Warranty 101

What is a vehicle service contract?

American Guardian Warranty continues to get asked the question of why do you call this warranty a vehicle service contract?
Almost every new vehicle comes with a warranty from the manufacturer – this is an agreement between the manufacturer and you, the customer, that typically states if anything should break, malfunction, or otherwise go wrong with the vehicle within a certain period of time then the manufacturer will repair or replace the component at no cost to the customer. Standard warranty period is 3 years/36,000 miles (but may vary), it expires whenever the mileage or years exceeds the limitation.

Vehicle service agreements (also known as extended warranty plans) are designed to offer similar peace of mind by literally extending the length of time/mileage a customer can expect to receive such coverage. Also, sometimes known as a vehicle service contract, an extended warranty is a plan that can be purchased by a consumer that will cover the costs of repair, parts, labor, and/or sales tax for certain repairs or replacements. They work very similarly to the manufacturer warranty that comes with most new vehicles.

What is covered in Powertrain Warranty?

This portion of your warranty refers to the engine, transmission, drivetrain and/or other components and systems of your vehicle. This warranty may be 5, 7 or even up to 10 years depending on the manufacturer. This is not the same coverage as your Manufacturer Warranty.

Filing a Claim

Where do I take it?

Yes, you really can choose any Dealer, national chain, or local mechanic to perform the repairs on your vehicle with your vehicle service plan (extended warranty contract). Unfortunately, this is not true of all extended vehicle warranty providers.

What should I tell them once I drop it off?

Please notify the repair facility that you have a service contract administered by American Guardian Warranty Services. Provide them with a copy of the contract and our phone number and tell them to contact our claims department. After they have diagnosed the problem but before they start any repairs.

What if my car repair facility won’t take your plan?

Typically, our service contracts are accepted nationwide but in the rare occasions that a Dealer or service facility will not accept our vehicle service agreement, we would first direct you to use another service facility if possible to ensure you get the best possible price on repairs. If you do not wish to take it to another repair facility, we would ask that you contact us directly before any repairs are made so we can discuss proper reimbursement.

How do deductibles work?

During each repair visit there will be a required deductible associated with your vehicle service contract (this will vary from each type of product we have and, in some cases, no deductible). When it comes time for payment of repairs American Guardian Warranty Services will pay the service facility (typically by credit card) and you will have to pay said deductible and any non-covered repairs under your vehicle service contract to the service facility.