AAA Extended Warranty
Our review team rated the AAA extended warranty 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. Our guide explains where AAA offers warranties and what services are included.
With our #1 rated provider,
The Gist:
- We rate AAA’s extended warranty 4.0 out of 5.0 stars for affordability and variety of coverage.
- You can get an extended warranty with AAA through the AAA Club Alliance or AAA Northeast.
- Regional AAA locations have Better Business Bureau (BBB) scores ranging from A+ to F, indicating some positive and some negative experiences.
AAA is best recognized for its roadside assistance and automotive care benefits. And while these may be its best-selling products, the automotive group also sells AAA extended warranty plans in some regions.
This review will explore AAA’s extended warranty options, costs, services, and the company’s reputation to see how AAA compares with the nation’s best extended car warranty companies.
An extended car warranty refers to mechanical breakdown coverage offered by a vehicle manufacturer. However, this term is often mistakenly used to describe coverage from third-party companies. Independent providers offer similar protection through vehicle service contracts, but we’ve used the terms interchangeably in this article for convenience.
AAA Extended Warranty Reviews
We give AAA a rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. The national organization is reputable and known for providing excellent services and discounts for AAA members. AAA extended warranties also come with affordable rates with great benefits and perks.
AAA Pros And Cons
Not all AAA locations offer vehicle service contracts to extend the factory warranty on your vehicle. For those that do, terms and coverage options vary from basic plans to comprehensive extended warranty coverage. Below you’ll find a snapshot of the pros and cons of AAA extended car warranties:
While the vehicle service plans we will detail offer comprehensive coverage, note that your options and pricing could change depending on your location. We recommend getting free quotes from a few extended warranty providers so you can compare your options. Read on to see which third-party providers ranked high in our best extended auto warranty research.
Here’s how AAA performed in our review of extended warranties:
Review Category | Ratings Score |
---|---|
Reputation | 4.5 |
Coverage | 4.5 |
Price | 3.5 |
Customer Experience | 4 |
Overall Rating | 4 |
AAA Reviews BBB
Since AAA is a federation of individual member agencies, there isn’t one BBB profile for the organization. Regional AAA locations have BBB pages with scores ranging from A+ to F.
We recommend looking at review sites to see the reputation of your local branch.
What Is AAA?
The American Automobile Association (AAA) was founded in 1902 as a coalition of motor clubs and has grown to 61 million members in the United States and Canada. It provides a wide array of services, which include:
- Automotive care
- Roadside assistance
- Car insurance
- Loans
Since each motor club is an individual entity, plan and coverage options vary widely by region. This means AAA extended warranty options may look similar but will differ.
What Does AAA Extended Warranty Cover?
AAA is a federation of 32 regional member clubs that provide services to members in North America. Some membership benefits are the same across the national organization, though many offer club-specific services such as AAA extended warranty coverage.
Our research team discovered that not all member clubs offer vehicle service contracts. We were able to confirm that the following AAA branches offer extended warranty coverage:
- AAA Club Alliance
- AAA Northeast
Many of the AAA extended warranty options offered across the member clubs are similar in coverage and benefits, with the main differences being the plan’s name and the number of tiers.
AAA Club Alliance
The AAA Vehicle Protection Plan from AAA Club Alliance is only available to residents of these areas:
- AAA Blue Grass & Bluefield regions
- Delaware
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Southern West Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- Parts of Connecticut, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia
What Is AAA Club Alliance?
AAA Club Alliance’s extended warranty plans include three levels of coverage: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. These warranties provide premium coverage for most vehicles and up to 15 years/150,000 miles of coverage to protect against unexpected repair costs.
The table below outlines the three warranty plans available through AAA Club Alliance:
Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
---|---|---|---|
Antilock braking system | ✓ | ✓ | |
Air conditioning and heating | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Basic electric | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Brake group | ✓ | ✓ | |
Cooling system | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Drive axle group (front or rear) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Engine group (diesel and gas) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Power steering group | ✓ | ✓ | |
Seals and gaskets | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Transmission | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Suspension group | ✓ | ✓ | |
Turbo/supercharger | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Taxes and fluids | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
All plans cover 100 percent of the diagnostics, labor, and parts costs for covered repairs on approved claims. There’s no deductible when using a AAA-owned auto repair facility and you’ll pay a $50 deductible when using a AAA-approved auto repair facility.
You can transfer your AAA extended warranty plan to another owner if you sell your car. Fees and conditions may apply, so you should contact your local AAA member club for more information.
