Is AutoAssure Warranty a Scam?

If you’re in the market for an extended warranty, you might have come across the provider AutoAssure. This third-party warranty company has mixed reviews and tends to polarize its audience. While it does offer coverage plans that are backed by industry names, it also has used some questionable sales tactics.

Today, we’ll take a deep dive into AutoAssure to find out what it’s all about. Since this warranty company isn’t necessarily our top pick for third-party providers, we’d recommend that you check out Endurance, CARCHEX, and Protect My Car too. You can get free quotes from these leading extended warranty providers below.

AutoAssure is a third-party vehicle service contract provider based out of Plano, Texas. The company offers four main coverage levels, and its plans are administered by Endurance and United Car Care.

As you’ll read in a moment, not everyone is happy with AutoAssure. In the past few years, there have been several complaints centered on a misleading sales letter that AutoAssure used.

AutoAssure BBB

The company has an A+ rating on BBB but has 412 complaints, though it has resolved most of them. Its Trustpilot customer rating is 2.8.

AutoAssure personnel respond politely to complaints and frequently note when refunds are given. Some complaints are about the sales letter discussed above, and AutoAssure has removed names from its mailing list in response. While there are a fair number of complaints, AutoAssure usually resolves them to the customer’s satisfaction.

AutoAssure doesn’t pass California’s strict regulations on vehicle service plans since it is not available in the state. Also, seeing reports of misleading sales letters makes one wonder what working with a live sales rep would be like.

On the surface, AutoAssure’s sample contracts look standard. However, there’s a reason to believe that these samples only tell part of the story. In the 2018 lawsuit against AutoAssure, the background text tells of contracts that have pages and pages of exclusions, some of which are out of the ordinary. It also mentions that many customers were sold plans before they had the chance to read through the whole contract. With all the other options you have, we think you can find a better fit outside of AutoAssure.

The Benefits Of An Extended Warranty

When you purchase a new car, the manufacturer offers a factory warranty on a number of parts. Typically, this includes a bumper-to-bumper warranty, powertrain warranty, and other warranties that cover corrosion and emissions systems.

But every factory warranty expires at some point, even the long 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties offered by Kia, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi. As your factory warranty expiration date approaches – or ideally, long before – it’s time to consider the benefits of extended protection.

Dealer Extended Warranties

You’ll probably have the choice to extend your warranty through your vehicle’s manufacturer. However, extended dealer warranties often require you to purchase when you buy your new car or within a few years. They can also require you to only visit dealerships for repairs.

AutoAssure offers four main levels of coverage, ranging from bumper-to-bumper to protection for your vehicle’s most essential systems:

• Platinum Exclusionary: This service plan is similar to a car’s factory warranty encompassing both bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage. It is the highest level of coverage offered by AutoAssure and excludes normal wear and tear, batteries, bulbs, and similar items.
• Gold Component: This plan doesn’t offer the same bumper-to-bumper coverage but does include coverage for numerous parts. It is best for cars with 100,000 miles or less. Included parts are the engine, steering, starter, brakes, and more.
• Powertrain Plus: This plan covers what you’d think it would: the powertrain plus a few other things. The additional items include the water pump, air conditioning, power window motors, and more.
• Powertrain Basic: This is your typical powertrain coverage that includes the engine, transmission, and drive axle. It’s best for higher mileage cars.

The cost of extended warranty coverage is based on a number of factors, including your vehicle’s age and mileage, the type of coverage you choose, and your deductible (AutoAssure offers $0, $50, and $100 options).

To get a clearer picture of the average cost of AutoAssure coverage, we requested quotes for the following vehicles:

Some AutoAssure plans have added perks. It depends on the plan level and also the service company. AutoAssure is a broker and assigns contracts out to two direct providers: Endurance and United Car Care. From sample contracts available on the website, it looks like Endurance-backed plans come with 24/7 roadside assistance, including tire service, jumpstart, rental car reimbursement, trip interruption services, and gas delivery. Roadside assistance is limited to one occurrence per 72 hours.

Higher-tier plans backed by United Car Care include 24/7 roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement, trip interruption, and tire service. Roadside assistance is limited to eight occurrences for the whole contract. Lower-tier plans only come with towing and rental reimbursement. All roadside assistance plans, whether through Endurance or United Car Care, only cover $50 per occurrence.

Compared to other providers, these perks aren’t very amazing. Some other companies provide a number of benefits without setting an allowance per occurrence.

AutoAssure’s Questionable Sales Letter

In the spring of 2018, AutoAssure got some media coverage – but not the good kind. Concerned citizens had reacted to a letter they thought might be a scam. It turns out AutoAssure wasn’t a scam, but the sales tactic could be considered pushy.

The letter named “Vehicle Services Department” as the sender, though AutoAssure’s name was at the bottom. The letter went on to say that the recipient’s car warranty was almost or already expired and that they needed to act now or lose coverage.

There was a box with an approaching date marked “Program Term Deadline,” which many recipients assumed was the deadline of their actual warranty. However, this was a marketing tactic and not based on the recipient’s real car warranty. Bolded phrases like “time-sensitive” and “act immediately” gave the letter an air of urgency. Also, the page was visually organized like an official document, not an advertisement. It didn’t use any colors or pictures.

Attorney General Response

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) reports that the Minnesota Attorney General has brought allegations against AutoAssure for two reasons. First, AutoAssure falsely warned potential customers that their warranty was ending when it was not. Second, AutoAssure implied that it was related to the manufacturer by noting the “Vehicle Services Department” as the sender. In one case, an elderly woman ended up purchasing two AutoAssure plans on the same car in direct response to the misleading letters she received.

These allegations from the Minnesota Attorney General are not resolved at this time. They could be upheld, or they could be dismissed. However, United Auto Defense, a company started by a former AutoAssure general manager, got banned from doing business in Minnesota in 2016 and agreed to a $270,000 fine. That lawsuit was for similar deceptive marketing practices.

We are not convinced that AutoAssure is going to be the best provider for you and your needs. Its questionable sales tactics and a large number of complaints make us believe that you should look elsewhere for your car warranty.

When it comes to third-party extended warranties, to say that you have options would be an understatement. In fact, there are 410 business listings on BBB in the auto service contract category. Some might not provide good value, while others might provide better coverage than a dealer-extended warranty. Then there are other factors to consider. After looking at AutoAssure, we think it’s important to determine whether you can really trust the provider.

AutoAssure Competitors

To help cut through the noise, we reviewed the top third-party providers and ranked them on things like customer service, business reputation, coverage options, and perks.

The following providers rose to the top of our list – and you can get a free, customized quote from each:

In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of extended auto warranty companies to formulate rankings of the best providers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.

• Industry Standing: Warranty providers with a history of strong business practices and endorsements from experts receive the highest scores in this category.
• Coverage: This rating is based on types of extended warranty plans available, coverage terms, and added benefits like roadside assistance.
• Cost: Our research team reviews sample quotes for a variety of plans and vehicles. Companies with lower prices per year of coverage receive the best scores.
• Transparency: This score takes into account contract transparency and the availability of a money-back guarantee.
• Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and perform our own shopper analysis to get a sense of the responsiveness and helpfulness of each warranty company.