What You Need to Know About Car Repair Insurance

Car repair insurance covers breakdowns, but it doesn’t cover maintenance-related components. This means you’ll need to take care of your oil changes and transmission fluid changes yourself. Your policy also won’t cover cabin filters, air filters, alignment, tune-ups, and other maintenance-related services. Wear and tear parts like tires, brake pads, and drive belts are also excluded. Some plans even limit coverage to certain parts, such as brake pads and radiators. auto liability insurance quotes

Another option is an extended warranty from your car’s manufacturer. Extended warranties are available at the time of purchase and often include repair coverage. These policies are useful if you own an older car that has a lot of miles. In addition to extending the factory warranty, third-party warranties also offer more protection than a dealership-mandated plan. And third-party warranties don’t require you to use the dealer to get repairs. That means you can choose the right car repair insurance plan.

Most modern cars are extremely reliable for the first seven years and 100,000 miles. There’s little chance of a major system breakdown after that period. Mechanical breakdown coverage, however, is not available for older vehicles. Whether you purchase an extended warranty or a car repair insurance plan, do a little research on the reliability of each company. And, of course, always follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule to avoid an early catastrophe. There are a number of companies out there who offer this type of coverage, so make sure you choose one that fits your needs.

The key to purchasing car repair insurance is knowing how much it will cost you. The best time to buy car repair insurance is when your car is still relatively new. Geico and Mercury will cover a car under 15 months and up to 15,000 miles, though they start to increase the price closer to the warranty expiration date. It’s also important to note that car repair insurance policies generally have a deductible of $100-$250. This means that many minor repairs won’t be covered by your policy.

Most insurance companies play the claims handling game. They’ll enthusiastically promote their policies and sign new customers, but they’ll hesitate to pay claims. This isn’t uncommon – after all, you don’t want to end up paying for hypothetical breakdown situations. In these cases, the policy will pay out the actual cash value of your car minus depreciation. Many drivers aren’t comfortable with paying out of pocket for car repair insurance when they have no intention of needing it.

Although car repair insurance doesn’t cover everything, it can cover unexpected mechanical repairs. While it won’t replace an auto insurance policy, car repair insurance is a good addition to it. While it won’t replace auto insurance, it can provide a buffer for the expenses that arise from common car problems. You’ll be able to use the money to make repairs to your car, not just the parts that are damaged. A good policy will also cover deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses.