On this automobile guarantee evaluate, CarShield earned 4.2 rating of out of 5.0 stars primarily based on its protection, value, customer support, and {industry} standing.
Crash Course:
- Most CarShield guarantee plans value round $150 monthly.
- CarShield gives eight ranges of protection to select from.
- Every CarShield plan comes with advantages like journey interruption protection, rental automobile reimbursement, and roadside help.
CarShield is among the most outstanding names within the automobile guarantee {industry}. Primarily based on the corporate’s total rating of 4.2 out of 5.0 stars in our 2024 prolonged guarantee research, its popularity seems to be well-earned. However that doesn’t essentially imply that CarShield is your best option for each driver.
Our consultants took an in depth take a look at the protection choices, advantages, and charges CarShield gives. We additionally studied dozens of buyer opinions to get an correct evaluation of what the corporate gives and the standard of its companies. You’ll discover what we discovered within the article under, together with a couple of different extremely rated prolonged automobile guarantee suppliers to think about.
CarShield Overview
In our most up-to-date automobile guarantee research, we gave CarShield 4.2 out of 5.0 stars. The general rating relies on elements akin to {industry} standing, protection, customer support, and affordability.
That ranking locations CarShield within the prime 10 of suppliers included in our industry-wide research. The corporate carried out particularly nicely relating to protection choices and affordability.
Develop the part under to see a desk with a breakdown of how CarShield carried out in every class.
| Overview Class | CarShield Overview Rating |
|---|---|
| Total | 4.2 |
| Protection | 4.5 |
| Trade Standing | 3.7 |
| Affordability | 4.2 |
| Buyer Service | 4.4 |
CarShield Professionals and Cons
CarShield Professionals
- Makes direct funds to restore outlets
- Protection can be utilized at any ASE-certified mechanic
- Excessive most mileage restrict of 300,000 miles
CarShield Cons
- Not all plans include rental automobile reimbursement
- Comparatively excessive variety of unfavourable opinions
- Plans aren’t out there in California
Is CarShield Legit?
- Firm title: CarShield
- 12 months based: 2005
- Firm kind: Prolonged guarantee supplier
- Service space: 49 states (not in California)
CarShield is a authentic prolonged guarantee firm with a stable historical past of paying out for coated claims. Since its institution, the corporate has earned quite a few awards from publishers as each a trusted supplier and prime employer.
Nevertheless, on July 31, 2024, the Federal Commerce Fee dominated that CarShield should pay a $10 million settlement to resolve expenses for misleading and deceptive promoting. In response, CarShield launched an announcement informing customers that the corporate would start sharing extra details about its plans and protection.
What Makes CarShield Stand Out?
CarShield is among the nation’s hottest unbiased guarantee suppliers, providing reasonably priced charges, versatile safety plans, and a spread of deductibles. For a low, mounted value with month-to-month funds which might be an {industry} rarity, CarShield warranties transcend a manufacturing unit guarantee in protecting bills incurred because of mechanical breakdown.
CarShield is technically a car service contract dealer, that means that it gives safety plans administered by different firms akin to American Auto Protect. This setup offers drivers a greater variety of protection choices and value factors. You’ll be able to even discover protection for all-terrain automobiles (ATVs), bikes, and different different automobiles — specialised protection that few different rivals supply.
Moreover, CarShield gives protection for automobiles as much as 300,000 miles. This restrict exceeds what many different prime suppliers supply, making CarShield a viable alternative for drivers of high-mileage vehicles.
CarShield has been featured on ESPN, CNN, HGTV, and TBS and has quite a lot of movie star endorsements, together with one from rapper and actor Ice-T.
CarShield Buyer Opinions
CarShield buyer opinions differ vastly, although most drivers report optimistic experiences. Nevertheless, opinions about CarShield claims are blended.
CarShield Guarantee Opinions: Higher Enterprise Bureau
CarShield has a 2.13-star ranking out of 5.0 on Higher Enterprise Bureau (BBB) from over 2,900 opinions. Optimistic opinions reward the corporate’s customer support representatives for his or her courteousness and professionalism. On the flip aspect, unfavourable opinions complain about denied claims or the usage of used elements throughout coated repairs.
Notably, CarShield responds to most opinions — optimistic or unfavourable.
Regardless of blended opinions, the BBB gives CarShield an A+ ranking. This ranking is elevated from CarShield’s current ranking of F, and the corporate additionally gained accreditation from the BBB in March 2024.
