Car warranty

We don't compare car warranties – here are some companies[1] offering quotes[2]

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  • MotorEasy is improving the car ownership experience for UK drivers. Protecting your vehicle against repair costs has never been easier, with warranties that cover parts, labour and diagnostics as standard. Cover for up to 48 months for cars coming out of their new car warranty or the car you own today - up to 12 years or 120,000 miles.

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What’s a car warranty?

A warranty can cover the cost of parts and labour for your car after a mechanical or electrical failure.

New cars usually come with a warranty of several years. While it's covered by this, the manufacturer will make repairs free of charge.

Used cars will sometimes be sold with a warranty from the second-hand car dealer. But it’ll probably be shorter and more limited than what you’d have with a manufacturer’s warranty.

When that manufacturer or dealer warranty runs out, you can buy an extended warranty from a car warranty provider to continue your protection.

Not all extended warranties are the same. Shop around to make sure you get the right warranty to keep your car on the road.

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Do I need one?

A car warranty can give you peace of mind about large repair bills for your car.

It’ll cover mechanical and electrical failures. These won’t be covered by your car insurance unless they’re caused by something like a theft or accident that you’ve made a claim for.

Types of car warranty

There are two main types of car warranty:

Mechanical and breakdown insurance (MBI)

MBI providers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). That means that you'd be able to ask the Financial Ombudsman for help if you have a complaint about the provider.

You'll also benefit from Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protection if your insurer goes bust. That means you won't have to pay any extra cost if you're moved to a new policy with a different insurer, or you'll be refunded if your policy isn't replaced.

Service and repair plans

Service and repair plans aren't regulated, so you won't benefit from FSCS protection and you can't go to the Financial Ombudsman with a complaint about your provider. But you may have some recourse with the Motor Ombudsman.

Before committing to a policy it's important to shop around, check the terms and know exactly what type of warranty you're buying.

What does an extended warranty cover?

Not all car warranties have the same cover or features.

With some warranties you'll get parts and labour cover from day one, no limit on labour rates, and you'll be able to choose between using franchised dealers or network garages for repairs.

Before buying, check the policy wording to make sure you’re getting the cover you need for your car:

  1. Wear and tear

    Car manufacturers’ warranties usually exclude wear and tear, but some extended warranties will cover it. Check your policy wording as it might be quite specific, for example covering ‘premature wear and tear’ but excluding ‘normal wear and tear’.

  2. Failures caused by overheating

    Overheating can cause enormous damage to your car, yet some warranties exclude it. Check your policy wording to see if it includes overheating caused by failure of other components, and/or overheating causing damage to components.

  3. Air conditioning

    Re-gassing air conditioning is classed as ‘consumables’ by some warranties and excluded. Others will include repairs to air conditioning.

  4. Failures found during MOT

    It might seem unfair, but some warranties will exclude any faults with your car that only come to light during your annual MOT.

  5. Emissions

    If your car fails emissions testing during its MOT, repairs might be excluded from your warranty. But you can sometimes buy cover for it as an optional add-on to your warranty.

  6. In car entertainment and sat-nav

    If they’re a built-in part of your vehicle, they’re likely to be covered by more comprehensive car warranties. Basic warranty products might exclude them though, so check your documents.

  7. Recovery

    Check whether your warranty includes recovery to a repair garage. If it doesn’t, your car could be stranded at the roadside after a breakdown. Unless you have separate breakdown cover.

How much does an extended warranty cost?

Car warranty prices vary depending on your car’s make, model, age and mileage.

You can usually choose the level of cover and any add-ons that you want. The more extensive the cover, the more it’ll cost.

Click on our partners’ sites at the top of the page to get quotes and find out how much an extended car warranty will be cost your vehicle. You’ll have the option of paying monthly or annually.

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[1]We do not offer a full comparison service on car warranties at Gocompare.com but instead have provided links to some companies that offer Car warranties. These companies are not listed in an order that indicates that one is better than another but are instead ordered in line with our commercial arrangement with each one. Please remember, as different companies offer different policies, it is up to you to choose the one that best suits your needs

[2] For service and repair plan comparison Gocompare.com introduces customers to MotorEasy