again, we encourage you to refer to your service agreement for a full list of covered and excluded components.
National Auto Care Electric VSA
National Auto Care recently started offering extended warranties for EVs, rolling out five coverage levels through the Electric VSA. There are coverage options for both new and used electric cars, with Supercharged coverage for new vehicles and Recharged for used ones.
You’ll find details about each level of the Electric VSA below.
| Electric VSA Tier | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Recharged Level I | Electric/traction motor, vehicle inverter/converter, high-voltage cables, power distribution control unit and battery management system, drive shaft and axle, differential, and gearbox/transmission. |
| Recharged Level II | Recharged Level I parts plus brakes, steering, electrical, air conditioning and heating, front and rear suspension, and cooling system components. |
| Recharged Level III | Recharged Level I and II parts in addition to electric propulsion battery, battery cooling system, and additional non-excluded components. |
| Supercharged Level II | Electric/traction motor, vehicle inverter/converter, high-voltage cables, power distribution control unit and battery management system, drive shaft and axle, differential, gearbox/transmission, brakes, steering, electrical, air conditioning and heating, front and rear suspension, cooling system, electric propulsion battery, and battery cooling system components. |
| Supercharged Level III | All Supercharged Level II parts in addition to additional non-excluded items. |
New EV coverage plans are for models under two years old that have been driven less than 24,000 miles. Used EV extended warranty plans cover models that are up to 10 years old with between 24,000 and 100,000 miles on them.
National Auto Care P+6 VSA
The P+6 VSA from National Auto Care provides you with six add-ons that can be tacked onto the Pinnacle Plan. You’ll receive all of the protection from the Pinnacle Plan plus additional coverage for your car’s battery, belts and hoses, brake pads, headlamps, lights, and windshield wiper blades.
This VSA is available for previous-year vehicle models or newer with up to 3,000 miles on them. There’s no deductible for this plan, and it’s available for leased cars.
National Auto Care High-Tech VSA
The National Auto Care High-Tech VSA protects many parts of your car that make it smarter and safer. This includes features such as auto dimmers, blind spot monitors, Bluetooth systems, lane departure systems, tire pressure monitoring systems, and seat heaters and coolers.
Since exact coverage varies by state and lender, refer to your contract to find out information about conditions, limitations and exclusions.
National Auto Care Ancillary Coverages
In addition to VSA plans, National Auto Care warranties include other protections such as:
- Theft deterrent
- Tire and wheel protection
- Paintless dent repair
- Excess wear and tear
- Paint and fabric
- Key protection
- Windshield protection
- Guaranteed asset protection (gap insurance)
National Auto Care Warranty Benefits
Perks that come standard with National Auto Care warranty plans include:
- Emergency roadside assistance
- Trip interruption coverage
- Rental car reimbursement
- Add-on time and miles
What Does A National Auto Care Warranty Not Cover?
Plans purchased through National Auto Care are either exclusionary or stated-component contracts. If you opt for an exclusionary plan, you’ll have all parts covered in your vehicle that aren’t listed in the fine print of your contract. If you choose a stated-component contract, you’ll only get coverage for the parts listed by your policy.
As is typical with extended car warranties, VSAs with National Auto Care won’t cover your tires, paint, or upholstery unless you opt for ancillary coverage. In addition, damages caused by car accidents and acts of nature such as hail, flooding, and fallen tree limbs won’t be covered.
National Auto Care Warranty Cost
National Auto Care provides neither sample contracts nor sample quotes for any of its coverage plans listed online. Extended car warranty costs depend on several factors including your vehicle’s make, model, and age. However, our survey of 1,000 recent warranty shoppers shows that most pay between $1,600 and $3,200 for their extended warranties.
To determine what you’ll pay for an extended warranty from National Auto Care, reach out for quotes from partner dealerships and financial institutions. It’s best to call around to get quotes from other reputable extended auto warranty providers as well to find out what a competitive rate looks like for your vehicle.
The infographic below highlights the typical purchase prices for third-party and dealership warranties from our 2022 extended auto warranty survey.
National Auto Care Extended Warranty Reviews: Conclusion
In this guide, we took a close look at National Auto Care’s plan options, costs, and reviews. While National Auto Care warranties have a solid reputation, you can only buy plans through authorized dealerships or financial institutions. We suggest getting quotes from providers such as Endurance, CARCHEX, and Olive as you search for an extended vehicle warranty.
Alternatives To National Auto Care
Below, we’ve outlined three providers that received outstanding reviews from our team of experts. We like Endurance and CARCHEX due to their exceptional customer service, convenient payment options, and affordable coverage. We recommend getting at least three quotes from third-party extended warranty companies to find the best plan that fits your needs.
Endurance: 4.6 Stars
Endurance offers direct-to-consumer extended warranties, which means that warranty services and claims are handled by Endurance itself. We gave it 4.6 out of 5.0 stars and named it the Best Coverage provider.
With Endurance, you don’t have to worry about a middleman or underwriting provider, and Endurance is also known for its excellent customer service during the quote and claims process.
Additionally, Endurance warranty plans allow car owners to choose from any repair shop certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE®) to complete their covered repairs.
Read more: Endurance warranty review
CARCHEX: 4.4 Stars
CARCHEX maintains an A+ rating and accreditation from the BBB and has received endorsements from industry leaders like CARFAX, Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds.com. Our review team gave the company 4.4 out of 5.0 stars.
CARCHEX offers a total of five extended warranty plans, each of which can be customized. All plans include 24/7 emergency roadside assistance, gas delivery, trip interruption services, and lockout services.
Read more: CARCHEX review
Olive: 4.5 Stars
Olive is an upstart extended warranty company hoping to pull the industry into the modern era. Based on the provider’s 4.7-star average customer score on Google, the plan appears to be catching on. In our review of the company, we rated it 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.
The provider’s chief calling card is its simplicity. A digital-first interface simplifies the process of filing a claim, while below-average rates make payments easier to bear. Add on Olive’s lack of a waiting period before filing a claim and the company appears ready to shake up the extended auto warranty space.
Read more: Olive warranty review
National Auto Care Warranty Reviews: FAQ
Below are common questions related to National Auto Care’s extended warranties.
*Data accurate at time of publication.