CarShield Guarantee Opinions: Trustpilot
On Trustpilot, CarShield has a 4.2-star ranking out of 5.0 on Trustpilot, the place 77% of over 51,000 buyer opinions are optimistic. As was the case with the corporate’s BBB opinions, most optimistic Trustpilot opinions commend CarShield’s buyer help workers for his or her helpfulness and professionalism. Frequent complaints middle on denied or delayed claims approvals.
Based on CarShield’s Trustpilot profile, the corporate responds to 97% of unfavourable opinions, with a response time of 1 week or much less.
CarShield Guarantee Opinions: Reddit
On Reddit, the final opinion of CarShield amongst customers, mechanics, and repair advisors is closely unfavourable. Drivers report points with getting claims accepted or having claims paid in full. Many mechanics and repair advisors report that their outlets refuse to just accept CarShield guarantee protection resulting from CarShield utilizing used elements and solely protecting a portion of hourly labor charges.
CarShield Guarantee Protection
What an prolonged automobile guarantee covers is determined by the plan you select. CarShield gives eight plans that vary from powertrain-only protection to exclusionary protection much like a manufacturing unit guarantee.
CarShield Prolonged Guarantee Plans
Within the desk within the collapsed part under, you’ll discover summaries of every of the protection plans CarShield gives.
| CarShield Plan | Protection Particulars |
|---|---|
| CarShield Diamond | Corresponding to a brand new automobile producer’s guarantee, CarShield Diamond protection is an exclusionary plan. This implies complete protection for all techniques and elements of your car apart from a brief checklist of noncovered elements. |
| CarShield Platinum | Good for high-mileage automobiles or used vehicles, the Platinum plan covers sure elements of your car’s engine, transmission, cooling system, air con, steering, brakes, electrical elements, and gas pump. CarShield Platinum is stated-component protection, that means that every coated half is listed within the car service contract. |
| CarShield Gold | As CarShield’s enhanced powertrain protection, the Gold plan focuses on frequent powertrain elements such because the engine, transmission, and drivetrain. It additionally consists of choose elements within the gas system and different elements, such because the alternator, energy window motors, and starter. |
| CarShield Gold Choose | The Carshield Gold Choose plan is a model of the Gold plan designed for high-mileage automobiles. This plan gives the identical enhanced powertrain protection, however lacks protection for choose gas system elements. |
| CarShield Silver | The Silver plan is CarShield’s most simple and reasonably priced powertrain plan. It covers solely an important elements of your car akin to its engine, transmission, water pump, and drive axle. |
| CarShield Aluminum | The Aluminum plan covers most computer-related and electrical elements, together with the facility seat management, sensors, cruise management, digital gauges, and LCD screens. |
| CarShield Motorbike & ATV | You probably have a bike or ATV that wants protection, CarShield gives plans for specialty automobiles. |
| Electrical Car | CarShield’s Electrical Car protection is designed particularly for EVs and covers elements different plans received’t, together with the electrical drive unit, battery pack, and different essential electrical techniques. |
What Does CarShield Cowl?
CarShield’s plans embrace exclusionary, midlevel or stated-component, and powertrain protection choices. The precise elements and techniques coated by every plan are listed within the desk under.
CarShield Guarantee Exclusions
CarShield doesn’t cowl:
- Elements which were modified or altered
- Common upkeep gadgets akin to windshield wiper blade replacements and oil modifications
- Put on and tear elements akin to brake pads and air filters
- Harm brought on by acts of nature, collision, vandalism, or lack of correct upkeep
Even essentially the most complete prolonged auto warranties have their limits. The exclusions in CarShield plans are frequent amongst virtually each prolonged guarantee supplier in the marketplace.
Specialised CarShield Protection
CarShield sells two specialised protection plans for electrical automobiles (EVs) and bikes and ATVs.
CarShield Electrical Car Protection
CarShield’s Electrical Car plan protects a lot of your EV’s electrical drive unit, which incorporates the motor, rotor, drive shafts, and different elements. The EV plan additionally covers some emissions elements, together with relays and sensors, and the posh electronics package deal, which incorporates the radio/GPS/navigation elements, LCD screens, cameras, and different elements and techniques.
CarShield Motorbike and ATV Protection
CarShield gives protection for bikes and all-terrain automobiles underneath its Motorbike and ATV plan. Particular elements coated by this plan embrace the:
- Engine
- Transmission
- Major drive meeting
- Drive axle
- Cooling system
- Electrical
- Steering
- Suspension
- Brakes
- Digital high-tech
- Gas supply
- Gauges
- Seals, sealing boots, and gaskets (when included alongside the restore of one other coated part)
CarShield Guarantee Value
Our analysis crew reached out to CarShield for value estimates on a couple of automobiles. Primarily based on the quotes we obtained, we discovered that almost all CarShield plans value round $150 monthly.
