| 1. |
What is a Vehicle Service Contract / Extended Warranty? |
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Most new vehicles come with a 3 year /36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper (comprehensive) manufacturer’s warranty. Once the manufacturer’s warranty expires, extended warranties take over – if you have one. A extended warranty provides for repairs of covered components during a specific period of time or a certain number of miles driven.
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| 2. |
What is the "Original Manufacturer's Warranty"? |
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The 'Original Manufacturer's Warranty' is the initial warranty period provided by the vehicle manufacturer. This is usually a three year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, though some manufacturers have longer periods and/or mileage limits. In addition, some components of the vehicle might have longer warranty periods.
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| 3. |
Is an extended warranty an insurance policy? |
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No. An extended warranty is a contract that provides payment for repair and/or replacement of covered parts, including labor.
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| 4. |
Why should I choose Warranty Headquarters over the others? |
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Warranty Headquarters works hard to match you to your extended warranty needs. Where other sites will try to force one plan on you, or not take into account your needs with regard to deductible or level of coverage, Warranty Headquarters works hard to get you just as much coverage as you need – no more and no less. Of course, Warranty Headquarters’ warranties are of the highest quality, provide an easy claim process and come at an excellent price.
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| 5. |
Do you cover damage due to overheating? |
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Overheating damage is covered if the overheating was not the result of improper maintenance. We have the following advice concerning what to do in the event your car overheats:
- Turn off the engine
- If you see steam, do not open the hood. Wait until steam subsides.
- If you see smoke, call for help. Do not open the hood under any circumstances.
- Once the engine has cooled a bit and you no longer see steam, pop the hood latch.
- Open the hood as indicated in your owner’s manual
- Check to see if you have enough coolant. The method for checking and replacing coolant can also be found in your owner’s manual.
- If you need to add coolant, be VERY careful when opening the radiator. Be sure to follow all instructions.
- Close the hood, and start the engine.
- If a large amount of fluid begins to come out of the engine area, you may have a burst hose. Do not attempt to drive the vehicle as damage may occur.
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| 6. |
What is In-Service date? |
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The In-Service date is the date when you take possession of your car from a dealer. This starts the clock ticking on your manufacturer’s warranty period.
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| 7. |
What Benefits do you offer? |
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24 Hour Roadside Assistance
Different plans have different approaches to roadside coverage. Warranty Headquarters’ plans provide for up to 10 roadside assistance occurrences during the life of your extended warranty.
Rental Benefit
Should your car need to stay at a repair facility, you can be reimbursed for car rental up to $50 per day. There are limits for different types of repair delays, so be sure to ask.
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| 8. |
Where can I take my vehicle for repairs? |
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Any licensed repair facility. The repair facility merely contacts the claims administrator to arrange for payment.
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| 9. |
What is the procedure if I have a claim on my vehicle? |
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The process is simple. Take your vehicle into any licensed facility. Ask the repair facility to contact the contract administrator. We will pay for covered repairs directly. You DO NOT need to pay first and then be reimbursed. The only amount you will be responsible for is the deductible.
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| 10. |
How does the deductible work? |
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A deductible is the amount you pay for any covered repair. For instance, if your deductible is $100, and a repair is $500, then you would pay the first $100 and your extended warranty would cover the remaining $400.
The most important question really is “Which deductible is right for me?” This is a question that needs to be asked and answered BEFORE you buy your warranty. The deductible has an impact on your premium, but also represents the amount your budget can handle in the event of a repair. Warranty Headquarters will help you select the right deductible for you.
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| 11. |
Does Warranty Headquarters cover parts and labor? |
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Yes – for covered items. It is important that you tell us what equipment you want covered so that we can be sure that you receive the right extended warranty for you.
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| 12. |
How do I enroll my vehicle in the Warranty Headquarters warranty plan? |
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Return to our home page and start the quoting process. You can choose a quick quote or a guided quote. Once you have selected the extended warranty options that are right for you, your warranty options will be presented. Simply select the plan you want, and follow instructions to secure an extended warranty.
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| 13. |
I want to enroll my vehicle online. How can I be assured that it is completely safe to use my credit card? |
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The web site is secured, using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption, which ensures that your account numbers and personal data are always encrypted when sent over the Internet. (You will always know that SSL is in use when you see HTTPS instead of HTTP in the URL address.) In addition, we have implemented a state-of-the-art security system requiring a User ID and password to access account information.
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| 14. |
I have not had any problems with my vehicle so far. Do I really need an Extended Warranty? |
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This is like saying “I never get sick, do I need health insurance?” While an extended warranty is not an insurance product, there are parallels. Just as the cost of health care is always rising, so is the cost of repairing a vehicle. You don’t want a surprise medical bill in the thousands, and you certainly don’t want a surprise repair bill in the thousands.
Also, just like health insurance, the right time to get an extended warranty is before your car is “sick.” You won’t be able to buy an extended warranty for a car that isn’t in good working condition.
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| 15. |
Why buy it now? I'm still covered by the manufacturer? |
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First, let’s be sure you are talking about the “bumper-to-bumper” manufacturer’s warranty. If not, then you are likely only covered for small portions of the car such as the power train. In this case, an extended warranty will provide you with far more coverage and far more protection from unexpected repair bills.
