Independent research. Autwary does not use affiliate links, earn commissions or accept payment for rankings. How we review
Smart AutoCare reviews are hard to read because the company rarely appears under its own name. You will not find it on most “best extended warranty” lists, its contracts are sold at car dealerships rather than online, and its BBB records are split across several affiliated companies. This review pulls those pieces together so you can decide whether the service contract a dealer is offering you is worth signing.
Short answer: Smart AutoCare is a legitimate vehicle service contract company based in Richardson, Texas, and part of the insurance group Fortegra since 2020. It sells only through dealers and agents, so you cannot buy a plan on its website or see prices in advance. Its affiliated companies hold A+ ratings with the BBB, but consumer reviews are poor: 1.0 out of 5 on ConsumerAffairs (57 reviews) and 1.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot (51 reviews) as of October 2026.
Smart AutoCare at a glance
| Item | What we found (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Richardson, Texas (P.O. Box 852770, Richardson, TX 75085) |
| In business since | 1990, according to the company website |
| Former name | Accelerated Service International |
| Parent company | Fortegra. Tiptree bought Smart AutoCare in a deal that closed on January 3, 2020, and Fortegra was sold to South Korea’s DB Insurance in 2026 |
| How you buy it | Only through participating car dealers and agents; no online quotes |
| Claims administrator | Smart AutoCare affiliates such as Ownershield, Inc., which describes itself in BBB responses as the administrator and obligor |
| Insurance backing | Described on its website as an “A-rated carrier”; the carrier is not named publicly |
| Terms | Generally 12 to 84 months, depending on the plan |
| Published prices | None; reported prices range from about $1,500 to $4,262 |
Who is Smart AutoCare?
Smart AutoCare designs, sells and administers vehicle service contracts, GAP coverage and other finance and insurance products for car dealers. Tiptree Insurance announced its purchase of the company, then called Accelerated Service International, in a December 2019 press release filed with the SEC. The closing filing lists the entities that came with it, including Smart AutoCare, Inc., Smart AutoCare Administration Solutions, Inc., Ownershield, Inc., Independent Dealer Group, Inc. and two insurance companies. Smart AutoCare became part of Fortegra’s warranty business, and its website footer now reads “Copyright Fortegra 2026.”
That structure matters when you read reviews. The contract you sign may name Ownershield or another affiliate as the obligor, the dealer is the seller, and the insurance company behind the contract is a third party again. When something goes wrong, you need to know which of those names is responsible for what. The FTC guide to auto service contracts recommends checking exactly this before you buy.
Smart AutoCare BBB ratings and complaints
There is no single BBB profile for Smart AutoCare. Complaints about its contracts land on the profiles of its affiliates, and the one profile with “smart-autocare” in its web address actually belongs to a different company name. Here is what each profile showed in October 2026:
| BBB profile | Rating | Accredited | Complaints (3 years / 12 months) | Customer reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ownershield, Inc. (contract administrator) | A+ | Yes | 192 / 29 closed | 3.13 out of 5 from 32 reviews |
| Independent Dealer Group, Inc. | A+ | Yes | 29 / 2 | Not checked |
| National Security Exchange, LLC (listed as “Auto Care”) | A+ | No | 3 / 0 | 1 out of 5 from 2 reviews |
The Ownershield profile is the one to read. Of its 192 complaints, 155 are tagged as service or repair problems, which in practice means disputes over claims. The company answered 172 of them, but only 20 are marked as resolved. Some of the 2026 responses also show that Ownershield administers contracts sold by direct-to-consumer brands such as Endurance, so not every complaint there involves a contract bought at a dealership.
An A+ grade tells you the company responds to complaints and has a long track record. It does not mean claims get paid the way customers expect, which is why the grade and the one-star reviews can both be true.
What plans does Smart AutoCare offer?
Smart AutoCare publishes its product names on its coverage page but not the full contracts. The main options a dealer is likely to offer are these:
| Plan | What it is |
|---|---|
| Premier, 5 Star, Advantage Care | The company’s main vehicle service contracts |
| SmartCare 2.0 | Four levels: Powertrain, Powertrain Plus, Comprehensive and Total Exclusionary |
| SmartCare High Mileage | Powertrain, Comprehensive and Total Exclusionary levels for older cars |
| Lifetime Powertrain Limited Warranty | Powertrain coverage for vehicles with up to 80,000 miles on the odometer |
| SmartWrap | Wrap coverage with unlimited mileage, meant to sit on top of a factory powertrain warranty |
| Smart Tech Plus, Total Truck Care, Care Free Elite | Specialty plans for vehicle technology and trucks |
| Add-ons | GAP, paint and interior, paintless dent repair, key replacement, road hazard and battery coverage |
Several plans include 24/7 roadside assistance, and the SmartCare, SmartCare 2.0, SmartCare High Mileage, Smart Tech Plus and Total Truck Care plans list substitute transportation and trip interruption benefits. The deductible for the main service contracts is not published. Chaiz, a warranty marketplace, lists a waiting period of 30 days and 1,000 miles, but that is a third-party figure, so confirm it on your own contract.