CarShield is taken into account an reasonably priced supplier in comparison with different prolonged automobile guarantee firms. Our analysis crew performed a guaranty survey polling 1,000 drivers about what they spent on protection. A majority stated they paid $1,600 to $3,200 for his or her car service contracts.
CarShield Guarantee Costs and Quotes
| Car Kind | CarShield Guarantee | Time period Size | Month-to-month Fee | Deductible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021Nissan Altima | Diamond plan | Limitless;month-to-month | $149.99 month-to-month | $200 |
| 2021Jeep Cherokee | Diamond plan | Limitless;month-to-month | $149.99 month-to-month | $200 |
| 2015Chevrolet Silverado | Gold plan | Limitless;month-to-month | $149.99 month-to-month | $250 |
| 2015Jeep Cherokee | Gold plan | Limitless;month-to-month | $149.99 month-to-month | $250 |
With CarShield, drivers can select from a number of deductibles that begin at $0. The corporate focuses on month-to-month fee plans, so motorists don’t have to fret about being locked into long-term contracts.
CarShield Guarantee Reductions
Most CarShield plans begin at round $150 monthly. Throughout our price procuring course of, our analysis crew obtained quite a lot of reductions primarily based on their experiences with CarShield gross sales representatives. After negotiating for a greater deal, in some instances we had been in a position to safe quotes of $109.99 or $119.99 monthly.
We advocate asking a gross sales consultant about out there reductions, which can embrace a first-time caller low cost or a multi-car low cost.
CarShield Guarantee Deductibles
CarShield means that you can select your deductible typically. The corporate gives deductibles starting from $0 to $250. A $200 deductible seems to be the usual choice.
CarShield Guarantee Funds
CarShield funds are made month-to-month, with an choice for computerized month-to-month funds to make sure your protection doesn’t lapse. You’ll be able to pay your invoice on-line by accessing your CarShield Buyer Portal or by making a fee by way of the “Funds” tab on the CarShield cell app.
Although your fee is due month-to-month, a missed fee doesn’t imply your plan is robotically canceled. Although CarShield doesn’t permit clients to skip funds, there’s a brief grace interval in which you’ll be able to contact CarShield’s Fee Processing Division to pay your overdue steadiness earlier than you lose protection. Throughout this grace interval, no claims shall be paid till your invoice is paid in full.
Is CarShield Value It?
Whether or not a CarShield plan is value it for you is determined by elements like your car’s reliability and your monetary scenario. If you wish to shield your automobile for the long term or crave peace of thoughts about expensive repairs that in any other case would’ve been out of pocket, CarShield may very well be value it.
CarShield gives a helpful vary of plans and really moderately priced protection for such a good prolonged automobile guarantee firm. The supplier’s costs make it an particularly engaging choice should you’re on a decent funds and in want of a used automobile guarantee.
CarShield Roadside Help and Different Advantages
Like many different prolonged guarantee suppliers, CarShield consists of bonus perks on prime of its mechanical breakdown protection. These advantages embrace:
- Roadside help: 24/7 entry to towing, emergency tire service, lockout service, battery service, gas supply service, and winching
- Journey interruption protection: Reimburses you for the price of meals and lodging in case your automobile breaks down greater than 100 miles from your house
Protection limits could differ between plans, so seek the advice of your guarantee’s declaration web page for contract specifics.
As well as, CarShield and American Auto Protect function the Protect Restore Community, a platform that lists greater than 12,000 restore amenities conversant in prolonged guarantee contracts.
CarShield Cellular App
The CarShield cell app, out there for Android and iOS, permits policyholders to view particulars of their contracts on cell gadgets. On the app, you’ll be able to rapidly discover data on guarantee claims, customer support, and roadside help.
CarShield Cellular has total optimistic rankings from customers on-line. The app has a median ranking of three.4 out of 5.0 stars on Google Play and three.3 on the App Retailer.
Ought to You Get an Prolonged Guarantee?
Prolonged warranties are value it should you plan on retaining your automobile for a few years or miles — when repairs grow to be extra frequent and costly — or should you’re not ready to pay for expensive out-of-pocket repairs.
Typically, there’s no simple sure or no reply as to if or not you need to get an prolonged guarantee. Think about your monetary scenario and danger tolerance and your car’s age, mileage, situation, and reliability.
