Best extended warranty companies for trucks

Our 4 picks for the best truck extended warranties

• Best overall: Endurance Auto Warranty
• Best for plan selection: CarShield
• Best for customer service and claims handling: Toco Warranty
• Best for older or high-mileage trucks: Omega Auto Care

A guide to extended truck warranties

If your truck suffers a mechanical breakdown after the factory warranty has expired, you may be facing a repair bill you can’t afford. The problem is, most truck owners can’t afford to be without their truck either.

An extended warranty for your truck can ensure you don’t suffer the double financial hit of unexpected and expensive repairs or downtime while your commuter or work vehicle is out of commission.

Choosing the best extended warranty for your truck means weighing coverage, costs and eligibility requirements.  Here are some key factors to keep in mind before you buy:

How to choose a truck extended warranty

Some truck extended warranties will be a better fit for your truck, your needs and your preferences than others.

Here’s how to select the best warranty for you and your truck:

1. Figure out your extended warranty budget

The first step to choosing a coverage plan for your truck is deciding what you can afford to spend on it. Most providers offer monthly payment plans, so you’ll be able to see whether the warranty cost fits into your monthly budget as soon as you get a quote.

While an extended warranty can reduce repair costs, it won’t cover everything. Be sure your budget leaves room for deductibles, routine maintenance and other out-of-pocket expenses.

2. Decide on the coverage you want

Once you know how much you can spend on a truck extended warranty, the next step is to determine the level of coverage that offers you the most benefit.

While providers offer a variety of plans, extended warranties for trucks typically fall into one of two categories of coverage:

• Bumper-to-bumper warranty: Comprehensive coverage that protects every component in your truck except those named specifically in the contract as exclusions, often called exclusionary coverage
• Powertrain warranty: The most basic level of truck warranty available that covers only the most essential systems and components that keep the car moving, such as the engine, drivetrain components and transmission

Many companies will offer a mid-level warranty, which typically features coverage for additional parts, such as the electrical and fuel systems, on top of powertrain coverage.

Additional plans you’ll find on the market are typically inclusionary warranties, meaning they list the components and systems they do cover in the contract instead of the ones they don’t.

» COMPARE: Stated-component (inclusionary) vs. comprehensive (exclusionary)

3. Determine your truck’s eligibility

Your truck may not be eligible with every provider. Extended warranty companies have varying eligibility requirements for vehicles they’ll cover, with the most important criteria being the age of the vehicle and the mileage.

Each company sets its own limits when it comes to mileage. These limits reflect the maximum mileage that a truck can have on its odometer and still be eligible for an extended warranty. If your truck has more than 200,000 miles on it, you’ll have fewer provider choices.

The mileage on your truck can also affect plan eligibility. For example, while you may be able to get a powertrain warranty for a high-mileage truck, you may not be able to buy more comprehensive coverage plans from that same provider.

4. Weigh the value of an extended warranty for your truck

Extended warranties can provide valuable financial protection for truck owners, but they aren’t always a good investment. You can’t predict whether you’ll use the coverage you pay for, but some trucks are more likely to need repairs than others — and repairs cost more for some brands of cars than others.

We recommend looking up the average repair costs and vehicle reliability rating for your truck on sites like RepairPal to get a sense of how likely you are to use your warranty coverage. The reliability rating tells you the likelihood that you’ll need mechanical repairs in the near future. Average repair costs can tell you how much you can expect to have to pay out of pocket for common repairs.

Compare the cost of an extended truck warranty to average annual repair costs for the duration of a warranty contract. This will give you a sense of what you may spend with and without extended coverage.

5. Consider all costs before signing up

If you decide that an extended warranty is worth it for your truck, the last step is to factor in the additional costs of coverage. These include:

• Deductible: Like with insurance claims, most extended warranty contracts require you to pay some amount out of pocket when you file a claim. These vary between providers, and you may have some choice over the amount of your deductible.
• Cancellation fees: You may decide that you don’t want an extended warranty for your truck after all. Some companies charge more when you cancel your contract than others. Make sure you know the fees and policies ahead of time.
• Optional coverage: Some providers offer additional coverage alongside their truck warranties, such as roadside assistance or maintenance plans. These can provide real value but also add to the cost of your extended warranty.

6. Read reviews for extended warranty providers

It’s important to choose a company you can trust to honor its contract. Some providers are easier to work with than others when it comes to claims and customer support.

Reading reviews from real customers is one of the best ways to understand what working with a provider is actually like. Researching the best extended car warranty companies can also help you compare how different providers handle coverage and claims. Saving a few dollars a month won’t mean much if your provider denies repairs or makes it difficult to use your plan.

Truck extended warranty costs

The average bumper-to-bumper extended warranty for trucks costs between $1,400 and $4,000 per year of coverage on average. Costs vary based on the age and mileage of the truck in question, the level of coverage selected, the warranty provider and other factors.

Getting actual quotes from extended warranty companies is the only way to get a precise estimate on the cost of coverage for your particular truck.

Save on coverage

If you’re offered a warranty at the dealership, get an outside quote first. Third-party providers often have lower prices and more flexible terms.

How to pay for a truck extended warranty

You can pay for an extended warranty plan for your truck up front, but you don’t have to. Most providers offer monthly payment plans that require a deposit and regular monthly installments, usually ranging from around $90 to $150.

Do extended warranties cost more for trucks than cars?

Strictly speaking, warranty coverage for pickup trucks isn’t inherently more expensive than it is for cars. However, certain factors about your truck affect what you’ll pay for a warranty. These include:

• Annual mileage: You may need to pay more for coverage if you put significantly more miles on your truck each year than the average driver. This may be a factor if you drive long distances for work.
• Usage: Some providers may charge more to cover your truck if you use it for heavy-duty work, such as construction.
• Make and model: In general, the larger and more expensive a vehicle is, the more it will cost to cover with an extended warranty. Many trucks have high price tags that will also net a higher price for extended coverage.

Is an extended warranty for a truck worth it?

For many truck owners, the financial protection and peace of mind that an extended warranty offers make extended warranties more than worth the purchase price. Extended warranties can provide extra value for people who rely on their trucks for work, helping ensure they aren’t left scrambling to pay for repairs and get back on the road.

However, an extended truck warranty may not be worth it to everyone. If you drive a reliable truck that’s inexpensive to repair, you may be better off paying for services out of pocket. If you have significant cash reserves to pay for repairs comfortably, an extended truck warranty is likely to be just an additional, unnecessary expense.