When you purchase a new or used vehicle from a dealer or car lot, you may have the opportunity to add an extended warranty that will cover additional repairs to the vehicle that the manufacturer's warranty will not. The repairs made and covered by the warranty must be approved and done by a mechanic for extended warranty cars who is approved by the warranty company, or they may not cover the cost of the work.

Extended Warranty Coverage

The common misconception with extended warranties is that the coverage begins after the car's warranty has expired and that you have to take the vehicle to the dealer for repairs. When your vehicle needs a repair not covered by the manufacturer's warranty plan, check your extended warranty for coverage. The manufacturer's warranty and the extended warranty can often work simultaneously, but you can't apply the same repair to both warranty services in most cases. 

If you are using the extended warranty for a repair, you will need to find a mechanic for extended warranty cars approved to make the repairs on your vehicle. If you need assistance finding a mechanic in your area, call the warranty service to get the names of several shops nearby with whom they have already established working relationships.

When you call the shop to schedule a repair, let them know that you have already talked to the extended warranty provider about the repair. Calling ahead makes the mechanic aware that the repair is a warranty repair, and they will ask you to bring the car in for an estimate. 

Warranty Repairs

Working with a mechanic for extended warranty cars and trucks can make the repair process more manageable. Shops that regularly work with the warranty provider know what they need to do when submitting the claim and how to get preapproval for the work before it starts. 

You will still need to pay the deductible on the warranty, but the shop will submit the invoice directly to the warranty company to get paid for the repair. The preapproval process is critical in these situations, and if you do not get the approval before the work starts, you may be left paying the mechanic yourself for a repair that you thought was covered. 

Working with the mechanic and the warranty service is crucial to ensure the process goes smoothly, the work is done correctly, and the cost is covered without any confusion. How you pay your deductible is often up to the warranty company, so be prepared to make that payment either to the provider or the garage when you are ready to use the extended warranty coverage.

Share