An extended auto warranty is a protection plan you can buy from an automaker or dealership to cover mechanical breakdowns. Third-party providers offer similar coverage in the form of vehicle service contracts. We use these terms interchangeably in this article for simplicity.
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Crash Course:
- Our review team recommends Endurance as the best extended car warranty in California.
- California’s strict warranty regulations cause some providers not to operate in the state.
- Our other top picks for California coverage include autopom! and CARCHEX.
The listings on this site may be from companies that compensate us, which could influence their placement and order. Not every company, product, or offer has been reviewed.
Best Extended Car Warranty In California
Our researchers have compiled information on every major car repair warranty provider on the market, evaluating price data, plan information, customer reviews and more to rate and rank the best extended car warranty companies in California. Our reviews found that Endurance, autopom!, and CARCHEX are the top reputable extended car warranty companies in California.
The following sections offer more details on our best vehicle service contract providers in the Golden State.
Endurance
Endurance is our top pick for extended warranties in California, and it also won the Best Overall award in our yearly industry review. The company’s plans are called mechanical breakdown insurance in the state. You can choose from six options which range from basic powertrain protection to comprehensive coverage. Endurance also offers a plan called Advantage that includes regular maintenance services like oil changes and brake pad replacement.
All Endurance plans come with roadside assistance, rental car coverage, and trip interruption benefits. They also include one free year of Endurance Elite benefits. This provides key fob replacement, tire repair/replacement, $500 in collision discounts, and $1,000 in total loss assistance.
| Endurance Pros | Endurance Cons |
|---|---|
| Direct provider, which means there’s no middleman when you file a claim | Not always the cheapest vehicle protection option |
| Plans feature unlimited mileage | Slightly lower Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating (A-) than some competitors |
| Six levels of coverage to choose from |
According to our secret shopping analysis, Endurance protection plans typically cost between $88 and $141 per month. You can choose a deductible of $0, $50, $100, or $200.
Read more in our Endurance review.
Autopom!
Autopom! offers three coverage levels, with a variety of plan options at each level. The company is also highly rated by online reviewers, including an excellent 4.6 out of 5.0-star weighted average rating on Trustpilot. Customers on the BBB give autopom! an average rating of 4.2 stars out of 5.0.
If you own a car covered by an autopom! plan and decide to sell the vehicle, you can transfer the coverage to another vehicle for free. There is a 30-day, 1,000-mile waiting period after purchase for the coverage to apply for most vehicles.
| autopom! Pros | autopom! Cons |
|---|---|
| A+ rating from the BBB | Available plans vary by state and vehicle |
| Excellent customer service | Mileage limit of 150,000 is relatively low |
| Outstanding ratings on Trustpilot |
We received a quote of $125.75 per month for an autopom! Exclusionary plan. Like Endurance, autopom! allows you to choose a deductible of $0, $50, $100, or $200. In our industry review, we gave autpom! our Most Affordable award.
Read more in our autopom! review.
CARCHEX
Based on our research, CARCHEX is great for used cars, and it won our Best Reputation award for its endorsements from companies like Kelley Blue Book and RepairPal. The provider has five coverage levels, including a few basic plans that are great for older vehicle protection. It also offers some of the highest contract term limits we’ve seen, so if your used car has more than 100,000 miles, CARCHEX may be a great option for you.
CARCHEX makes plan use easy for drivers, offering flexible repair facility options and paying repair shops directly after work has been completed. This way, customers don’t have to pay upfront or wait around for a reimbursement check. We also like that CARCHEX is accredited and holds an A+ rating from the BBB.
| CARCHEX Pros | CARCHEX Cons |
|---|---|
| A+ rating from the BBB | Specific coverage can vary by plan administrator |
| Excellent industry reputation | No coverage for motorcycles or RVs |
| 25 years of experience |
According to our research, plans from CARCHEX typically range from $110 to $190 per month. The provider lets you choose a deductible of up to $250.
Read more in our CARCHEX review.
California Extended Car Warranties: How Do They Work?
The California Department of Insurance only allows dealers or special companies authorized by dealers to sell vehicle service contracts, which are also called extended warranties. In other words, you can only get an extended warranty in person. However, California allows online providers to sell mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), which is a similar type of coverage. All the providers we recommended above sell mechanical breakdown insurance in California.
There are some differences between MBI and vehicle service contracts. MBI is offered by car insurance providers as optional coverage add-ons, and extended warranties and vehicle service contracts are offered by car manufacturers and third parties.
California has high standards and regulations for MBI. Some warranty providers choose not to do business in California because of these regulations. Ultimately, the consumer has strong protections in California when shopping for MBI coverage.
