Vehicle Service Contract (Extended Warranty) Checklist
What it should state. What's commonly not stated. What to ask before you sign.
You're about to sign a vehicle service contract — often called an extended warranty. This page lists what a complete one states, the lines that are commonly not stated, and the questions worth asking before your name goes on it.
This is a reading checklist, not advice. Spend Defense doesn't tell you whether to sign — we make sure you've actually seen what's on the page, and what isn't.
What a complete vehicle service contract states
Coverage type — exclusionary (everything except a listed set) or stated-component (only the listed parts) — the biggest distinction in the document.
Term — the end date and the mileage limit, and when coverage starts.
Price — the total cost, and whether it is paid upfront or added to a loan.
Deductible — the amount, and whether it applies per visit or per repair.
Claims process — whether pre-authorization is required and where repairs may be done.
Who backs it — the administrator, the obligor, and any insurer standing behind the contract.
Cancellation and refund — how to cancel, any fee, and how the refund is calculated — including after a claim.
Transfer terms — whether the contract moves with the car if you sell, and any fee.
What's commonly not stated
- Which coverage type it is — brochures and contracts can use "comprehensive" without saying exclusionary or stated-component.
- Maintenance requirements — claims can depend on maintenance records; what records are required is often in fine print.
- Wait period — some contracts have a waiting period before claims are accepted.
- Refund after a claim — whether claims paid reduce your cancellation refund is rarely explained plainly.
- Who actually pays claims — the seller, the administrator, and the backer may be three different companies.
None of these gaps decide anything by themselves. They're the lines to ask about before you sign, not after.
Questions to ask before you sign
- “Is this exclusionary or stated-component coverage?”
- “Is the deductible per visit or per repair?”
- “Do repairs need pre-authorization, and where can they be done?”
- “Who is the administrator, and who backs the contract?”
- “How do I cancel, and how is the refund calculated — including after a claim?”
Want a second set of eyes on the actual document?
Send us the paperwork before you sign. A Quick Check reads your document and shows you what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask — for $4.99 (up to 10 pages). Longer documents: Document Review $19, Premium Review $49.
Check my document →We don't decide for you. We make sure nothing on the page — or missing from it — surprises you later.
FAQ
How much does an extended warranty usually cost?
We don't price other people's contracts — cost depends on the vehicle, the coverage type, the term, and the deductible. What you can check is whether your contract states which coverage type it is, the deductible basis, and its total price. If it doesn't, that's a question to ask before signing.
What if something on this checklist is missing from my service contract?
Ask for it in writing before you sign. A missing coverage type or refund rule isn't a verdict on the seller; it's an unknown in a contract you're about to be bound by. Getting it stated on the page costs nothing and settles it before the first claim.
Can Spend Defense read my actual service contract?
Yes. Service contracts often run longer than 10 pages, so many go through the Document Review ($19, up to 25 pages); shorter ones fit the Quick Check ($4.99). You'll get back what it says, what's not stated, and what to ask before you sign.
Related checklists
Spend Defense — we read the paperwork before you sign. We don't decide for you.