If you are still covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, the bet course of action is to try to perfectly time the purchase of an extended warranty to match up with the end of your current warranty. Just be sure that you don’t forget to buy an extended warranty before your current warranty expires. It would be quite unfortunate if your vehicle picked that week to break down. Also, be aware that warranty prices are impacted by mileage, so if you are close to a mileage breakpoint (usually 12,000 increments), then buying a warranty early might make sense.
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| 16. |
If my vehicle is out of the manufacturer's warranty, can I still get coverage? |
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Yes. Hurry though. Extended warranties are only available for cars in good working condition. The best and only time to get an extended warranty is BEFORE anything goes wrong.
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| 17. |
Can I buy this same type of coverage through my dealer? |
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Yes, but be prepared to pay more – lots more. Dealer prices for the same coverage can be 10, 20 and often 50% higher than Warranty Headquarter extended warranties. You can buy this from your dealer, but why?
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| 18. |
Do I have to go back to my original dealer for repairs? |
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No. You can go to any licensed repair facility. The repair facility merely contacts the claims administrator to arrange for payment.
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| 19. |
What happens if my dealer does not want to accept the Warranty Headquarters plan? |
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It is HIGHLY unlikely that a repair facility would not accept your extended warranty. It is simply an alternate source of payment for them. The repair facility simply contacts the claim administrator for payment. Payment is then made via corporate credit card.
Whether or not the dealer accepts our warranty is MUCH different than what you might be told when the dealer wants to sell you a warranty. If a dealer tells you that they only accept their warranties as part of his or her trying to sell you a warranty, then they are using hard-sell tactics and you should be appropriately cautious.
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| 20. |
I've seen lower prices on the Internet. Why should I buy a Warranty Headquarters plan? |
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Are you SURE you have seen lower prices? Some warranty companies show “lower prices” for extended warranties by providing sub-standard or stripped-down coverage. When comparing prices, be sure that you are making an “apples-to-apples” comparison of warranty features, deductible, transferability and restrictions.
You can also be sure that Warranty Headquarters will work hard to match you to your extended warranty needs. Where other sites will try to force one plan on you, or not take into account your needs with regard to deductible or level of coverage, Warranty Headquarters works hard to get you just as much coverage as you need – no more and no less.
Of course, Warranty Headquarters’ warranties are of the highest quality, provide an easy claim process and come at an excellent price.
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| 21. |
What if my vehicle breaks down and I am not near my home? |
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You can go to any licensed repair facility. You do not have to go to a facility near your home. The repair facility merely contacts the claims administrator to arrange for payment.
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| 22. |
Where is my Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)? |
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The VIN is visible in several places on your car. The most common and easily accessible are on the dashboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle. You can see the VIN through the bottom of the windshield from the outside of the vehicle.
You can also find the VIN inside the driver’s door frame on most vehicles.
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| 23. |
What if I want to cancel my warranty? |
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You can. If you paid the full premium, you will get a pro-rated refund. If you are paying over time, then you will simply stop making payments. There is also a $150 cancelation fee for processing work that needs to be done.
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| 24. |
What if I trade my vehicle? |
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Cancel your warranty and get your pro-rated refund. There is no need for it to continue.
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| 25. |
What if I sell my car? Is my warranty Transferable? |
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Yes. A warranty is transferable. While the existence of a warranty will not impact the “blue book” price of a car, potential buyers of your car will certainly feel far more comfortable buying your car if it has an extended warranty. A warranty may not increase the resale price, but it may sway a buyer to purchase your car instead of another car which is not covered.
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| 26. |
Is my warranty Renewable? |
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Yes. Be sure to contact us before your current plan expires so we can assure you of uninterrupted coverage.
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| 27. |
Do you have a payment plan? |
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Yes. You can choose from paying the full premium or paying a small down payment and then paying monthly or quarterly. There is a small per-payment fee associated with each payment to cover transaction charges. Click Here for Details
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| 28. |
Do you offer coverage on Salvage or junk titles, rebuilt vehicles or vehicles damaged by a flood? |
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Our program is not available on vehicles with salvage or junk title, flood title, rebuilt or reconstructed title, or on vehicles where the odometer has been tampered with, or on vehicles that have been declared "a lemon".
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| 29. |
What’s the catch? How can Warranty Headquarters sell a warranty for so much less than a dealer? |
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We simply don’t have the need to make the outrageous profits that dealers want to make. It’s just that simple.
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| 30. |
My car is making a funny sound or is already broken – time for an extended warranty! |
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Sorry. It’s too late. Warranties are sold for vehicles that are in good working condition. In fact, we may ask to have your car inspected before your coverage takes effect.
The BEST time to buy an extended warranty (in fact the only time) is BEFORE anything happens.
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The National BBB runs a program worthy of some consideration. In order to participate in the BBB Online Reliability Program, a company must have a satisfactory complaint handling record, agree to participate in the BBB's advertising self-regulation program, agree to abide by the BBB Code of Online Business Practices, and agree to dispute resolution with the BBB. Most of the companies who participate in this program value their standing in the BBB, and tend to do a better job at handling complaints.
On a more personal level, I'm cheap and I know what I'm like with vehicles. While my last car was still under warranty, whenever there was a noise or minor problem, I took the car in for service. After all, I knew that my warranty would pay for the repair. When my warranty expired, I tended to put off repairs as long as possible because I didn't want to spend my money. The Honda quickly deteriorated to the point that when I traded it in, it had to be towed. For me an extended warranty meant I would end up taking better care of my vehicle.
