By: Mitch | Last updated January 4, 2021 
Extended vehicle protection plans are contracts which vehicle owners can purchase for them to be reimbursed in case they would need repairs for mechanical breakdowns. These are plans that in some way, act as an extended insurance of the original one that the car manufacturers give to their customers. However, these are different in the sense that it does not automatically cover all of the parts of the vehicle as it will still depend upon the contract pursued by the customer along with the rules of the provider. Aside from this, it is also not bought directly from the manufacturer of the car, rather, it is from a third-party.
USAA is a known financial services group that has been around since 1922 and is based in San Antonio, Texas. The company primarily serves active members of the Armed Forces, retired ones, and their family members. The financial services they offer ranges from health insurance, vehicle insurances, and more. They are a popular choice for most people given their trustworthiness and their reliability in fulfilling contracts and plans. Lastly, they also have some of the most affordable plans compared to other companies.
USAA has once offered extended vehicle protection. Their most popular plan is the transferable manufacturer wrap plan. This allows users to receive reimbursement in case any of the parts of the car that was originally insured by the manufacturer breaks down. This is comparable to the bumper-to-bumper plan of other extended vehicle protection services. USAA is quite strict with their vehicle requirements, though, given that they only accept vehicles that have not travelled for more than 50,000 miles. This is mostly because those which have travelled more are more likely to experience mechanical breakdowns. This plan is mostly recommended for those whose original car manufacturer plans are expiring, with about 1,000 miles or 30 days left.
The second plan is the Comprehensive Protection plan which is recommended for those who want coverage for the most important parts of their vehicle. This is only available for cars which have travelled for no more than 115,000 miles and are at most 10 years old. The parts that will be protected by this plan include the drive axle, the engine, and the transmission assembly. This second plan is recommended for vehicles that are not expected to have mechanical breakdowns but are too old for purchasing the transferable manufacturer wrap plan.
Before purchasing a plan for them, users should be aware of the fact that their contracts are made along with Assurant Solutions which is the administrator of USAA. This is a third-party insurance company. They will be responsible for the claims process. This is a common practice for most major providers of extended service contracts.
Although the plans of USAA are quite limited, they make up for it in terms of quality service, an easy reimbursement process, and the additional features they provide for their users.
As mentioned, USAA also offers a lot of features alongside the reimbursement it provides for mechanical breakdowns. These are mostly catered towards members of the military as they are the main members of the company.
Their first feature is giving reimbursement in case the user needs to temporarily rent a vehicle while theirs are being fixed. This is because some need to use a vehicle daily for their regular routines or even for attending work. USAA can give users up to $50 every day until their vehicle is fully fixed. Unlike other extended vehicle service providers, the company gives these for an unlimited number of days. Others only offer up to $30 and is only available for a limited number of days. This feature makes them one of the most generous providers of rental car reimbursements.
As with all extended vehicle service providers, USAA offers roadside assistance. This means that users can call their hotline to ask for assistance in case they have an emergency on the road. This can range from being locked inside the car, losing gas in the middle of the road, or even the need for towing services. This is an important service that can save users from extreme inconvenience while on the road.
Next, USAA offers a unique feature called deployment coverage extension. This allows members of the Armed Forces that will be called for active duty and will be deployed to a place far away to receive an extension for their current extended vehicle plans. Their plans can be extended up to 15 months. Aside from this, they will also be reimbursed up to $45 if they would like to do an oil change for their cars once they return. This feature proves the services’ dedication towards serving military members.
However, users should know that USAA only offers their plans for their members. This means that the customer needs to be an active member of the Armed Forces, a retired one, or a primary family member of one.
Extended service contracts are only applicable for mechanical breakdowns which means that it will not pay for repairs that happened because of an accident. Users should not confuse it with a car insurance which is usually required by some states. This is why users should consider that they would be paying for multiple plans in case they would pursue an extended service contract if they will pay for insurance too.
Aside from this, they should consider that extended service contracts are mostly given to vehicles that have not travelled too much (without much mileage), those that are still fully functional, and those that are newer.
Unfortunately, USAA does not offer extended vehicle service contracts anymore since 2018. They would still be honoring contracts that have been made before this but will not offer newer contracts anymore.
Users who may want to pursue an extended vehicle service contract may want to try our highest-rated service, autopom.