Additional Perks Of AAA Club Alliance Coverage
All AAA Club Alliance plans come with:
- No-cost payment plans: The AAA Club Alliance offers 0 percent financing on all plans for up to 24 months with 10 percent down.
- Rental car reimbursement: AAA members receive refunds for rental vehicle charges up to $175, not to exceed $35 per 24-hour period.
- Battery replacement: AAA Club Alliance offers a free one-time battery replacement.
- Emergency self-approval: AAA Club Alliance plans allow emergency self-approval up to $500.
AAA Northeast
AAA Northeast covers select counties in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York. Each agency offers AAA extended warranty services, so we recommend contacting your local branch for coverage information.
AAA Northeast Benefits
The regional club says it offers extended coverage for all mechanical and electrical components after your original factory warranty expires. Program benefits include:
- $0 deductible plans
- Direct payment to repair facilities
- Rental vehicle assistance
- Licensed repair facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada
- Transferable coverage
AAA Extended Car Warranty Cost
To find out how much you’ll pay for a AAA extended warranty, you’ll need to contact your local AAA office. Factors that typically influence the cost of your coverage include your vehicle type, its mileage, and your selected coverage level.
Since AAA is divided into geographical regions for coverage, you might pay more for an extended warranty depending on where you live.
How AAA Extended Warranties Work
You should contact your region’s office to get a free quote for a AAA extended warranty. You can also speak with AAA member services to be directed to the office closest to you.
If your vehicle experiences an unexpected mechanical breakdown and requires repairs, AAA’s extended warranty covers services at any licensed repair facility in the U.S. and Canada. However, your deductible may be waived if repairs are completed at a AAA-approved or AAA-owned auto repair facility.
Once your car is at a repair shop, give the repair technician your AAA extended warranty plan information. The service facility will then contact AAA for car repair authorization once the problem has been diagnosed. AAA will pay the facility directly to cover the repair bill if it approves the needed repairs.
AAA Car Warranty: Our Take
AAA extended warranty is a good option for those looking for coverage for potentially expensive car repairs after the vehicle’s factory warranty expires. However, it is only available in some regions of the country, so you might have to look elsewhere for your extended warranty. We have a breakdown of some of AAA’s competitors below.
AAA Extended Warranty Competitors: Our Top Picks
While AAA offers solid extended warranty options, hundreds of other companies provide comprehensive warranty coverage. We recommend contacting Endurance and Carchex, which scored highly in our industry review.
Endurance: Best Plan Offerings
Endurance is a reputable direct auto warranty provider with over 15 years of experience. The company offers five levels of coverage that can last up to 200,000 miles. These vehicle service contracts are available in 49 states, excluding California.Our review team gave Endurance an overall ranking of 4.5 out of 5.
Learn more: Endurance warranty reviews
Carchex: High Mileage Limits
Carchex has sold extended auto warranties for more than 16 years. The company offers five coverage levels, with terms lasting as long as 10 years or 250,000 miles. Carchex provides a wide range of deductible options, which allow for more plan customization to fit your budget.In our extensive review, Carchex scored 4.4 out of 5.
Read more: Carchex warranty reviews
AAA Extended Car Warranty: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about AAA extended warranties:
Does AAA offer extended warranty coverage?
AAA extended warranty coverage is available in some regions of the United States. Every AAA club handles coverage options differently, so it’s important to ask detailed questions when you contact the one located closest to you.
What does a AAA extended warranty cover?
Depending on the plans available in your region, a AAA extended warranty could include all mechanical and electrical components after your manufacturer’s warranty expires.
Who has the best extended car warranty?
In our review of the best extended car warranties, we name Endurance, ForeverCar, Olive, CarShield, and Carchex the top providers in the industry.
How We Rate Warranty Providers
Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of extended auto warranty providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a warranty company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:
- Reputation: It’s important that an extended car warranty company is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and a long history of reliable service score well in this category. We also evaluate the availability and transparency of each company’s contracts, as well as whether each provider offers a money-back guarantee.
- Coverage: Our team of experts looks at the number of extended warranty plans available, as well as term limits, exclusions, and added benefits like roadside assistance. Ratings also take into account the availability of maintenance coverage.
- Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between providers because so many factors impact vehicle service contract pricing. To determine our cost score, we perform a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicles and plans and consider available deductibles.
- Customer Experience: We listen to real customer sales calls and comb through reviews on sites like the BBB to learn about customer experiences. Warranty companies with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the availability of mobile apps and chat features.
*Data accurate at time of publication