In case your automobile is or could also be more likely to break down unexpectedly, an prolonged guarantee could hold you from paying for repairs out of pocket. Then again, in case your automobile is usually dependable otherwise you plan on promoting it a couple of years after your preliminary buy, chances are you’ll be higher off setting some cash apart into a private automobile restore fund.
How Do CarShield Warranties Work?
CarShield car service contracts help you pay forward of time, both within the type of an upfront fee or on a month-to-month foundation, to cowl the price of mechanical breakdown repairs. Whenever you want repairs, CarShield pays for the work minus your deductible so long as the affected elements are coated and your account is in good standing.
CarShield Guarantee: What To Know Earlier than You Purchase
In contrast to many different prolonged auto guarantee suppliers, CarShield plans can be found on a month-to-month foundation. This implies you’re not locked right into a long-term contract — protection stays in pressure so long as you proceed to make your month-to-month funds.
The corporate additionally offers among the most beneficiant mileage limits within the {industry}, providing to cowl automobiles for as much as 300,000 miles, although there’s a 30-day and 1,000-mile or 90-day and 200-mile ready interval while you first buy protection. Most CarShield plans are transferable to second homeowners for a $50 payment, which might enhance your car’s resale worth.
CarShield Guarantee Claims
It’s simple to search out mechanics who settle for CarShield protection. You probably have a car service contract by way of the corporate, coated repairs might be made at any dealership or restore facility licensed by the Nationwide Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE®).
How To File a Guarantee Declare: CarShield Warranties
Right here’s how the CarShield claims course of works:
- Ensure repairs are coated: Test your CarShield contract to make sure that the repairs you want are literally coated.
- Take your car in: Have repairs accomplished on the licensed restore middle or dealership of your alternative. Remember to point out that you’ve got and shall be utilizing prolonged guarantee protection.
- Pay your deductible: To have restore work accomplished, you’ll must pay your deductible quantity.
- Let CarShield pay the remainder: A CarShield consultant will work immediately with the power to pay the rest of your restore prices.
Quite a lot of of the CarShield opinions we learn talked about a clean, simple restore and claims course of. This implies which you could moderately count on the identical from the supplier.
How To Cancel a CarShield Guarantee
You’ll be able to cancel a CarShield coverage at any time. Nevertheless, to cancel your contract you’ll must contact buyer help immediately and submit a coverage cancellation discover.
When you cancel inside the first 30 days of your coverage, you’ll get a full refund. After 30 days, you’ll doubtless get a prorated refund for the period of time left in your coverage.
How To Contact CarShield Buyer Service
CarShield buyer help is on the market by way of telephone on Monday by way of Saturday. Telephone numbers for CarShield’s customer support departments are listed within the desk under:
| Division | Telephone Quantity/Contact Data | Hours (CST) |
|---|---|---|
| Claims (American Auto Protect) | 1-800-859-9932 On-line type | Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m.–3:00p.m. |
| Buyer Service | 1-800-587-4162 | Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m.–3:00p.m. |
| Fee Processing | 1-800-587-4603 | Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m.–3:00p.m. |
| Roadside Help | 1-866-222-7869 | 24/7 |
| Gross sales | 1-800-588-8501 | Monday–Friday 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m.–3:00p.m. |
CarShield Guarantee Opinions: Conclusion
CarShield earned a 4.2- out of 5.0-star ranking, inserting it eighth amongst all suppliers. The corporate’s 300,000-mile mileage restrict was the rationale we acknowledged the corporate for its Excessive Mileage Restrict.
Though the corporate has obtained complaints, CarShield opinions are predominantly optimistic. Contemplating that CarShield is among the greatest prolonged guarantee firms and has coated greater than 1 million automobiles over 18 years, a couple of hundred unfavourable feedback barely affect the corporate’s popularity.
Examine the Greatest Prolonged Automotive Guarantee Firms
It’s at all times sensible to buy round for prolonged guarantee plans to be sure to’re getting the most effective deal on protection. We advocate evaluating free quotes from CarShield with quotes from different respected prolonged automobile guarantee firms, like these within the desk under:
| Supplier | Total Rating | Protection | Trade Standing | Affordability | Buyer Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endurance | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| autopom! | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 4.5 |
| CARCHEX | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.4 |
| Toco | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.4 |
| CarShield | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 |
Under, we evaluate CarShield to 2 of the most effective prolonged auto guarantee suppliers: Endurance and Autopom!.
Endurance: Greatest Total
Endurance is a good prolonged automobile guarantee supplier that’s been in enterprise since 2006. The corporate stands out within the car safety {industry} for being a direct prolonged guarantee supplier fairly than a dealer or reseller. Because of this Endurance gives and fulfills most of its plans with none exterior assist.