How much does Smart AutoCare cost?
Smart AutoCare does not publish prices, and because a dealer sets the final price, two buyers with the same car can pay very different amounts. The figures we could find all come from customers:
- A 2018 Ford Edge with 35,000 miles: $1,665 for 3 years or 100,000 miles, as reported to Automoblog.
- A 2010 Mercury Mariner: $2,955 for 5 years of exclusionary coverage, also reported to Automoblog.
- ConsumerAffairs reviewers report prices from $1,500 to $4,262.
Example: what a dealer-financed contract really costs
Dealers usually add the service contract to your auto loan. If you finance the $2,955 contract above at 8% APR over 60 months, it adds about $59.92 to your monthly payment, and you pay roughly $640 in interest on top of the contract price, for a total of about $3,595. Paying cash instead would cost $2,955, or $49.25 a month spread over the same five years. Before you sign, ask the finance manager for the contract price on its own line, and remember that a service contract is optional: the FTC notes you do not have to buy one to get a car loan.
The price is also negotiable. Dealers earn a markup on these contracts, so it is reasonable to ask for a lower price or to compare it with quotes from direct sellers. Our guide to third-party vs dealer extended warranties explains how the two buying routes compare. Assurant is another large company that sells only through dealers; see our Assurant vehicle warranty reviews for how its plans and complaint record compare.
Common Smart AutoCare complaints
ConsumerAffairs and Trustpilot reviews, together with the BBB complaint records, point to a few recurring problems:
- Claim denials and partial payments: most BBB complaints against the administrator are filed as service or repair disputes.
- Not knowing who to call: buyers often know the dealer and the Smart AutoCare name but not the obligor printed on the contract, which slows claims down.
- Refunds that go through the dealer: a 2026 Ownershield response quotes contract language saying “All refunds will be issued through the Seller,” so cancellation money comes back via the dealer, and to your lender first if the contract was financed.
- Pricing surprises: some reviewers only discovered the contract cost after reading their loan paperwork.
If a claim is denied, ask for the denial and the contract clause in writing, then follow our steps for what to do when an extended warranty claim is denied. You can also file a complaint with the BBB and with the Texas Department of Insurance or your own state regulator.
How to cancel a Smart AutoCare contract
The company says its contracts can be cancelled and transferred, and refund terms vary by contract. In practice, you start the cancellation with the dealer that sold it to you, because the refund is issued through the seller. If you financed the contract, the refund usually goes to your lender and lowers your loan balance rather than coming to you as cash. Put the request in writing, keep a copy, and check our guide on how to cancel an extended car warranty and get a refund for a letter you can adapt.
Is Smart AutoCare worth it?
It can be, but only if the contract terms are clear and the price is fair. Because you cannot compare Smart AutoCare prices online, the dealer controls most of the deal. Before you sign, ask for these five things:
- A complete copy of the contract, not just the brochure.
- The name of the obligor and claims administrator (often Ownershield) and the insurance company behind the contract.
- The deductible, the waiting period and any limit per claim or for the whole contract.
- The cancellation terms, including any fee and how the refund is calculated.
- The contract price on its own line, so you can compare it with a direct quote.
If the dealer cannot give you those answers, or the price is well above direct quotes for similar coverage, compare it with the providers in our ranking of the best extended car warranty companies before you decide.
Smart AutoCare reviews FAQ
Is Smart AutoCare legit?
Yes. It is an established vehicle service contract company that has operated since 1990, is owned by the insurance group Fortegra and is not the subject of any FTC or state attorney general action that we could find. Its weak consumer reviews come mainly from claim disputes, not from fraud.
Who owns Smart AutoCare?
Tiptree bought Smart AutoCare in a deal that closed on January 3, 2020, and placed it in Fortegra’s warranty business. Fortegra was then sold to South Korea’s DB Insurance in 2026.
Is Smart AutoCare the same as Ownershield?
They are part of the same group. Ownershield, Inc. was one of the companies acquired with Smart AutoCare, and it acts as the administrator and obligor on many contracts. That is why most Smart AutoCare complaints appear on the Ownershield BBB profile.
Can I buy Smart AutoCare online?
No. Smart AutoCare sells through participating dealers and agents, and its website has no consumer quote tool. If you want to buy online, look at direct sellers instead.
Does Smart AutoCare have a waiting period?
Third-party listings show 30 days and 1,000 miles, which is common in the industry. The company does not publish the figure, so read the waiting period clause in your contract. Our guide to the extended warranty waiting period explains how these clauses work.
Autwary is supported by advertising and has no paid relationship with the companies we review. See our Advertising Disclosure.