How Long Does Coverage Last?
A vehicle protection plan can last anywhere from a few months to over 10 years, depending on the provider you choose. Manufacturers typically offer shorter term limits than third-party providers, and the length of coverage you’re eligible for may vary depending on the current age and mileage of your vehicle.
To give you more insight into how long coverage lasts, here are the maximum term limits of our top third-party vehicle protection plans:
| Vehicle Protection Plan Provider | Longest Term |
|---|---|
| Endurance | 8 years/unlimited miles |
| autopom! | 7 years/150,000 miles |
| CARCHEX | 10 years/250,000 miles |
How Do Claims Work?
Typically, in the event of a mechanical breakdown, you’ll need to take the following steps:
- Take your vehicle to an authorized repair shop and have the mechanic perform a diagnosis to determine the cause of the issue.
- The repair facility will reach out to your warranty provider to confirm your coverage and have repairs authorized.
- After gaining prior authorization, the mechanic will begin repairs.
- Once repairs are completed, you’ll pay your deductible and your provider will cover the rest of the bill. Some providers will have you pay the total cost upfront and send you a reimbursement check, but the best providers will pay the repair shop directly.
How Much Does a Vehicle Protection Plan Cost?
According to our research, the average cost of a vehicle protection plan (across all coverage levels) is about $1,054 per year of coverage. The price you pay for an extended warranty depends on:
- Level of coverage: A comprehensive plan is more expensive than a basic plan.
- Deductible: A higher deductible leads to a lower premium cost, and vice versa.
- Term length: As you’d expect, a longer contract is more costly.
- Vehicle age, make and model: Older, less-reliable cars are often more expensive to protect.
Many providers offer customers the choice to pay for a plan up front or on a monthly basis.
Are Auto Protection Plans Worth It?
Auto protection plans are worth it for many drivers. In fact, about 95% of the warranty owners we surveyed in 2024 reported that they were generally satisfied with their plans. However, a long-term vehicle protection plan may not be a great investment for everyone.
There are a few reasons to consider purchasing a vehicle protection plan, like if you don’t have an especially reliable car, if you don’t have the ability to pay for repair costs outright, or if you just want added peace of mind on the road. On the other hand, if you do own a highly reliable car or if you’re able to put money away for future repairs, you probably don’t need a vehicle protection plan.
If you’re on the fence, get free, no-obligation quotes from a few different providers and compare that cost to what you might expect to pay for future vehicle repairs (you can get a good estimate of this using a site like RepairPal). This will help you determine whether a vehicle protection plan would be worth it for your car.
Lemon Law California
If you have a new car that has a serious warranty defect that cannot be fixed by the dealer after multiple attempts, you may be eligible to get another car or a refund in the state of California.
How Does a Car Qualify for Lemon Law in California?
In California, Lemon Law applies to the following new and used vehicles that come with the manufacturer warranty:
- Cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans
- Vehicles leased or purchased for family, household, or personal reasons
- Demonstrators and dealer-owned vehicles
- Many vehicles leased or purchased mainly for business use
- The drivetrain, chassis, and chassis cab of a motor-home
If the dealer or car manufacturer can’t repair a serious warranty defect after a “reasonable” amount of attempts, the manufacturer must refund the purchase price or replace the vehicle, whichever you prefer.
Extended Car Warranties in California: Conclusion
California has strict laws for companies that sell vehicle protection plans. We recommend comparing quotes from Endurance, autopom!, and CARCHEX, which are all licensed to sell vehicle service contracts in the state.
California Extended Warranties: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about extended car warranties in California.
Why are extended car warranties not available in California?
Consumer protection laws in California prohibit third-party companies from selling extended warranty plans. However, top providers like Endurance, autopom!, and CARCHEX sell protection plans known as mechanical breakdown insurance in the state.
What is the best extended car warranty company?
After our industry-wide review, we named Endurance the Best Overall vehicle service contract provider. We also rate autopom! and CARCHEX among the best options for a vehicle protection plan.
What is a car repair warranty?
A car repair warranty is one way to finance the cost of unexpected car repairs. You can purchase coverage through your vehicle manufacturer or a third-party company. Your car repair warranty administrator will pay for the parts and labor required to fix covered vehicle parts after they fail.
Our Methodology
Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best extended auto warranty providers.
- Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, availability, and years in business when giving this score.
- Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car warranty company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account the number of plans offered by each provider, term limits, exclusions, and additional benefits.
- Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for different vehicles, mileages, warranty plans, and locations to give this rating.
- Customer Service: Reputable extended car warranty companies operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We take into account customer reviews, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