Endurance gives six ranges of protection. Every plan comes with one yr of Endurance Elite Advantages which embrace perks akin to tire restore or substitute, a collision low cost, and 24/7 roadside help. Endurance has stable opinions from clients, with a 3.7-star ranking out of 5.0 on Trustpilot and a 3.7-star ranking out of 5.0 on the BBB.
Discover out extra: Endurance Guarantee Overview
Autopom!: Most Inexpensive
Autopom!, which stands for “automotive peace of thoughts,” was based in 2009. Like CarShield, autopom! is an prolonged guarantee dealer and sells plans from quite a lot of “A-rated insurance coverage firms and directors.”
The corporate gives three protection ranges–Exclusionary, Mid-Stage, and Powertrain Plus–with protection out there for automobiles as much as 20 years outdated. autopom! plans are among the many most reasonably priced, with a median value per yr of $794.20 throughout all plan varieties. On-line opinions are typically favorable, with the corporate scoring 4.2 out of 5 stars on BBB and 4.6 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
Discover out extra: autopom! Guarantee Overview
CarShield Prolonged Guarantee: FAQ
Under are a couple of incessantly requested questions for CarShield opinions:
How good is the CarShield guarantee?
CarShield warranties are typically good, with protection out there for many automobiles and wishes. Along with exclusionary, mid-level, and powertrain protection, the corporate gives specialised plans for EVs and bikes and ATVs. Plans are typically reasonably priced, with most in a position to be transferred to a second proprietor should you promote your automobile.
What does a CarShield prolonged guarantee cowl?
CarShield guarantee protection is determined by the kind of plan you buy. CarShield Diamond, the corporate’s exclusionary plan, is much like a manufacturing unit guarantee and covers a lot of the elements in your car. Mid-level plans, like CarShield Platinum and CarShield Gold, cowl a lot of your automobile’s most necessary elements and techniques, together with the powertrain. CarShield Silver limits protection to your car’s powertrain, whereas CarShield Aluminum covers {most electrical} and computer-related techniques.
Are you able to cancel a CarShield guarantee?
You’ll be able to cancel a CarShield guarantee by contacting CarShield Buyer Service. You’ll get a full refund should you cancel your coverage inside the first 30 days of the preliminary buy. When you cancel after the primary 30 days, you’ll get a prorated refund primarily based on the quantity of days left in your contract.
Which firm gives the most effective aftermarket guarantee?
Endurance is the most effective aftermarket guarantee supplier primarily based on our analysis and methodology due to its intensive protection choices, {industry} standing, affordability, and customer support. Nevertheless, the most effective prolonged guarantee supplier for you is determined by your particular wants and funds. We advocate procuring round to check protection from the highest suppliers to search out the most effective match for you.
Does CarShield pay claims?
CarShield is a dealer, which suggests the corporate isn’t chargeable for dealing with or paying claims. The plan administrator pays claims as an alternative, minus any deductible or the price of any uncovered elements or repairs.
Will CarShield exchange an engine?
Most CarShield plans cowl your car’s powertrain, which incorporates the engine. Nevertheless, not all engine repairs or replacements are coated. Learn by way of your most well-liked plan’s pattern contract for a listing of exclusions during which the corporate will deny protection.
For instance, CarShield received’t cowl repairs resulting from pre-existing situations or lack of required upkeep.
Will CarShield exchange a transmission?
Most CarShield plans cowl the transmission, which is a part of your automobile’s powertrain. Nevertheless, some transmission repairs and replacements might not be coated if the reason for the breakdown is excluded from protection. For instance, an absence of upkeep, improper prior restore, or regular put on and tear will end in a denied declare.
Our professional evaluate crew takes satisfaction in offering correct and unbiased data. We recognized the next ranking classes primarily based on client survey information and performed intensive analysis to formulate rankings of the most effective prolonged auto guarantee suppliers.
- Trade Standing: Our crew considers Higher Enterprise Bureau (BBB) rankings, availability, and years in enterprise when giving this rating.
- Protection: As a result of every client has distinctive wants, it’s important {that a} automobile guarantee firm gives an array of protection choices. We keep in mind the variety of plans provided by every supplier, time period limits, exclusions, and extra advantages.
- Affordability: Quite a lot of elements affect value, so it may be tough to check quotes between suppliers. Our crew performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for various automobiles, mileages, guarantee plans, and places to provide this ranking.
- Buyer Service: Respected prolonged automobile guarantee firms function with a sure diploma of take care of customers. We keep in mind buyer opinions, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer support crew.
*Knowledge correct at time of publication.
