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.
Affiliate Disclosure: Automoblog and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase coverage from the extended warranty providers outlined here. These commissions come to us at no additional cost to you. Our research team has carefully vetted dozens of extended warranty providers. See our Privacy Policy to learn more.
Crash Course:
- Fidelity is only available through dealerships and it offers three tiers of coverage – Platinum, Gold, and Powertrain.
- Its standard plans cover cars up to 150,000 miles, but if you have more miles than that, you can opt for one of Fidelity’s high mileage protection plans, Owner Select or Drivetrain Plus.
- Fidelity also offers a suite of optional coverage, like Total Loss Protection Plan, Road Hazard Tire and Wheel Protection, and a Theft Deterrent System.
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.
Based in Florida, Fidelity Warranty Services Inc. (FWS) offers car protection products, care plans, maintenance plans, theft deterrent products, and more. However, these products and programs are only available at participating dealerships, so you might not have heard of them. Below, we review the Fidelity car warranty and talk about the pros and cons of the company’s products.
Fidelity is just one of many third-party extended warranty providers. To help you find the best options, we’ve reviewed many of the most popular car warranty providers.
Fidelity Vehicle Protection Plans
Fidelity’s core offering centers on its vehicle protection plans. These plans are designed for cars with low to medium mileage. There are three plans in total, but we’ll start with some facts common to all of them:
- Drivers can add up to 150,000 miles of coverage.
- Coverage begins when the plan is purchased.
- Repairs can be done at 6,000 participating service centers.
- Some dealers can be paid directly for repairs.
- Coverage includes limited rental car, towing and travel expense reimbursement.
- Deductibles can be up to $250.
Here are the three standard vehicle protection plans Fidelity offers:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Platinum Coverage | This is an exclusionary contract and the highest Fidelity coverage available. It has a short list of exclusions like brake pads, trim, bulbs, glass, body panels, shock absorbers and the exhaust system. |
| Gold Coverage | This plan covers many parts from most major systems of the car including the engine, cooling, transmission, drive axle, suspension, electrical system and air conditioning. |
| Powertrain Coverage | This plan covers the basic necessities – the engine, transmission, drive axle and critical parts for hybrid and electric cars. |
Note that a Fidelity contract doesn’t come with a full roadside assistance service on its own. Instead, you are reimbursed for towing and trip interruption expenses. Most roadside assistance plans include things like fuel delivery, mechanical labor, battery jump-starts and the like.
You can get roadside assistance as part of the Fidelity Warranty Services Car Care Service Plan or Term Care Select, but we’ll get to those in a bit.
Fidelity High-Mileage Vehicle Protection
Maybe the car you want to buy has too many miles and is ineligible for Fidelity’s standard vehicle protection plans. If that’s the case, it might be eligible for a high-mileage vehicle protection plan instead.
Fidelity doesn’t publish the number of miles that would be considered high mileage. But we do know that this plan lets drivers add up to 48,000 miles of coverage. There are two main options here, and they both come with the same perks as the standard protection plans. These high-mileage plans are also accepted at the same 6,000 participating service centers nationwide.
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Owner Select | This covers the powertrain (engine, transmission, drive axle) plus the steering, brakes, air conditioning and some hybrid car parts. |
| Drivetrain Plus | This covers the engine, transmission and drive axle plus limited hybrid parts. |
The Drivetrain Plus plan seems similar to the Powertrain plan we mentioned above. However, it’s impossible to say if that’s true because there are no sample Fidelity vehicle service contracts online. Even if the coverage terms were the same, Fidelity might charge more for high-mileage plans since high-mileage cars are more likely to need repairs.
Additional Coverage Options
In addition to the different vehicle protection plans, you can also get a few more coverage options from Fidelity. Here’s a brief rundown:
- Term Care Select: This is an upgraded Platinum plan that also covers some wear items like brake pads and includes roadside assistance.
- Car Care Service Plans: Car Care plans are prepaid maintenance contracts that can cover oil changes, inspections and tire rotations. Plans can come with roadside assistance, key fob replacement and a motor club membership.
- Road Hazard Tire and Wheel Protection: This plan comes with four tiers of protection and covers repairs or replaces tires damaged by road hazards.
- Theft Deterrent System: You can get different systems from Fidelity designed to deter theft. If your car is stolen and not recovered, you can claim compensation from the plan.
- Appearance Protection: This plan provides cosmetic protection for the inside and outside of your vehicle.
- Total Loss Protection Plan: Also called gap coverage, this plan covers the difference between your car’s value and the amount you owe on the loan in the event of a total loss.
- Lease Excess Wear and Tear: This plan can cover up to $7,500 in wear-and-tear repairs at the end of a lease.
It would be an understatement to say that Fidelity offers a lot of options. There are at least seven different plan types, and that doesn’t even include the contract levels within the plans.
It’s always nice to have enough choices, but the issue is that you can only get a Fidelity warranty at a dealership when you’re buying a car. That’s typically not the best time to make a decision about all these different coverage options.
The process of buying a car can take hours. By the end, you may be tempted to sign up for a plan just to get out the door. It would be much better to go through each of these coverage options at your own pace.
How Much Does a Fidelity Car Warranty Cost?
Fidelity doesn’t publish warranty prices online, which is common in the extended warranty market. That’s because prices are often dependent upon the type of car you drive and its condition.
If you want to sell your car in the near future, an extended warranty can be a good idea to have. It adds value to your car and can help you get your asking price. Fidelity vehicle service contracts are fully transferable to secondary buyers, though the transfer might require a fee.
You can cancel a Fidelity car warranty by getting in touch with the dealer that sold you the plan. They will have a Fidelity Warranty Services cancellation form. Unfortunately, that’s all the information Fidelity discloses about cancellations. You may have to pay a cancellation fee.
Fidelity Warranty Services Reviews
Fidelity Warranty Services has a B+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), though it has a few customer complaints on that website. Fidelity Warranty Services is BBB accredited, as well.
Positive reviews on the platform mention easy, dependable customer service and claims processing, while negative reviews cite unreasonable claim denials and inconveniences.
Is Fidelity Worth it?
A Fidelity car warranty could be a good way to protect your vehicle investment if you understand exactly what is covered. If you’ve been presented with one at a dealership, find out if there is a free cancellation period and be sure to read the contract carefully.
Compared to other leading extended warranty providers we’ve researched, Fidelity offers a good number of coverage options. However, deductibles can reach $250, and that’s pretty high. Another big downside is that you can only get repairs at 6,000 participating dealerships and shops. In contrast, many top third-party warranty companies like CarShield let customers go to any ASE-certified repair shop.
CARCHEX and Endurance round out our top picks for extended warranty providers – take some time to shop around and compare quotes.
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.
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.
