Our editorial promise
The honest auto warranty site
A useful comparison has to leave room for “this costs more.” We show that answer alongside potential savings, so you can decide whether the protection is worth its price.
When a plan costs more, we say so
The calculator compares an average-based repair and maintenance budget with the full plan premium and assumed out-of-pocket costs. If buying coverage makes that total larger, the result shows “Extra cost with a warranty.” We do not hide the difference because we have an affiliate partner.
Those averages are a starting point, not a forecast for your car. The default coverage percentage and number of approved claims are editable examples, not measured probabilities. You can replace the example premium with a real quote and see what changes.
There can still be a reason to buy
A large repair bill can be difficult to pay all at once. A plan may help if that repair is covered and the claim is approved. Our “Why Buy, Then?” comparison lets you test that situation, a denied claim and no repair at all. Each example keeps the full plan premium in the total, rather than comparing an entire repair bill with just a deductible.
Whether that protection is worth an added cost depends on your savings, your car and the actual contract. Waiting periods, exclusions, payout limits and payment procedures can change what help you receive.
The research is there to be checked
Our vehicle pages bring together dated NHTSA complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications, EPA configuration records, repair benchmarks and public FixCatalogue source links. Separate repair scenarios use local labor assumptions; the average-based ownership budget does not adjust for city, mileage or model year.
Public reports can give you something specific to investigate. They cannot tell you the chance of a breakdown. Where a model-specific cost is unavailable, we label the broader reference. Our methodology explains these gaps, and our research pages show the sources and limits behind the findings.
How we pay for the site
We may earn a commission when you buy through a Chaiz link. Chaiz is an affiliate marketplace partner, not the source of our calculator's verdict. Commissions must not change our calculations or the coverage restrictions we describe. Our provider reviews use published terms; they are not first-hand claims tests or a review of every company in the market.
Read our affiliate disclosure for the commercial relationship. If you find an error in a price, source or conclusion, send us the page and the detail we should check.